SNL Season 50: TVLine Readers Rank Every Episode, From Worst To Best

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 (the well-watched!) Season 50 now behind us, we're revisiting how all 20 installments — featuring hosts fared, based on the average grade that you gave them.

In the list below, using a proprietary mathematical algorithm, we have converted TVLine reader poll results into best-of-100 scores, then ordered the episodes from lowest to highest. 

Scroll down to see how you, the readers, ultimately ranked each SNL Season 50 episode, then hit the comments and tell us if you're surprised by any of the results.

Reader Grade: 33/100

Gillis returned to SNL for his second time as host, with musical guest Tate McRae, and the stand-up comedian's monologue went over like a lead balloon, with the crowd groaning at his jokes about President Trump and asking prospective dates if they've slept with a Black man before. (The episode also featured SNL alum Mike Myers making his debut as Elon Musk in the cold open.) Unsurprisingly, the episode earned a big fat "F" from TVLine readers.

Reader Grade: 51/100

Comedian Bill Burr hosted SNL's first post-election episode, taking the baton from Dave Chappelle (who previously hosted the post-election outings in 2016 and 2020). It was Burr's second time hosting; indie singer-songwriter Mk.gee made his debut as musical guest. The episode featured SNL cast members sarcastically kissing up to Donald Trump after his decisive victory, and Burr's monologue saw him offer some advice to post-Trump female candidates. But TVLine readers weren't amused: They saddled the episode with a very low grade.

Reader Grade: 52/100

Newly crowned Oscar winner Mikey Madison made her SNL hosting debut in March, joined by musical guest Morgan Wallen — who stirred controversy when he abruptly walked off the SNL stage during the traditional goodnights. Madison also played a teen girl who got looped into a Trump team group chat and joined the Please Don't Destroy guys for a live-action take on SpongeBob SquarePants.

Reader Grade: 68/100

Former cast member Chris Rock returned to host for the fourth time in December, joined by musical guest Gracie Abrams, who made her SNL debut. As usual, Rock took no prisoners with his monologue, roasting Donald Trump's election victory and CEO shooter Luigi Mangione, among other hot topics. Plus, the episode featured a surprise cameo from Rock's old SNL castmate Adam Sandler, who played a blood-spurting patient in a surgery sketch.

Reader Grade: 69/100

Hot off her Brat Summer, pop singer Charli XCX pulled double duty, serving as both host (for the first time) and musical guest (for the third time). Her November episode featured a freshly victorious Donald Trump introducing new Cabinet members RFK Jr. (Alec Baldwin) and Matt Gaetz (Sarah Sherman). Plus, Andy Samberg returned for a new digital short where he teamed up with Charli XCX to sing about snitching on their neighbors.

Reader Grade: 72/100

Fresh off his buzzy roles on The White Lotus and Fallout, Goggins made his SNL hosting debut in May, backed up by musical guest Arcade Fire, making their sixth appearance on the show. He played a sleazy waiter who flirted heavily with a pair of moms at a Mother's Day brunch, and he reunited with Lotus co-star Sam Rockwell in a music video featuring SNL's Jane Wickline. Plus, SNL alum Cecily Strong returned to reprise her role as Fox News anchor Jeanine Pirro, joining James Austin Johnson's Donald Trump for a boozy cold open sketch.

Reader Grade: 74/100

Fresh off his encore as the titular ghoul in the big-screen sequel Beetlejuice Beetlejuice, Keaton returned to host SNL for the fourth time, accompanied by musical guest Billie Eilish. He couldn't escape his Beetlejuice character, either, as his monologue was interrupted by Andy Samberg and Mikey Day, both dressed in full Beetlejuice garb and showing off their best impressions. TVLine readers weren't impressed, though.

Reader Grade: 76/100

Abbott Elementary star Brunson returned for her second time hosting in May, with first-time musical guest Benson Boone. Brunson used her monologue to sing the praises of being short — with a little help from pop superstar Sabrina Carpenter — and then joined Kenan Thompson to play an elderly couple who make extra money by getting freaky on an app that's like OnlyFans for seniors.

Reader Grade: 77/100

The stand-up comedian returned for his second time as host after his debut last season (which included the viral "Washington's Dream" sketch), with musical guest Coldplay. The episode included a parody of the JD Vance-Tim Walz VP debate and a new Lonely Island digital short, and it earned a "B" grade from TVLine readers.

Reader Grade: 78/100

Paul Mescal made his SNL hosting debut in December following his starring role in Gladiator II, joined by musical guest (and fellow Studio 8H first-timer) Shaboozey. His episode included the return of Dana Carvey's Church Lady (who grilled David Spade's Hunter Biden) and a Gladiator II parody that turned the violent action epic into a musical to ride Wicked's box office coattails.

