First on LateNighter: Saturday Night Live kicked off its 51st season this weekend with 4.4 million total viewers, a 24% decline from last year’s season premiere.
That’s according to Nielsen’s live-plus-same-day data.
As measured by total viewers, this week’s episode, hosted by Bad Bunny with musical guest Doja Cat, was the show’s lowest-rated season premiere since 2022, when Miles Teller and Kendrick Lamar opened Season 48 to 4.02 million viewers.
The news was a bit more rosy among viewers 18–49, where this weekend’s show averaged 926,000 viewers. While still down nearly 18% year-over-year, that figure represents the series’ strongest performance in the key advertising demo—as measured by live-plus-same-day data—since January, when Timothée Chalamet perforned double duty as both host and musical guest.
Expect all of these numbers to grow as delayed linear viewing data comes in over the coming days and weeks. (For example: per Nielsen, last year’s season finale initially drew 4.8 million total live-plus-same-day viewers, but that number grew to 6.9 million total viewers when live-plus-seven-day data was reported a week later.)
It’s also worth noting that linear ratings are just one piece of the pie, especially among younger viewers. Live-plus-same-day data does not include live viewing on Peacock, nor does it take into account the show’s YouTube views, where this week’s cold open logged over 7 million views in its first 48 hours.
SNL‘s first episode of the new season followed a significant cast shakeup overseen by Lorne Michaels and his team, introducing five new featured players after the pre-season departures of Michael Longfellow, Devon Walker, Emil Wakim, Heidi Gardner, and Ego Nwodim. It also featured cameos from Jon Hamm, Benicio Del Toro, and the real-life singers behind the KPop Demon Hunters animated band HUNTR/X.
Saturday Night Live returns this weekend for what promises to be a special episode, airing 50 years to the day after the show’s series premiere on October 11, 1975. Former cast member Amy Poehler is set to host with musical guest Role Model.
Complete episode-by-episode Nielsen ratings charts for SNL‘s 50th season follow below:
Live+SD Ratings – All Viewers (P2+)
| Date | Host / Music Guest | Avg Viewers (000’s) | Avg Share % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 9/28/24 | Jean Smart / Jelly Roll | 5,388 | 15.16 |
| 10/5/24 | Nate Bargatze / Coldplay | 4,763 | 13.34 |
| 10/12/24 | Ariana Grande / Stevie Nicks | 5,573 | 15.60 |
| 10/19/24 | Michael Keaton / Billie Eilish | 4,777 | 12,80 |
| 11/2/24 | John Mulaney / Chappell Roan | 6,587 | 18.35 |
| 11/9/24 | Bill Burr / Mk.gee | 4,424 | 13.09 |
| 11/16/24 | Charli XCX | 4,287 | 12.49 |
| 12/7/24 | Paul Mescal / Shaboozey | 3,839 | 10.80 |
| 12/14/24 | Chris Rock / Gracie Abrams | 4,200 | 12.55 |
| 12/21/24 | Martin Short / Hozier | 4,793 | 13.96 |
| 1/18/25 | Dave Chappelle / GloRilla | 4,848 | 14.92 |
| 1/25/25 | Timothée Chalamet | 4,958 | 14.90 |
| 3/1/25 | Shane Gillis / Tate McRae | 4,275 | 13.92 |
| 3/8/25 | Lady Gaga | 4,625 | 15.00 |
| 3/29/25 | Mikey Madison / Morgan Wallen | 4,268 | 13.21 |
| 4/5/25 | Jack Black / Elton John & Brandi Carlile | 4,525 | 12.30 |
| 4/12/25 | Jon Hamm / Lizzo | 4,293 | 13.73 |
| 5/3/25 | Quina Brunson / Benson Boone | 4,369 | 14.99 |
| 5/10/25 | Walton Goggins / Arcade Fire | 4,215 | 13.88 |
| 5/17/25 | Scarlett Johansson / Bad Bunny | 4,874 | 16.21 |
Live+SD Ratings – In the Demo (P18-49)
