Matt Damon Keeps SNL Ratings Strong in Season’s Homestretch

Matt Damon SNL — Photo: Caro Scarimbolo/NBC

First on LateNighter: Matt Damon’s Saturday Night Live dipped from Olivia Rodrigo’s near season-high last week, but still delivered a strong late-season ratings showing—up double digits from the same weekend last year.

Per Nielsen Live+Same Day data, SNL‘s May 9 episode, which also featured musical guest Noah Kahan, drew an average of 4.7 million total viewers and 952,000 viewers aged 18–49.

That’s a 6% decrease in total audience and a 14% decrease in the advertiser-coveted demo from the show’s May 2 episode, the second-highest rated SNL episode of the season to date.

Year-over-year, compared to SNL‘s May 10, 2025 episode (with host Walton Goggins and musical guest Arcade Fire), this weekend’s episode was up 11% among total viewers and up 19% in the demo.

Among the 19 SNL episodes to air so far this season, Damon’s episode ranks No. 5 in total viewers and No. 6 among viewers aged 18–49.

As always, bottom-line viewership will rise when Live+3 numbers—which include delayed viewing—come in. (For example, per Nielsen, the show’s May 2 episode gained 2.2 million total viewers in the three days following its broadcast, with Live+3 figures topping out at 6.9 million total viewers, while demo viewership grew by 52% to 1.7 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 “Kavanaugh, Hegseth, Patel Bar Cold Open” had accumulated more than four million views as of Wednesday morning.

Expectations are high for this weekend’s season finale, which often draws one of the season’s largest audiences. Will Ferrell is set to host alongside musical guest Paul McCartney (with signs that fellow former Beatle Ringo Starr might perform with him).

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 %
5/9/26	Matt Damon / Noah Kahan	4,679	13.87
5/2/26	Olivia Rodrigo	4,993	15.89
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 %
5/9/26	Matt Damon / Noah Kahan	952	11.60
5/2/26	Olivia Rodrigo	1,104	16.94
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