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Saturday Night Live season 45

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The forty-fifth season of the NBC sketch comedy series Saturday Night Live (also branded Saturday Night Live 45 and SNL45) premiered on September 28, 2019, during the 2019–20 television season with host Woody Harrelson and musical guest Billie Eilish,[2] and concluded on May 9, 2020 with host Kristen Wiig and musical guest Boyz II Men.[1] This season featured the return of Eddie Murphy as host, on December 21, 2019, for the first time in 35 years. Murphy's episode was the most watched episode since 2008.

Saturday Night Live
Season 45
No. of episodes18
Release
Original networkNBC
Original releaseSeptember 28, 2019 (2019-09-28) –
May 9, 2020 (2020-05-09)[1]
Season chronology
← Previous
Season 44
Next →
Season 46
List of episodes

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the season was temporarily halted on March 16, 2020. The move came hours after New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio ordered all theaters in the city to close by the following morning.[3] The season resumed on April 11, 2020 with three remotely produced episodes containing Weekend Update and other contributions from the cast.[4] The self-filmed episodes, with pre-recorded from-home segments, were instead referred to as Saturday Night Live at Home. The first remote episode was hosted by Tom Hanks, who survived COVID-19 after being diagnosed the month prior.[5] The third of these episodes, airing on May 9, 2020 and hosted by longtime former cast member Kristen Wiig, served as the show's season finale.[1]

Cast

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Prior to the beginning of the season, longtime cast member Leslie Jones, who joined the cast one month into season 40 in October 2014, left after having been with the show for almost five full seasons.[6] Three new featured players were announced on September 12, 2019: impressionist and writer Chloe Fineman of the Groundlings, stand-up comedian Shane Gillis, and SNL staff writer Bowen Yang. Yang is the first fully East Asian-American cast member in the show's history.[7] Fineman had auditioned for the show previously and been unsuccessful.[8]

The choice of Gillis as a cast member generated backlash after podcast clips of him making racist remarks were reposted.[9] Gillis has also made derogatory remarks about Muslims, women, and the LGBTQ community on his online show Matt and Shane's Secret Podcast.[10] Gillis was let go from the cast only four days after the announcement of his hiring, prior to the airing of the first episode.[11] Gillis later controversially hosted the show in 2024, during which he jokingly referenced his firing from the show.[12] Five years later (early in the show's 50th season), executive producer Lorne Michaels revealed that he was not happy about the decision, and that NBC forced him to fire Gillis.[13]

Heidi Gardner and Chris Redd were upgraded to repertory status this season, while Ego Nwodim remained a featured player.[14] Pete Davidson took a leave of absence at the beginning of the season, missing the first two episodes before returning for the third, due to filming commitments of The Suicide Squad.[15] Despite this, he was still credited in the episodes he missed.

Cast roster

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bold denotes "Weekend Update" anchor

Writers

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Main article: List of Saturday Night Live writers § season 45 (2019–20)

Dan Bulla, Emma Clark, Dan Licata, and Jasmine Pierce were added to the writing staff.[16] Michael Che, Colin Jost, and Kent Sublette continue as head writers for the show.

This was the final season for longtime writer James Anderson. Anderson had been a writer for the show since 2000.

Episodes

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Main article: List of Saturday Night Live episodes
No.
overall		No. in
season		HostMusical guestOriginal air dateRatings/
Share
8721Woody HarrelsonBillie EilishSeptember 28, 2019 (2019-09-28)4.1/10

8732Phoebe Waller-BridgeTaylor SwiftOctober 5, 2019 (2019-10-05)4.0/11

8743David HarbourCamila CabelloOctober 12, 2019 (2019-10-12)3.8/11

8754Chance the RapperChance the RapperOctober 26, 2019 (2019-10-26)3.8/11

8765Kristen StewartColdplayNovember 2, 2019 (2019-11-02)4.1/11

8776Harry StylesHarry StylesNovember 16, 2019 (2019-11-16)3.9/10

8787Will FerrellKing PrincessNovember 23, 2019 (2019-11-23)4.3/14

8798Jennifer LopezDaBabyDecember 7, 2019 (2019-12-07)4.2/11

8809Scarlett JohanssonNiall HoranDecember 14, 2019 (2019-12-14)4.0/11

88110Eddie MurphyLizzoDecember 21, 2019 (2019-12-21)6.7/16[30]

88211Adam DriverHalseyJanuary 25, 2020 (2020-01-25)3.8/11

88312J. J. WattLuke CombsFebruary 1, 2020 (2020-02-01)4.1/11

  • Luke Combs performs "Lovin' On You" and "Beer Never Broke My Heart".
  • Alec Baldwin appears in the cold open as Donald Trump.
  • During the goodnights, Watt and some of the cast members wore several Los Angeles Lakers jerseys showing Kobe Bryant's #24 number with Watt tossing a crumpled piece of paper off stage (à la shooting a basketball), as a tribute to Bryant who died a week earlier from a helicopter crash, a day after the previous episode.
88413RuPaulJustin BieberFebruary 8, 2020 (2020-02-08)4.3/12

