Is Saturday Night Live new tonight, January 25?

Should Saturday Night Live fans expect to see a brand new episode tonight on NBC?

Saturday Night Live fans have been a patient group the past few weeks as they await the return of the iconic sketch comedy show. While other late night fans have seen their favorite shows return week after week since the holidays, there is still a very big hole in the late night landscape.

The first half of season 45 came to an end on Dec. 21. It was fitting, considering Eddie Murphy returned as host and absolutely shut down Studio 8H with a record-breaking performance. It would have been an impossible feat for another host to come in the week after or even two weeks after Murphy’s show.

So Saturday Night Live did what it does every year and took a holiday hiatus. It gave fans a chance to catch their collective breath after 10 episodes that featured hosts like Scarlett Johansson and Will Ferrell along with a number of cameos from celebrities and SNL alumni.

But that was over a month ago and Saturday Night Live fans are ready to see the second half of the season and find out what is in store for 2020. So is tonight the night?

Yes it is! There is a brand new episode of Saturday Night Live tonight. Adam Driver returns to host for the third time and the musical guest will be Halsey. Here’s Last Night On’s preview for tonight’s episode.

The Adam Driver effect

SNL could not have picked a better host than Driver to kick off the back half of the season. In his previous two outings, Driver has prove to be one of the best hosts in the past decade.

Both of his previous stints resulted in Driver starring in what would become among the best sketches of the year. First there was the Undercover Boss parody with Driver as his Star Wars: The Force Awakens character Kylo Ren.

In four years, the YouTube clip of this sketch has amassed 48 million views. It was a hit with both Saturday Night Live fans and Star Wars fans, inspiring fan art, Halloween costumes, and even an action figure.

Driver followed that up by hosting last year’s season premiere. It ended up being one of the best rated episodes of the season, matched only by the Matt Damon-hosted Christmas episode and the return of Adam Sandler. In that episode, Driver starred in “Career Day,” a sketch with the vibe of an early-2000s SNL.

There are also few actors who have had a year like Adam Driver did in 2019. He earned an Oscar nomination as Best Actor in Marriage Story. He received critical praise for his role in The Report. And Driver was widely considered the standout of the new Star Wars trilogy that concluded with Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker.

You may have noticed that #BringBenSoloBack was trending on Twitter Friday night. Fans across social media came together to appreciate Driver’s character and call for another live action outing for Ben Solo. While that seems unlikely, it is a testament to Driver’s popularity that fans were discussing his performance a month after the film’s release when much of the hype already died down.

Many of those fans will likely tune in to Saturday Night Live tonight to see Driver and see how he addresses the end of his Star Wars career. That, combined with the long wait for SNL’s return, could mean another big night of ratings for the show.

Halsey’s performance power

Last season Halsey made her Saturday Night Live debut host and also served as musical guest. It was a solid effort by the singer and ensured she would be invited back. But few could have imagined that it would be so soon.

But then again, Halsey didn’t leave SNL much choice. She released her album Manic earlier this month following the singles “Graveyard” and “You Should Be Sad.” The singer also has one of the most dedicated fanbases in all of music so you can be sure they will be ready to see Halsey turn in another live performance.

Her two live performances last season may have been what sealed the deal for SNL. Her renditions of “Eastside” and “Without Me” racked up millions of views online and were a major topic of conversation after the show aired.

The fact that Halsey proved she could host an entire of episode of Saturday Night Live could have an impact tonight. Don’t be surprised if Halsey shows up in a sketch, whether it is live or from a pretaped segment. SNL has two hosts for the price of one tonight so why not take advantage?

The impeachment

Everyone knows that Saturday Night Live will take aim at President Donald Trump’s impeachment trial during the show. It is just a question of how.

They could call in Alec Baldwin once more for a sketch involving President Trump reacting to the trial while at the World Economic Forum. Or they could set the sketch at the Senate trial itself.

If they pick the second option, Saturday Night Live will have a few characters to fill out. Representatives Adam Schiff and Jerry Nadler were the stars for Democrats. On the other side, it was White House lawyers Jay Sekulow and Pat Cipollone.

Alex Moffat has played Rep. Schiff in the past and could reprise the role. It was impossible not to notice that Sekulow sounds like SNL alum Jason Sudeikis, last seen returning as former Vice President Joe Biden. Beck Bennett would be a solid pick if SNL stays in house.

We’ve yet to see an impression of Rep. Nadler or had reason to see Sekulow or Cipollone lampooned. Based on the magnitude of the event and it being the first episode of 2020, it will probably be another cameo-heavy cold open.

Who do you want to see cameo in the cold open? What do you expect from Adam Driver and Halsey? Let us know in the comment section. Saturday Night Live airs tonight at 11:30 PM ET on NBC. Check back with Last Night On for all the highlights.