The WORST episodes of Saturday Night Live
Every episode of Saturday Night Live ever, ranked from worst to best by thousands of votes from fans of the show. The worst episodes of Saturday Night Live!
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.
#1 - Chris Rock / Gracie Abrams
Season 50 - Episode 9 - Aired 12/14/2024
Chris Rock hosts, and Gracie Abrams performs.
#2 - Garth Brooks (2)
Season 25 - Episode 5 - Aired 11/13/1999
Sketches include ""Gun Convention,"" ""James Bond,"" ""Hickory Farms Audio Visual Project,"" ""Tracy Morgan and Garth Brooks,"" ""Warner Lambert/America Home Products Merger,"" ""Express Flowers,"" ""Mango,"" ""Devil Can't Wrte No Love Songs,"" ""Simma Da Na,"" and ""WXLU News.""
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#3 - Dylan McDermott/Foo Fighters
Season 25 - Episode 4 - Aired 11/6/1999
Sketches include ""The Practice,"" ""The Jim Gray Show,"" ""Early Show,"" ""The Culps,"" ""Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?,"" ""Mango,"" ""Colette Reardon,"" ""State Lotto Drawing,"" and ""Disbelieving Mom.""
#4 - John Goodman/Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers (2)
Season 24 - Episode 17 - Aired 4/10/1999
Sketches include ""Bill Clinton,"" ""Arthur Dugan"" ""Shaun Mondavi Vineyards,"" ""Bobby Wraps it Up,"" ""Hello Dolly,"" ""Santa Clause,"" ""Happy Smile Patrol,"" and ""The Roadside Brothel.""
#5 - Bill Paxton/Beck
Season 24 - Episode 10 - Aired 1/9/1999
Sketches include ""Gingrich and Livingston,"" ""The View,"" ""The Culps,"" ""Titanic Lost Ending,"" ""Fat Albert,"" ""NewsForce,"" ""Postal Services,"" ""Fantastic Voyage,"" and ""Extreme Hunting.""
#6 - Claire Danes/Mariah Carey
Season 23 - Episode 6 - Aired 11/15/1997
Sketches include ""Bill and Hillary Clinton,"" ""Barry Scheck's Apartment,"" ""The View,"" ""The Culps,"" ""Peter Pan,"" ""Mr. Peepers,"" ""CEO Dreamboats Magazine,"" and ""The Louvre.""
#7 - Sting/Veruca Salt
Season 22 - Episode 15 - Aired 3/15/1997
Sketches include ""Bill Clinton,"" ""Evita,"" ""The Nude Crusade,"" ""Rolf,"" ""The Atteburys,"" ""Kyle DeMarco,"" and ""Race and Racism.""
#8 - Paul Reiser/Annie Lennox
Season 20 - Episode 15 - Aired 3/18/1995
Sketches include ""Newt Gingrich's Sister,"" ""Where's Superman?,"" ""Mad About You Aliens,"" ""Sparklebrite Toothpaste,"" and ""One Brother Cafe.""
#9 - Bob Newhart/Des'ree
Season 20 - Episode 12 - Aired 2/11/1995
Sketches include ""C-SPAN: Colin Ferguson,"" ""Ricki Lake,"" ""Book Buzz,"" ""Baywatch,"" ""Poster Worker Evaluation,"" ""Hi Bob,"" and ""Sports Beat."" Des'ree performed ""You Gotta Be"" and ""Feels So High.""
#10 - James Van Der Beek/Everlast
Season 24 - Episode 11 - Aired 1/16/1999
Sketches include ""Clinton and Flynt,"" ""Spelling Bee Finals,"" ""7 Degrees Celsius,"" ""Dog Show,"" ""Harry Connick Jr.,"" ""The War Abroad and at Home,"" ""Frankenstein,"" and ""Maria and Anthony.""
#11 - Gwyneth Paltrow/Barenaked Ladies
Season 24 - Episode 12 - Aired 2/6/1999
Live From New York, it's Gloating Time (by Darrell Hammond) Sketches include ""A Message From Bill Clinton,"" ""E!'s Impeachment Coverage,"" ""Mary Katherine Gallagher Joins The Black Angels,"" ""Mindy and Skye At A Hippie Bar,"" ""Healey Family Voices,"" ""TV Funhouse: The X-Presidents"", ""Behind The Music: Joan Jett,"" ""Behind The Music: John Oates"", ""Judge Rehnquist vs. the Partisan Issues"", ""A&E Biography"", ""Staten Island Nurses"", ""Behind The Music: Colin Hay"", and ""NBC Nightly News: Hardcore Rock."" Barenaked Ladies perform ""It's All Been Done""
#12 - Robert Downey Jr./Fiona Apple
Season 22 - Episode 6 - Aired 11/16/1996
Sketches include ""Bob Dole,"" ""Spartan Cheeleaders,"" ""Bill Clinton,"" ""Don King's Press Conference,"" ""Mr. Music,"" ""Musical Cobras and Panthers,"" ""The Delicious Dish,"" ""Mary Katherine Gallagher,"" ""Streets of L.A.,"" and ""Shopping at Home Network.""
