NBC’s long-running sketch comedy series, Saturday Night Live, returns for its 48th season this evening with actor Miles Teller (Top Gun: Maverick, Footloose) as the host, according to Deadline. Below is his series of promo spots along with cast member Bowen Yang (Bros, Fire Island) and musical guest, Grammy-winning hip-hop artist, Kendrick Lamar (DAMN, Mr. Morale and the Big Steppers).
Teller is known for breakout roles in films such as Whiplash and The Spectacular Now. His star has risen recently appearing in more larger-named films such as this year’s sequel Top Gun: Maverick, and Netflix’s psychological thriller, Spiderhead.
Lamar returned this year with his fourth proper studio album, Mr. Morale and the Big Steppers, which is alleged to be his final album with Top Dawg Entertainment. The California-based rapper’s career launched to the mainstream back in 2012 with the Grammy-nominated good kid m.A.A.d. city. The album spawned singles “Swimming Pools (Drank),” “Bitch, Don’t Kill My Vibe,” and “Money Trees.”
Teller is only the first of three new hosts coming to the iconic studio this season. The weekend of October 8, Mr. Mercedes actor Brendon Gleeson will host along with alt-rock artist, Willow (“Whip My Hair”, Lately I Feel Everything). And Houston’s own Hot Girl, Megan the Stallion (Traumazine, “Big Ol Freak”) will pull double duty as host and musical guest on October 15.
The Emmy-winning series from creator Lorne Michaels (Three Amigos, Wayne’s World) will be entering new territory as it will soon celebrate its half-century season.
“The 50th will be a big event,” Michaels told The Hollywood Reporter. “We’ll bring everyone back from all 50 years and hosts and all of that. It will be a very emotional and very strong thing. There won’t be as many plus-ones, I can tell you that much.” Persevering against rumors of retirement, Michael does view this season as “a year of reinvention.”
The last few years saw several regular and supporting cast members leave the show, including most recently, Chris Redd (Kenan, Joker), who departed after five years. Unworried, Michaels sees the revolving door of players as something natural to keep the show and material fresh.
“We got to a point where we had a lot of people, and people weren’t getting enough playing time,” Michaels explained to THR. “The way the series has survived is by that level of renewal. The price of success is that people go off and do other things; their primary obligation is to their talent and to keep pushing that. And there’s something so much better about the show when all that matters is the show. There’s a time to say goodbye, and there’s a natural time for it, but the natural time just got interfered with by the pandemic.”
Even in the time of COVID, SNL managed to snag another Emmy this year for Variety Sketch Series marking its fifth consecutive win. Beating lone competitor, HBO’s A Black Lady Sketch Show, etched Michaels and the show’s 86th overall Emmy award, a marvelous feat.
The 48th season of Saturday Night Live kicks off at 11:30 p.m. ET/8:30 p.m. PT only on NBC.