Saturday Night Live season 45

Saturday Night Live
Season 45
No. of episodes18
Release
Original networkNBC
Original releaseSeptember 28, 2019 (2019-09-28) –
May 9, 2020 (2020-05-09)[1]
Season chronology
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Season 46
List of episodes

The forty-fifth season of the NBC sketch comedy series Saturday Night Live (also branded Saturday Night Live 45 and SNL45) premiered on September 28, 2019, during the 2019–20 television season with host Woody Harrelson and musical guest Billie Eilish,[2] and concluded on May 9, 2020 with host Kristen Wiig and musical guest Boyz II Men.[1] This season featured the return of Eddie Murphy as host, on December 21, 2019, for the first time in 35 years. Murphy's episode was the most watched episode since 2008.

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the season was temporarily halted on March 16, 2020. The move came hours after New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio ordered all theaters in the city to close by the following morning.[3] The season resumed on April 11, 2020 with three remotely produced episodes containing Weekend Update and other contributions from the cast.[4] The self-filmed episodes, with pre-recorded from-home segments, were instead referred to as Saturday Night Live at Home. The first remote episode was hosted by Tom Hanks, who survived COVID-19 after being diagnosed the month prior.[5] The third of these episodes, airing on May 9, 2020 and hosted by longtime former cast member Kristen Wiig, served as the show's season finale.[1]

  1. ^ a b c Adreeva, Nielle (May 7, 2020). "'Saturday Night Live' Sets Season Finale At Home Edition". Deadline. Retrieved May 7, 2020.
  2. ^ Dan Snierson (August 26, 2019). "Saturday Night Live releases star-studded season 45 lineup". Entertainment Weekly. Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved August 26, 2019.
  3. ^ Wright, Megh (March 16, 2020). "SNL to Suspend Production Due to the Coronavirus". Vulture. Retrieved March 16, 2020.
  4. ^ Steinberg, Brian (April 9, 2020). "'Saturday Night Live' Charts Return Amid Coronavirus Pandemic". Variety. Retrieved April 9, 2020.
  5. ^ "Tom Hanks Hosts Special Remote Episode of 'Saturday Night Live At Home'". The Hollywood Reporter. April 11, 2020.