Saturday Night Live season 49 is not coming to NBC in September 2023
By Matt Moore
Fall is right around the corner, and it typically brings with it Saturday Night Live. But what is the status of SNL season 49?
Saturday Night Live last broadcast a new episode from Studio 8H in April. Actress Ana de Armas made her debut as host, and SNL had hosts Jennifer Coolidge, Kieran Culkin, and Pete Davidson waiting in the wings. However, the Writers Guild of America strike cut the season short and prevented the final three episodes from airing.
Unfortunately, Saturday Night Live isn’t on the list of NBC’s fall premieres coming in September. The ongoing strike means that there isn’t an official start date for SNL season 49.
Even without the strike, it was unlikely that Saturday Night Live would premiere in September. The show hasn’t had a premiere come in September since season 45 in 2019. Typically, an early October date brings the new SNL season.
When will Saturday Night Live return in 2023?
There is no clear indication of when Saturday Night Live will premiere in 2023. It comes down to the WGA negotiations with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP). Once a new deal is reached, union workers will get back to work.
When, or if, that happens, networks will look to restart production on dozens of films and TV series that went on hiatus or paused. Saturday Night Live could be a little different and face a delay before restarting.
It’s unlikely that the end of the WGA strike will mean SNL writers, cast, and crew are back to work the next week. It could take some time, similar to how the staff ramps up meetings and brainstorming sessions toward the end of a typical summer.
There’s also some indication coming from “Weekend Update” anchors and co-head writers Colin Jost and Michael Che. The duo booked stand-up shows on Saturday, October 14 at New York City’s Radio Music City Hall. While that date may have been during an off week in a normal SNL schedule, it also suggests that Jost and Che don’t expect to be back to work anytime soon.