Kenan Thompson’s incredible 22-year run as a Saturday Night Live cast member will never be replicated. While he deserves all the love in the world for his longevity alone, Thompson is so much more than a lifetime achievement recipient.

Well, we’ve gone through the show’s 50 seasons and ranked our 30 favorite performers from the show’s history. If we left some of your favorite cast members out, you can direct all complaints to Matt Foley at his van down by the river. Let’s dive in, shall we?

Legions of comedic talent have paraded through NBC’s Studio 8H, whether as cast members, writers or hosts of “Saturday Night Live.”

Live nears its official 50th anniversary, the pageantry and buildup around the big event has reminded me of something fairly unfunny: a royal jubilee. It’s fascinating to consider how an anarchic weekly comedy show has developed the backstage air of a British royal drama,