#14 - Chris Rock/The Wallflowers
Season 22 - Episode 5 - Aired 11/2/1996
Sketches include ""Bob Dole and George Bush,"" ""Charles Grodin,"" ""The Dark Side with Nat X,"" and ""The Culps.""
#15 - Bill Pullman/New Edition
Season 22 - Episode 3 - Aired 10/19/1996
Sketches include ""Alien Presidential Debate,"" ""AT&T Clerks,"" ""The Rules Show,"" ""John W. Hayward,"" and ""Women's Kickboxing.""
#16 - Kevin Spacey/Beck
Season 22 - Episode 10 - Aired 1/11/1997
Sketches include ""New Television Rating System,"" ""The Late Show with David Letterman,"" ""Marijuana Doctor,"" ""Star Wars 20th Anniversary,"" ""Janet Reno's Dance Party,"" ""Mr. Peepers,"" ""The Joe Pesci Show,"" ""Pet Shop,"" and ""The Atteburys.""
#17 - Lisa Kudrow/Sheryl Crow
Season 22 - Episode 2 - Aired 10/5/1996
Sketches include ""Bob Dole,"" ""Suel Forrester,"" Single and Loving It,"" ""The Randolph Hotel,"" ""Women's Poetry Night,"" and ""Gene the Ex-Convict.""
#18 - Cicely Tyson/Talking Heads
Season 4 - Episode 11 - Aired 2/10/1979
Sketches include "Cicely Confronts Garrett Monologue," "Nick Rails, the Train Lounge Singer," and "The Widettes."
#19 - Helen Hunt/Hanson
Season 23 - Episode 9 - Aired 12/20/1997
Sketches include ""The Culps,"" ""Delicious Dish,"" ""The Ladies' Man,"" ""Baseball Wish,"" ""Roxbury Guys,"" ""Joan Rivers,"" ""Burt Renolds Christmas,"" ""ChristmaSoft with Bill Gates,"" and ""Hanson in an Elevator.""
#20 - Winona Ryder/Moby
Season 27 - Episode 20 - Aired 5/18/2002
Live From New York, It's...Maya Rudolph and (for the final time) Will Ferrell Sketches include ""Jimmy Carter In Cuba,"" ""Celebrity Jeopardy: Music Edition,"" ""Dueling Wedding Singers,"" ""Botox"", ""Bear Researchers,"" ""Girl Next Door: The Search For a Playboy Playmate,"" ""Jacuzzi Lovers II,"" ""Mango, Winona, and Moby Go Shoplifting,"" and ""Farewell To Will Ferrell."" Moby performs: ""We Are All Made Of Stars"" and ""South Side""
#21 - Bea Arthur/The Roches
Season 5 - Episode 5 - Aired 11/17/1979
Sketches include ""Sex Change,"" ""The Backers' Audition,"" and ""First, He Cries.""
#22 - John Lithgow/Anita Baker
Season 12 - Episode 16 - Aired 4/11/1987
Live from New York, it's... John Lithgow! Sketches include "Embassy Spies," "Laramie Vice," "The Pat Stevens Show," "World's Meanest Methodist Minister," "Master Thespian," "Discover," "Cab Ride," and "The Fighter." Anita Baker performs "Sweet Love" and "Same Ole Love."
#23 - Michael Palin/James Taylor
Season 4 - Episode 18 - Aired 5/12/1979
Sketches include "Mother's Day Monologue," "Miles Cowperthwaite, Part Two: I Am Nailed to the Hull," and "Black-Market Gasoline." Weekend Update includes "Margaret Thathcer Interview."
#24 - Ron Reagan/The Nelsons
Season 11 - Episode 9 - Aired 2/8/1986
Live From New York, it's...Ronald Reagon, Jr. Sketches include: White House Risky Business, You're Going To Hell: A Message From The Almighty (repeat from the Madonna/Simple Minds episode), The Pat Stevens Show, Dalkon Shield Trout Lure, Back To The Future, Penn And Teller Guest Performance, Limits of the Imagination, Shakespeare In The Slums With Flotilda Williams, and The Woody Allen Fan The Nelsons performs: Walk Away and Do You Know What I Mean
#25 - John Larroquette/Timbuk 3
Season 12 - Episode 17 - Aired 4/18/1987
Live from New York, it's... Dana Carvey! Sketches include "Pagan Easter Special," "Sold-Out Gold," "Collecting Evidence," "Heaven Has The Answers," "Instant Coffee," "ICM Meeting," and "Grab Bag Store." Timbuk 3 performs "Just Another Movie" and "Hairstyles & Attitudes."