“Saturday Night Live” kicks off its 51st season tonight with Latin superstar Bad Bunny as host and Doja Cat as musical guest, marking a fresh start after the show’s celebrated 50th anniversary season.
The long-running sketch comedy series is introducing five new featured players: Ben Marshall (promoted from the writing staff), Tommy Brennan, Jeremy Culhane, Kam Patterson, and Veronika Slowikowska.
The season premiere comes during a particularly eventful week for Bad Bunny, who recently concluded a historic residency in Puerto Rico and was announced as the headliner for the upcoming Super Bowl halftime show.
Why It Matters
After a landmark 50th season that earned 12 Emmy Awards, including outstanding variety special, “SNL” faces the challenge of moving forward while maintaining its cultural relevance. The significant cast turnover—with departures including Ego Nwodim, Devon Walker, Emil Wakim, and Michael Longfellow—represents one of the show’s most substantial shake-ups in recent years. Multiple outlets have also reported Heidi Gardner’s departure, though neither she nor NBC has confirmed.
The season opener also arrives amid political controversy surrounding Bad Bunny’s Super Bowl selection, highlighting the intersection of entertainment and immigration policy debates.
What To Know
The Puerto Rican superstar is making his second “SNL” hosting appearance. Bad Bunny previously stated that his recent residency bypassed the continental United States partly due to concerns that Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officials might target immigrants for deportation outside his venues. This stance has drawn criticism from some conservatives supporting President Donald Trump’s immigration policies.
When asked Friday whether ICE would conduct enforcement at the Super Bowl, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem confirmed officials would be present because the Department of Homeland Security “is responsible for keeping it safe,” though she didn’t specify whether they would perform immigration enforcement or standard security duties.
Following Bad Bunny’s premiere, the season continues with “SNL” alumna Amy Poehler hosting on October 11—exactly 50 years after the show’s first episode aired on October 11, 1975—alongside first-time musical guest Role Model. Pop star Sabrina Carpenter will pull double duty as host and musical guest on October 18.
What Happens Next
Tonight’s episode airs live on NBC at 11:30 p.m. ET/8:30 p.m. PT and will be available for streaming on Peacock the following day. Amy Poehler’s anniversary episode follows on October 11, with Sabrina Carpenter closing out the month on October 18.
Reporting from the Associated Press contributed to this article.
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