The BEST episodes of Saturday Night Live

Every episode of Saturday Night Live ever, ranked from best to worst by thousands of votes from fans of the show. The best episodes of Saturday Night Live!

"Saturday Night Live," NBC's Emmy Award-winning late-night comedy showcase, brings yet another year of laughs, surprises and great performances. Since its inception in 1975, "SNL" has launched the careers of many of the brightest comedy performers of their generation. As The New York Times noted on the occasion of the show's Emmy-winning 25th Anniversary special in 1999, "in defiance of both time and show business convention, 'SNL' is still the most pervasive influence on the art of comedy in contemporary culture." At the close of the century, "Saturday Night Live" placed seventh on Entertainment Weekly's list of the Top 100 Entertainers of the past fifty years.

Last Updated: 9/28/2023Network: NBCStatus: Continuing
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Danny DeVito & Rhea Perlman/Eddy Grant
star
10.00
1 votes

#1 - Danny DeVito & Rhea Perlman/Eddy Grant

Season 9 - Episode 2 - Aired 10/15/1983

Sketches are ""Calvin Klein Cream Pies,"" ""Mister Robinson's Neighborhood,"" ""Crazy Edelman,"" ""Book Beat,"" ""What Would Frank Do?"" ""Amos n' Andy,"" and ""Spanish Class."" Eddy Grant performs ""I Don't Wanna Dance,"" ""Electric Avenue,"" and ""Living on the Front Line.""

Directors: Dave Wilson
Watch Now:Apple TV
Bill Russell/Chicago
star
10.00
2 votes

#2 - Bill Russell/Chicago

Season 5 - Episode 3 - Aired 11/3/1979

Sketches include ""Kennedy in '80,"" ""Banshee,"" ""The Black Shadow,"" ""The Landers Files,"" ""Mr. Bill at Home,"" ""Nick in the Arctic,"" ""Eleanor Roosevelt,"" ""Sports Hot Line,"" and ""Big n' Tall That's All."" Chicago performs their 1970 hit ""I'm a Man"" and their then-current single ""Street Player.""

Directors: Dave Wilson
Watch Now:Apple TV
Cameron Diaz/Jimmy Eat World
star
10.00
3 votes

#3 - Cameron Diaz/Jimmy Eat World

Season 27 - Episode 16 - Aired 4/6/2002

Live From New York, It's...Will Ferrell & Ana Gasteyer! Sketches include ""The Culps In Lamaze Class,"" ""17th Annual Auto Show Spokeman Awards,"" ""MTV Spring Break 2002,"" ""SNL 530,"" ""Astronaut Jones,"" ""Celine Dion on CBS,"" ""Gorgeous Living,"" ""The First Female Peepers,"" ""MTV 4"", and ""My Big, Thick Novel."" Jimmy Eat World performed ""The Middle"" and ""Sweetness.""

Jon Stewart/India.Arie
star
10.00
1 votes

#4 - Jon Stewart/India.Arie

Season 27 - Episode 14 - Aired 3/9/2002

Live From New York, It's...Darrell Hammond Sketches include: Cheney's Concerns, The Cheese Game, MTV's Total Request Live, The Bloder Brothers, TV Funhouse: MTV Forum (Fun With Real Audio), Talkin' To The Stars, News Media, Jazzvisions, We Were Soldiers Who Knew What Women Want, and My Big Thick Novel India.Arie performs: ""Video"" and ""Ready For Love""

Watch Now:Apple TV
Sean William Scott/Sum 41
star
10.00
1 votes

#5 - Sean William Scott/Sum 41

Season 27 - Episode 2 - Aired 10/6/2001

Live From New York, It's...Will Ferrell Sketches include: Bush Warns bin Laden, Law and Order: Parking Violations Movement, Snotty Department Store Guys, Emmy Awards Pre-Show, Jarrett's Room, The Patriotic Co-Worker, The ""How Do You Say? Ah, Yes"" Show, The Approval Center, and The Porn Star Blind Date Sum 41 performs: ""Fat Lip"" and ""In Too Deep""

Watch Now:Apple TV
Alec Baldwin/Coldplay
star
10.00
1 votes

#6 - Alec Baldwin/Coldplay

Season 26 - Episode 16 - Aired 4/7/2001

Sketches include ""George W. Bush,"" ""Delicious Dish,"" ""Military Soldier,"" ""Inside the Actor's Studio,"" ""Robert Goulet,"" ""Democrats.""

Mena Suvari/Lenny Kravitz
star
10.00
2 votes

#7 - Mena Suvari/Lenny Kravitz

Season 26 - Episode 10 - Aired 1/20/2001

Sketches include ""Bill Clinton,"" ""Airport Metal Detector,"" ""Janet Reno's Dance Party, ""Rap Street,"" ""Veronica & Co.,"" and ""The DeMarco Brothers.""

Damon Wayans/Dionne Farris
star
10.00
1 votes

#8 - Damon Wayans/Dionne Farris

Season 20 - Episode 17 - Aired 4/8/1995

Sketches include: ""Judge Ito,"" ""Men on Film,"" ""Spit Valves,"" ""Black Names,"" ""Christopher Walken for Skittles"", and ""Court TV: The O.J. Trial.""

