Saturday Night Live has been on the air for decades and people discuss it to their heart’s content about which shows are the best. Obviously, picking out the very best SNL moments is difficult, especially after nearly five decades of the show’s countless memorable moments. We’ll go through these SNL episodes era by era to find the best and see what made them stand out, and tell you which ones you should add to your watchlist. This list of the best SNL episodes will help any SNL enthusiast or newcomer get a feel for the show.
What Makes An Episode One Of The Best SNL Episodes?
It’s beneficial to establish the criteria before ranking anything. There are a number of things that stand out as always distinguishing the great SNL sketches from those that are merely average every week.
In addition to a strong host chemistry, there is a high level of support for the Cast.
The first one is that the best SNL episodes typically have a host who seamlessly meshes with the cast. The whole episode has the tendency to rise to a higher level when the host is fully involved in the material rather than playing safe. Candice Bergen, for instance, had a chemistry with the cast which led her to feel like she was unofficially part of the show while hosting.
A selection of memorable sketches that will never go out of style
Plus, the strongest SNL skits give rise to sketches that people continue to refer back to years later. A one-off joke does not usually get many accolades but a sketch that becomes part of pop culture does. That’s why, in the discussions about the show’s legacy, certain short clips and recurring characters remain prominent.
The timing of cultural or historical events
Moreover, the timing determines the size of the episode. Also, the timing has a huge influence on the recall of the episode. Some of the best SNL episodes are those that are reactions to some larger event, such as a news story, election or cultural moment. In light of the 2016 presidential election, Dave Chappelle’s episode immediately following spent time decompressing the election results, but made space for regular sketches.
Musical Guest Contributions
Last but not least, musical guests can occasionally bring an episode from good to legend. One episode in particular with the musical guests Blues Brothers created the Blues Brothers and helped bring it to greatness, and eventually one of the most popular characters of SNL was the duo of Dan Aykroyd and John Belushi.
The Best SNL Episodes by Era: Part 3 of 17
Given the significant changes that have occurred in SNL since 1975, it seems fitting to split the best SNL episodes into several different eras of the show’s history.
It is the Classic Original Cast Era
The original SNL was a show that brought to television something that was new and truly risky. In spite of the fact that Chevy Chase was a strong presence on the show, this time only allowed one full season, a handful of the early episodes are actually a look into a different part of the television history. Despite a dated feel compared to the later seasons for production values, these formative episodes are essential viewing for many fans.
The Late 2000s Resurgence
SNL had a significant creative revival by the late 2000s, especially during election season. A 2008 season highlight was another digital short, in which Andy Samberg turned his acting chops to an action hero and Amy Poehler honed her Hillary impression with a faux attack ad against Barack Obama. This run of episodes helped bring SNL back to younger audiences who were viewing snippets online instead of on the air.
The Betty White Phenomenon
There were fewer moments that garnered as much buzz as Betty White’s appearance. In fact, White had previously refused Lorne Michaels’ offers to host several times in the past, and only accepted to host in 2010 after fans started a Facebook petition calling for her presence. The outcome was an instant classic and one of the greatest SNL episodes of all time for both casual TV watchers and die-hard fans.
It’s a Kristen Wiig and Maya Rudolph Holiday Special
Holiday episodes are one of the greatest types of SNL episodes, with a Christmas episode standing out in particular. After stepping away from the cast years earlier, this 2012 episode saw Maya Rudolph return as the host. So when she hooked up with Kristen Wiig again, it was sketches which longtime fans still frequently recall when reminiscing about the show’s best moments.
The Bill Hader and Fred Armisen Farewell
Watching someone leave on a TV show usually results in an emotional, memorable moment, and this episode of the show was no exception. Two of SNL’s greatest departed here, Bill Hader and Fred Armisen, and Stefon’s charismatic portrayal was a fitting tribute to their two characters. Those who developed a fondness for these entertainers still consider this to be one of the best SNL shows of the modern era.
