‘SNL' Gets a Season 49 Release Date and Host
Saturday Night Live is set to return for its 49th season on Oct. 14, kicking things off with former cast-member Pete Davidson as host. The Bupkis star, who will be joined by musical guest Ice Spice, was set to return to 30 Rock in Season 48, but the season came to an abrupt halt in May due to the recently-resolved WGA writers' strike. (The SAG-AFTRA actors' strike is still ongoing, but as with other late-night programs, SNL is returning with the union's full blessing.)
From film parodies to political takedowns, satirical news segments to host monologues, Saturday Night Live has been making and reacting to conversation for nearly half a century now. A cultural stalwart for NBC, the Lorne Michaels-created show has seen periods of growth, stagnation and transition; in recent years, that’s included weathering the pandemic, working through the successive departures of more than half a dozen cast members prior to Season 48 and, now, looking to regroup post-WGA strike.
Read on for more details about the new season of the SNL, including who's in the cast and more.
Related: Watch Pete Davidson's Best 'SNL' Sketches
Will there be an SNL Season 49?
Yes. After Season 48 was cut short by the WGA strike, the Emmy-winning satirical show is returning with a 49th season on Oct. 14. However, since SAG-AFTRA is still currently on strike (with negotiations having resumed the first Monday of October), SNL may lean heavily on non-acting hosts, concentrating more on musicians, athletes and other prominent figures, until the strike resolves. (That said, Pete Davidson is the first host of the season.)
What is the release date for Season 49 of Saturday Night Live?
Given the conclusion of the writers' strike, SNL will return on Oct. 14, 2023. The cast is technically covered under SAG-AFTRA’s Network Code, meaning that the program—like other reality or late-night series—can come back even prior to the conclusion of the actors’ strike.
Who is hosting Season 49 of Saturday Night Live?
Pete Davidson will host the Season 49 premiere on Oct. 14 with musical guest Ice Spice. The following week, Oct. 21, will see Bad Bunny pull double duty as host and musical guest.
Last season saw hosts such as Miles Teller, Brendan Gleeson, Megan Thee Stallion (who also served as musical guest), Jack Harlow (who also pulled double duty), Amy Schumer, Dave Chappelle, Keke Palmer and more. SNL alum Davidson, Jennifer Coolidge and Kieran Culkin were among hosts whose appearances were canceled upon the commencement of the writers’ strike.
Related: The 25 Funniest Shows on Netflix Right Now
Will there be any new cast members on Season 49 of Saturday Night Live?
Throughout its tenure, SNL has featured over 160 cast members. Season 49 will see one new face: Chloe Troast.
Who are the returning cast members on Season 49 of Saturday Night Live?
Following last year’s significant cast exit, which featured goodbyes from Pete Davidson, Kate McKinnon, Aidy Bryant, Kyle Mooney, Alex Moffat, Chris Redd, Melissa Villase?or and Aristotle Athari, SNL has a healthy mix of repertory players (more established cast members) and featured players (newer cast members).
Mikey Day
Prior to becoming a repertory player, Day began his SNL stint as a writer during Season 39. Audiences can give him credit for helping birth the wildly popular (and much-memed) Halloween character first introduced in the “Haunted Elevator (ft. David S. Pumpkins)” sketch with Tom Hanks, in which he also starred.
Andrew Dismukes
Now a repertory player, Dismukes also got his start as a staff writer in 2017, joining the cast in 2020. He began his career as a stand-up comedian as a freshman at the University of Texas at Austin, rising through the ranks in various comedy circuits post-graduation.
Chloe Fineman
Fineman is most known for her on-the-nose celebrity impersonations, including Drew Barrymore, Nicole Kidman and even infamous con artist Anna Delvey. Fineman also counts Babylon, Big Mouth, White Noise and film debut Father of the Bride as her credits. She also notably portrayed Sylvia Plath in Apple TV+’s Dickinson and is due to appear in Francis Ford Coppola’s star-studded Megalopolis.
Heidi Gardner
Known for her original characters like Carla, the famous ‘80s cocaine wife, and Angel, every boxer’s girlfriend, Gardner has become an SNL mainstay over the years. Aside from SNL, she’s built a sizable acting portfolio, appearing in Girls5Eva, Hustle, Shrinking and Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt.
Punkie Johnson
A multi-hyphenate comedian, writer and actor, Johnson is a repertory player on SNL entering her fourth season. Viewers will recognize her from Love Life Season 2 and the instant hit lesbian comedy Bottoms.
