History of Saturday Night Live in Timeline
Saturday Night Live (SNL) is a late-night live sketch comedy and variety show airing on NBC since 1975. Created by Lorne Michaels, the show features a repertory cast performing comedic sketches that often parody popular culture and politics. Each episode is hosted by a celebrity guest who delivers the opening monologue and participates in sketches. A musical guest is also featured. The show typically opens with a cold open sketch based on current events, concluding with the iconic line, "Live from New York, it's Saturday Night!"
1965: NBC Affiliates Broadcast Reruns of The Tonight Show
Beginning in 1965, NBC network affiliates broadcast reruns of The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson on Saturday or Sunday nights.
1974: Development of Saturday Night Live Begins
In 1974, Johnny Carson requested that NBC save weekend airings of The Tonight Show for weeknights. NBC executives then tasked Dick Ebersol and Lorne Michaels with creating a show to fill the Saturday night time slot, which led to the development of Saturday Night Live.
October 11, 1975: Saturday Night Live Premiere
On October 11, 1975, Saturday Night Live premiered on NBC, originally titled NBC's Saturday Night. The show was hosted by George Carlin and featured comedy sketches and musical performances.
October 1975: George Carlin Hosts Debut Episode
In October 1975, George Carlin was the first host of Saturday Night Live in its debut episode.
1975: Initial SNL Cast Assembled
By 1975, Lorne Michaels had assembled the initial cast for Saturday Night Live, including Dan Aykroyd, John Belushi, Chevy Chase, Jane Curtin, Garrett Morris, Laraine Newman, and Gilda Radner.
1975: Howard Shore First Musical Director
In 1975, Academy Award-winning composer Howard Shore served as Saturday Night Live's first musical director, until 1980.
1975: First Cold Open
In 1975, Saturday Night Live had its first cold open with Michael O'Donoghue, Chevy Chase, and John Belushi, which ended with cast members breaking character and proclaiming "Live from New York, it's Saturday Night!", followed by the opening credits.
1975: ABBA's Lip-Synching Performance
In 1975, the pop group ABBA was the first and only act to feature lip-synching on Saturday Night Live until 2004.
1976: Shows Shot in Brooklyn
During the 1976-77 season, three Saturday Night Live shows were filmed at the former NBC Studios in Brooklyn due to NBC News using Studio 8H for presidential election coverage.
1976: Cancellation of Saturday Night Live with Howard Cosell
In 1976, Saturday Night Live with Howard Cosell was canceled on ABC, allowing NBC to purchase the rights to the "Saturday Night Live" name.
1976: Steve Martin Hosts SNL
In 1976, Steve Martin began hosting Saturday Night Live. He hosted fifteen times.
1976: Cast album released
In 1976, a cast album was released on the Arista label. The album included the song "Chevy's Girls" and comedy bits from the show such as Weekend Update, "Emily Litella", and "Gun Control." The album was later re-issued on CD and MP3 download.
1977: Official Title Change to Saturday Night Live
At the start of the 1977–1978 season, NBC officially changed the show's title to Saturday Night Live after acquiring the rights to the name.
1977: Jim Downey Joins Writing Staff
In 1977, Jim Downey initially joined the writing staff of Saturday Night Live during the show's second season.
1978: Drugs became an integral part of working process.
By 1978, according to Doug Hill and Jeff Weingrad, cocaine had become an "integral part of the working process" on SNL
1978: Emergence of Iconic Characters
By 1978, the show had developed iconic characters such as Belushi's samurai, the Coneheads (Aykroyd, Curtin, Newman), and Radner's Roseanne Roseannadanna.
1979: Drugs became an integral part of working process.
By 1979, according to Doug Hill and Jeff Weingrad, cocaine had become an "integral part of the working process" on SNL
1979: Georg Wadenius Joins The Live Band
In 1979, Georg Wadenius joined The Live Band of Saturday Night Live.
May 1980: Franken's "A Limo for a Lame-O" Routine
In May 1980, Al Franken's Update routine, called "A Limo for a Lame-O", critiqued NBC president Fred Silverman's job performance, infuriating Silverman.
May 24, 1980: Season Finale and Cast Departure
On May 24, 1980, the season finale marked the departure of almost every writer and cast member, including Lorne Michaels, from Saturday Night Live.
