Each weekend, we here at TVLine highlight the best (and sometimes worst) of what Saturday Night Live has to offer, before turning it over to you, our loyal readers, to weigh in on each episode.
With Season 46 now behind us, we’re revisiting how each of the last 20 installments — featuring hosts Regé-Jean Page, Dan Levy, Elon Musk, Adele and Anya Taylor-Joy, among others — fared, based on the average grade that you gave them.
Just how high does former cast member Kristen Wiig rate following the revival of fan-favorite characters (like Secret Word contestant Mindy Elise Grayson)? What about fellow alumni Chris Rock (who emceed the premiere), Maya Rudolph (who reprised Beyoncé Knowles in a surprising locale) and John Mulaney (who led a musical ode to the Big Apple)?
This season’s crop of hosts also included a 15-time Grammy winner, a pair of Oscar nominees and an eccentric billionaire.
Scroll down to see how TVLiners ultimately ranked each SNL Season 46 episode from worst to best, then tell us if you’re surprised by any of the results.
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Daniel Kaluuya
Image Credit: Courtesy of NBC (3) AIRDATE: April 3, 2021
MUSICAL GUEST: St. Vincent
AVG. READER GRADE: D+
THIS EPISODE MAY BE REMEMBERED FOR… Chris Redd’s Lil Nas X giving God a lap dance in the cold open (watch above); Kyle Mooney’s digital short focused on YouTube influencers going viral for all the wrong reasons (watch here).
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Issa Rae
Image Credit: Courtesy of NBC (3) AIRDATE: Oct. 17, 2020
MUSICAL GUEST: Justin Bieber
AVG. READER GRADE: C
THIS EPISODE MAY BE REMEMBERED FOR… Kate McKinnon’s turn as Savannah Guthrie in a parody of NBC News’ town hall with President Trump (which also featured Democratic challenger Joe Biden’s transformation into Mr. Rogers; embedded above); a fun Canadian news show sketch that featured Rae as hyper-diligent “Drake Watch” reporter Awa Sene (watch here).
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Bill Burr
Image Credit: Courtesy of NBC (3) AIRDATE: Oct. 10, 2020
MUSICAL GUEST: Jack White
AVG. READER GRADE: C
THIS EPISODE MAY BE REMEMBERED FOR… Burr’s eyebrow-raising opening monologue which included a rant about Gay Pride Month that seemed to lose at least some of the studio audience (embedded above); Jim Carrey’s Biden going “full Jeff Goldblum” and morphing into The Fly on Mike Pence’s head during the Vice Presidential Debate (watch here).
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Elon Musk
Image Credit: Courtesy of NBC (3) AIRDATE: May 8, 2021
MUSICAL GUEST: Miley Cyrus
AVG. READER GRADE: C+
THIS EPISODE MAY BE REMEMBERED FOR… the Kate McKinnon-led Mare of Easttown parody (embedded above); Cyrus’ Mother’s Day salute; Ego Nwodim’s turn as a weary mother in her darkest hour following Disney’s reopening (watch here).
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Chris Rock
Image Credit: Courtesy of NBC (3) AIRDATE: Oct. 3, 2020
MUSICAL GUEST: Megan Thee Stallion
AVG. READER GRADE: C+
THIS EPISODE MAY BE REMEMBERED FOR… Jim Carrey’s debut as then-Democratic presidential hopeful Joe Biden (watch here); Chloe Fineman’s star-making turn as Drew Barrymore in a parody of the film actress’ daytime talk show (embedded above).
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Timothée Chalamet
Image Credit: Courtesy of NBC (3) AIRDATE: Dec. 12, 2020
MUSICAL GUEST: Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band
AVG. READER GRADE: B-
THIS EPISODE MAY BE REMEMBERED FOR… Chalamet’s dramatic turn opposite a very Tiny Horse (embedded above); Ego Nwodim and Melissa Villaseñor’s respective impersonations of Dionne Warwick and Dolly Parton (watch here).
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Carey Mulligan
Image Credit: Courtesy of NBC (3) AIRDATE: April 10, 2021
MUSICAL GUEST: Kid Cudi
AVG. READER GRADE: B-
THIS EPISODE MAY BE REMEMBERED FOR… A fictitious morning news program debating the Derek Chauvin trial (watch here); Mulligan’s husband — Mumford & Sons frontman Marcus Mumford — crashing her opening monologue; Kid Cudi and Timotheé Chalamet in the digital short “Weird Little Flute” (watch above).
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Kristen Wiig
Image Credit: Courtesy of NBC (3) AIRDATE: Dec. 19, 2020
MUSICAL GUEST: Dua Lipa
AVG. READER GRADE: B
THIS EPISODE MAY BE REMEMBERED FOR… Alex Moffat’s debut as President-elect Joe Biden (embedded above); a parody of the FX on Hulu limited series A Teacher; Wiig reprising her roles as Secret Word contestant Mindy Elise Grayson, and the perpetually surprised Aunt Sue (watch here).
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John Krasinski
Image Credit: Courtesy of NBC (3) AIRDATE: Jan. 30, 2021
MUSICAL GUEST: Machine Gun Kelly
AVG. READER GRADE: B
THIS EPISODE MAY BE REMEMBERED FOR… Krasinski’s rendition of the Office theme song, complete with original lyrics (embedded above); Kate McKinnon’s What Still Works? talk show, featuring Cecily Strong as wackadoo congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene (watch here).