Michael Che
A prolific stand-up, Che is both a repertory player and co-anchor of Weekend Update alongside Colin Jost (see below). He has two specials on Netflix, as well as a sketch comedy show on Max called That Damn Michael Che, for which he serves as writer, star and executive producer.
Colin Jost
An award-winning writer and actor, Jost has been with SNL since 2005 and has co-anchored Weekend Update since 2014. Alongside Che, he hosted the 70th Emmy Awards. His credits include How to Be Single, Coming 2 America and 2021’s Tom & Jerry. His memoir, A Very Punchable Face, debuted in 2020.
Ego Nwodim
Nwodim has captured audiences with both her original characters and Dionne Warwick impression, having been a mainstay for more than half a decade. In 2017, she wrote and performed her first-ever one-woman show to a sold-out crowd in Los Angeles. A 2019 Variety Comedy Impact honoree, she was in Lyle, Lyle, Crocodile, Love Life, Miracle Workers and Roar.
Kenan Thompson
A leader among the repertory players, Thompson has been with SNL for 20 years—the longest of any other cast member. A comedic actor at heart, he’s known for his roles in the eponymous and beloved Kenan & Kel, Good Burger and All That.
Bowen Yang
Originally tapped as a staff writer for Season 44, Yang graduated to the small screen a year later as a featured player, becoming the first Chinese American cast member. Now a repertory player, he’s since appeared in queer media like Fire Island and The Other Two. He will also be in the upcoming Dicks: The Musical.
Marcello Hernandez
Hired in Season 48, Hernandez is a featured player with a stand-up comic background. He was selected as a Just for Laughs New Face of Comedy in 2022.
James Austin Johnson
A stand-up, Johnson joined SNL in Season 48, where he is best known for his spot-on impression of Donald Trump, sure to come in handy with the upcoming election year. His acting credits include voice roles like Tuca & Bertie, Praise Petey and She Said (in which he voiced Trump), as well as Barry and Better Call Saul.
Molly Kearney
Joining the cast in 2022, the comedian is the show’s first nonbinary performer. Aside from their stand-up, Kearney has appeared in the short-lived yet lauded serialized remake of A League of Their Own and Disney+’s The Mighty Ducks.
Michael Longfellow
Longfellow also joined in Season 48, having previously been featured in Netflix’s “Introducing…” showcase and NBC’s Bring the Funny.
Sarah Sherman
Known for her boisterous personas, which are often coloring Weekend Update, Sherman is a successful stand-up who opened for Eric Andre under the stage name “Sarah Squirm.” Most recently, she appeared alongside Adam Sandler in Netflix’s You Are So Not Invited to My Bat Mitzvah.
Devon Walker
A featured player entering his second year, Walker has written for Freeform’s Everything’s Trash and Netflix’s Big Mouth. In 2017, he was selected for Comedy Central’s “Up Next” showcase.
Please Don’t Destroy
Consisting of Ben Marshall, John Higgings and Martin Herlihy, Please Don’t Destroy has been developing and starring in digital short sketches for SNL since Season 47. Prior to that, the comedy trio saw huge success and virality on social media platforms. Please Don’t Destroy’s absurdist, distinctly Gen Z brand of humor has captured the hearts of many, including their starring performers like Taylor Swift, Jenna Ortega and Ana de Armas.
Is Lorne Michaels leaving SNL?
No. At least, not yet. Back in December 2021, the man behind the most Emmy-nominated show in TV history told Gayle King that he is “committed to doing the show until its 50th anniversary,” which would debut in fall 2024. "I'd like to see that through, and I have a feeling that'd be a really good time to leave. But here's the point: I won't want the show ever to be bad. I care too deeply about it. It's been my life's work,” he said at the time, adding that there could “of course” be a version of SNL without his involvement.
However, about a year later, the SNL creator and executive producer said he has “no plans to retire,” per the New York Times. Michaels would turn 80 during the show’s 50th season.
What time is Saturday Night Live on?
Once Saturday Night Live returns, it’ll occupy its regular live timeslot of Saturdays at 8:30 p.m. PT/11:30 p.m. ET.
How to watch Saturday Night Live
Viewers have several options when it comes to watching SNL’s myriad sketches and recurring segments. First, audiences who have yet to cut the cord can watch SNL as it premieres live every Saturday at 11:30 p.m. ET on NBC. For those who have moved into the era where streaming is king, SNL is available on Peacock (across the Basic, Premium and Premium Plus tiers) the next day. Additional viewing options include buying individual episodes on Prime Video or watching live through Hulu + Live TV. For digital viewing, most sketches and monologues are available on SNL’s YouTube channel or NBC.com.
