First on LateNighter: Colman Domingo’s well-received SNL debut saw the show’s ratings fall back down to earth after a series of higher-rated recent episodes.
Per Nielsen Live+Same Day data, Saturday Night Live’s April 11 episode drew an average of 4.1 million total viewers and 842,000 viewers aged 18–49.
That’s a 7.8% decrease in total audience and a 19% decrease in the advertiser-coveted demo from the show’s April 4 episode (with host Jack Black and musical guest Jack White).
Year-over-year, compared to SNL‘s April 12, 2025 episode (with host Jon Hamm and musical guest Lizzo), this weekend’s episode was down 5% among total viewers but up nearly 10% in the demo.
As always, bottom-line viewership will rise when Live+3 numbers—which include delayed viewing—come in. (For example, per Nielsen, last week’s episode gained nearly 1.8 million total viewers in the three days following its broadcast, with Live+3 figures topping out at 6.3 million total viewers, while demo viewership grew by 54% to 1.6 million viewers.)
It’s also worth noting that linear ratings are just one piece of the pie, especially among younger viewers. Live+Same Day figures do not include live viewing on Peacock or social media, nor do they account for the show’s YouTube performance, where this weekend’s “Trump Making Calls” Cold Open had been viewed more than 3 million times as of Tuesday afternoon.
As we’ve reported, this weekend’s episode made headlines for a number of off-the-wall sketches, including one that imagined life onboard NASA’s Artemis II Mission, complete with floating snot and other feats of weightlessness.
SNL is currently on a two-week break. The show returns for the first of this season’s final three episodes with host/musical guest Olivia Rodrigo on May 1, 2026.
Episode-by-episode Nielsen ratings charts for SNL’s 51st season follow below.
Live+SD Ratings – All Viewers (P2+)
| Date | Host / Music Guest | Avg Viewers (000’s) | Avg Share % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4/11/26 | Colman Domingo / Anitta | 4,148 | 13.00 |
| 4/4/26 | Jack Black / Jack White | 4,500 | 13.12 |
| 3/14/26 | Harry Styles | 4,792 | 13.70 |
| 3/7/26 | Ryan Gosling / Gorillaz | 4,342 | 14.31 |
| 2/28/26 | Connor Storrie / Mumford & Sons | 4,611 | 19.26 |
| 1/31/26 | Alexander Skarsgård / Cardi B | 4,820 | 15.18 |
| 1/24/26 | Teyana Taylor / Geese | 4,437 | 14.42 |
| 1/17/26 | Finn Wolfhard / A$AP Rocky | 4,140 | 15.19 |
| 12/20/25 | Ariana Grande / Cher | 5,404 | 16.83 |
| 12/13/25 | Josh O’Connor / Lily Allen | 3,949 | 13.08 |
| 12/6/25 | Melissa McCarthy / Dijon | 4,304 | 12.62 |
| 11/15/25 | Glen Powell / Olivia Dean | 4,165 | 14.41 |
| 11/8/25 | Nikki Glaser / sombr | 4,023 | 13.75 |
| 11/1/25 | Miles Teller / Brandi Carlile | 3,496 | 7.47 |
| 10/18/25 | Sabrina Carpenter | 4,248 | 14.67 |
| 10/11/25 | Amy Poehler / Role Model | 4,369 | 14.05 |
| 10/4/25 | Bad Bunny / Doja Cat | 4,634 | 14.99 |
Live+SD Ratings – In the Demo (P18-49)
| Date | Host / Music Guest | Avg Viewers (000s) | Avg Share % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4/11/26 | Colman Domingo / Anitta | 842 | 12.43 |
| 4/4/26 | Jack Black / Jack White | 1,040 | 13.74 |
| 3/14/26 | Harry Styles | 942 | 12.16 |
| 3/7/26 | Ryan Gosling / Gorillaz | 817 | 12.87 |
| 2/28/26 | Connor Storrie / Mumford & Sons | 1,029 | 15.19 |
| 1/31/26 | Alexander Skarsgård / Cardi B | 950 | 14.32 |
| 1/24/26 | Teyana Taylor / Geese | 695 | 11.06 |
| 1/17/26 | Finn Wolfhard / A$AP Rocky | 858 | 14.53 |
| 12/20/25 | Ariana Grande / Cher | 1,224 | 17.71 |
| 12/13/25 | Josh O’Connor / Lily Allen | 710 | 11.23 |
| 12/6/25 | Melissa McCarthy / Dijon | 746 | 9.87 |
| 11/15/25 | Glen Powell / Olivia Dean | 799 | 13.48 |
| 11/8/25 | Nikki Glaser / sombr | 733 | 11.97 |
| 11/1/25 | Miles Teller / Brandi Carlile | 605 | 4.98 |
| 10/18/25 | Sabrina Carpenter | 938 | 14.92 |
| 10/11/25 | Amy Poehler / Role Model | 893 | 12.91 |
| 10/4/25 | Bad Bunny / Doja Cat | 1,125 | 16.33 |
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