Plot Synopsis

Each Saturday night, NBC opens its late-night sketch-comedy showcase with the now-famous line: "Live from New York, it's SATURDAY NIGHT!" For nearly 40 years, this Emmy Award-winning program has launched the careers of up-and-coming comics, while infiltrating pop culture with classic characters and unforgettable lines. From its early years with the Samurai Delicatessen, Land Shark, and The Festrunk Brothers ("We're two wild and crazy guys") to bits in the '90s with Canteen Boy, Church Lady, and The Spartan Cheerleaders and to more recent sketches like More Cowbell, the video short "Dick in a Box," and Stefon, SNL has sometimes struggled to remain fresh, but has found a way to evolve and stay relevant, especially by featuring political spoofs, with Tina Fey's portrayal of Vice Presidential candidate Sarah Palin giving SNL new buzz. Besides its takes on political figures, SNL's Weekend Update has remained a constant, airing just after midnight and featuring one or two anchors -- Chevy Chase (1975-76); Jane Curtin (1976-77); Jane Curtin & Dan Aykroyd (1977-78); Jane Curtin & Bill Murray (1978-80); Dennis Miller (1985-91); Norm MacDonald (1994-97); Colin Quinn (1998-2000); Jimmy Fallon & Tina Fey (2000-04); Tina Fey & Amy Poehler (2004-06); Amy Poehler & Seth Meyers (2006-2008); Seth Meyers (2008-13); Seth Meyers & Cecily Strong (2013-14); Cecily Strong & Colin Jost (2014); and Colin Jost & Michael Che (2014-??) -- and special guests skewering hot topics, current events, and celebrity antics.

SNL returned for its 39th season on September 28, 2013, as SNL welcomed six new featured players following the departures of long-time cast members Fred Arminsen, Jason Sudeikis, and Bill Hader. The new cast members were: Beck Bennett, John Milhiser, Kyle Mooney, Mike O'Brien, Noel Wells, and Brooks Wheelan. For the Season 39 opener, Tina Fey hosted for the fourth time, and she was joined by musical guest Arcade Fire.

On Saturday, September 27, 2014 at 11:35pm ET (live)/PT (tape), NBC aired the Season 40 premiere of SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE, with first-time host Chris Pratt and first-time musical guest Ariana Grande. For the show's 40th season, Pete Davidson and Michael Che joined the cast and former SNL cast member Darrell Hammond takes over as the show's announcer following the death of the legendary Don Pardo. Michael Che, who has been a writer the past two years, joined Colin Jost at the desk of "Weekend Update," allowing former anchor Cecily Strong to focus on characters and sketches. Just before the season's fourth episode, writer Leslie Jones was promoted to featured player.

SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE celebrated the start of its 41st season on Saturday, October 3, 2015 at 11:30pm ET/PT on NBC, with Miley Cyrus returning as host for a third time and second time as musical guest.

On Saturday, October 1, 2016 at 11:30pm ET (live)/PT (tape), NBC premieres the 42nd season of SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE, with host Margot Robbie and musical guest The Weeknd. Robbie, currently starring as Harley Quinn in SUICIDE SQUAD, makes her debut as host, while two-time Grammy Award winner and Oscar nominee The Weeknd returns as musical guest.

For its 43rd season, SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE continues to be broadcast live simultaneously across the country on Saturdays, airing live at 11:30pm ET/10:30pm CT/9:30pm MT/8:30pm PT on NBC. Chris Redd, Heidi Gardner, and Luke Null join the program as regular cast members, replacing Bobby Moynihan, Vanessa Bayer, and Sasheer Zamata, who left the show at the end of last season. Season 43 opens on Saturday, September 30, 2017 with Ryan Gosling hosting and Jay-Z as musical guest.

SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE opened its 44th season on Saturday, September 29, 2018 at 11:30pm ET/10:30pm CT/9:30pm MT/8:30pm PT on NBC. Returning for his second time as host is Emmy Award-nominated Adam Driver, who is joined by Grammy Award-winner and icon Kanye West, making his seventh appearance as musical guest. Ego Nwodim has joined SNL as a featured player for the 44th season. Nwodim graduated from the University of Southern California with a degree in biology and has been a regular cast member at the UCB Theatre in Los Angeles where she performed her one-woman show, "Great Black Women...and Then There's Me." SNL also added Alan Linic, Alison Gates, Eli Mandel and Bowen Yang as writers.

SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE kicks off its 45th season with three live coast-to-coast shows at 11:30pm ET/10:30pm CT/9:30pm MT/8:30pm PT, beginning Saturday, September 28, 2019.

Season 46 of SNL premieres on Saturday, October 3, 2020 at 11:30pm/8:30pm PT on NBC, with Chris Rock taking the stage in Studio 8H, marking his third time as host, with musical guest Megan Thee Stallion making her SNL debut. Jim Carrey and Maya Rudolph are set to appear as Joe Biden and Kamala Harris during the 2020 election season. SNL continues its 46th season with two additional new episodes in October.

The 47th season of SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE premieres on Saturday, October 2, 2021 with four consecutive live shows 11:30pm ET/10:30pm CT/9:30pm MT/8:30pm PT on NBC. Owen Wilson kicks off the 47th season of SNL when he serves as host for the first time. Kacey Musgraves makes her second appearance as musical guest. This season SNL welcomes three new cast members -- Aristotle Athari, James Austin Johnson & Sarah Sherman -- and bids adieu to Beck Bennett and Lauren Holt. Bowen Yang and Chloe Fineman have been promoted from featured players to repertory cast members. Michael Che and Colin Jost continue to host "Weekend Update."

On Saturday, October 1, 2022, SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE was live coast to coast at 11:30pm ET/10:30pm CT/9:30pm MT/8:30pm PT on NBC to kick off its 48th season. Seven cast members -- Kate McKinnon, Aidy Bryant, Kyle Mooney, Chris Redd, Alex Moffat, Melissa Villasenor, and Aristotle Athari -- left the series, which welcomed four new featured players: Marcello Hernandez, Molly Kearney, Michael Longfellow, and Devon Walker. Season 48 begins with three consecutive new episodes. Tonight, Miles Teller makes his hosting debut, and he's joined by Kendrick Lamar, who returns for his third appearance as SNL musical guest.

The 49th season of SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE premiered Saturday, October 14, 2023 live coast to coast at 11:30pm ET/10:30pm CT/9:30pm MT/8:30pm PT on NBC with Pete Davidson returning to Studio 8H for his hosting debut. Ice Spice performed as SNL musical guest for the first time. Chloe Troast joined the cast as a featured player. The entire cast from the previous season returned.

SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE returned for its 50th season on Saturday, September 28, 2024 live across all time zones at 11:30pm ET/10:30pm CT/9:30pm MT/8:30pm PT on NBC, with the first of four weeks of new episodes. For the new season, Ashley Padilla, Emil Wakim and Jane Wickline join the ensemble following the exits of Punkie Johnson, Molly Kearney and Chloe Troast. In the season opener, Jean Smart hosted for the first time and Jelly Roll made his musical guest debut.
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Tonight (Saturday, November 16, 2024) NBC debuts the last of three weeks of weeks of new episodes of SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE live across all time zones at 11:30pm ET/10:30pm CT/9:30pm MT/8:30pm PT. Charli XCX will do double duty in her first appearance as SNL host and third appearance as musical guest.