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Regé-Jean Page
Image Credit: Courtesy of NBC (3) AIRDATE: Feb. 20, 2021
MUSICAL GUEST: Bad Bunny
AVG. READER GRADE: B
THIS EPISODE MAY BE REMEMBERED FOR… Page singing along to Olivia Rodrigo’s “Drivers License” (embedded above); Chloe Fineman’s Britney Spears talk show, featuring Cecily Strong as ousted Mandalorian star Gina Carano (watch here).
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Nick Jonas
Image Credit: Courtesy of NBC (3) AIRDATE: Feb. 27, 2021
MUSICAL GUEST: Nick Jonas
AVG. READER GRADE: B
THIS EPISODE MAY BE REMEMBERED FOR… Jonas’ turn as NXIVM leader Keith Raniere in a music video about our collective murder and cult shows obsession (embedded above); Dr. Fauci’s COVID vaccine eligibility game show (watch here).
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Jason Bateman
Image Credit: Courtesy of NBC (3) AIRDATE: Dec. 5, 2020
MUSICAL GUEST: Morgan Wallen
AVG. READER GRADE: B
THIS EPISODE MAY BE REMEMBERED FOR… Pete Davidson’s parody of the Eminem music video for “Stan” (embedded above); Wallen’s second chance as musical guest after he defied COVID protocols.
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Regina King
Image Credit: Courtesy of NBC (3) AIRDATE: Feb. 13, 2021
MUSICAL GUEST: Nathaniel Rateliff
AVG. READER GRADE: B
THIS EPISODE MAY BE REMEMBERED FOR… A police-officer’s accidental trip (see Melissa Villaseñor’s Marge Simpson’s getup); the passive-aggressive “Pelotaunt” commercial (embedded above).
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Keegan-Michael Key
Image Credit: Courtesy of NBC (3) AIRDATE: May 15
MUSICAL GUEST: Olivia Rodrigo
AVG. READER GRADE: B
THIS EPISODE MAY BE REMEMBERED FOR… Key and Thompson shutting down Muppet Show hecklers Statler and Waldorf (watch above); Heidi Gardner’s turn as John Michael Wozniak in The Last Dance parody (watch here); Dr. Fauci and the CDC Players poorly demonstrating new mask guidelines (watch here).
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Dave Chappelle
Image Credit: Courtesy of NBC (3) AIRDATE: Nov. 7, 2020
MUSICAL GUEST: Foo Fighters
AVG. READER GRADE: B+
THIS EPISODE MAY BE REMEMBERED FOR… Alec Baldwin’s last appearance as President Donald Trump (embedded above); Chappelle’s post-election monologue (watch here); Rudy Giuliani’s Weekend Update drop-in following a press conference at Four Seasons Total Landscaping (watch here).
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Anya Taylor-Joy
Image Credit: Courtesy of NBC (3) AIRDATE: May 22 (Season 46 finale)
MUSICAL GUEST: Lil Nas X
AVG. READER GRADE: B+
THIS EPISODE MAY BE REMEMBERED FOR… Chris Rock’s cameo during cold open, as cast reflected on COVID-impacted season (watch above); Beck Bennett’s turn as F9 star Vin Diesel (watch here); Cecily Strong’s Judge Jeanine Pirro singing “My Way” during Weekend Update (watch here).
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John Mulaney
Image Credit: Courtesy of NBC (3) AIRDATE: Oct. 31, 2020
MUSICAL GUEST: The Strokes
AVG. READER GRADE: B+
THIS EPISODE MAY BE REMEMBERED FOR… Mulaney’s New York musical (embedded above); the “Strollin'” music video highlighting Black voter suppression (watch here); Hillary Clinton’s cautionary pre-election tale (watch here).
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Adele
Image Credit: Courtesy of NBC (3) AIRDATE: Oct. 24, 2020
MUSICAL GUEST: H.E.R.
AVG. READER GRADE: B+
THIS EPISODE MAY BE REMEMBERED FOR… Adele’s greatest hits medley during a Bachelor parody (embedded above); the second (and final) Trump vs. Biden presidential debate sketch; Adele’s inability to hold it together during an Africa tourism ad (watch here).
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Dan Levy
Image Credit: Courtesy of NBC (3) AIRDATE: Feb. 6, 2021
MUSICAL GUEST: Phoebe Bridgers
AVG. READER GRADE: A-
THIS EPISODE MAY BE REMEMBERED FOR… That sensual Zillow ad (embedded above); Beck Bennett’s turn as My Pillow guy Mike Lindell; Eugene Levy’s quarantined cameo (watch here).
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Maya Rudolph
Image Credit: Courtesy of NBC (3) AIRDATE: March 27, 2021
MUSICAL GUEST: Jack Harlow (feat. Adam Levine)
AVG. READER GRADE: A-
THIS EPISODE MAY BE REMEMBERED FOR… Rudolph’s turn as Beyoncé in a parody of Hot Ones (embedded above); Martin Short’s turn as Second Gentleman Doug Emhoff (watch here); Bowen Yang’s Weekend Update segment on the rise of anti-Asian hate crimes (watch here).
