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The Worst Episodes of Saturday Night Live

Every episode of Saturday Night Live ranked from worst to best. Explore the Worst Episodes of Saturday Night Live!

Worst episode
S41E4 Donald Trump with Sia
3.1886 votes
Best episode
S35E21 Betty White/Jay-Z
8.9669 votes
Top season
Season 3
7.3avg
Binge time
47d 1h
1014 episodes
BestEpisodes
WorstEpisodes
BestSeasons
AllEpisodes

Seasons52

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Episode Rankings

  1. #1 Worst Episode
    Click to reveal
    Saturday Night Live Season 41 Episode 4 - Donald Trump with Sia
    3.1/10(886 votes)

    S41:E4

    Donald Trump hosts for the second time alongside musical guest Sia, also making her second appearance. Sketches include MSNBC Forum Cold Open, Donald Trump Monologue, Bad Girls, Live Tweeting, Hotline Bling Parody and Weekend Update: Drunk Uncle on Donald Trump.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  2. Saturday Night Live Season 29 Episode 7 - Al Sharpton/Pink
    3.6/10(100 votes)

    S29:E7

    Sketeches include; Hardball, Choir Boys, Queer Eye For the Straight Guy, Fun With Real Audio, Wake-Up Wakefield, Versace Egg Nog, Gore Endorses Dean, The Rialto Grande Casino

    Director:Beth McCarthy-Miller
    Writers:Paula Pell, Lorne Michaels, Erik Kenward, Steve Higgins, Emily Spivey, Tina Fey, Harper Steele, James Anderson, Robert Smigel, Matt Murray, Al Franken, Dennis McNicholas, Jim Downey, Frank Sebastiano, Ken Scarborough, Michael Schur, T. Sean Shannon, Doug Abeles, Charlie Grandy, Leo Allen, Eric Slovin, James Eagan, Jordan Black, David Iserson, JB Smoove, Jason Sudeikis

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  3. Saturday Night Live Season 30 Episode 11 - Paris Hilton/Keane
    4.1/10(159 votes)

    S30:E11

    Live from New York, it's...Rachel Dratch Sketches include: American Idol, CheapKids.Net Ad 1, Versace Skiing, Starkisha and Portia at the Purse Shop, CheapKids.Net Ad 2, Exclusive Connections, Donald Trump's New Wife, Merv The Perv, CheapKids.Net Ad 3, Rafael Alonzo's I.T.F. Technical Computer Institute, Inside Barbie Dreamhouse, The Bar, and Bear City: Cigarette Shopping Keane performs: ""Somewhere Only We Know"" and ""Everybody's Changing""

    Directors:Beth McCarthy-Miller, T. Sean Shannon
    Writers:Paula Pell, Erik Kenward, John Lutz, Steve Higgins, Emily Spivey, Tina Fey, Seth Meyers, Harper Steele, James Anderson, Robert Smigel, Matt Murray, Jim Downey, Frank Sebastiano, T. Sean Shannon, Alex Baze, Doug Abeles, Charlie Grandy, Leo Allen, Eric Slovin, JB Smoove, Jason Sudeikis, Liz Cackowski, Rich Talarico, Joe Kelly, Lauren Pomerantz

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  4. Saturday Night Live Season 29 Episode 16 - Donald Trump/Toots and the Maytals with Bootsy Collins and The Roots
    4.2/10(172 votes)

    S29:E16

    Live From New York... It's Janet Jackson (and her digitally pixelated breast) Sketches includes: Cheney and Condoleezza Rice, Brian Fellow's Safari Planet, Starkisha in the Ticket Line, SNL Easter Song, The Prince Show, Cork Soakers, Good Times, and Boom Boomer The host/musical guest performs: Strawberry Bounce and All Nite (Don't Stop)

    Director:Beth McCarthy-Miller
    Writers:Paula Pell, Lorne Michaels, Erik Kenward, John Lutz, Steve Higgins, Emily Spivey, Tina Fey, Harper Steele, James Anderson, Robert Smigel, Matt Murray, Dennis McNicholas, Jim Downey, Frank Sebastiano, Michael Schur, T. Sean Shannon, Doug Abeles, Charlie Grandy, Leo Allen, Eric Slovin, Jordan Black, David Iserson, JB Smoove, Jason Sudeikis, Liz Cackowski, Rich Talarico

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  5. Saturday Night Live Season 46 Episode 18 - Elon Musk with Miley Cyrus
    4.6/10(919 votes)

    S46:E18

    Elon Musk hosts with musical guest Miley Cyrus.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  6. Saturday Night Live Season 38 Episode 13 - Justin Bieber
    4.5/10(270 votes)

    S38:E13

    Host and musical guest Justin Bieber.