| Date | Host / Music Guest | Avg Viewers (000s) | Avg Share % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 9/28/24 | Jean Smart / Jelly Roll | 1,126 | 13.72 |
| 10/5/24 | Nate Bargatze / Coldplay | 979 | 11.78 |
| 10/12/24* | Ariana Grande / Stevie Nicks | 1,266 | 15.72 |
| 10/19/24 | Michael Keaton / Billie Eilish | 946 | 11.17 |
| 11/2/24 | John Mulaney / Chappell Roan | 1,669 | 20.52 |
| 11/9/24 | Bill Burr / Mk.gee | 967 | 12.45 |
| 11/16/24 | Charli XCX | 863 | 11.32 |
| 12/7/24 | Paul Mescal / Shaboozey | 739 | 9.25 |
| 12/14/24 | Chris Rock / Gracie Abrams | 817 | 11.13 |
| 12/21/24 | Martin Short / Hozier | 940 | 12.20 |
| 1/18/25 | Dave Chappelle / GloRilla | 1,021 | 13.24 |
| 1/25/25 | Timothée Chalamet | 1,032 | 14.02 |
| 3/1/25 | Shane Gillis / Tate McRae | 895 | 13.76 |
| 3/8/25 | Lady Gaga | 806 | 12.15 |
| 3/29/25 | Mikey Madison / Morgan Wallen | 692 | 10.04 |
| 4/5/25 | Jack Black / Elton John & Brandi Carlile | 788 | 9.25 |
| 5/3/25 | Jon Hamm / Lizzo | 777 | 12.39 |
| 4/12/25 | Quinta Brunson / Benson Boone | 748 | 12.35 |
| 5/10/25 | Walton Goggins / Arcade Fire | 830 | 12.85 |
| 5/17/25 | Scarlett Johansson / Bad Bunny | 890 | 14.44 |
Ratings Data © The Nielsen Company, used under license.
This is the second time SNL has run Bad Bunny without any accommodation for non-Spanish speakers. The whole fucking monologue was without translation or even closed captions.
It’s rude, and excluding to the regular audience, for a show that’s been in English for 50 years. Some folks just shut it off.
If I want a Spanish broadcast, there are 6 over the air channels in my city and dozens more streaming.
I will not be learning Spanish either. I’d rather get better at the four languages I have studied.
The whole damn show was in English, with captions (english and spanish), and SAP AD audio track for the visually impaired. What the fuck are you talking about? If you’re really going throw a hissy fit over him switching to Spanish for like 15 seconds in the monologue, then your honestly just better off learning Spanish!
Fuck off. The lazy fucker cant learn English?? Mr. big international star? He’s fro P.R., not the Congo. Entitled assholes. But I blame Lorne Michaels for turning it into Sabado Gigante.
Fuck off, bitch! Lest you want a brick smashed right into your fucking face, until it’s all powder!
Not surprising.
Deliver one of the worst episodes in decades, you get shitty ratings.
Bad Bunny?
Doja Cat?
Any other weird human/mammal names SNL can bring on?
I hear Smelly Turtle is available to host.
We all know that you’ll just keep attacking things here that makes MAGA losers cry like the insufferable bitches you all are! Because you’re all too god damned fucking stupid to function properly in society!
Do go back to school and put in the effort to pass, this time, mKay dumbfuck?
You’re sounding like the idiot here Cletus.
Actually, you shouldn’t have said that, as it makes you look like a pathetic MAGAt that can’t wait to dig your tongue deep into Drumpf’s fat unwiped ass!
Like your fellow MAGA losers, Mucky boy!
They doubled down on the wrong things, and have cut some of the funniest people making way for opportunities. Opportunity for people who just aren’t as funny. The cast of 2019 isn’t the cast now, and we feel it! You cut a lot of funny ladies!
Low ratings for first SNL in season 51? That’s because it was a terrible show (and I’ve watched ‘em all since 1978.