1980: Lorne Michaels Leaves SNL
In 1980, Lorne Michaels departed from Saturday Night Live to pursue other ventures, and Jean Doumanian took over as showrunner.
1980: Paul Shaffer Leaves The Live Band
In 1980, Paul Shaffer left The Live Band of Saturday Night Live.
1980: Release of The Blues Brothers Movie
In 1980, The Blues Brothers, a feature film based on a popular Saturday Night Live sketch, was released.
February 1981: Charles Rocket's Profanity and Doumanian's Dismissal
In a February 1981 episode, cast member Charles Rocket used profanity, leading to Jean Doumanian's dismissal after only ten months as showrunner.
1981: Mel Brandt and Bill Hanrahan Announce
In 1981, Mel Brandt and Bill Hanrahan filled in as announcers for Don Pardo for season seven.
1981: Tom Malone Takes Over as Musical Director
In 1981, Tom Malone took over as musical director from 1981 to 1985 for The Live Band of Saturday Night Live.
1982: Mel Brandt and Bill Hanrahan Announce
In 1982, Mel Brandt and Bill Hanrahan filled in as announcers for Don Pardo for season seven.
1983: Lou Marini and Ray Chew Leave The Live Band
In 1983, Lou Marini and Ray Chew left The Live Band of Saturday Night Live.
1984: Hiring of Established Comedians
In 1984, producers hired established comedians such as Billy Crystal and Martin Short for Saturday Night Live, deviating from Lorne Michaels' approach.
1984: The Folksmen first SNL appearance
In 1984, the fictitious American folk music trio The Folksmen made their first appearance on SNL, performing the song "Old Joe's Place". Harry Shearer and Christopher Guest, who were cast members at the time, appeared alongside Michael McKean. The rock group Spinal Tap also appeared in the same episode.
1985: Ebersol's Proposed Hiatus Rejected
In 1985, Dick Ebersol's proposal for a hiatus to recast and rebuild the show was rejected by NBC, leading to Lorne Michaels' return as producer.
1985: Jim Downey Becomes Head Writer
In 1985, Jim Downey became the head writer for Saturday Night Live, a position he held for 10 years until 1995.
1985: Michaels' Return and Recasting with Established Actors
In 1985, Lorne Michaels returned to Saturday Night Live for the 1985–1986 season and initially sought out established actors, which proved unsuccessful.
1985: Lorne Michaels Returns to SNL
In 1985, Lorne Michaels returned to Saturday Night Live, replacing Dick Ebersol as the showrunner.
1985: Steve Ferrone Joins The Live Band
In 1985, Steve Ferrone joined The Live Band of Saturday Night Live.
October 25, 1986: Episode Delayed Due to World Series Game
The Saturday Night Live episode scheduled for October 25, 1986, hosted by Rosanna Arquette, was not aired until November 8 because NBC broadcasted game 6 of the 1986 World Series. The show was recorded for the studio audience starting at 1:30 a.m. and broadcast two weeks later, with Mets pitcher Ron Darling delivering an "apology" as the cold open.
1986: Cast Overhaul and Shift to Unknown Talent
In 1986, Lorne Michaels again overhauled the cast of Saturday Night Live, seeking unknown talent such as Dana Carvey and Phil Hartman.
1987: Revival of Popularity
By 1987, the new cast, including Dana Carvey and Phil Hartman, had successfully revived the show's popularity with critics and audiences.
1988: Conan O'Brien Joins SNL Writing Staff
In 1988, Conan O'Brien was brought into the Saturday Night Live writing staff from The Groundlings.
1988: The Best of Saturday Night Live on Nick at Nite
In 1988, abbreviated thirty- and sixty-minute versions of the first five seasons of Saturday Night Live aired as The Best of Saturday Night Live on Nick at Nite.
1990: Comedy Central Airs Reruns
From 1990 until 2004, Comedy Central and its predecessor Ha! aired reruns of the Saturday Night Live series.
1990: Alec Baldwin Begins Hosting SNL
In 1990, Alec Baldwin began his tenure as a host on Saturday Night Live.
1992: Loss of Key Cast Members
Between 1992 and 1994, Saturday Night Live lost Dana Carvey and Phil Hartman, two of its biggest stars.