88514John MulaneyDavid ByrneFebruary 29, 2020 (2020-02-29)4.0/12

88615Daniel CraigThe WeekndMarch 7, 2020 (2020-03-07)4.1/11

Saturday Night Live at Home

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Main article: Saturday Night Live at Home

On March 16, 2020, it was announced that due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the episodes that were to air March 28, April 4, and April 11 were cancelled,[32] with reruns shown in place of the first two. John Krasinski and Dua Lipa had been announced as host and musical guest for March 28 episode; both were rescheduled to the following season.[citation needed] The Strokes were scheduled to perform on the April 11 episode to promote their new album The New Abnormal;[33] they were rescheduled to the following season.[citation needed] During her monologue in the 46th season, Issa Rae said she was supposed to have hosted the show "back in March".[34] Both Aidy Bryant and Kate McKinnon's plans to leave at the end of the season were disrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic; they stayed for two additional seasons, and left in 2022.[35][36]

The show resumed on April 11 in a new format, with cast members remotely appearing from their homes via video conferencing. The new format for the show became known as Saturday Night Live at Home.[37]

No.
overall		No. in
season		HostMusical guestOriginal air dateRatings/
Share
88716Tom HanksChris MartinApril 11, 2020 (2020-04-11)4.6[38]

88817none credited[c]Miley CyrusApril 25, 2020 (2020-04-25)4.0[38]

88918Kristen WiigBoyz II Men featuring BabyfaceMay 9, 2020 (2020-05-09)3.7[44]

Specials

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TitleOriginal air dateRatings/
Share
"A Saturday Night Live Mother's Day"May 10, 2020 (2020-05-10)0.5/2[45]
A special showing of all Mother's Day-themed sketches from previous seasons, including a Mother's Day Lawrence Welk Show sketch from season 35 with host Betty White.

Notes

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  1. ^ In an interview two weeks prior to the show, Dr. Fauci jokingly agreed with the interviewer that Pitt would be a good choice for portraying him.[39]
  2. ^ Pitt briefly breaks character to thank the real Dr. Fauci and the health care professionals who have been working the front line in the battle against the COVID-19 pandemic.
    For the conclusion of the cold open, instead of delivering the typical "Live from New York, it's Saturday Night!" line, Pitt delivers it as "Live, kind of, from all across America, it's Saturday Night".
  3. ^ a b While some sources listed Brad Pitt as the host for the episode,[40][41][42] he was not formally credited as such.[43]

