The BEST episodes of Saturday Night Live season 31

Every episode of Saturday Night Live season 31, ranked from best to worst by thousands of votes from fans of the show. The best episodes of Saturday Night Live season 31!

Each week, a famous guest host appears in sketches and parodies alongside a roster of up-and-coming comedians. A popular musical guest, short films, and Weekend Update - a recurring satirical newscast - form the backbone of one of the most influential and culturally significant TV shows in history.

Last Updated: 10/31/2024Network: NBCStatus: Continuing
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Steve Martin/Prince
star
8.56
9 votes

#1 - Steve Martin/Prince

Season 31 - Episode 12 - Aired 2/4/2006

Filmed in New York, it's... Steve Martin! Sketches include "The Sabotage of Baldwin" (film), "Teddy Bear Holding a Heart," "Oprah," "Don't Buy Stuff You Cannot Afford," "Hamas Party," "Close Talkers" (film), "Quick Zoom Theater," "Super Bowl XL Rehearsals," "Backstage: Steve, Alec and Lorne," "The Prince Show," "State of the Galaxy 2145," "The Tangent" (film), "Surfer Club," and "Naturally Crafting." Prince performed "Fury (A Woman Scorned)" and "Beautiful Loved, and Blessed" featuring Tamar.

Watch Now:AmazonApple TV
Lindsay Lohan/Pearl Jam
star
8.40
5 votes

#2 - Lindsay Lohan/Pearl Jam

Season 31 - Episode 16 - Aired 4/15/2006

Live from New York, it's... Lindsay Lohan! Sketches include "The Situation Room," "Neutrogena Coin Slot," "Deep House Dish," "Journey to the Disney Vaults" (cartoon), "The O'Reilly Factor," "Le Rendezvous," "Laser Cats!" (film), "Debbie Downer," "Officemates' Night Out," and "Atlantic City Fever." Pearl Jam performed "World Wide Suicide" and "Severed Hand."

Watch Now:Amazon
Antonio Banderas/Mary J Blige
star
8.20
5 votes

#3 - Antonio Banderas/Mary J Blige

Season 31 - Episode 15 - Aired 4/8/2006

Live from New York (for the 600th time), its... Seth Meyers! Sketches include "Anderson Cooper 360," "Basic Instinct 2: Return of the Beaver," "Deal or No Deal," "Automated-Phone Lady," "Besos y Lagrimas," "13th Annual Women's Basketball Coaches Fashion Awards," "Zorro's Body Double," "Rascals' Karoake," "Immigrants Backstage," and "Wine Snobs." Mary J. Blige performs "Be Without You" and "Enough Crying.

Jack Black/Neil Young
star
8.02
41 votes

#4 - Jack Black/Neil Young

Season 31 - Episode 9 - Aired 12/17/2005

Live from New York, it's... Will Forte! Sketches include "A Holiday Message from the Vice President," "Stuart Little Mouse Removal Kit," "Sbarro," "Appalachian Emergency Room," "Christmastime for the Jews" (cartoon), "Channel 5 Photo Shoot," "Lazy Sunday" (film), "A Very Downer Christmas," "Space War 2148," "Two A-Holes Buying a Christmas Tree," and "Spelling Bee." Neil Young performed "It's a Dream" and "He Was The King."

Eva Longoria/Korn
star
8.00
3 votes

#5 - Eva Longoria/Korn

Season 31 - Episode 6 - Aired 11/19/2005

Scarlett Johansson/Death Cab For Cutie
star
7.70
10 votes

#6 - Scarlett Johansson/Death Cab For Cutie

Season 31 - Episode 10 - Aired 1/14/2006

Live from New York, it's... the voice of Robert Smigel! Sketches include "The 700 Gang" (cartoon), "Taco Town," "Deep House Dish," "Smorgabord," "Darwin" (cartoon), "Mike and Toni's Chandelier Galaxy," "Live Duluth," "My Super Sweet 16," "Once in a Lifetime Jewelers," "The Kuril-Khamchatka Trench," and "Mr. Willoughby." Death Cab for Cutie performed "Soul Meets Body" and "Crooked Teeth."