    Directors:Don Roy King, James Signorelli, Rhys Thomas, Oz Rodriguez, Matt Villines
    Writers:Lorne Michaels, Erik Kenward, Sarah Schneider, Steve Higgins, Seth Meyers, Michael Patrick O'Brien, Bryan Tucker, James Anderson, John Solomon, Marika Sawyer, Chris Kelly, Kent Sublette, Colin Jost, Jim Downey, Josh Patten, Pete Schultz, Alex Baze, Joe Kelly, Rob Klein, Zach Kanin, Neil Casey, Cora Frazier, Chelsea Peretti

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    The 20 BEST Episodes of Saturday Night Live

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  7. Saturday Night Live Season 52 Episode 3 - October 10 - Shane Gillis
    4.7/10(552 votes)

    S52:E3

    Shane Gillis hosts Saturday Night Live on October 10, 2026, with musical guest Rosalía.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  8. Saturday Night Live Season 48 Episode 3 - October 15 - Megan Thee Stallion
    4.9/10(552 votes)

    S48:E3

    Megan Thee Stallion hosts and performs on Saturday Night Live on October 15, 2022.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Ceara Jane O'Sullivan

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  9. Saturday Night Live Season 28 Episode 18 - Ashton Kutcher/50 Cent
    4.4/10(86 votes)

    S28:E18

    Live From New York, it's...Chris Parnell Sketches include: ""Bush Addresses The Nation on the USS Abraham Lincoln"", ""Count Chocula Silver"", ""Jarret's Room: 'Reloaded'"", ""Madonna: An American Life"", ""Plagiarism Class"", ""The Falconer vs. The Muskrateer/Backstage SNL: No 'Punking'"", ""Politics Today"", ""50's Ent."", and ""Global Century Investments"" 50 Cent performs: In Da Club (with G-Unit) and 21 Questions (with G-Unit and Nate Dogg) The ""Mom Jeans"" fake commercial from the episode after this (Adrien Brody/Sean Paul and Wayne Wonder) is added in the E! rerun of this episode

    Director:Beth McCarthy-Miller
    Writers:Paula Pell, Lorne Michaels, Erik Kenward, Steve Higgins, Emily Spivey, Tina Fey, Harper Steele, James Anderson, Robert Smigel, Matt Murray, Dennis McNicholas, Jim Downey, Frank Sebastiano, Ken Scarborough, Scott Wainio, Michael Schur, T. Sean Shannon, Doug Abeles, Max Brooks, Charlie Grandy, Leo Allen, Eric Slovin, James Eagan, Corwin Moore

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  10. Saturday Night Live Season 24 Episode 18 - Cuba Gooding Jr./Ricky Martin
    4.6/10(101 votes)

    S24:E18

    Sketches include ""Bill Clinton,"" ""NBC Miniseries,"" ""Pretty Living,"" ""The Ladies' Man,"" and ""Mango.""

    Directors:Beth McCarthy-Miller, James Signorelli, Stacey Foster
    Writers:Paula Pell, Lorne Michaels, Steve Higgins, Tina Fey, Harper Steele, Robert Smigel, Matt Piedmont, Dennis McNicholas, Jim Downey, Tim Herlihy, Hugh Fink, Adam McKay, Lori Nasso, Robert Carlock, Scott Wainio, Stephen Colbert, Michael Schur, Jerry Collins, Steven Cragg, T. Sean Shannon, Richard Francese, Tony Daro

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  11. Saturday Night Live Season 51 Episode 1 - October 4 - Bad Bunny
    5.1/10(765 votes)

    S51:E1

    Bad Bunny hosts Saturday Night Live on October 4, 2025, with musical guest Doja Cat.

    Director:Liz Patrick
    Writers:Ceara Jane O'Sullivan, Jack Bensinger

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  12. Saturday Night Live Season 35 Episode 6 - January Jones / Black Eyed Peas
    4.9/10(167 votes)

    S35:E6

    Live from New York, it's... Jason Sudeikis! Sketches include "Biden's in Control," "Today," "Rear Window," "WIIX," "A Lady's Guide To Throwing a Party" (film), "Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde," "Toilet Encounters" (Digital Short), and "Cloud Watching." The Black Eyed Peas performed "I Gotta Feeling," "Meet Me Halfway," and "Boom Boom Pow."

