‘SNL’ Season 50 Premiere Scores Highest Ratings in 4 Years

Saturday Night Live started the turning point season 50 with a pretty big ratings boost.

Season premiere hosted by hacks Emmy winner Jean Smart had 5.3 million viewers, according to Nielsen same-day ratings (not including broadcast). This is the best start for a SNL We’ve watched the season since 2020, a 15 percent improvement over the 4.6 million viewers who watched last year’s premiere.

The premiere featured numerous guest appearances, including three of the former cast members: Maya Rudolph returned as Vice President Kamala Harris, Andy Samberg played Harris’ husband Doug Emhoff, and Dana Carvey played President Joe Biden. Comedian Jim Gaffigan also appeared on stage to portray Harris’ Vice Presidential nominee, Minnesota Governor Tim Walz; while current regulars James Austin Johnson and Bowen Yang portrayed Republican presidential and vice presidential candidates Donald Trump and Senator J.D. Vance.

5.3 million viewers at the same time SNL It is one of the most watched entertainment programs of the first week of the 2024-25 season, according to same-day figures. Sunday’s prime time results are pending, coming after just three programs, all on NBC: Sound (5.96 million viewers), Chicago Fire (5.6 million) and chicago med (5.46 million).

SNL there is usually a ratings increase in election years – season 46 premiere in 2020, 8 million viewersThis was also a four-year high at the time.