For over 50 years, Saturday Night Live has been a huge part of American comedy. It’s both shown and boosted the country’s changing views. From John Belushi and Gilda Radner in the ’70s to folks like Tina Fey, Eddie Murphy, Will Ferrell, and Kate McKinnon, the show has proved that good sketch comedy can spark talks that go beyond late-night TV. As SNL gets ready to start its 51st season on October 4, 2025, many wonder how the show will adjust to the times while staying true to its roots.
The Season 51 premiere has a set of people that should do exactly that. With hosts and musical guests like Bad Bunny, Amy Poehler, Role Model, and Sabrina Carpenter, the show looks like it wants to draw in older fans and younger viewers who catch comedy on TikTok instead of full sketches. By mixing famous comedians with new faces, SNL’s team is trying to stay current while keeping the show’s well-known craziness.
Bad Bunny, the Puerto Rican artist who’s dominated the music charts and changed reggaeton and Latin trap, is hosting the season 51 premiere of SNL on October 4. He has been on SNL as a musical guest and was funny in sketches. Now, he’s hosting, which is something usually given to entertainers who are flexible and can laugh at themselves. His hosting role shows that SNL understands what’s happening in global culture. Bad Bunny is a cultural icon who talks about many subjects. It’ll be interesting to see how funny he is in sketches, whether he jokes about politics, makes fun of himself, or does musical comedy. Whatever he does, the premiere should be good. SNL is still a place where stars can shake things up.
Episode two of season 51 feels like a reunion. Amy Poehler, a favorite SNL alum, is coming back to host. She was on the show from 2001 to 2008, making some great characters and skits. After leaving, she did great as an actress, writer, and producer, especially in Parks and Recreation, but she’s still great at sketch comedy.
Getting Poehler back celebrates SNL’s past and its network of former cast members. People will probably see skits that reference her history, maybe with surprise appearances from other former cast members. People who watched her in the early 2000s and those who found her later should enjoy her episode. Plus, Role Model, a newer pop artist who is known for emotional lyrics and a Gen Z following, will be the musical guest. Having an SNL star with a up-and-coming musical act sums up the season’s theme of bringing different generations together.
With SNL getting ready for its next season, people are curious about what’s coming. What sketches will everyone be quoting? Which impressions will blow up online? And will the new folks become stars? Some might think SNL isn’t as good as it used to be, but it keeps proving it can still get laughs.
Season 51 shows why SNL has always been loved: it evolves but stays funny. Whether you’re watching for Bad Bunny, Amy Poehler coming back, Sabrina Carpenter’s debut, or just the chaos of live TV, you’ll probably find something you like this season. That’s what SNL does—it’s more than a show; it’s a shared thing. Every week, it tells us that laughing together can make us bond, even when we don’t see eye to eye.