    Directors:Don Roy King, Akiva Schaffer
    Writers:Lorne Michaels, Erik Kenward, Steve Higgins, Jorma Taccone, Emily Spivey, Seth Meyers, John Mulaney, Michael Patrick O'Brien, Bryan Tucker, James Anderson, John Solomon, Simon Rich, Akiva Schaffer, Marika Sawyer, Kent Sublette, Colin Jost, Alex Baze, Doug Abeles, Rob Klein, Jessica Conrad, Jillian Bell, Hannibal Buress, Christine Nangle, Ryan Perez, Jessi Klein

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  13. Saturday Night Live Season 28 Episode 14 - Queen Latifah/Ms. Dynamite
    4.7/10(90 votes)

    S28:E14

    Sketches include,"" Message From Saddam"", ""What's The Rush?"", ""Wake Up Wakefield!"", ""The Rialto Grande"", ""CNN"", ""Phone Booth"", ""Access Hollywood"", ""Club Traxx"", ""Uday Hussein For President""

    Directors:Beth McCarthy-Miller, David Wachtenheim, Robert Marianetti
    Writers:Paula Pell, Lorne Michaels, Erik Kenward, Steve Higgins, Emily Spivey, Tina Fey, Tom Davis, Harper Steele, James Anderson, Robert Smigel, Matt Murray, Dennis McNicholas, Jim Downey, Adam McKay, Frank Sebastiano, Ken Scarborough, Scott Wainio, Louis C.K., Michael Schur, Ray James, T. Sean Shannon, Doug Abeles, Max Brooks, Charlie Grandy, Leo Allen, Eric Slovin, Rich Blomquist, Scott Jacobson, James Eagan, Corwin Moore, Mike Fisher

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  14. Saturday Night Live Season 22 Episode 18 - Pamela Lee/Rollins Band
    4.9/10(123 votes)

    S22:E18

    Sketches include ""Janet Reno,"" ""Spartan Cheerleaders,"" ""A&E Biography: Tiger Woods,"" ""Goat Boy,"" and ""Roxbury Guys.""

    Directors:Beth McCarthy-Miller, James Signorelli, Stacey Foster, J.J. Sedelmaier
    Writers:Paula Pell, Lorne Michaels, Steve Higgins, Tom Davis, Harper Steele, Robert Smigel, Matt Piedmont, Dennis McNicholas, Jim Downey, Steve Koren, Tim Herlihy, Norm Hiscock, Ross Abrash, Cindy Caponera, Hugh Fink, Tom Gianas, Adam McKay, Lori Nasso, Colin Quinn, Frank Sebastiano, David Breckman, Robert Carlock, Scott Wainio, Stephen Colbert

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  15. Saturday Night Live Season 28 Episode 5 - Nia Vardalos/Eve
    4.7/10(76 votes)

    S28:E5

    Live From New York, it's...Adam Sandler Sketches include: ""The Hanukkah Song III"", ""Welcome Back, Potter"", ""The Leather Man"", ""Donahue"", ""Jarrett's Room"", ""C-SPAN: Burrell's Statement"", ""Tennis Talk"", ""Astronaut Jones"", ""TV Funhouse: The Religtables"", ""My Big Thick Novel"", and ""The Girl With No Gaydar"" Nelly performs: ""Dilemma"" and ""Hot In Herr""

    Directors:Beth McCarthy-Miller, James Signorelli, Stacey Foster
    Writers:Paula Pell, Lorne Michaels, Erik Kenward, Steve Higgins, Emily Spivey, Tina Fey, Harper Steele, James Anderson, Robert Smigel, Matt Murray, Dennis McNicholas, Jim Downey, Frank Sebastiano, Ken Scarborough, Scott Wainio, Michael Schur, T. Sean Shannon, Doug Abeles, Max Brooks, Charlie Grandy, Leo Allen, Eric Slovin, James Eagan, Corwin Moore

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  16. Saturday Night Live Season 19 Episode 6 - Rosie O'Donnell/James Taylor
    4.8/10(92 votes)

    S19:E6

    Sketches include ""The Packwood Diaries,"" ""Frank Sinatra Duets,"" ""Daily Affirmation With Stuart Smalley,"" ""Forgetful Waiter,"" ""The Tomboy and the Sissy,"" ""Dick Clark's Receptionist,"" ""Will Work For Food,"" ""Homegirls""

    Directors:Dave Wilson, Tom Schiller
    Writers:Lorne Michaels, Tom Davis, Al Franken, Herbert Sargent, Jim Downey, Marilyn Suzanne Miller, Mike Myers, Steve Koren, Fred Wolf, Ian Maxtone-Graham, David Mandel, Dave Attell, Tony De Sena, Steve Lookner, Norm Macdonald, Jay Mohr, Lew Morton, Sarah Silverman

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  17. Saturday Night Live Season 30 Episode 15 - Ashton Kutcher/Gwen Stefani
    4.9/10(107 votes)