Steve Carell / Kanye West
star
7.62
26 votes

#7 - Steve Carell / Kanye West

Season 31 - Episode 1 - Aired 10/1/2005

Live from New York, it's... Will Forte! Sketches include "Bush Addresses the Nation," "MorganStanley," "The JetBlue Crisis," "Anderson Cooper 360," "The Couple That Should Be Divorced," "Girls Gone Wild Katrina," "Kanye Backstage," "The Lundford Twins Variety Hour," "Fun With Real Audio" (cartoon), and "Debbie Downer." Kanye West performed "Gold Digger" and "Heard 'Em Say" featuring Adam Levine.

Catherine Zeta-Jones / Franz Ferdinand
star
7.56
9 votes

#8 - Catherine Zeta-Jones / Franz Ferdinand

Season 31 - Episode 3 - Aired 10/22/2005

Live from New York, it's... Darrell Hammond! Sketches include "Bush's Spontaneous Chat," "Butt Cancer Treatment Center," "Newsnight with Aaron Brown," "Dancers Party," "The Italians," "Access Hollywood," "Creighton Boys School," "Glen and Gina's Wedding," "MorganStanley," and "The Scheinwalds." Franz Ferdinand performed "Do You Want To" and "Take Me Out."

Matt Dillon/Arctic Monkeys
star
7.50
8 votes

#9 - Matt Dillon/Arctic Monkeys

Season 31 - Episode 14 - Aired 3/11/2006

Live from New York, it's... Darrell Hammond! Sketches include "Bush Responds to Criticism," "Nelson's Baby Toupees," "Jamba Juice," "Larry King Live," "The Couple That Should Be Divorced," "Belated Black History Moment" (cartoon), "Art Dealers and the College Boyfriend," "Sheldon's Bar Mitzvah," "The Real Natalie" (film), and "RAD 3000." Arctic Monkeys performed "I Bet You Look Good on the Dancefloor" and "A Certain Romance".

Watch Now:Apple TV
Alec Baldwin/Shakira
star
7.36
11 votes

#10 - Alec Baldwin/Shakira

Season 31 - Episode 8 - Aired 12/10/2005

Live from New York, it's... Alec Baldwin! Sketches include "Saddam's Cell," "Tylenol BM," "Face Transplant," "The O'Reilly Factor," "Celebrity Mugshot Poker" (cartoon), "Brokeback Goldmine," "The Tony Bennett Show," "Carol at Bowl-a-Rama," "The Man Who Married a Hot Dog," "Medicare," and "Santa's Workshop." Shakira performed "Don't Bother" and "La Tortura" (acoustic mix) with Alejandro Sanz.

Tom Hanks/Red Hot Chilli Peppers
star
7.36
11 votes

#11 - Tom Hanks/Red Hot Chilli Peppers

Season 31 - Episode 17 - Aired 5/6/2006

Live from New York, its... Will Forte! Sketches include "Bill Frist's Gas Plan," "Wheel of Fortune," "Kaitlin and the Iguana," "Ariell & Ephraim" (film), "Ma!," "Claremont Yoga Center," "Colin's Place," and "Country Club Tennis." Red Hot Chili Peppers performed "Dani California" and "Give It Away."

Dane Cook/James Blunt
star
7.31
36 votes

#12 - Dane Cook/James Blunt

Season 31 - Episode 7 - Aired 12/3/2005

Live from New York, it's... the entire cast of SNL! (more or less) Sketches include "The Tree Re-Lighting," "West Bedford Drama Club," "Taco Town," "The Long Ride Home: The Jay Feely Story," "Wool Sweater," "Lettuce" (film), "Target Greatland," "24-Hour Coma," "Fight Back with Victor Santos," and "Morgan Stanley." James Blunt performed "You're Beautiful" and "Goodbye My Lover."