Directors: Dave Wilson
Watch Now:Apple TV
Justine Bateman/Terrance Trent D'Arby
star
10.00
1 votes

#9 - Justine Bateman/Terrance Trent D'Arby

Season 13 - Episode 11 - Aired 2/13/1988

""53rd. Debate of the 1988 Republican Presidential Candidates"", ""Learning to Feel with Denise Venetti, Ph.D."", ""Family Ties: If These Old Walls Could Talk (Flashback-Flashback Episode)"", ""Blocked songwriter Derek Stevens loses his Muse"", ""An older man, the bimbo girlfriend Linda and his Judgemental Friends"".

Directors: Paul Miller
Watch Now:Apple TV
Jeff Daniels/Color Me Badd
star
10.00
1 votes

#10 - Jeff Daniels/Color Me Badd

Season 17 - Episode 2 - Aired 10/5/1991

""Johnny Carson's Tonight Show: The 29th and Final Anniversary"", ""Earthies, the Bountiful Diaper Commercial (From Dell Monty)"", ""The Richmeister Vs. The Name Singing Guy"", ""The Chris Farley Show"", ""Community College Bowl"", ""Apex Novelty Guy gets fired for designing bad quality rubber vomit""

Directors: Dave Wilson
Watch Now:Apple TV
Bob Uecker/Peter Wolf
star
10.00
1 votes

#11 - Bob Uecker/Peter Wolf

Season 10 - Episode 2 - Aired 10/13/1984

Live from New York, "it's a baby boy, Mr. Williams!" it's... Martin Short! Sketches include "Password," "Snap, Crackle & Pop," "An American Portrait," "Little League Trade," "Tom Brokaw," "Mamie Eisenhower Center For The Dull," "7 x 4," "Negro Leaguers" (film), "Lost and Found Department," "Tippi Turtle" (cartoon), "SNL Mailbag," "Baseball Juice," and "Color Commentary." Peter Wolf performed "Lights Out" and "I Need You Tonight.

Directors: Dave Wilson
Watch Now:Apple TV
Dudley Moore/Al Green
star
10.00
1 votes

#12 - Dudley Moore/Al Green

Season 11 - Episode 8 - Aired 1/25/1986

Sketches include ""Monks and Football,"" ""The Pat Stevens Show,"" ""Master Thespian"", ""The Limits of the Imagination"", ""Name That Tune,"" and ""Die Foriegner Die!"" Al Green performs ""Going Away.""

Directors: Dave Wilson
Watch Now:Apple TV
Danny DeVito/Bryan Ferry
star
10.00
1 votes

#13 - Danny DeVito/Bryan Ferry

Season 13 - Episode 6 - Aired 12/5/1987

ive from New York, it's... Danny Devito! Sketches include: "Gorbachev-Reagan," "Siskel & Ebert," "Church Chat," "Eddie Spimozo's Jungle Room," "White Trash Appraiser," "Ann Landers' Playhouse," and "Reminiscing with Doorman." Bryan Ferry performs "The Right Stuff" and "Kiss and Tell."

Directors: Paul Miller
Watch Now:Apple TV
Sean Penn/L.L. Cool J., Michael Penn & the Pull
star
10.00
1 votes

#14 - Sean Penn/L.L. Cool J., Michael Penn & the Pull

Season 13 - Episode 2 - Aired 10/24/1987

Live from New York, it's... Sean Penn! Sketches include "Fatal Attraction 2," "Wall Street Week," "Church Chat," "Pitman & Bullock," "The Teeny Cafe," "Keister Family Talk," "Discover," "The Spimozo Brothers," and "Cat Dentist" (film). LL Cool J performs "Go Cut Creator Go." Michael Penn and The Pull performs "This & That."

Directors: Paul Miller
Watch Now:Apple TV
Carl Weathers/Robbie Robertson
star
10.00
1 votes

#15 - Carl Weathers/Robbie Robertson

Season 13 - Episode 10 - Aired 1/30/1988

Sketches include ""Bush-Whacked,"" ""The NFL Today,"" ""Handi-Off,"" ""Democratic Debate '88,"" ""Helen and Cheri,"" ""TV Actress,"" ""Master Thespian,"" and ""The Garden"" (film). Robbie Robertson performed ""Testimony"" and ""Somewhere Down the Crazy River.""

