Feb. 25, 2015

By Ellie Christensen
In conjunction with the show’s 40th anniversary, NBC has launched a mobile application for iPhone and IOS devices based on the TV show “Saturday Night Live” called SNL40. This app has everything—more than 5,500 sketches, never before seen clips, and a new SNL emoji keyboard. The best part? This app is 100 percent free.
Upon entering the app, users will immediately view recent clips from the show in the “watch” section. It is easy to view clips in this tab because you only have to swipe left or right to view the next video which will automatically begin playing.
In the “explore” function, users can search by season, cast member or episode in order to find the video they are searching for. There is also a search bar at the top of the screen which allows users to search for specific characters or sketches. The only down side to the search bar is that they did not tag the videos well enough. If you remember a quote from a skit, you cannot search for it. Essentially, you must have a slight sense of what you are looking for when searching.

Once users have selected a clip, they will be taken to the video player which has several key features. Users can favorite videos or share them via Facebook. Also, below the video, you will find a list of comedians and/or actors who appear in the sketch with their pictures, a video description and a link to the list of videos from the episode on which the sketch first appeared. Overall, the navigation is well done.
The free, downloadable emoji keyboard was a fun added bonus for dedicated Saturday Night Live fans. Emojis ranged from popular characters on the show like Stefon, Matt Foley or Doonese all the way to phrases like “Suck it Trebek.” I only wish there could have been more emojis.
Some were disappointed to find the app is currently unavailable for Android devices. NBC has stated it will release an app for Android users soon. In the meantime, I recommend every SNL fan with an IOS device downloads this app. Trust me, you won’t regret it.