References

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  1. ^ a b c Adreeva, Nielle (May 7, 2020). "'Saturday Night Live' Sets Season Finale At Home Edition". Deadline. Retrieved May 7, 2020.
  2. ^ Dan Snierson (August 26, 2019). "Saturday Night Live releases star-studded season 45 lineup". Entertainment Weekly. Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved August 26, 2019.
  3. ^ Wright, Megh (March 16, 2020). "SNL to Suspend Production Due to the Coronavirus". Vulture. Retrieved March 16, 2020.
  4. ^ Steinberg, Brian (April 9, 2020). "'Saturday Night Live' Charts Return Amid Coronavirus Pandemic". Variety. Retrieved April 9, 2020.
  5. ^ "Tom Hanks Hosts Special Remote Episode of 'Saturday Night Live At Home'". The Hollywood Reporter. April 11, 2020.
  6. ^ Elber, Lynn (August 27, 2019). "Leslie Jones exiting 'SNL,' Kate McKinnon back next season". Associated Press. Associated Press. Retrieved September 1, 2019.
  7. ^ Wright, Megh (September 12, 2019). "Saturday Night Live Adds 3 New Cast Members for Season 45". Vulture. Retrieved September 12, 2019.
  8. ^ "Chloe Fineman, Comedian, Saturday Night Live". Into The Gloss. April 8, 2024. Retrieved September 5, 2024.
  9. ^ "Resurfaced Material of New 'SNL' Cast Member Shane Gillis Using Racist, Sexist, and Homophobic Remarks". September 12, 2019.
  10. ^ Shane Gillis, New 'S.N.L.' Cast Member, Used Racial Slur in Podcast The New York Times, September 12, 2019
  11. ^ Otterson, Joseph (September 16, 2019). "Shane Gillis Out From 'Saturday Night Live'". Variety. Retrieved September 16, 2019.
  12. ^ Valby, Karen (February 25, 2024). "As Saturday Night Live Host, Shane Gillis Draws Predictable Outrage". Vanity Fair. Retrieved September 5, 2024.
  13. ^ Deadline Hollywood
  14. ^ Andreeva, Nellie (September 24, 2019). "'SNL' Promotes Heidi Gardner & Chris Redd To Full Cast Members". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved September 24, 2019.
  15. ^ a b Cooper, Mariah (September 29, 2019). "Pete Davidson Skips 'Saturday Night Live' Season Premiere to Film 'Suicide Squad' Sequel". Us Weekly.
  16. ^ "'Saturday Night Live' Adds New Writers For Season 45". September 29, 2019. Retrieved October 3, 2019.
  17. ^ Creating Saturday Night Live: Billie Eilish "Bad Guy" Performance. YouTube. October 1, 2019. Event occurs at 0:17. Retrieved October 18, 2019.
  18. ^ Cramer, Laura Jaye (October 2, 2019). "Why Some Dancers Are Upset That Billie Eilish Channeled Fred Astaire on "SNL"". Dance Magazine.
  19. ^ Jensen, Erin (September 29, 2019). "Aidy Bryant can't help but break after 'Saturday Night Live' sketch hiccup during premiere". USA Today.
  20. ^ Wright, Megh (September 29, 2019). "Here's the Writing Staff of Saturday Night Live Season 45". New York.
  21. ^ Husband, Andrew (October 6, 2019). "'Weekend Update' Had Some Fun At Absent Cast Member Pete Davidson's Expense On 'SNL'". Uproxx.
  22. ^ Muller, Marissa (October 6, 2019). ""SNL" Finally Addressed Pete Davidson's Absence This Season, And, Wow What A Burn". Buzzfeed.
  23. ^ Darby, Luke (October 27, 2019). "Chance the Rapper Double Duties the Hell Out of SNL". GQ.
  24. ^ This can be verified here: https://www.nbc.com/saturday-night-live/video/cut-for-time-aidy-bizzo-lizzo/4088749.
  25. ^ "TV Ratings Saturday: 'Saturday Night Live!' hits 2-year highs". December 22, 2019. Archived from the original on December 22, 2019. Retrieved December 22, 2019.
  26. ^ "Eddie Murphy's SNL Hits an 11-Year Audience High With DVR Playback, Best Since Sarah Palin's 2008 Visit". January 2, 2020. Retrieved January 2, 2020.
  27. ^ "Eddie Murphy Scores First Primetime Emmy Win In Guest Actor Comedy Series Category For Hosting 'SNL'". September 20, 2020. Retrieved September 20, 2020.
  28. ^ "Maya Rudolph Wins Emmy for Kamala Harris Impersonation on 'SNL'". September 20, 2020. Retrieved September 20, 2020.
  29. ^ "'SNL's Don Roy King Wins Fourth Consecutive Emmy Award For Variety Series Directing". September 15, 2020. Retrieved September 20, 2020.
  30. ^ "'Saturday Night Live' Ratings Slip, Stay Strong With Host Bill Burr". October 11, 2020. Retrieved October 23, 2020.
  31. ^ "File details Secret Service investigation of John Mulaney 'SNL' monologue, 'inappropriate jokes'". USA Today. January 19, 2021. Retrieved January 19, 2021.
  32. ^ Kate Aurthur (March 16, 2020). "'Saturday Night Live' Postpones Next Three Shows Because of Coronavirus". Variety. Retrieved March 17, 2020.
  33. ^ "5guys talking about things they know nothing about. Meet the Producers ~The Stroke". YouTube. July 26, 2020. Retrieved August 9, 2020.
  34. ^ Perkins, Dennis (October 18, 2020). "Issa Rae hosts an improbably forgettable Saturday Night Live".
  35. ^ "Aidy Bryant's 'SNL' Exit Interview: 'I Was Worried I Was Going to be Fully Crying'". June 21, 2022.
  36. ^ "Interview: Kate McKinnon on Saying Good-bye to SNL". August 11, 2022.
  37. ^ Pallotta, Frank (April 9, 2020). "'Saturday Night Live' will be back this weekend". CNN Business. Retrieved April 12, 2020.
  38. ^ a b Adreeva, Nielle (April 26, 2020). "Saturday Night Live Ratings Dip For Second At Home Edition". Deadline. Retrieved April 26, 2020.
  39. ^ Weeks Ago Dr. Anthony Fauci Joked That Brad Pitt Should Play Him on 'Saturday Night Live.' Brad Pitt Delivered Time, April 26, 2020
  40. ^ Bell, Amanda (April 27, 2020). "Brad Pitt Suits Up as Dr. Fauci for Saturday Night Live's Cold Open". TV Guide. Archived from the original on June 26, 2020. Retrieved May 12, 2023.
  41. ^ Vasquez, Zach (April 27, 2020). "Saturday Night Live: Brad Pitt plays Dr Anthony Fauci in standout virtual episode". The Guardian. Archived from the original on April 26, 2020. Retrieved May 12, 2023.
  42. ^ Fowler, Matt (April 26, 2020). "Brad Pitt Hosts Second Episode of SNL at Home". IGN. Archived from the original on April 30, 2020. Retrieved May 12, 2023.
  43. ^ Shaw, Gabbi (September 24, 2021). "23 celebrities who have shockingly never hosted 'Saturday Night Live'". Insider. Archived from the original on May 12, 2023. Retrieved May 12, 2023.
  44. ^ Adreeva, Nellie (May 10, 2020). "'Saturday Night Live' Ends Season 45 On Low Ratings Note With Third 'At Home' Edition". Deadline. Retrieved May 10, 2020.
  45. ^ Mitch Metcalf (May 12, 2020). "Top 150 Sunday Cable Originals & Network Finals: 5.10.2020". Showbuzz Daily. Archived from the original on May 13, 2020. Retrieved July 29, 2020.
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