Directors: Paul Miller
Watch Now:Apple TV
Conan O'Brien/Don Henley
star
9.69
32 votes

#16 - Conan O'Brien/Don Henley

Season 26 - Episode 14 - Aired 3/10/2001

Live from New York, it's...Will Ferrell Sketches include: Bush's Good Health, Subshack, The Boston Teens At The Liquor Store, Moleculo: The Molecular Man, Napster Testimony, Taint-less Ted, Find The Black People At The Knicks Game, VH-1 Diva-Thon, Democratic National Committee, and Sports Century: The White Boxer Don Henley performs: ""Everything is Different Now"" and ""Heart of the Matter"" (the second performance was cut on the NBC rerun and replaced with a DeMarco Bros. sketch where Chris Parnell, Chris Kattan, and Conan O'Brien audition for Don Henley)

Watch Now:Apple TV
Richard Benjamin/Rickie Lee Jones
star
9.67
3 votes

#17 - Richard Benjamin/Rickie Lee Jones

Season 4 - Episode 16 - Aired 4/7/1979

Sketches include "The Pepsi Syndrome," "The Nerds In Love," and "Scottish Restaurant." Jones performs his hit "Chuck E's In Love."

Directors: Dave Wilson
Watch Now:Apple TV
Sigourney Weaver/Buster Poindexter
star
9.50
2 votes

#18 - Sigourney Weaver/Buster Poindexter

Season 12 - Episode 1 - Aired 10/11/1986

Live From New York, it's...Madonna Sketches Include: A Message From Madonna, ""General Dynamics,"" ""Tommy Flanagan,"" ""Quiz Masters,"" ""The Amazing Alexander,"" ""Church Chat,"" ""Bows and Smith Advertising,"" ""Alienses,"" ""Ten Weeks In Jail,"" ""Baby It's Cold Outside"" (musical number), ""Derek Stevens Auditions,"" and ""The Brecht Opera."" Buster Poindexter performed ""Smack Dab in the Middle"" and ""Fool For You.""

Directors: Paul Miller
Watch Now:Apple TV
Rosie O'Donnell/Whitney Houston
star
9.50
2 votes

#19 - Rosie O'Donnell/Whitney Houston

Season 22 - Episode 9 - Aired 12/14/1996

Sketches include ""Bill Clinton and Bob Dole,"" ""Spartan Cheerleaders,"" ""Mary Katherine Gallagher,"" ""Delicious Dish,"" ""Goat Boy,"" ""Rita Delvecchio,"" and ""The Local News with Joe Blow.""

Watch Now:Apple TV
Michael Palin/Eugene Record
star
9.50
4 votes

#20 - Michael Palin/Eugene Record

Season 3 - Episode 16 - Aired 4/8/1978

Live From New York, It's...Dan Aykroyd Sketches include--"Oscar Awards", "Little Chocolate Donuts", "Tax Deductions", "H&L Brock", "Great Escape", "Nerds Piano Lesson", "The Case of the Scarlet Membrane", "Good Time At Party", "Mr. Bill Pays His Taxes", "Danger Probe"

Directors: Dave Wilson
Watch Now:Apple TV
Alec Baldwin/Paul McCartney
star
9.43
7 votes

#21 - Alec Baldwin/Paul McCartney

Season 18 - Episode 13 - Aired 2/13/1993

Sketches include ""Dateline NBC,"" ""The Mimic,"" ""The Chris Farley Show,"" ""Soap Opera Digest,"" ""Gap Girls,"" ""Naked Woman Theater,"" ""Daily Affirmation With Stuart Smalley,"" ""The Bodyguard,"" and ""French Class"".

Directors: Dave Wilson
Watch Now:Apple TV
Eddie Murphy/The Honeydrippers
star
9.13
8 votes

#22 - Eddie Murphy/The Honeydrippers

Season 10 - Episode 9 - Aired 12/15/1984

Sketches include ""Buckwheat Lives!"" ""White Like Me"" (film), ""Milestones,"" and ""Newsmakers."" Robert Plant and the Honeydrippers perform ""Santa Claus is Back in Town.""

Directors: Dave Wilson
Watch Now:Apple TV
Helen Hunt/Snoop Doggy Dogg
star
9.00
3 votes

#23 - Helen Hunt/Snoop Doggy Dogg

Season 19 - Episode 16 - Aired 3/19/1994

Sketches include ""Rockers Explain Whitewater,"" ""Total Bastard Airlines,"" ""Sexist Director,"" ""Office Space,"" and ""Rob Schneider's Girlfriend Theater."" Snoop Dogg performed ""Gin & Juice.""

Directors: Dave Wilson
Watch Now:Apple TV
Joe Pesci/Spin Doctors
star
9.00
2 votes

#24 - Joe Pesci/Spin Doctors

Season 18 - Episode 3 - Aired 10/10/1992

Sketches include ""Debate '92,"" ""Pinky Ringery,"" ""Single White Person,"" ""Bullies on the Steps,"" and ""Zoriada annoys Joe Pesci."" Spin Doctors perform ""Jimmy Olson's Blues.""

Directors: Dave Wilson
Watch Now:Apple TV
Teri Hatcher/Dave Matthews Band
star
9.00
3 votes

#25 - Teri Hatcher/Dave Matthews Band

Season 21 - Episode 18 - Aired 4/20/1996

Sketches include ""Kazinsky and his Lawyers,"" ""Spade in America,"" ""Spartan Cheerleaders,"" ""The Princess and the Homeboy,"" ""Romantic Music,"" and ""St. Gabriel's Women's Charity for the Needy.""

Watch Now:Apple TV

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