1992: Dave Grohl's First Musical Guest Appearance
In 1992, Dave Grohl made his first appearance as a musical guest on Saturday Night Live.
1992: Release of Wayne's World Movie
In 1992, Wayne's World, a feature film based on a popular Saturday Night Live sketch, was released.
1992: Bob Roberts character debut
In 1992, the character Bob Roberts from the Tim Robbins film of the same title made his debut on SNL in a short film. The character is a conservative folk singer.
1993: German Version Airs
In 1993, a German version of Saturday Night Live named RTL Samstag Nacht aired between 1993 and 1998 on RTL Television. Most episodes were hosted by German celebrities, however, some shows were hosted by American personalities who never hosted the American version, including Mel Brooks and Michael Winslow.
1993: Office Space animated shorts aired
In 1993, the comedy film Office Space originated from a series of animated short films by Mike Judge that aired on SNL.
1994: Executive Interference and Criticism of Writing
By 1994, NBC executives began interfering in Saturday Night Live, suggesting that new stars be fired and criticizing the show's writing and live production costs.
1995: Considered One of the Worst Seasons
By the 1994-1995 season, Saturday Night Live was considered one of the series' worst due to criticism of its humor, cast, and backstage dysfunction.
1995: G. E. Smith Leaves The Live Band
In 1995, G. E. Smith left The Live Band of Saturday Night Live.
1995: Jim Downey's Tenure as Head Writer Ends
In 1995, Jim Downey's tenure as head writer for Saturday Night Live came to an end after 10 years.
1995: Cast Overhaul and Revitalization
In 1995, the cast of Saturday Night Live was largely overhauled with names such as Will Ferrell and Cheri Oteri, revitalizing the show.
1996: New Competition from Mad TV
In 1996, Saturday Night Live faced new competition from Fox's sketch comedy show Mad TV, which aired a half hour earlier and featured a more diverse cast.
1997: Tina Fey Joins as Cast Member and Head Writer
In 1997, Tina Fey joined Saturday Night Live as a cast member and head writer.
1998: Release of A Night at the Roxbury Movie
In 1998, A Night at the Roxbury, a feature film based on a popular Saturday Night Live sketch, was released.
1998: Digital Migration of Production Tracking System
In 1998, Saturday Night Live migrated its production tracking system from analog to digital. Live shows required 1.5 terabytes of storage, accommodating audio elements and visual elements from five cameras.
1998: Reruns on VH1 in 2010
In 1998, reruns of most Saturday Night Live episodes made from 1998 onward began airing on VH1 in September 2010.
1998: German Version Ends
In 1998, the German version of Saturday Night Live named RTL Samstag Nacht aired between 1993 and 1998 on RTL Television.
1998: Schweddy Balls sketch aired
In 1998, the Schweddy Balls sketch starring Alec Baldwin, Ana Gasteyer, and Molly Shannon aired on SNL, which later inspired an ice cream flavor of the same name by Ben & Jerry's.
1999: Tina Fey Becomes First Female Head Writer
In 1999, Tina Fey became the first woman to be named Saturday Night Live head writer. A year later, she also joined the cast and became a Weekend Update anchor.
1999: SNL Contracts Rewritten
In 1999, starting with the 1999-2000 season, Saturday Night Live introduced rewritten contracts allowing NBC to cast members into NBC sitcoms, drawing criticism from talent agents.
1999: Mary Ellen Matthews Becomes Official SNL Photographer
Since 1999, Mary Ellen Matthews has been the official photographer of SNL, creating distinctive photo layouts and portraits of hosts and musical guests for commercial bumpers.
1999: Office Space film released
The comedy film Office Space, which originated from a series of animated short films by Mike Judge that aired on SNL in 1993, was released in 1999.
2000: New Contract Terms Begin
From the 2000 season onward, new Saturday Night Live hires were tied to a rewritten contract that allowed NBC to move cast members into NBC sitcoms, facing potential 12-year lock-ins.
2000: Induction into the National Association of Broadcasters Hall of Fame
In 2000, Saturday Night Live was inducted into the National Association of Broadcasters Hall of Fame, recognizing its significant contribution to television broadcasting.
2000: Spoofing of the Presidential Campaign
The 2000-2001 season of Saturday Night Live was notable for its well-received spoofing of that year's presidential campaign between Al Gore and George W. Bush.
