Is Saturday Night Live new tonight, March 21?
By Matt Moore
Should fans expect to see a brand new episode of Saturday Night Live tonight on NBC?
The novel coronavirus epidemic has shut down everything from schools to sporting events. Seeing how other late night shows have navigated the situation, Saturday Night Live fans are wondering what the sketch show will do.
While this is far from an ideal situation, late night talk shows are at an advantage compared to Saturday Night Live. Hosts like Stephen Colbert, Jimmy Fallon, and Jimmy Kimmel have been able to produce monologues from home. Conan O’Brien is doing his best to put out remote pieces while practicing social distancing.
But what can Saturday Night Live realistically do in times like these? The show gets its strength from the cast and hundreds of people who work on the show, not to mention the live audience. New York City is a hotspot for COVID-19 already, making it impossible to put SNL together.
All that is to say that there will not be a new episode tonight. However, this was another scheduled week off for Saturday Night Live. The show was originally set to return on March 28 with host John Krasinski and musical guest Dua Lipa.
But that episode and all subsequent episodes in season 45 have been postponed. It is uncertain when or if the show will return this season.
Instead, NBC will re-air the Feb. 1 episode hosted by J.J. Watt with Luke Combs as musical guest. If you want even more SNL content, then Last Night On has you covered:
- An SNL fan’s guide to Netflix stand-up specials
- SNL and Daniel Craig tackle the novel coronavirus head on
- David Spade gives update on his Eddie Murphy feud
Related Story. The five best SNL hosts of season 45. light
Other late night shows are doing their best to put out content and give fans an escape. Expect Saturday Night Live to release vintage sketches or fan favorites on its YouTube channel over the next few weeks. Keep checking Last Night On for more news and updates. For more information about COVID-19, visit the CDC’s website or the website for your state’s Department of Health.