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Live from New York … it’s finally time for a new season of Saturday Night Live. SNL will return to Studio 8H as usual for its Season 50 premiere this weekend, with Emmy-winning host Jean Smart. The Hacks star will be joined by musical guest Jelly Roll — and potentially a special guest appearance.
At a Glance: How to Watch SNL Online
“The premiere of the 50th season of SNL. BRB going to cry for a few hours and call every family member I have. Bringing therapeutic music to my favorite show ever. God is Good.” Jelly Roll said in a caption on Instagram.
Don’t want to miss the musical performances and hilarious sketches? Here’s your guide to watching SNL for free — from streaming SNL online on DirecTV Stream or Hulu + Live TV, to catching it live on TV on NBC.
Related: Saturday Night Live‘s 25 Greatest Musical Performances
How to Watch Saturday Night Live Without Cable
If you have a cable package or access to local TV stations like NBC, you should be able to watch Saturday Night Live right when it airs on TV this weekend.
Haven’t signed up for cable, and don’t want to be locked into a plan? You can purchase an antenna to hook up to your TV to get local stations. A top-rated TV antenna like the affordable option below will do the trick. It has over a 200-mile range, and you should be able to watch stations like NBC, which will let you watch SNL on TV.
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1byone Amplified HD Digital TV Antenna
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Complete with a 200-mile range + access to local stations, this TV antenna makes it easy to watch NBC at home.
How to Watch SNL Online
You don’t have to have traditional cable to watch Saturday Night Live each weekend. Below, we found some of the best streaming services to watch the new season of SNL, along with all the previous seasons online.
Watch SNL Free on DirecTV Stream
DirecTV Stream offers streaming access to local channels, including NBC, starting at $79.98 a month for its DirecTV Stream Entertainment package. You can also get a five-day free trial to watch SNL for free without cable, plus you’ll get access to 90+ channels.
Watch SNL Free on Hulu + Live TV
One of the best live streaming options for watching Saturday Night Live online is Hulu + Live TV. You can stream SNL on Hulu + Live TV. The plan costs just $76.99 a month for live TV channels including NBC, so you can watch SNL live online. The service offers a three-day free trial, too.
If you don’t mind waiting until Sunday, you can stream SNL for free with a regular Hulu subscription, which lets you watch Saturday Night Live online the day after it airs. Hulu offers a 30-day free trial for its on-demand package. The price goes up to $7.99 a month after your free month of streaming is up.
Watch SNL Free on fuboTV
NBC isn’t the only places to watch Saturday Night Live. You can sign up for a free fuboTV trial to stream SNL. The service’s Pro plan costs $79.99 a month, but you can get your first month for as low as $49.99. With the fuboTV Pro package, you also get to watch up to 192 channels with your subscription, and it comes with unlimited DVR storage, so you can watch SNL both live and on-demand, in case you miss it when it airs. Plus, you can watch fuboTV on up to 10 devices at once.
Watch SNL on Peacock
With a Peacock Premium subscription, you can watch SNL each weekend the day after it airs for just $7.99 each month. Once you sign up for an account, you can simply add all of the available scheduled shows to your watchlist and watch them on-demand whenever you’re ready to stream. Another great reason to sign up for Peacock: All the past seasons of the show are streaming there, giving you a one-stop-shop for all your SNL streaming needs.
Who’s Hosting SNL This Weekend?
Smart hosts the Season 50 premiere of Saturday Night Live, with musical guests Jelly Roll. The SNL premiere airs on Saturday, Sept. 28, 2024. The two appeared in a promotional clip for the season premiere, with Smart teasing a potential special guest which turned out to be Maya Rudolph, who’s returning to play Vice President Kamala Harris this season. Watch the teaser clip below:
This October, comedian Nate Bargatze will return as host on Oct. 5 with musical guest Coldplay. Ahead of Wicked, Ariana Grande will host the show on Oct. 12 with Stevie Nicks as the musical guest. Michael Keaton and John Mulaney will also host episodes, with Billie Eilish and Rolling Stone cover star Chappell Roan set to perform.
How to Watch Every Season of SNL
Catching up on previous SNL sketches and episodes is actually pretty easy if you have a Peacock Premium account. You can stream past episodes of SNL on-demand, including the first season’s episodes from 1975. If you only want to watch specific sketches but aren’t sure where to begin, we put together the ultimate guide on the 50 Best SNL Sketches of All Time.