Qucik comparison table that will help you easily find the best SNL episodes
Here is a summary of some of the event highlights in the table below, so that you can easily see the special features of each event.
| Episode Highlight | Era | What Makes It One of the Best SNL Episodes? |
| Blues Brothers Debut | Original Cast Era | Introduced two of the show’s most iconic recurring characters. |
| Candice Bergen Hosting | Original Cast Era | Showcased rare on-screen chemistry between the host and cast. |
| 2008 Election-Season Episode | Late 2000s | Combined political satire with the show’s newer digital-short comedy style. |
| Betty White Hosting | 2010 | After a major fan campaign, Betty White delivered a much-anticipated and widely loved appearance. |
| 2012 Christmas Episode | 2010s | Reunited a fan-favorite comedy duo for memorable holiday sketches. |
| Bill Hader and Fred Armisen Farewell | Early 2010s | Delivered emotional farewells to Stefon and other beloved recurring characters. |
| Dave Chappelle Post-Election Episode | 2016 | Balanced political commentary with traditional sketch comedy following the U.S. election. |
But as you can see, the best SNL episodes cut across almost all the eras of SNL, which is another testament to the fact that good comedy transcends generations of cast members.
Why the best SNL episodes are still a topic for fan discussion these days
With such a personal nature of comedy, it’s always going to be a debate among fans as to which episode of SNL is the best.
Generational Nostalgia is playing a role
When the show’s current cast has poor reviews, the fan base of the show’s earlier seasons will stand up for them. The result is that a viewer who enjoyed the original 1970s cast might not consider the Wiig-Hader years to be nearly as important as those of the original cast.
One good metric that IMDb provides is its ratings
IMDb user ratings are a key component of many rankings, as they seek to be objective. These lists only include episodes that have a certain number of votes, so as to not depend on a few enthusiastic reviewers and show a meaningful sample size of votes. Still, ratings can’t tell the full story of impact or re-watchability.
The quality of sketches is not uniform within each episode
Believe it or not, even some of the better SNL moments aren’t all that great. Some parts of otherwise good episodes have been termed “interesting” instead of funny, and even popular episodes don’t always run smoothly.
Here are the best SNL episodes you can watch today!
There are some simple ways to find the best SNL episodes, depending on your streaming choices.
- Use Peacock as it is home to the most official archive of past SNL episodes.
- If you’re looking for bits of individual sketches, look on YouTube, not for whole shows.
- See their compilation specials, which are organized thematically by host or time.
- Look at fan-voted lists on the web to find some lesser-known episodes to revisit.
- Schedule reminders for live broadcasts, as there are still new episodes in the current seasons being aired on a weekly basis.
- These techniques can be used together to create a customized “watch list” of the greatest SNL episodes of the decades.
- Outstanding SNL Hosts Who Lifted The Show
Some hosts are always mentioned when people talk about the greatest SNL episodes and they deserve to be singled out.
The Easy Way to Chemistry by Steve Martin
The good-natured Steve Martin was a natural part of the cast, not an outsider. His sense of ease on stage helped sketches come across as natural rather than rehearsed or stilted.
Heavily caricatured episodes of the TV show, Return, by Tina Fey
Tina Fey’s hosting turns were frequently so much an occasion for celebrating the show’s extended family. Cameron’s cameos included Jerry Seinfeld, Benedict Cumberbatch, Donald Glover and Anne Hathaway, while old gang members Fred Armisen and Tracy Morgan put on a show of support for their old friend.
Emma Stone’s Versatility
Emma Stone has been the host several times and every single episode she did on SNL has been one of the best SNL episodes ever, and she really embraces the weird. In one instance, she even took care of a bridal shower sketch parodied as a Spider-Man kiss.
Some of the most typical errors that fans make when ranking the best SNL episodes
There are some typical mistakes that even die-hard fans of SNL can make when trying to make their own list of the best SNL episodes.