Reader Grade: 79/100

The Emmy-winning Hacks star kicked off Season 50 by hosting the premiere, with musical guest Jelly Roll. The episode also marked the return of SNL alum Maya Rudolph as Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris; watch her holding dueling rallies with James Austin Johnson's Donald Trump.

Reader Grade: 80/100

Johansson closed out Season 50 of SNL by hosting the season finale in May, her seventh time as host. (She was joined by musical guest Bad Bunny, back on SNL for the third time, including a 2023 episode where he pulled double duty as host.) The highlights included a Please Don't Destroy music video where Johansson rapped (!) and SNL alum Mike Myers having an awkward reunion with Kanye West, played by Kenan Thompson.

Reader Grade: 80/100

Jack Black, hot off the mega success of A Minecraft Movie, hosted for the fourth time in April — his first time hosting in nearly 20 years! — joined by musical guests Elton John and Brandi Carlile. Among the highlights from Black's episode: James Austin Johnson's Donald Trump poking fun at Morgan Wallen's abrupt exit a week earlier, and the SNL audience shouting out a bleeped profanity during Ego Nwodim's Weekend Update segment.

Reader Grade: 80/100

Chappelle returned for his fourth turn as SNL host, with musical guest GloRilla, and he took full advantage of his stand-up comedy roots: He took the stage for a sprawling, 16-minute monologue to open the show, addressing the recent L.A. wildfires, the Diddy scandal and the reelection of Donald Trump. He also brought back Chappelle's Show's infamous playa hater Silky Johnson for a dating show sketch, with an assist from Chappelle co-star Donnell Rawlings.

Reader Grade: 82/100

A familiar face to SNL fans, Hamm came back to Studio 8H in April for his fourth stint as host — and promptly got into a debate with Kieran Culkin about whether Mad Men is better than Succession. Hamm's episode also featured a parody of The White Lotus, with President Donald Trump and his family taking a Thai vacation and Hamm playing RFK Jr. The White Lotus star Aimee Lou Wood wasn't impressed by the "mean and unfunny" impersonation of her, but TVLine readers liked what they saw.

Reader Grade: 83/100

Former SNL writer and current stand-up comic Mulaney hosted the show for the sixth time in November, joined by rising pop sensation Chappell Roan as musical guest. (Mulaney last hosted in February 2022.) His episode opened with a surprise cameo from presidential candidate Kamala Harris, just days before the 2024 election. SNL alum Pete Davidson returned as well for one of Mulaney's signature musical sketches.

Reader Grade: 85/100

Lady Gaga pulled double duty in March, serving as host and musical guest on SNL. (It was her second time hosting, and her fifth as musical guest.) Gaga poked fun at herself in her monologue, cracking jokes about her unfortunate R. Kelly collaboration and winning a Razzie for the critically derided Joker: Folie à Deux. Plus, the sketches gave her plenty of chance to show off her vocals, whether singing Eric Clapton's "Wonderful Tonight" on a bizarre first date with Bowen Yang or calling for an end to trendy slang with the anthem "No More Slay." TVLine readers were impressed, too, giving the episode a grade of "B+."

Reader Grade: 86/100

The pop superstar hosted SNL for the second time this fall, with iconic vocalist and rock pioneer Stevie Nicks as musical guest. Grande brought down the house with a show-stopping musical monologue and later did dueling Jennifer Coolidge impressions with cast member Chloe Fineman, earning a "B+" grade from TVLine readers in the process.

Reader Grade: 87/100

Only Murders in the Building star Martin Short returned to SNL for his fifth stint as host — with Hozier back for his second time as musical guest — and Short was officially welcomed into the Five-Timers Club by a parade of guest stars like Tom Hanks, Paul Rudd, Tina Fey, Alec Baldwin and more. Laterin the holiday-themed episode, on Weekend Update, hosts Colin Jost and Michael Che did their annual joke exchange... with Jost's wife Scarlett Johansson watching backstage.

Reader Grade: 91/00

Yes, when Chalamet hosted for the third time in January, he served as his own musical guest for the first time as well, performing a trio of songs by Bob Dylan. (Chalamet earned an Oscar nomination for his performance as the music legend in A Complete Unknown.) The episode — which tallied a rare "A" grade from TVLine readers — also featured a surprise appearance from Lin-Manuel Miranda, whose Hamilton-style rap got interrupted by James Austin Johnson's Donald Trump.