By: Fuyu Banno

Graphics Editor

On Oct. 4, 2025, the popular comedy series Saturday Night Live (SNL) returned with its fifty-first season, welcoming a new set of cast members and writers while parting with those who had been mainstays of the show over the last couple of years. The season opener was met with mixed reactions as well as tensions over how late-night television has been under attack by the current presidential administration.

SNL producer Lorne Michaels had hinted after the end of the fiftieth season that he was going to “shake things up.” Regardless, many were shocked by the news that came in early September, when popular veteran cast members Heidi Gardner and Ego Nwodim left. Other cast members who departed from the show include Michael Longfellow, Emil Wakim, and Devon Walker. Furthermore, the comedy trio Please Don’t Destroy as a whole parted from SNL, a section some considered a staple of the show. 

Aside from the various departures, SNL welcomed a new wave of comedians and personalities. New cast members include comedians Tommy Brennan, Jeremy Culhan, Kam Patterson, Veronika Slowikowska, and Ben Marshall. Marshall was part of the trio Please Don’t Destroy; he is now an official cast member this season. 

The new cast members bring years of experience with stand-up, short sketches, and comedy troupes to the show, much like veteran SNL members. Yet unlike previous cast members, many newcomers gained popularity through TikTok and YouTube skits and trends.

The season premiere featured Bad Bunny as a guest and Doja Cat as a musical guest. Bad Bunny showed his versatility throughout the skits, playing an adult who loves K-pop Demon Hunters; in another skit, he played the inventor of Spanish alongside cast member Marcello Hernandez. Other noteworthy parts of the season premiere included Bowen Yang cosplaying as Dobby from the Harry Potter franchise and a sketch introducing a rendition of ChatGPT. Audience reaction to the show’s premiere was lukewarm. Some praised Bad Bunny’s performance as well as the new faces in the show, while others were critical of the quality of the sketches. 

Furthermore, in the midst of pressure on late-night TV following the brief cancellation of Jimmy Kimmel’s show, many were eager to see if SNL would continue its criticism and mockery of the administration or pull back. Yet, the season opener sent a clear message to many that SNL will not shy away from its tradition of political satire; Weekend Update host and writer Colin Jost showed up dressed as Pete Hegseth.  

With a mix of old and new cast members, SNL will undoubtedly capitalize on sketch-worthy trends and current events to what the show hopes will be more enthusiastic audiences.  

(Sources: NBC, NYT)