NBC/YouTube "Saturday Night Live" is returning with an all new season on Saturday, October 3 at 11:30 p.m. ET/10:30 p.m. CT on NBC.
Saturday Night Live is returning to TV with an all new season on Saturday, October 3 at 11:30 p.m. ET/10:30 p.m. CT on NBC. SNL alum Chris Rock will host the Season 46 premiere episode alongside musical guest Megan Thee Stallion, while Jim Carrey will debut his role as Joe Biden in the highly anticipated 2020 Presidential Debate sketch.
The show will once again be filmed in Studio 8H at Rockefeller Center in light of the improved COVID-19 conditions in New York City, according to TV Guide. However, the episodes will feature a very limited number of people in the audience while the global pandemic continues sweeping the nation.
Keep reading for details on the Season 46 premiere of SNL, as well as a sneak peak at the presidential debate sketch and a rundown of the new season’s schedule.
New Episodes of SNL Air Every Saturday in October at 11:30 p.m. on NBC
Following its return on October 3, SNL will continue airing new episodes every Saturday night for the next five consecutive weeks. The next new episode of SNL airs Saturday, October 10 at 11:30 p.m. ET, followed by new episodes on October 17, October 24, and October 31 this month.
The description for the Season 46 premiere reads, “Live from New York, celebrity hosts join an ensemble cast to perform comedy on Saturday nights. Capturing the pop-culture zeitgeist, sketches and segments include satirical news and digital shorts and often go viral the very next day. From Executive Producer Lorne Michaels, SNL is a lauded American late-night institution and continues to earn critical praise and dozens of award nominations season-to-season.”
Chris Rock will be joined by musical guest Megan Thee Stallion on October 3, followed by comedian Bill Burr and country music star Morgan Wallen on October 10. Episode 46.3, which airs on October 17, will feature actress Issa Rae and musical guest Justin Bieber. This will be Bieber’s fourth appearance on the show.
Jim Carrey & Maya Rudolph Portray Joe Biden & Kamala Harris During the Season 46 Premiere
A new teaser promo released ahead of the premiere gives viewers their first glimpse at Jim Carrey’s role as Joe Biden. Maya Rudolph, who plays Biden’s running mate Kamala Harris, is also featured in the sketch, while Alec Baldwin is expected to reprise his iconic role as President Donald Trump this season.
In the clip above, Carrey and Rudolph can be seen getting into character for their roles, with Carrey donning a white wig and lacing up a pair of sneakers to represent Biden, and Rudolph staring intensely into the distance while getting her hair done. The two then stand back-to-back and slowly turn to smile at the camera as Carrey puts on a pair of aviators.
According to Tom’s Guide, Season 46 will feature 20 cast members, including newcomers Lauren Holt, Punkie Johnson and Andrew Dismukes. Some of the cast will be limiting their time on air due to other prior commitments and travel restrictions, but the new season will feature the following in some capacity:
- Beck Bennett
- Aidy Bryant
- Michael Che
- Pete Davidson
- Mikey Day
- Heidi Gardner
- Colin Jost
- Kate McKinnon
- Alex Moffat
- Kyle Mooney
- Ego Nwodim
- Chris Redd
- Cecily Strong
- Kenan Thompson
- Melissa Villaseñor
- Andrew Dismukes
- Chloe Fineman
- Lauren Holt
- Punkie Johnson
- Bowen Yang
SNL airs Saturday nights at 11:30 p.m. ET on NBC. In the meantime, you can keep up with all the latest in TV coverage and entertainment news here.
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