Saturday Night Live remains a hit with the youth. The long-running NBC show, which just finished up Season 49, has retained its position as the top entertainment series across ad-supported broadcast and cable in the 18-49 demographic for the 2023-24 season.
Top Television Show in Its Demographic
The show earned a rating of 1.13 in the demo, topping series like Fox’s Krapopolis, which scored a 1.1, and CBS’s Survivor and Tracker, each receiving a 1.0. This marks the fifth consecutive season that SNL has reigned as the number one comedy show in this key demographic.
Viewership Increase Amid Declining Trends
Despite a decrease from prior years—where it achieved a 2.06 demo rating and drew 9 million viewers in 2021—SNL still averaged 7.2 million viewers for the 2023/24 season. This represents a 3% increase from last year, per Nielsen data.
Pivotal Episodes and Guest Hosts Drive Engagement
A substantial boost in viewership came from episodes featuring popular hosts such as Pete Davidson, Bad Bunny, Timothee Chalamet, Jacob Elordi, Ayo Edebiri, Sydney Sweeney, and Dua Lipa. Notably, the Ryan Gosling and Chris Stapleton episode on April 13 drew 8.9 million viewers, making it the most-watched episode since December 11, 2021.
Impact of Social Media Engagement
SNL’s social media presence also saw significant growth. NBC reported a 36% increase in social video views from the previous season. Clips like the viral Beavis and Butt-Head skit amassed an impressive 15.8 million views on YouTube alone.
The Influence of Key Figures
Lorne Michaels, who continues to helm the show as creator and executive producer, plays an integral role in maintaining its relevance and appeal to younger audiences.
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