Natalie Portman/Fall Out Boy
star
7.23
43 votes

#13 - Natalie Portman/Fall Out Boy

Season 31 - Episode 13 - Aired 3/4/2006

Sketches include "Bush Responds to Criticism," "Nelson's Baby Toupees," "Jamba Juice," "Larry King Live," "The Couple That Should Be Divorced," "Belated Black History Moment" (cartoon), "Art Dealers and the College Boyfriend," "Sheldon's Bar Mitzvah," "The Real Natalie" (film), and "RAD 3000." Fall Out Boy performed "Dance Dance" and "Sugar, We're Going Down."

Watch Now:Apple TV
Jon Heder / Ashlee Simpson
star
7.17
12 votes

#14 - Jon Heder / Ashlee Simpson

Season 31 - Episode 2 - Aired 10/8/2005

Sketches include "George W. Bush and Harriet Miers," "Taco Town," "Caitlin's Science Fair," "Werewolf Date," "The Misadventures of Tom Delay and Bill Frist," "Showbiz Grande Explosion!," "Wilson Brothers Funeral Home," "Hubbard Systems," "Operator Date," and "The Black Eyed Peas." Ashlee Simpson performed "Catch Me When I Fall" and "Boyfriend."

Jason Lee/Foo Fighters
star
6.92
13 votes

#15 - Jason Lee/Foo Fighters

Season 31 - Episode 5 - Aired 11/12/2005

Live from New York, it's... Will Forte! Sketches include "Hardball," "JJ Casuals," "Good Morning Meth," "The Falconer," "Thomas & Dobbins," "The Soaking Wet Killer," "Refurbishments," "Butt Pregnancy," "Stachin'," "McNutly & Sons," and "American Tasar." Foo Fighters performed "DOA" and "Best of You."

Watch Now:Apple TV
Lance Armstrong / Sheryl Crow
star
6.56
9 votes

#16 - Lance Armstrong / Sheryl Crow

Season 31 - Episode 4 - Aired 10/29/2005

Live from New York, it's... Darrell Hammond! Sketches include "The Libby Indictment," "Celebrity Ironman," "RAD 3000," "Indigo Girls Harmonies," "The O'Reilly Factor," "Sheryl's Song," "Days of Our Lives," "Carol!," and "Giddy Henchman." Sheryl Crow performed "Good is Good" and "Strong Enough."

Kevin Spacey/Nelly Furtado
star
6.54
39 votes

#17 - Kevin Spacey/Nelly Furtado

Season 31 - Episode 19 - Aired 5/20/2006

Live from New York, its... Rachel Dratch! Sketches include "Anderson Cooper 360," "A-holes at a Crime Scene," "Oprah's Legends Ball," "Carol!," "Fun with Real Audio" (cartoon), "Kevin and Andy Backstage," "The Falconer," "Andy Walking" (film), "Lord Phillip Sarc," and "I Do Not Agree With Many of This Administration's Policies." Nelly Furtado performs "Promiscuous" (featuring Timbaland) and "Maneater."

Julia Louis-Dreyfus/Paul Simon
star
6.51
39 votes

#18 - Julia Louis-Dreyfus/Paul Simon

Season 31 - Episode 18 - Aired 5/13/2006

Live from New York, its... Al Gore! Sketches include "Parallel Universe Address from President Gore", "Techpack," "Horny Homeless Guy," "The Morning Show," "MySpace", "Charades," "Unsolved Mysteries: The Sandy Patterson Story," and "Peyote" (film). Paul Simon performed "How Can You Live In the Northeast?" and "Outrageous."

Peter Sarsgaard/The Strokes
star
6.14
7 votes

#19 - Peter Sarsgaard/The Strokes

Season 31 - Episode 11 - Aired 1/21/2006

Live from New York, it's... Seth Meyers! Sketches include "Anderson Cooper 360," "Nelson's Baby Toupees," "Target Greatland," "National Pirate Convention," "Carol!," "Young Chuck Norris" (film), "Cat Fancy," "Gays in Space," "Fairmount Suites Inn," "NSA Wiretap," and "Peter Sarsgaard's SARS-guards." The Strokes performed "Juicebox" and "You Only Live Once."