After a couple of weeks of time off for Thanksgiving, Saturday Night Live returned on Saturday, Dec. 6 with Melissa McCarthy guest hosting. This was a great move on the show’s part, as it hit a two-month high in the live ratings.
In fact, the episode was the third-highest rated episode of the season in terms of live linear ratings. It shows the type of caliber people want to see on the series, and we couldn’t be happier considering McCarthy’s sketches are always a lot of fun.
Linear ratings for Saturday Night Live on Saturday, Dec. 6
Last Nighter shared the Nielsen Live+Same Day ratings for the episode, showing that the series drew in 4.3 million total viewers. That was 3% up from the previous regular episode, and it marks it as the highest-rated episode in the last two months.
However, it is worth noting that the viewership among the younger audience was down by 7%. That’s the 18-49 age range, which is the most considered when it comes to the advertisers and the decision to keep a show on the air. It could be the time of year as well as the host, as the Dec. 7, 2024 episode was lower by 1% than this episode.
It wouldn’t be surprising if the numbers were down this time of year. It’s when the work Christmas parties are going on and when people are out with friends in the run-up to the holiday season. People aren’t going to be watching live, and it’s worth noting that there tends to be a spike in the viewership via the delayed ratings.
What it does show is that it can depend on the guest host — and that’s something I’ve always believed, as there are some guest hosts I’m just not that interested in. This is the risk with a show like Saturday Night Live, but it’s also why it remains on the air, because across the season, there is something for everyone.
What do the ratings mean for Saturday Night Live season 52?
While there isn’t an official renewal anywhere, we are fully expecting Saturday Night Live season 52 to happen. This series isn’t going anywhere at this point until everyone behind the sketch comedy show is done with it. It’s too much of an institution.
However, if the linear ratings fall considerably, could NBC consider dropping it? Absolutely. Will it? No.
The linear ratings are just a piece of the puzzle when it comes to renewals. For a show like Saturday Night Live, NBC will look at the streaming numbers on Peacock and the YouTube and other social media views. Then there’s the fact that so many are still happy to come on and guest host. So, I wouldn’t worry about it just yet!
Saturday Night Live airs on Saturdays at 11/10c on NBC.