TV Ratings: SNL 50 Season Average 8.1M Viewers

"Saturday Night Live" (SNL) Season 50, which aired from September 28, 2024, to May 17, 2025, averaged 8.1 million viewers per episode across NBC and Peacock, marking a 12% increase from Season 49 and making it the most-watched season since Season 47. 

This viewership figure reflects seven days of on-demand viewing, highlighting the show’s strong performance in both live and delayed streaming metrics. The season was the highest-rated entertainment program among ad-supported broadcast and cable TV in the 18-49 demographic, with an average demo rating of 1.28 through its first seven episodes.

The season’s success was boosted by its historic 50th anniversary celebrations, which included special programming that reached a combined 50 million viewers across platforms. Notably, the three-hour "SNL50: The Anniversary Special" aired on February 16, 2025, drew 14.8 million viewers on NBC and Peacock, with a 2.53 rating in the 18-49 demo, making it NBC’s most-watched primetime entertainment telecast in five years. The special garnered 7.7 billion social media views and, with delayed viewing, reached 22.8 million viewers in its first 35 days. 

Other anniversary events, like "SNL50: The Homecoming Concert," became Peacock’s highest-reaching original special, nearly doubling the average reach of a typical SNL episode, while "Ladies & Gentlemen … 50 Years of SNL Music" reached over 9 million viewers.

The season premiered with 5.3 million viewers, the strongest opener since 2020, hosted by Jean Smart with musical guest Jelly Roll. It featured returning hosts like Nate Bargatze, John Mulaney, Ariana Grande, and Maya Rudolph, who reprised her Kamala Harris impression, alongside new hosts and musical guests.