February 10, 2001: Episode Airs Late Due to XFL Game
On February 10, 2001, the Saturday Night Live episode hosted by Jennifer Lopez aired 45 minutes late due to an XFL game. The episode was rerun three weeks later, and a deal was reached to prevent future delays.
2001: Will Ferrell Becomes Highest Paid Cast Member
In 2001, Will Ferrell became the highest-paid cast member of Saturday Night Live, earning $350,000 per season, which was approximately $17,500 per episode.
2001: Response to September 11 Attacks
In 2001, the New York City cast and crew of Saturday Night Live were highly affected by the September 11 attacks, and the show returned with an acclaimed appearance by Rudy Giuliani.
2002: TV Tales episode on SNL
In 2002, an episode of TV Tales on E! covered the production process of SNL.
2002: A Mighty Wind film released
In 2002, the film A Mighty Wind, featuring the fictitious American folk music trio The Folksmen, was released. The Folksmen had previously appeared on SNL, performing the song "Old Joe's Place" in 1984.
2003: Eretz Nehederet Debuts in Israel
In 2003, an SNL inspired Israeli show, Eretz Nehederet (A Wonderful Country), debuted in 2003 and continues to garner high ratings.
October 2004: 60 Minutes report on SNL writing process
In October 2004, a 60 Minutes report depicted the intense writing frenzy that goes on during the week leading up to an SNL show. The report noted the involvement of the guest host(s) in developing and selecting sketches.
2004: Weekend Update Writing Process
According to an interview with Tina Fey in 2004, the Weekend Update writing team will write jokes throughout the week. The host(s) of Weekend Update will normally not work with or read the scripts from the team until Thursday evening after the main show sketches have been finalized.
2004: Comedy Central Airs Reruns
From 1990 until 2004, Comedy Central and its predecessor Ha! aired reruns of the Saturday Night Live series.
2004: Alex Baze Joins Weekend Update Writing Team
In 2004, Alex Baze joined the Weekend Update writing team on Saturday Night Live.
2004: Ashlee Simpson's Controversial Performance
In 2004, Ashlee Simpson's performance on Saturday Night Live was controversial due to lip-synching.
2004: Don Pardo Considers Stepping Down
In 2004, Don Pardo announced his intent to step down as the announcer for Saturday Night Live, but he later continued in the role.
October 2005: Broadcast in High Definition Begins
In October 2005, with its thirty-first-season premiere, Saturday Night Live began broadcasting in high-definition television.
2005: Switch to High-Definition Broadcasting
In 2005, Saturday Night Live switched to high-definition broadcasting for the 2005–2006 season.
2005: Seth Meyers Becomes Co-Head Writer, Colin Jost Joins as Writer
In 2005, Seth Meyers became a co-head writer for Saturday Night Live, and Colin Jost joined the show as a writer.
2005: Tina Fey's Salary for Dual Role
In 2005, Tina Fey was paid $1.5 million per season for her dual role as head writer and performer on Saturday Night Live.
2005: The Lonely Island gains national exposure with "Lazy Sunday"
In 2005, the comedy troupe The Lonely Island gained national exposure after joining SNL and debuting their comedic music video "Lazy Sunday". The song, written with Chris Parnell, became a surprise hit and was posted on YouTube without NBC's permission, helping to popularize the website.
2006: Don Pardo Pre-Records Announcements
In 2006, Don Pardo pre-recorded his announcements for Saturday Night Live from his home in Arizona for a brief period.
2006: Budget Cuts and Smaller Cast
In 2006, Saturday Night Live suffered budget cuts that led to a smaller cast before the start of the 2006–2007 season.
2006: Tina Fey Leaves Saturday Night Live
In 2006, Tina Fey left Saturday Night Live, after being a cast member and head writer since 1997.
2006: Reruns on Logo
In 2006, VH1 and Comedy Central's sister channel Logo began airing reruns of 2006-onward Saturday Night Live episodes on Sunday nights in February 2016, launching its broadcast as counterprogramming for Super Bowl 50.
2007: Recognition as One of Time's 100 Best TV Shows of All-TIME
In 2007, Saturday Night Live was recognized as one of Time's "100 Best TV Shows of All-TIME", acknowledging its impact on television history.
2007: "Dick in a Box" wins Emmy Award
In 2007, The Lonely Island's song "Dick in a Box" won the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Original Music and Lyrics.
