The summer silence is starting to break on the 17th floor of 30 Rock. We’re halfway through Saturday Night Live’s four-month hiatus, and that means the early stirrings of Season 51 are now officially underway. The writers aren’t back yet. The audience won’t be back until October. But the gears are slowly starting to turn.
By now, most of the Season 50 cast knows where they stand. NBC sends out those contract renewals mid-July with an August 1 start date—standard operating procedure. Whether you’re in or out, the message tends to land by the last week of July. Yes, historically some decisions have stretched into September, but those have generally been the exception to the rule.
And while NBC never confirms anything until much later in the process, departing cast members are free to spill the beans themselves. Last summer, Punkie Johnson broke her own news onstage at a July 31 stand-up show. Molly Kearney made their own announcement two days later on Instagram. Chloe Troast’s departure didn’t surface until Deadline reported the announcement of three new featured players, over a month later.
Expect the same pattern this year: hush-hush from the network, the occasional bursts of news from elsewhere. With a Season 51 premiere date of October 4, the show’s new featured players likely won’t be officially announced sometime in mid-to-late September.
Casting, though, is already underway. According to multiple sources, the show’s been hitting the key improv hubs in recent weeks with a specific mandate: performers of color, especially women.
Of course, this isn’t just about finding “the next so-and-so.” It’s also about who’s ready to leave. The end of Season 50 brought the usual swirl of rumors about long-tenured cast members preparing to say goodbye (this year’s list included such heavy hitters as Bowen Yang, Heidi Gardner, Mikey Day, Colin Jost and Michael Che). None of those exits materialized on air, but don’t count anyone in (or out) until we hit premiere week. Quiet exits, delayed departures, sudden reversals—it’s all in play.
Elsewhere, the preseason shuffle continues. Producers and head writers will ease back in first, followed by the full writers’ room, and the cast. Guest host and musical guest booking tends to ramp up around this time too, with the season’s first batch of shows usually announced around two weeks ahead of the season premiere.
Season 50 leaned into nostalgia. Season 51 is shaping up to be more practical: Who’s sticking around, who’s stepping up, and what kind of show SNL wants to be when no one’s throwing it a birthday party. Decisions made in the next few weeks won’t just shape the cast—they’ll shape the tone of the year, and perhaps years to come. Stay tuned.
At least 5-6 of these people should go. Just to start…
Jane Wickline and Devon Walker have no business being there.
Ego Nwodim has been there 7 seasons and how many memorable moments does she have?
Chloe Fineman needs to go.
I think Chloe still has potential. they just need to use her less as “the hot chick”
Still has potential????
Fineman has been on SNL for 6 seasons.
We’ve seen what she can do. She’s had more than enough time to show us.
Chloe was the star in the best sketch of the year…the Staten Island Ferry sketch. I would be bummed if she left.
You’re an idiot
Yeah, you’re right.
After I’ve thought about it, Wickline and Walker have obviously shown they’re incredibly talented and beloved cast members. No one has a bad word to say about their performances on the show.
And I don’t know where the show would be for the last 7 years without Nwodim and Fineman. They’ve made huge impacts. They’ve both been in classic sketches and given us so many great characters.
Thanks for pointing out the error of my ways with your insightful comment.
Jane Wickline is awful.
She is not. Her performances are subtle and understated.
I like Chloe fineman….she is beautiful and funny
Jost and Che can go too. Their more than predictable. Comedy had passed them by.
.aybe you’d prefer Rob Schneider.
I cannot imagine the cast without Michael Che, Colin Jost and Bowen Yang, but understand they have solidified they are stars. and take a chance on new things they want to do. Still hoping they. Will stick around.
keneen
They lose even HALF of these actors, SNL is dead 😥 (this year’s list included such heavy hitters as Bowen Yang, Heidi Gardner, Mikey Day, Colin Jost and Michael Che)
I wouldn’t be hurt to see a new cast. I loved some of the cast from a few years ago. Ex Cecily Strong, Heidi Gardner, Kate McKinnon. I find Bowen Yang to be one dimensional. He’s the same character no matter the role. He’s always the cheesy, over the top gay guy. How many times is he going to play that guy? He has acting ability right? He can play something else? If he was the Lorax he would have to be “The Gay Lorax”. It’s tiresome, and overdone at this point!
Disagree, I like Bowen a lot, in all his characters. He’s not one-dimensional any more than James Austin Johnson is one-dimensional. They both just happen to have very memorable characterizations.
Nice fucking click bait article with zero information…
Yep that was a huge nothing burger. Waste of typing but someone has a job saying nothing. Come to think of it , that also describes DC
thank you. came to say the very same thing but it seems you and I are the only ones who thought it was a waste of time.
Agreed, this article told me nothing.
That’s the best dope about SNL I’ve ever
read. It explains the timing and cycle of events SNL. And it elaborates on cast member turnover, which does create anxiety. So kudos. I think that SNL is really entering a brand new era, and every year with Lorne is precious. I can’t wait🫣
I vote for Marcelo and badger bunny
Marcelo is fantastic. A star!!
This was a nothing to announce waste of my time
Mandate to get more ppl of color, notably women? Is NBC becoming CBS, i.e. BET?
#Punt
Keep it to yourself MAGA.
Sarah Sherman is the best.
Nice try Sarah.
i’m hopeful coming off the huge fete for the 50th season. I hope Yang hangs in one more season.
Hope they get rid of Jane Wickline and Michael Longfellow. They are the worst. They have no presence, no charisma, never laughed once at anything they said or did.
SNL should ditch Yang and have Sydney Sweeney host again.
yeah I wanna give Sydney Sweeney some of my jeans….can’t believe the world is in an uproar over a damn American Eagle commercial…She definitely ain’t gonna be hosting anytime soon after this dumb debacle
I only watch reruns of. SNL for Keenan Thompson.. I miss bill hader as Lindsey Buckingham… ooooooo weeeeee what’s up with that? What up with that!? Oh and Jason Sudekis rocking the Jew fro with the red adidas track suit and gold chain…
Omg! Can we finally get rid of Heidi Gardner and Mikey Day!!!! Aside from Keenan who had overstayed his welcome years ago.
These two hacks are senior cast members and are so unfunny. None of their characters land. They both have annoying nasal voices, and cannot do impersonations.
I hope the worst non entity featured player Jane Wickline doesn’t return.
James is great, and very underrated.
Thanks for no news whatsoever.
The Last Dance
total click bait