First of all, many viewers will try to evaluate the episode based on a single great sketch, and not the full 30 minutes of the sketch.Firstly, many viewers will judge episodes by a single great sketch, not the full three minutes of the sketch. Secondly, there are fans who will completely overlook older episodes as they don’t like the production style, when in fact they were pretty genius in comedy. Thirdly, some events have been exaggerated by the memory effect of the ‘recency bias’—sounds more vivid than memories of events that have happened more recently.
If you haven’t created your personal list of the best SNL episodes yet, watch shows from several decades to build a well-rounded selection.
Final words about the greatest SNL episodes
But ultimately, it’s a difficult task to compile a definitive list of the best SNL episodes, as comedy tastes are very individual. However, some moments are always remembered to make the show special regardless of which generation it’s broadcasted on, whether with iconic music guest appearances, touching cast adios or the perfect political take-down. As each season of Saturday Night Live unfolds, so will the discussion around the greatest SNL moments.
With a homemade watch list, begin with the episodes referred to in this guide and then work into deeper cuts. With such a large vault of shows, there’s always a show that’s just hidden underneath the best SNL episodes for the faithful to unearth.
The role of cold opens in the best SNL episodes
The first half of an episode of SNL is the part that can dictate the rest of the show and the most successful shows on SNL get it right with their cold open. Whether it’s a political satire, celebrity impersonation or an outrageously fictional concept, a strong cold opening wins the reader from the start. If the cold open works well, then the viewers are more likely to be willing to overlook poor sketches later on. A flat cold open on the other hand can mar perception of the whole show even if later part of the show is much better. That’s why writers and producers work so hard to nail the first few minutes before the theme song comes on air.
Some characters that appeared in the best episodes of SNL and have been repeated
The best SNL sketches have a feel to them that doesn’t exist in some sketch comedy series, and that is because they have recurring characters. That’s because fans feel a sense of attachment to characters such as Stefon, the Church Lady, or Debbie Downer, and as they return, they immediately become excited for a particular episode. Furthermore, the characters provide the writers with a basis for making jokes off previous audience knowledge instead of having to set up a totally new premise each and every week. An unexpected move by a favorite recurring character can turn an otherwise mundane episode into one that fans discuss for years.
So why should any of us, the new viewers, bother to look at the best SNL episodes?
For those who view a show for the first time, they can dive straight into the best episodes of SNL for a quicker, more fruitful first time viewing experience. Because SNL airs live almost every week, each episode’s quality naturally varies based on the host, current events, and cast chemistry. By beginning with episodes with already solid reputations, new viewers will be able to grasp why the show has been so culturally relevant for so long. Then, taking the plunge into full seasons is quite a bit easier once you’ve come to know some of the recurring characters and the style of writing that make that show recognizable.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q1: What is generally considered the single best SNL episode?
Opinions vary widely, but episodes featuring the Blues Brothers debut, Betty White’s hosting appearance, and major cast farewells consistently rank among the best SNL episodes.
Q2: How do critics determine the best SNL episodes?
Many rankings combine IMDb user ratings with overall audience reception, though vote count minimums help ensure the results reflect broad opinion.
Q3: Where can I stream the best SNL episodes?
Peacock currently offers the largest official streaming library, though individual sketches from the best SNL episodes also appear frequently on YouTube.
Q4: Do older SNL episodes hold up compared to newer ones?
Yes, many older episodes remain genuinely funny today, even though production values and comedic pacing have changed significantly over the decades.
Q5: Which hosts appear most often among the best SNL episodes?
Frequent standout hosts include Steve Martin, Tina Fey, Betty White, and Emma Stone, each known for strong chemistry with the cast.
Q6: Are political episodes always ranked among the best SNL episodes?
Not always, but episodes airing near major elections often generate lasting cultural impact, which frequently boosts their reputation over time.
Q7: How often does SNL produce a truly great episode?
Quality varies season to season, but most years produce at least a few standout shows that fans later cite among the best SNL episodes.