2007: Writers Guild of America Strike
In 2007, the 2007–2008 Writers Guild of America strike cut the 2007-2008 season short, leading to several cancelled episodes of Saturday Night Live.
December 6, 2008: John Malkovich hosts episode filmed for documentary
On December 6, 2008, the episode hosted by John Malkovich was filmed. This episode's production process was documented by actor James Franco for his documentary Saturday Night.
2008: Tina Fey's Guest Appearances as Sarah Palin
During the 2008 presidential election, Tina Fey returned to Saturday Night Live for critically acclaimed guest appearances as vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin.
2008: Seth Meyers Becomes Single Head Writer
In 2008, Seth Meyers transitioned to become the single head writer for Saturday Night Live, a position he held until 2012.
2008: Writers Guild of America Strike
In 2008, the 2007–2008 Writers Guild of America strike cut the 2007-2008 season short, leading to several cancelled episodes of Saturday Night Live.
2009: Don Pardo Announces Possible Retirement Again
In 2009, Don Pardo announced his retirement again, but then continued into the 2009-10 season.
2009: Incredibad album released
In 2009, The Lonely Island released their album Incredibad, which contained SNL-developed songs and original works. The album was released by Universal Republic Records, which was provided with a license to the SNL songs by NBC and Broadway Video.
September 2010: Reruns on VH1
In September 2010, reruns of most Saturday Night Live episodes made from 1998 onward began airing on VH1.
2010: Mary Ellen Matthews Directing Videos
As of 2010, Mary Ellen Matthews, the official photographer of SNL, has also been involved in directing videos, including the show's title sequence.
2010: Wiig's Contract Length Reported
In 2010, Kristen Wiig was reported to be contracted to Saturday Night Live for a total of seven years.
2010: Don Pardo Considers Retirement Again
In 2010, the 92-year-old Don Pardo was reported to be considering retirement again but continued to serve as announcer.
2010: Saturday Night documentary released
In 2010, the 94-minute documentary Saturday Night by James Franco was released. It follows the production process of the December 6, 2008, episode hosted by John Malkovich.
September 2011: Ben & Jerry's releases Schweddy Balls ice cream
In September 2011, Ben & Jerry's released a limited-edition ice cream called "Schweddy Balls", inspired by a 1998 sketch of the same name. The ice cream became their fastest-selling limited-edition flavor but also faced criticism.
December 3, 2011: SNL Korea Premieres
On December 3, 2011, South Korea's SNL Korea premiered on cable channel tvN.
2011: Alex Baze Becomes Head Writer of Weekend Update
In 2011, Alex Baze became the head writer of the Weekend Update segment on Saturday Night Live.
2011: Pete Schultz Writes for Weekend Update
In 2011, Pete Schultz began writing for the Weekend Update segment on Saturday Night Live.
2011: Turtleneck & Chain album released
In 2011, The Lonely Island released their album Turtleneck & Chain, containing SNL-developed songs and original works. The album was released by Universal Republic Records, which was provided with a license to the SNL songs by NBC and Broadway Video.
2011: Saturday Night Live Japan Airs
In 2011, the Japanese version Saturday Night Live Japan, which ran for six months in 2011, was created in part with sponsor Coca-Cola and Lorne Michaels's production company, Broadway Video, and broadcast on Fuji TV networks.
2012: Armisen's Departure as Barack Obama
From 2008 to 2012, Fred Armisen played Barack Obama on Saturday Night Live, after which Jay Pharoah assumed the impression.
2012: Colin Jost Becomes Co-Head Writer
In 2012, Colin Jost became one of the head writers for Saturday Night Live.
February 2013: Hour-long Repeats on NBC
In February 2013, NBC began airing shortened hour-long repeats of Saturday Night Live on select Saturday evenings at 10:00 p.m. Eastern Time during the regular season.
2013: Jim Downey Formally Retires
In 2013, Jim Downey formally retired from Saturday Night Live after writing for the show on-and-off for 30 years.
2013: Michael Che Joins as Writer
In 2013, Michael Che became a writer for Saturday Night Live.
2013: Season 39 Budget and Subsidy
In 2013, Saturday Night Live's 39th season (2013–14) had a budget exceeding $70 million, which included a $12.3 million subsidy from New York State.
