Posted in: NBC, Peacock, TV | Tagged: saturday night live, snl, the last of us

SNL 50 Seasons/50 Days: Mario Kart Meets The Last of Us in Season 48

NBC's "SNL: 50 Seasons in 50 Days" rolls on with Season 48 and that Pedro Pascal-starring mash-up of Mario Kart and HBO's The Last of Us.

With the big anniversary event set for February (more on that in a minute), NBC's Saturday Night Live continues rolling along with its "SNL: 50 Seasons in 50 Days" series, which spotlights a sketch from an SNL season every day – beginning with the current and working backward. This time, the spotlight shines on Season 48 Episode 12 (February 4, 2023), with host Pedro Pascal (Disney+'s The Mandalorian, HBO's The Last of Us) and musical guest Coldplay. While we were expecting something related to the hit HBO series to come up in a sketch, we didn't see this one coming.

In an alternate reality that was captured in a great SNL fake trailer for HBO's next "prestige" series, Pascal takes on the lead role in a post-apocalyptic adaptation of the video game Mario Kart. Mario's mission? Transport Princess Peach (Chloe Fineman) through what's left of Rainbow Road. Standing in their way? Bowser, who now has full control of the kingdom. "Karting out here isn't a game. If we're going to make it, we're going to need all the help we can get," Mario reveals to Peach. That means it's time for "all your favorite wacky racers" to be "reimagined as complex, dramatic HBO characters, " including Luigi (Mikey Day), Yoshi (Bowen Yang), Bowser (Kenan Thompson), and Toad (Marcello Hernández). Here's a look at the post honoring the sketch (with a YouTube version waiting for you above), followed by a look back at Season 48's hosts and musical guests.

Here's a chance to take a look behind the scenes via a mini-featurette from T-Mobile that shows how it all came together in a very short stretch of time:

SNL50: Beyond Saturday Night (SNL Docuseries Set for January)

With only two shows remaining in 2024 for NBC's Saturday Night Live, we're getting an early look at what's in store in 2025 to celebrate the long-running late-night sketch comedy and music series' 50th season. Before we get to the big celebration on February 16th and NBC's documentary event, Ladies & Gentlemen… 50 Years of SNL Music on January 27th, Peacock and Academy and Emmy Award winner Morgan Neville will be offering us an unprecedented behind-the-scenes look at what makes the show an enduring and influential institution. Featuring more than 60 contributors, including alumni, and covering decades of history, the four-episode SNL50: Beyond Saturday Night reveals new insights into the show's history, pulling back the curtain on everything from the writers' room to the famed audition process. With all four episodes set to hit Peacock on January 16th, here's a look at what you can expect:

Peacock's SNL50: Beyond Saturday Night is a four-part docuseries honoring the legacy of SNL, with over 60 contributors, including SNL alumni, and covering decades of SNL history. Spotlighting some of the show's most iconic elements, each episode delves into the rich history of SNL and pulls back the curtain on the audition process, the writers' room, the fan favorite "More Cowbell" sketch, and the pivotal season 11.

Episode 101, "Five Minutes" – A showcase of the audition process, with never-before-seen audition footage and firsthand accounts from some of the show's most iconic names as they reflect on their preparation and journey to the SNL stage.

Episode 102, "Written By: A Week Inside The SNL Writers Room" – A behind-the-scenes look at the writing process from script to screen, capturing the creativity and chaos of a week inside the writers' room.

Episode 103, "More Cowbell" – A deep dive into the making of SNL's iconic "More Cowbell" sketch, exploring how a simple idea became a cultural phenomenon and offering a tribute to the lasting impact of sketch comedy.

Episode 104, "Season 11: The Weird Year" – An exploration into SNL's 11th season, examining the pivotal year that reset the show's direction and cemented its enduring DNA with Lorne Michaels at the helm.

Executive-produced by Neville, Caitrin Rogers, and Showrunner Juaquin Cambron, Peacock's SNL50: Beyond Saturday Night is produced by Jonathan Formica (Ep 101, "Five Minutes" & Ep 104, "Season 11: The Weird Year") and Allison Klein (Ep 102, "Written By: A Week Inside the SNL Writers Room" & Ep 103, "More Cowbell"). The episodes were directed by Robert Alexander (Ep 101, "Five Minutes"), Marshall Curry (Ep 102, "Written By: A Week Inside the SNL Writers Room"), Neil Berkeley (Ep 103, "More Cowbell"), and Jason Zeldes (Ep 104, "Season 11: The Weird Year").

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