History of Saturday Night Live (2015–present)

History of Saturday Night Live series:

1975–80
(seasons 1, 2, 3, 4, 5)
1980–85
(seasons 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
1985–90
(seasons 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
1990–95
(seasons 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
1995–2000
(seasons 21, 22, 23, 24, 25)
2000–05
(seasons 26, 27, 28, 29, 30)
2005–10
(seasons 31, 32, 33, 34, 35)
2010–15
(seasons 36, 37, 38, 39, 40)
2015–present
(seasons 41, 42)

Weekend Update

This article is about the most recent history of Saturday Night Live from 2015 through 2020.

2015–2016 season

The 2015-2016 season of Saturday Night Live began on October 3, 2015 with host and musical guest Miley Cyrus.

Opening montage

The previous season's opening montage returns, but without the special SNL 40 logo. Darrell Hammond returns as the show's announcer. Repertory players are announced first, followed by featured players, the musical guest, and the host.

Bumper format

Various old bumper formats return. Each host has several bumper shots on a solid color faded background, where their image may be repeated or given other various picture effects. Each host also has one or two photos of him or her in costume around NBC Studios. The musical guest for each episode has two bumper photos on solid colored backgrounds.

Cast

The season has a cast of 16 members, including five African American cast members (the most to ever be in the cast at once). As in previous seasons, the cast is separated into a most established repertory company, and a newer featured company. Jon Rudnitsky was the only new addition to the cast prior to the season premiere. Four cast members were upgraded from featured to repertory.

Notes

Problems with Election Coverage

As usual during election seasons, SNL has placed particular emphasis on the 2016 presidential election. Given the unusually large field of candidates, some impressions of candidates shift or have shifted based on who remains in the race.

On the Democratic side, Kate McKinnon is the show's current Hillary Clinton. McKinnon debuted as Clinton in Season 40, Episode 15 (though she previously portrayed an actress portraying Clinton).[7] While they remained in the race, cast members Taran Killam and Kyle Mooney portrayed Martin O'Malley and Lincoln Chafee, respectively, both debuting in Season 41, Episode 3. Former candidate Jim Webb was portrayed by Alec Baldwin, also debuting in the aforementioned episode. Larry David has made recurring appearances to portray Bernie Sanders.

There was media speculation as to who would play whom for the upcoming election prior to the season.[8] The casting was made problematic by the fact that many of the candidates were played by the same impressionists prior to the election. Marco Rubio, Ted Cruz, and Rand Paul had all been portrayed by Taran Killam. Chris Christie was portrayed by Bobby Moynihan, who had also played Cruz. Mike Huckabee and Jeb Bush were both portrayed by Beck Bennett. Additionally, Pete Davidson and Colin Jost were not considered by speculators to be generally desired for the job, since neither was an impressionist. Carly Fiorina had been portrayed by Kate McKinnon on one occasion, while Ben Carson was portrayed by Kenan Thompson. No one on the current cast had portrayed John Kasich.

More issues further complicated the matter. Just prior to the start of the season, SNL announced that Killam would be portraying Donald Trump for the upcoming election.[9] This meant that Killam would be portraying four of the candidates in the main Republican race. SNL ultimately was forced to wait until their ninth episode to tackle a Republican debate, when the field was sufficiently narrowed.

For the December 19 episode, the first to feature a debate, several impressions were ultimately moved permanently to new cast members. Jimmy Fallon was initially offered the role of Trump on a recurring cameo basis, but a last minute change resulted in announcer Darrell Hammond portraying him as he had done for fourteen seasons in the cast.[10] Killam ultimately portrayed Cruz, while Moynihan portrayed Christie. Rubio was played by Davidson, Bush by Bennett, and Paul by Kyle Mooney. Cecily Strong and Jay Pharoah portrayed Fiorina and Carson, respectively, while Colin Jost acted as a stand-in for Kasich, with no lines. Rudnitsky portrayed debate moderator Wolf Blitzer.[11]

The following episode, on January 16, featured another debate, with a slightly smaller Republican field. Carly Fiorina had been demoted to the earlier undercard debate, and while Paul and Kasich remained on the mainstage, SNL chose not to include them in the sketch. Trump, Cruz, Christie, Rubio, Bush, and Carson were all portrayed by the same people that portrayed them in the earlier episode.[12]

Despite Hammond's acclaimed impression, speculation remained as to whether he was playing the role because he was needed (as Killam was playing Cruz), or because his impression was superior.[13] The show ultimately confirmed that Hammond was going to be portraying Trump indefinitely; the following week, he appeared alongside Tina Fey's Sarah Palin in a sketch without Killam, confirming that he would continue to play Trump even if Killam was available (for the time being).[14] Killam, in turn, was confirmed as the show's indefinite Cruz, in a sketch where he portrayed him when Moynihan was not present.[15]

2016-2017 season

Season 42 was indirectly confirmed via advertising plans from NBC's sales division. The announcement revealed that the program will contain 30% less advertisement time in the coming season.[16] Additionally, select NBC advertising clients will be given the opportunity to have their brand appear in promotional sketches, called "pods". Six of these pods will air each season.