2013: Significant Cast Overhaul
In 2013, the 2013–2014 season of Saturday Night Live saw the hiring of seven new cast members, including Beck Bennett, Kyle Mooney, and Sasheer Zamata, in a significant overhaul.
2013: Russian Adaptation Airs
In 2013, the Russian channel NTV aired the SNL adaptation entitled Суббота. Вечер. Шоу (Saturday. Evening. Show).
January 2014: Remaining Episodes Aired Under Different Title
In January 2014, the remaining six episodes of the Russian SNL adaptation, originally titled Суббота. Вечер. Шоу (Saturday. Evening. Show), were aired under a different title: Сегодня. Вечер. Шоу (Today. Evening. Show).
March 22, 2014: Second SNL Quebec Special
On March 22, 2014, the second ninety-minute Saturday Night Live special was broadcast in French on Télé-Québec in the Canadian province of Quebec under the title SNL Québec;
May 13, 2014: SNL Quebec Renewed
On May 13, 2014, Saturday Night Live Quebec was renewed for another eight episodes to be broadcast monthly over the 2014–15 season ending with a "Best of" compilation.
June 2014: Ben & Jerry's introduces Lazy Sunday and Gilly's Catastrophic Crunch ice cream flavors
In June 2014, Ben & Jerry's introduced two new flavors inspired by SNL sketches: Lazy Sunday, based on a sketch of the same name, and Gilly's Catastrophic Crunch, based on the Gilly sketches.
August 18, 2014: Don Pardo Dies
On August 18, 2014, Don Pardo, the announcer for Saturday Night Live, died at the age of 96, following the show's 39th season.
September 2014: Ben & Jerry's introduces Two Wild and Crazy Pies ice cream flavor
In September 2014, Ben & Jerry's introduced Two Wild and Crazy Pies, an ice cream flavor based on the catchphrase of the recurring Festrunk Brothers on SNL.
2014: SNL Vintage Prime Time Rebroadcasts
Beginning with the 2014–15 season, the show's 40th anniversary, the prime time rebroadcasts were a selection of episodes from throughout the show's run under the title SNL Vintage.
2014: Technical Equipment Update
In 2014, Saturday Night Live utilized a Grass Valley GVG 4000-3 digital component production switcher and a GVG 7000 digital component routing switcher for visual feeds, along with Chyron Lyric Pro and Avid Deko character generators for graphics. The audio facilities included a Calrec T Series mixing console and a Yamaha digital mixing console. The 39th season (2013–14) had a budget of over $70 million, receiving a $12.3 million subsidy from New York State.
2014: Seth Meyers Leaves, Michael Che Temporarily Departs
In 2014, Seth Meyers left Saturday Night Live. Michael Che also temporarily left the show during the summer.
2014: Seth Meyers' Exit and Colin Jost's Replacement
In 2014, longtime head writer and cast member Seth Meyers exited Saturday Night Live midway through the 2013-2014 season, and was replaced by fellow writer Colin Jost in the Weekend Update segment.
February 15, 2015: Saturday Night Live 40th Anniversary Special aired
On February 15, 2015, NBC aired a 3 1/2-hour special on Saturday Night Live's 40th anniversary. The program included clips, new performances of classic characters, and special guest appearances.
February 2015: Ben & Jerry's introduces Wayne'Swirled ice cream flavor
In February 2015, Ben & Jerry's introduced Wayne'Swirled, an ice cream flavor inspired by Wayne's World.
May 2015: SNL Quebec Not Renewed
In May 2015, Télé-Québec announced Saturday Night Live Quebec would not be renewed due to funding cutbacks.
2015: Colin Jost's Head Writer Tenure Ends
In 2015, Colin Jost's first period as one of the head writers ended.
2015: Reruns of Russian Adaptation
In 2015, Reruns of the Saturday Night Live adaptation Суббота. Вечер. Шоу (Saturday. Evening. Show) were aired at night on NTV throughout the first half of the year.
2015: Comedy Central Airs Reruns Again
Since 2015, Comedy Central and its predecessor Ha! aired reruns of the Saturday Night Live series.
