When Saturday Night Live began airing in 1975 no one had any idea that the show would run for 47 seasons and become the launching pad for several comedian performers and writers. But that's exactly what has happened and continues to happen as the sketch show continues to air.
While everyone knows the shows that star SNL alumni, not everyone is aware of the shows the SNL alumni have created by either writing or producing themselves. From family and workplace traditional sitcoms to hilarious dark comedies and even animated shows, the SNL alumni are one talented bunch.
30 Rock (2006-2013) - Tina Fey
Tina Fey spent nine seasons on Saturday Night Live where she was first hired as a writer before becoming a cast member where she was best known for co-anchoring Weekend Update. Her time on the sketch show gave her tons of inspiration to create the sitcom 30 Rock.
Created on her own, 30 Rock is a satirical sitcom that centers on the behind-the-scenes antics of a fictional live sketch comedy show. While the show is one that hasn't aged well in recent years, it was a powerhouse when it came out thanks to the star power behind it.
A.P. Bio (2018-2021) - Mike O'Brien
Mike O'Brien might not be the most familiar Saturday Night Live name but he should be. After training at Second City in Chicago, O'Brien joined the SNL as a writer in 2009 and was a featured player for the show's 39th season. He spent most of his time writing short film sketches for the show.
After leaving, O'Brien continued his comedy pursuits and in 2018 he wrote and created the comedy series A.P. Bio for NBC. The series centers on a disgraced college professor who takes a job as an A.P. Bio teacher in his hometown to stay afloat. Instead of teaching his students, he uses them to get back at his rival who stole his dream job.
Barry (2018-) - Bill Hader
Bill Hader got his start on Saturday Night Live where he spent eight years as a cast member. He was nominated four times for a Primetime Emmy award and was best known for his reoccurring character on Weekend Updated Stefon.
Several years after leaving SNL, Hader channeled his comedy into a darker space and created the HBO dark comedy/crime show Barry. The show centers on Barry Berkman (Hader), a hitman who originally goes to LA on a hit job but ends up enrolled in an acting class that has him questioning his profession.
Duncanville (2020-) - Amy Poehler
While Amy Poehler got her start at Chicago's 'The Second City', she landed a spot on Saturday Night Live's cast in 2001. She spent seven years on the show before leaving to star in NBC's hit Parks and Recreation. While she might be known for Leslie Knope, Poehler has created several amazing TV shows.
The Fox animated show Duncanville is Poehler's latest show to hit the air. The series centers on Duncan, the 15-year old teenage boy of the Harris family, As Duncan often finds himself making bad decisions, his zany family is there to save the day.
Everybody Hates Chris (2005-2009) - Chris Rock
Chris Rock didn't get his start on Saturday Night Live but appearing on the show for three seasons certainly helped the comedian's star power. Unfortunately, Rock was fired from the show in one of the most talked-about casting changes. Still, after leaving he went on to create the hit family sitcom Everybody Hates Chris.
Inspired by Rock's teenage years, Everybody Hates Chris chronicles his teenage years in 1980s Brooklyn. Rock not only wrote the show but also narrated it while Tyler James Williams got the privileged of playing Chris.
Parks And Recreation (2009-2015) - Greg Daniels
While everyone remembers the cast members of SNL, not everyone remembers the writers despite them being a huge part of why the show is successful. Greg Daniels was a writer for the show from 1987 to 1990 and won an Emmy for his time. He went on to write and create several iconic shows including Parks and Recreation.
The mockumentary series, which starred fellow SNL alumni Amy Poehler, aired on NBC for seven seasons and was nominated for 14 Emmy Awards during that run. The show centered on Leslie Knope and her ragtag Indiana Government Parks Department.
Portlandia (2011-2018) - Fred Armisen
Fred Armisen was an integral part of Saturday Night Live from 2002 to 2013. In fact, when he left he made history as one of the longest-running cast members on the show and the one who had the second most sketch appearances of all time.
After leaving Armisen went on to create his own sketch comedy show called Portlandia. Set in Portland, Oregon the series routinely made fun of the city's hipster personality. It ran for eight seasons and went on to win a Peabody Award.
Shrill (2019-2021) - Aidy Bryant
Season 38 of Saturday Night Live was a huge gamble for the sketch show because it saw a majority of its season 37 cast replaced with newcomers. One of those newcomers was Aidy Bryant. She is still a cast member today and has been nominated twice for an Emmy based on her performance.
While appearing on SNL, she began developing the comedy series Shrill based on a non-fiction book. Bryant created, wrote, and starred in the series playing Annie, a young woman, who is trying to make it a journalist.
The Good Place (2016-2020) - Michael Schur
Television fans who pay attention to credits might recognize Michael Schur's but what they may not know is the iconic TV showrunner got his start on Saturday Night Live. He wrote on the show from 1997 to 2004 and also served as the producer for Weekend Update.
After leaving he went on to write for and create some of the most influential comedy shows of the 2000s and 2010s. One of his most recent shows was NBC's The Good Place. The series centers on Eleanor, a woman who after dying, finds herself in the "Good Place" despite being a terrible human while alive.
The Last Man On Earth (2015-2018) - Will Forte
Will Forte was another cast member of SNL who helped define the show's comedy style in the 2000s. Forte spent eight years on the show where he rose to fame for his absurd sketches that typically closed out the show every week.
After leaving, Forte continued working as an actor and in 2015 he created the post-apocalyptic comedy series The Last Man on Earth. The series centers on Phil (Forte) a man who has spent the last year searching for any other human life after a deadly virus wiped out the world's population.