2016-2017 Cast

As far as cast changes go, on June 24, 2016, Lorne Michaels announced that Michael Che and Colin Jost would continue as the anchors of Weekend Update.[17] Both were featured on SNL special editions of Weekend Update for the Democratic and Republican Conventions.

In the meantime, Taran Killam and Jay Pharoah (both cast members since 2010) were let go from the cast.[18] Killam, despite having signed a seven-year contract that would have taken him to the end of season 42, was dropped from the cast in part due to issues concerning his work directing the film Why We're Killing Gunther, which would have limited his time on SNL.[19] Additionally, it was also announced that Jon Rudnitsky, who joined the cast in 2015, would not be returning for a second season.[20]

In a news article on Ew!, the return of the remainder of the cast was confirmed.[21]

It was later reported that Mikey Day, SNL writer, Robot Chicken writer, and Maya & Marty cast member, would be joining the cast along with Chris Redd.[22] However, news of Chris Redd being the show's latest cast member was proven to be false. The newest cast members joining Mikey Day are Alex Moffat and Melissa Villaseñor. Villaseñor is now the second female Hispanic cast member hired (after Noel Wells from season 39) and the fourth Hispanic cast member overall (joining Horatio Sanz, Fred Armisen, and Wells) and with her addition, this season is the second with seven women in the cast after Season 39 (2013-2014).

It was also announced that Michael Che, Pete Davidson, and Leslie Jones would all be upgraded from featured to repertory status.[23]

The above-named changes kept the cast membership for this season at 16 members, with four African-American cast members and one Hispanic cast member. As in previous seasons, the cast is listed in two separate groups: repertory and featured players.

Election coverage

On September 28th, SNL announced that while Kate McKinnon would return as Hillary Clinton for its parodies of the 2016 presidential election, Alec Baldwin would play the role of Donald Trump, replacing Darrell Hammond, who continues as the show's announcer.[24]

Future seasons

Although NBC has not officially renewed Saturday Night Live for a 43rd season at this time, SNL, largely considered to be a cultural icon, is considered continually renewed by NBC until further notice.

References

  1. ↑ "Tracy Morgan bounces back from accident to host Saturday Night Live". CBC News. Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. Associated Press. October 18, 2015. Retrieved October 24, 2015.
  2. ↑ McLaughlin, Seth (October 20, 2015). "Rep. Luis Gutierrez calls on NBC to dump Trump from SNL". The Washington Times. Retrieved October 24, 2015.
  3. ↑ Pallotta, Frank (October 14, 2015). "Donald Trump's 'SNL' stint could put FCC's 'equal-time' rule in play". CNNMoney. Time Warner. Retrieved October 24, 2015.
  4. ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AJ_hoMig06M
  5. ↑ http://www.ew.com/article/2015/11/17/ryan-gosling-chris-hemsworth-tina-fey-amy-poehler-snl-hosts?hootPostID=12905d5cd41c4c9e9e3ab115b34917cb
  6. ↑ http://www.chicagotribune.com/entertainment/tv/ct-creative-arts-emmy-fey-poehler-20160911-story.html
  7. ↑ http://www.snlarchives.net/Episodes/?201503071
  8. ↑ http://www.bustle.com/articles/105314-which-saturday-night-live-cast-members-should-play-presidential-candidates-season-41-has-the-perfect-picks
  9. ↑ http://www.cinemablend.com/television/SNL-Has-Chosen-Who-Play-Donald-Trump-Season-41-86857.html
  10. ↑ http://screencrush.com/snl-donald-trump-jimmy-fallon-darrell-hammond/
  11. ↑ http://www.snlarchives.net/Episodes/?201601161
  12. ↑ http://www.snlarchives.net/Episodes/?201601161
  13. ↑ http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2016/01/25/why-snl-can-t-quit-darrell-hammond-its-best-donald-trump-impersonator.html
  14. ↑ http://www.snlarchives.net/Episodes/?201601231
  15. ↑ http://www.snlarchives.net/Episodes/?201602061
  16. ↑ http://adage.com/article/media/snl-air-fewer-commercials-season/303697/
  17. ↑ Maglio, Tony (June 24, 2016). "Lorne Michaels Mulling 'SNL' Cast; 'Weekend Update' Stays". The Wrap. Retrieved July 27, 2016.
  18. ↑ Auseillo, Michael (August 8, 2016). "SNL Vets Taran Killam and Jay Pharoah Not Returning for Season 42". TVLine. Retrieved August 8, 2016.
  19. ↑ Ryan, Mike (August 8, 2016). "Taran Killam On Why He's Leaving 'Saturday Night Live'". Uproxx. Retrieved August 8, 2016.
  20. ↑ Andreeva, Nellie (August 9, 2016). "'Saturday Night Live' Featured Player Jon Rudnitsky to depart". deadline.com. Retrieved August 11, 2016.
  21. ↑ Robinson, Will (August 23, 2016). "SNL confirms remainder of cast to return for season 42". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved August 23, 2016.
  22. ↑ http://www.nydailynews.com/entertainment/tv/snl-names-mikey-day-chris-redd-new-cast-members-article-1.2785005
  23. ↑ http://www.nbc.com/saturday-night-live/credits/cast/season-42
  24. ↑ https://www.instagram.com/p/BK6W7uJguop/
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