February 2016: "Live From New York, It's Satur-Gay Night!" Marathon on Logo
Starting in February 2016, VH1 and Comedy Central's sister channel Logo began airing reruns of 2006-onward Saturday Night Live episodes on Sunday nights, launching its broadcast as counterprogramming for Super Bowl 50 and branding it the "Live From New York, It's Satur-Gay Night!" marathon.
January 2017: French Pilot Episode Launched
In January 2017, the French channel M6 launched the pilot episode of its SNL adaptation, Le Saturday Night Live.
February 11, 2017: Alec Baldwin Holds Hosting Record
As of February 11, 2017, Alec Baldwin holds the record for hosting Saturday Night Live the most times, with seventeen appearances since 1990.
March 16, 2017: Live Broadcast Announcement
On March 16, 2017, NBC announced it would air the final four episodes of the 42nd season of Saturday Night Live live in all mainland U.S. time zones for the first time.
September 19, 2017: Subsequent Episodes to Air Live
On September 19, 2017, NBC announced that all subsequent episodes of Saturday Night Live would air live coast-to-coast in the U.S.
November 11, 2017: SNL Korea Ends Nine Seasons
As of November 11, 2017, South Korea's SNL Korea has completed nine seasons with 205 episodes.
December 2, 2017: SNL Polska Launched
On December 2, 2017, the Polish division of Showmax video-on-demand streaming service launched the first season of its SNL adaptation, SNL Polska.
2017: The Live Band Leadership
As of 2017, the band is under the leadership of Tower of Power alumnus Lenny Pickett, keyboardist Leon Pendarvis, and Eli Brueggemann.
2017: Colin Jost Renamed Head Writer
In 2017, Colin Jost was renamed head writer of Saturday Night Live.
2017: Live Broadcast Across the United States
Since 2017, Saturday Night Live has been broadcast live across the contiguous United States. A brief broadcast delay is installed to meet Federal Communications Commission regulations of primetime programming.
December 2018: SNL Polska Canceled
In December 2018, Showmax announced the closure of its Polish branch, effectively canceling the SNL Polska show.
2018: Camera Equipment Update
As of 2018, Studio 8H uses five Sony HDC-1500 cameras, mainly mounted on Vinten pedestals, with one on a Chapman-Leonard Electra crane.
2019: Trump's Dislike of Baldwin's Impression
In 2019, Donald Trump disliked Alec Baldwin's ongoing impression of him on Saturday Night Live, tweeting that the FCC should look into stopping SNL from "knocking the same person (me), over & over."
2019: Production Halt Due to COVID-19 Pandemic
In 2019, Saturday Night Live's 2019–2020 season was indefinitely halted on March 16, 2020, due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
March 16, 2020: Production Halt Due to COVID-19 Pandemic
On March 16, 2020, Saturday Night Live's 2019–2020 season was indefinitely halted due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
October 11, 2020: Dave Grohl Most Frequent Musical Guest
As of October 11, 2020, Dave Grohl holds the record for being the most frequent musical guest on Saturday Night Live, having performed on fourteen shows since 1992.
October 2020: Return to Studio 8H
In October 2020, Saturday Night Live returned to Studio 8H after producing three remotely produced episodes.
November 7, 2020: Episode Delayed Due to Football Game
The November 7, 2020, Saturday Night Live episode, hosted by Dave Chappelle, began at 12:10 a.m. Eastern after a Clemson-Notre Dame college football game went into double overtime.
2020: Peacock Streaming
In 2020, upon its launch, Saturday Night Live began streaming on the Peacock streaming service.
September 4, 2021: SNL Korea Rebooted
On September 4, 2021, South Korea's SNL Korea was rebooted and broadcast through Coupang Play, a South Korean OTT service.
December 18, 2021: Episode with No Musical Performance
On December 18, 2021, the Saturday Night Live episode hosted by Paul Rudd became the first since season 12 to not feature any musical performances, and the third in the show's history to not have a musical guest, due to the rise of the Omicron variant in New York City during the COVID-19 pandemic. Charli XCX was scheduled to perform but was cancelled.
2021: Live Broadcasts on Peacock and YouTube
Beginning in the 2021–2022 season, Saturday Night Live has been simultaneously broadcast live on Peacock. The show has also experimented with live broadcasts on YouTube, beginning with a 2021 Elon Musk-hosted episode.
2021: James Austin Johnson Assumes Trump Impression
In 2021, James Austin Johnson assumed the Trump impression from Alec Baldwin on Saturday Night Live.
