NBC's SNL Scores Largest Ratings Since 2011

The Trump administration has helped “SNL” to its highest overnight metered-market household TV rating since January 2011.

According to The Wrap, Saturday night’s show, featuring host/Donald Trump impersonator Alec Baldwin and musical guest Ed Sheeran, earned a 7.2 rating/18 share from the 56 metered markets, according to Nielsen’s very preliminary overnight numbers. The show scored a 3.6/18 among adults 18-49 in the 25 markets with local people meters — that age-range is broadcast TV’s key demographic for entertainment programming.

The 7.2 marks the show’s high mark since Jan. 8, 2011, when an NFL playoff game between the New York Jets and Indianapolis Colts ran long and helped deliver a 7.8 for “Saturday Night Live.”

The Lorne Michaels’ program’s frequent mockery of last year’s election and the current administration has brought in substantially more eyeballs for the program. Compared with the previous year’s original broadcasts, last night’s metered-market households rating was up more than 50 percent (a 7.2 vs. 4.8) and the local people meters number was up 57 percent (a 3.6 vs. 2.3 for the month of February 2016).