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The Best Seasons of Saturday Night Live

Every season of Saturday Night Live ever, ranked from best to worst by thousands of votes from fans of the show. The best seasons of Saturday Night Live!

Top season: Season 3; 7.3avg
Best episode: S35E21 Betty White/Jay-Z; 8.9669 votes

Season 3

20 Episodes

First Aired: Sep 1977

7.3/ 10

Average Rating

Best episodeE18 · Steve Martin/The Blues Brothers 8.8

Season 33

12 Episodes

First Aired: Sep 2007

7.1/ 10

Average Rating

Best episodeE5 · Tina Fey/Carrie Underwood 7.7

Season 39

21 Episodes

First Aired: Sep 2013

7.1/ 10

Average Rating

Best episodeE10 · Jimmy Fallon with Justin Timberlake 8.7

Other Seasons

Season 37

22 Episodes

First Aired: Sep 2011

7.1/ 10

Average Rating

Best episodeE10 · Jimmy Fallon/Michael Bublé 8.3

Season 17

20 Episodes

First Aired: Sep 1991

7.0/ 10

Average Rating

Best episodeE6 · Linda Hamilton/Mariah Carey 7.6

Season 4

20 Episodes

First Aired: Oct 1978

7.0/ 10

Average Rating

Best episodeE6 · Carrie Fisher/The Blues Brothers 8.0

Season 32

20 Episodes

First Aired: Sep 2006

7.0/ 10

Average Rating

Best episodeE9 · Justin Timberlake 8.6

Season 2

22 Episodes

First Aired: Sep 1976

7.0/ 10

Average Rating

Best episodeE3 · Eric Idle/Joe Cocker and Stuff 7.7

Season 42

21 Episodes

First Aired: Oct 2016

7.0/ 10

Average Rating

Best episodeE6 · Dave Chappelle with A Tribe Called Quest 8.3

#10

Season 1

24 Episodes

First Aired: Oct 1975

7.0/ 10

Average Rating

Best episodeE7 · Richard Pryor with Gil Scott-Heron 8.3

#11

Season 34

22 Episodes

First Aired: Sep 2008

6.9/ 10

Average Rating

Best episodeE21 · Justin Timberlake/Ciara 8.2

#12

Season 38

21 Episodes

First Aired: Sep 2012

6.9/ 10

Average Rating

Best episodeE16 · Justin Timberlake 8.4

#13

Season 8

20 Episodes

First Aired: Sep 1982

6.9/ 10

Average Rating

Best episodeE1 · Chevy Chase/Queen 7.7

#14

Season 43

21 Episodes

First Aired: Sep 2017

6.9/ 10

Average Rating

Best episodeE16 · Bill Hader and Arcade Fire 8.1

#15

Season 45

18 Episodes

First Aired: Sep 2019

6.9/ 10

Average Rating

Best episodeE10 · Eddie Murphy and Lizzo 8.8

#16

Season 36

22 Episodes

First Aired: Sep 2010

6.9/ 10

Average Rating

Best episodeE22 · Justin Timberlake/Lady Gaga 8.4

#17

Season 40

21 Episodes

First Aired: Sep 2014

6.9/ 10

Average Rating

Best episodeE3 · Bill Hader with Hozier 8.1

#18

Season 50

21 Episodes

First Aired: Sep 2024

6.8/ 10

Average Rating

Best episodeE10 · December 21 - Martin Short 7.8

#19

Season 44

21 Episodes

First Aired: Sep 2018

6.7/ 10

Average Rating

Best episodeE19 · Adam Sandler and Shawn Mendes 8.3

#20

Season 18

20 Episodes

First Aired: Sep 1992

6.7/ 10

Average Rating

Best episodeE19 · Christina Applegate/Midnight Oil 7.8

#21

Season 20

20 Episodes

First Aired: Sep 1994

6.7/ 10

Average Rating

Best episodeE3 · John Travolta/Seal 7.5

#22

Season 41

21 Episodes

First Aired: Oct 2015

6.7/ 10

Average Rating

Best episodeE12 · Larry David with The 1975 8.1

#23

Season 35

22 Episodes

First Aired: Sep 2009

6.7/ 10

Average Rating

Best episodeE21 · Betty White/Jay-Z 8.9

#24

Season 47

21 Episodes

First Aired: Oct 2021

6.7/ 10

Average Rating

Best episodeE4 · Jason Sudeikis with Brandi Carlile 7.5

#25

Season 51

20 Episodes

First Aired: Oct 2025

6.6/ 10

Average Rating

Best episodeE9 · December 20 - Ariana Grande 7.5

#26

Season 5

20 Episodes

First Aired: Oct 1979

6.6/ 10

Average Rating

Best episodeE19 · Steve Martin/Paul and Linda McCartney 7.6

#27

Season 49

20 Episodes

First Aired: Oct 2023

6.6/ 10

Average Rating

Best episodeE17 · April 13 - Ryan Gosling 8.7

#28

Season 21

20 Episodes

First Aired: Sep 1995

6.6/ 10

Average Rating