2021: Trump's Dislike of Baldwin's Impression
In 2021, James Austin Johnson assumed the Trump impression from Alec Baldwin on Saturday Night Live.
2021: Michaels Suggests 50th Anniversary as Possible Exit Point
In 2021, Lorne Michaels stated that the show's fiftieth anniversary would be "a really good time to leave".
2022: Major Cast Overhaul After the Season
After the 2021-2022 season of Saturday Night Live, many longtime cast members left the show in a major cast overhaul, including Aidy Bryant, Kate McKinnon, and Pete Davidson.
2022: Record Number of Emmy Nominations
As of 2022, Saturday Night Live had received more than 305 Primetime Emmy Award nominations, the most received by any television program.
2022: Live Broadcasts on Peacock
Beginning in the 2021–2022 season, Saturday Night Live has been simultaneously broadcast live on Peacock.
2022: Colin Jost's Head Writer Tenure Ends
In 2022, Colin Jost's second period as head writer ended.
2022: Kenan Thompson Speculates on SNL's Future
In 2022, Kenan Thompson, SNL's longest-serving cast member, speculated that the show might end after its fiftieth season due to financial considerations for NBC.
2022: Kent Sublette, Alison Gates, and Streeter Seidell Become Co-Head Writers
In 2022, Kent Sublette, Alison Gates, and Streeter Seidell became the co-head writers for Saturday Night Live during the 2022-23 season.
2023: Recent Rebroadcasts
In 2023, Saturday Night Live changed to very recent rebroadcasts beginning in the 2023–2024 season, dropping the vintage titling.
January 2024: Speculation about Lorne Michaels' Retirement and Potential Successor
In January 2024, Variety reported widespread speculation that Lorne Michaels might retire from Saturday Night Live after its fiftieth season. Michaels mentioned to Entertainment Tonight that Tina Fey could be a possible successor but had not yet decided. He also referenced his past work with Fey, including on 30 Rock.
September 2024: Lorne Michaels Denies Retirement Rumors
In September 2024, Lorne Michaels refuted rumors of his retirement at the end of the upcoming season during an interview with The Hollywood Reporter.
September 2024: Return to Syndication
In September 2024, Saturday Night Live returned to syndication as free-to-air network TBD picked up the series as part of a refocus toward traditional 30 and 60 minute sketch and improv comedy.
September 28, 2024: SNL's 50th Season Premiere
On September 28, 2024, Saturday Night Live began its 50th season, continuing its run as one of the longest-running network television programs in the United States.
October 12, 2024: Episode Delayed Due to Football Overrun
The October 12, 2024 Saturday Night Live episode, hosted by Ariana Grande, began at 11:35 p.m. Eastern due to a primetime college football overrun.
2024: Recent Rebroadcasts
In 2024, Saturday Night Live changed to very recent rebroadcasts beginning in the 2023–2024 season, dropping the vintage titling.
2024: Saturday Night film released
In 2024, the film Saturday Night was released. The movie documents the production of the first SNL episode which aired on October 11, 1975, and features Gabriel LaBelle as Michaels.
January 16, 2025: SNL50: Beyond Saturday Night documentary series released
On January 16, 2025, the four episode documentary series SNL50: Beyond Saturday Night became available to stream on Peacock. The series features rare footage and interviews with more than 60 contributors.
January 27, 2025: Ladies & Gentlemen... 50 Years of SNL Music documentary released
On January 27, 2025, the feature-length documentary Ladies & Gentlemen... 50 Years of SNL Music, which discusses SNL's music performances and musical-comedy sketches, will be available to stream on Peacock.
February 16, 2025: Fiftieth Anniversary Special Airs Live
On February 16, 2025, a three-hour prime-time live broadcast to celebrate Saturday Night Live's fiftieth anniversary was aired, featuring former cast members Tina Fey, Jim Downey, Paula Pell, Seth Meyers, and John Mulaney as writers. Paul Simon and Sabrina Carpenter opened the show with a musical performance, followed by Steve Martin's monologue.
April 2025: TBD Rebrands to Roar
As of the end of April 2025, TBD rebranded to Roar and would pick up Saturday Night Live as part of a refocus of the network towards traditional 30 and 60 minute sketch and improv comedy.
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