When does Saturday Night Live return with new episodes?

Now that we’ve made it through a rough season of Saturday Night Live, the offseason will bring new hope. When can we expect new SNL episodes?

Now that Saturday Night Live season 44 has come and gone, all we have now as fans of the show is repeat episodes on Saturday nights as even SNL Vintage takes a break during the summer. Depending on how well the Democratic Party presidential debates and the Republican party in general spark remarkable moments, we might see Weekend Update: Thursday Edition appear on NBC later this summer.

Beyond that, it seems like we’re prepared for a mostly uneventful summer for the Saturday Night Live cast, even though it shouldn’t feel that way. There are a ton of seven-year performers who have reached the end of their natural contract, and Kenan Thompson has already declared this show as his home away from home, not going anywhere.

Despite the need for a fresh new cast (if not, at least, a refreshed writer’s room), it looks like SNL will be heading into season 45 with most of its familiar faces back perhaps for one last season. I can’t imagine Cecily Strong, Aidy Bryant and Kate McKinnon staying much longer than this upcoming season, but you never know what will happen due to the upcoming 2020 election.

That brings us to the show itself. Saturday Night Live will continue into season 45 and until Lorne Michaels is likely done with the show as an executive and showrunner. That means we will once again premiere the season in the Fall with maybe a minor cast adjustment here or there. Hopefully, they give Ego Nwodim an actual chance, as she’s shown potential early.

Judging by SNL season debuts the past few years, they have taken place on the last Saturday or first Saturday of September and October, respectively. That means Saturday Night Live season 45 is the most likely set to debut on Saturday, Sept. 28, 2019.