Best episodeE20 · Jim Carrey/Soundgarden 8.5

#29

Season 48

18 Episodes

First Aired: Oct 2022

6.6/ 10

Average Rating

Best episodeE12 · February 4 - Pedro Pascal 8.5

#30

Season 46

20 Episodes

First Aired: Oct 2020

6.5/ 10

Average Rating

Best episodeE20 · Anya Taylor-Joy with Lil Nas X 7.8

#31

Season 12

20 Episodes

First Aired: Oct 1986

6.5/ 10

Average Rating

Best episodeE1 · Sigourney Weaver/Buster Poindexter 7.7

#32

Season 25

20 Episodes

First Aired: Oct 1999

6.5/ 10

Average Rating

Best episodeE16 · Christopher Walken/Christina Aguilera 8.4

#33

Season 16

20 Episodes

First Aired: Sep 1990

6.4/ 10

Average Rating

Best episodeE4 · Patrick Swayze/Mariah Carey 7.9

#34

Season 10

17 Episodes

First Aired: Oct 1984

6.4/ 10

Average Rating

Best episodeE9 · Eddie Murphy/The Honeydrippers 7.3

#35

Season 31

19 Episodes

First Aired: Oct 2005

6.4/ 10

Average Rating

Best episodeE13 · Natalie Portman/Fall Out Boy 7.6

#36

Season 7

20 Episodes

First Aired: Oct 1981

6.4/ 10

Average Rating

Best episodeE17 · Johnny Cash/Elton John 7.3

#37

Season 9

19 Episodes

First Aired: Oct 1983

6.3/ 10

Average Rating

Best episodeE11 · Don Rickles/Billy Idol 7.8

#38

Season 19

20 Episodes

First Aired: Sep 1993

6.3/ 10

Average Rating

Best episodeE1 · Charles Barkley/Nirvana 7.4

#39

Season 14

20 Episodes

First Aired: Oct 1988

6.3/ 10

Average Rating

Best episodeE20 · Steve Martin/Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers 7.3

#40

Season 13

13 Episodes

First Aired: Oct 1987

6.3/ 10

Average Rating

Best episodeE1 · Steve Martin/Sting 7.1

#41

Season 15

20 Episodes

First Aired: Sep 1989

6.2/ 10

Average Rating

Best episodeE13 · Tom Hanks/Aerosmith 7.2

#42

Season 24

19 Episodes

First Aired: Sep 1998

6.2/ 10

Average Rating

Best episodeE3 · Lucy Lawless/Elliott Smith 7.4

#43

Season 23

20 Episodes

First Aired: Sep 1997

6.2/ 10

Average Rating

Best episodeE1 · Sylvester Stallone/Jamiroquai 7.2

#44

Season 27

20 Episodes

First Aired: Sep 2001

6.0/ 10

Average Rating

Best episodeE15 · Ian McKellen/Kylie Minogue 7.1

#45

Season 22

20 Episodes

First Aired: Sep 1996

6.0/ 10

Average Rating

Best episodeE10 · Kevin Spacey/Beck 7.0

#46

Season 6

13 Episodes

First Aired: Nov 1980

6.0/ 10

Average Rating

Best episodeE12 · Bill Murray/Delbert McClinton 7.3

#47

Season 11

18 Episodes

First Aired: Nov 1985

5.9/ 10

Average Rating

Best episodeE13 · George Wendt/Philip Glass 6.8

#48

Season 26

20 Episodes

First Aired: Oct 2000

5.9/ 10

Average Rating

Best episodeE14 · Conan O'Brien/Don Henley 7.4

#49

Season 30

20 Episodes

First Aired: Oct 2004

5.9/ 10

Average Rating

Best episodeE12 · Jason Bateman/Kelly Clarkson 7.2

#50

Season 29

20 Episodes

First Aired: Oct 2003

5.8/ 10

Average Rating

Best episodeE18 · Lindsay Lohan/Usher 7.8

#51

Season 52

5 Episodes

First Aired: Sep 2026

5.6/ 10

Average Rating

Best episodeE4 · October 31 - Inde Navarrette 6.3

#52

Season 28

20 Episodes

First Aired: Oct 2002

5.5/ 10

Average Rating

Best episodeE13 · Christopher Walken/Foo Fighters 6.7

The Best Seasons of Saturday Night Live

Season 3

Season 33

Season 39

Other Seasons

Season 37

Season 17

Season 4

Season 32

Season 2

Season 42

Season 1

Season 34

Season 38

Season 8

Season 43

Season 45

Season 36

Season 40

Season 50

Season 44

Season 18

Season 20

Season 41

Season 35

Season 47

Season 51

Season 5

Season 49

Season 21

Season 48

Season 46

Season 12

Season 25

Season 16

Season 10

Season 31

Season 7

Season 9

Season 19

Season 14

Season 13

Season 15

Season 24

Season 23

Season 27

Season 22

Season 6

Season 11

Season 26

Season 30

Season 29

Season 52

Season 28

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