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Saturday Night Live isn't on tonight - and when it's back on the air

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  Published in Media and Entertainment on Saturday, November 22nd 2025 at 17:29 GMT by Entertainment Weekly

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Why Saturday Night Live isn’t on tonight – and when it’s back on the air

Saturday Night Live (SNL) is the cultural touchstone that has been bringing sketch comedy, musical guest performances and political satire to Saturday nights for over 50 years. For most viewers, the show’s regular run is a reliable part of the weekend ritual: 11:30 p.m. Eastern Time (8:30 p.m. Pacific), 90 minutes of laughter and commentary that ends around 1:00 a.m. (10:00 p.m. local time). So when an evening passes without the familiar “SNL” banner on the screen, it’s natural to wonder what’s going on.

What’s happening instead of the usual SNL episode?

According to the Entertainment Weekly piece, the show is off the air because NBC is dedicating the 11 p.m. slot to a special broadcast of the 2024 Oscars—the Academy’s biggest televised event. NBC has the broadcast rights to the Oscars every year, and the 2024 ceremony is scheduled to air live at 8 p.m. Eastern on Friday, February 24, followed by a live red‑carpet reception that will run until the traditional 11 p.m. time slot normally reserved for SNL. In other words, the network has chosen to air the entire ceremony and post‑event coverage during the period that normally accommodates Saturday Night Live. This decision, while unusual for a network that routinely tries to accommodate both programs, was driven by the fact that the Oscars draw a massive audience—an audience that NBC wants to keep as large as possible for advertising revenue and brand visibility.

The schedule shift

With the Oscars taking the usual Saturday night slot, SNL will be off the air for that entire evening. Entertainment Weekly notes that the network is airing the Oscars on Friday night, with a “post‑ceremony” segment running until the 11 p.m. time that typically signals the start of SNL. The network’s official schedule page lists the show as “TBA” for the following Saturday (February 27), indicating that the production team will return on the next full week.

When will SNL be back?

SNL is slated to return on Saturday, February 27 at its usual 11:30 p.m. slot. The next episode is expected to feature a return to the familiar mix of “Weekend Update,” “The Monologue,” and the “Digital Shorts” that have become staples of the program. The article points out that while the show is temporarily off the air, the production schedule is largely intact: writers, performers, and crew have already rehearsed for the upcoming episode, and the cast is “ready to go” for the next week.

The article also notes that NBC’s decision to preempt SNL for the Oscars is part of a long history of network programming priorities. In the past, SNL has missed episodes to accommodate high‑viewership events, most notably the 2022 Winter Olympics (the show didn’t air from February 2–12, 2022 while NBC covered the games) and a handful of NFL playoff games. Each time, the network has managed to get SNL back on the air within a week or two, and the show’s fanbase generally accepts these brief interruptions.

How fans can stay in the loop

The piece includes a handy link to the NBC schedule page where viewers can confirm the exact airtime for the Oscars and the return of SNL. It also directs readers to the SNL official site for updates on the cast lineup, the theme of the next episode, and any new segments the show might be testing. For those who missed the previous episode or simply want to catch up, the article mentions that the full episode will be made available on the official SNL app and Hulu later that week—ensuring that the comedy doesn’t get lost in a broadcast pause.

A quick look at the current cast

Entertainment Weekly provides a quick recap of the main cast for context:

• Kate McKinnon (Weekend Update host)
• Pete Davidson (Featured Player)
• Bobby Moynihan (Featured Player)
• Alex Moffat (Featured Player)
• Kristen Wiig (Featured Player)
• Chris Redd (Featured Player)

The article also hints at a new writer joining the team for the upcoming season, which could mean fresh material for the sketches and musical numbers.

In summary

The reason SNL isn’t on tonight is clear: NBC has chosen to air the 2024 Oscars from 8 p.m. to 11 p.m. Eastern, thereby preempting the usual SNL slot. The show will be back on Saturday, February 27 at 11:30 p.m., ready to pick up where it left off with new sketches, guest hosts, and the beloved “Digital Shorts.” Viewers can check NBC’s schedule, or the SNL app, for the most current updates. For fans of late-night comedy, the interruption is a short one, and the show’s legacy of resilience and adaptability ensures that the laughs will resume as soon as the network’s priorities shift back to Saturday night.