First on LateNighter: Up against a dramatic World Series finish that stretched to 11 innings on FOX, NBC’s Saturday Night Live posted the lowest Live+Same Day ratings in its 50-year history this weekend.
The show’s November 1, 2025 episode, hosted by Miles Teller with musical guest Brandi Carlile, drew 3.4 million total viewers—200,000 fewer than the previous Live+Same Day ratings low, set on November 11, 2023, when Timothée Chalamet hosted with musical guest boygenius.
Among adults 18–49, the show also hit a record low, delivering just 590,000 viewers in the advertiser-coveted demo. The prior low was 739,000 viewers on December 7, 2024, when Paul Mescal hosted with musical guest Shaboozey.
For anyone who might doubt that the World Series is to blame for the show’s record lows this weekend, ratings actually climbed after the baseball game ended around midnight, peaking between 12:30 and 12:44 a.m. with 3.7 million total viewers and 672,000 demo viewers. Like most late-night shows, SNL normally sees its strongest numbers at the start of the episode, followed by a gradual decline as more viewers go to sleep.
As always, the show’s viewership will rise when Live+3 data, which include delayed viewing, come in. (For example, per Nielsen, the show’s October 25 episode with host and musical guest Sabrina Carpenter gained an additional 1.5 million total viewers in the three days following its broadcast, with Live+3 figures topping out at 5.5 million total viewers, while viewers in the demo grew by more than 44% to 1.3 million.)
It’s also worth noting that linear ratings are just one piece of the pie, especially among younger viewers. Live+Same Day data do not include live viewing on Peacock, nor do they account for the show’s YouTube views.
This week’s episode marked Teller’s third appearance on SNL overall—he hosted the show’s Season 48 premiere and appeared in the 50th anniversary special last February. It was Brandi Carlile’s fourth turn as musical guest after appearances in Seasons 47, 48, and 50 (when she performed alongside Elton John).
SNL returns this weekend with host Nikki Glaser and musical guest sombr, who are both making their Studio 8H debuts.
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 % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 11/1/25 | Miles Teller / Brandi Carlile | 3,363 | 7.46 |
| 10/18/25 | Sabrina Carpenter | 3,978 | 13.98 |
| 10/11/25 | Amy Poehler / Role Model | 4,067 | 13.31 |
| 10/4/25 | Bad Bunny / Doja Cat | 4,405 | 14.42 |
Live+SD Ratings – In the Demo (P18-49)
| Date | Host / Music Guest | Avg Viewers (000s) | Avg Share % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 11/1/25 | Miles Teller / Brandi Carlile | 590 | 5.0 |
| 10/18/25 | Sabrina Carpenter | 876 | 13.98 |
| 10/11/25 | Amy Poehler / Role Model | 791 | 11.59 |
| 10/4/25 | Bad Bunny / Doja Cat | 926 | 13.78 |
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