    S30:E15

    Live From New York, it's...Paula Abdul Sketches include: ""Primetime Live: The American Idol Scandal,"" ""Sally & Dan Harrison: The Couple That Should Be Divorced,"" ""Donald Trump's Domino's Ad,"" ""Versace Mother's Day,"" ""Channel 5 Late Night Movie,"" ""Mother's Day Brunch,"" ""Helping Hands Telethon,"" ""Merv the Perv,"" ""Action News,"" ""Bear City"" (film), and ""You Might Be A Gay Redneck If..."" System of a Down perform: ""B.Y.O.B"" and ""Aerials""

    Director:Beth McCarthy-Miller
    Writers:Paula Pell, Erik Kenward, John Lutz, Steve Higgins, Emily Spivey, Tina Fey, Seth Meyers, Harper Steele, James Anderson, Robert Smigel, Matt Murray, Jim Downey, Frank Sebastiano, T. Sean Shannon, Alex Baze, Doug Abeles, Charlie Grandy, Leo Allen, Eric Slovin, JB Smoove, Jason Sudeikis, Liz Cackowski, Rich Talarico, Joe Kelly, Lauren Pomerantz

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  18. Saturday Night Live Season 26 Episode 5 - Calista Flockhart/Ricky Martin
    4.9/10(95 votes)

    S26:E5

    S26E05 (11/11/2000) was originally mis-identified as Presidential Bash (S00E36, air date 11/3/2000)

    Director:Beth McCarthy-Miller
    Writers:Paula Pell, Lorne Michaels, Steve Higgins, Tina Fey, Harper Steele, James Anderson, Robert Smigel, Matt Murray, Matt Piedmont, Dennis McNicholas, Jim Downey, Hugh Fink, Adam McKay, Robert Carlock, Scott Wainio, Michael Schur, T. Sean Shannon, Tony Daro, Melanie Graham, Jerry Minor, Barry Sobel, Jon Rosenfeld

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  19. Saturday Night Live Season 27 Episode 13 - Jonny Moseley/Outkast
    4.8/10(76 votes)

    S27:E13

    Live From New York, It's...Will Ferrell Sketches include ""George W. Bush's Axis of Evil,"" ""Boston Teens' Ski Trip,"" ""The O'Reilly Factor,"" ""DisMissed,"" ""The Adventures of Dinner-Rolling Jonny Moseley,"" ""Super Buzzers,"" ""Typhoid Mary Rehearsal,"" and ""Extreme Wedding."" OutKast performs: ""The Whole World"" and ""I'm Sorry, Ms. Jackson"" A TV Funhouse cartoon was cut from dress rehearsal, despite that Seth Meyers (substituting for Don Pardo) announces a cartoon for this episode

    Director:Beth McCarthy-Miller
    Writers:Paula Pell, Lorne Michaels, Erik Kenward, Steve Higgins, Emily Spivey, Tina Fey, Harper Steele, James Anderson, Robert Smigel, Matt Murray, Matt Piedmont, Dennis McNicholas, Jack Handey, Jim Downey, Hugh Fink, Frank Sebastiano, Ken Scarborough, Scott Wainio, Michael Schur, T. Sean Shannon, Doug Abeles, Max Brooks, Charlie Grandy

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  20. Saturday Night Live Season 28 Episode 16 - Bernie Mac/Good Charlotte
    4.8/10(76 votes)

    S28:E16

    Live From New York, It's...Maya Rudolph Sketches include,""American Idol"", ""Mom Jeans"", ""Brian Fellow's Safari Planet"", ""The Self-Obsessed Man"", ""Live With Regis & Kelly"", ""TV Funhouse: Saddam & Osama"", ""Lensmasters"", ""Ballroom Dance For Beginers"", and ""Velvet Productions"". Sean Paul performs: ""Get Busy"" (after an unplanned introduction by Adrien Brody) Wayne Wonder performs: ""No Letting Go""

    Director:Beth McCarthy-Miller
    Writers:Paula Pell, Lorne Michaels, Erik Kenward, Steve Higgins, Emily Spivey, Tina Fey, Harper Steele, James Anderson, Robert Smigel, Matt Murray, Dennis McNicholas, Jim Downey, Frank Sebastiano, Ken Scarborough, Scott Wainio, Michael Schur, T. Sean Shannon, Doug Abeles, Max Brooks, Charlie Grandy, Leo Allen, Eric Slovin, James Eagan, Corwin Moore, Ali LeRoi

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  21. Saturday Night Live Season 6 Episode 2 - Malcolm McDowell/Captain Beefheart and the Magic Band
    5.0/10(117 votes)

    S6:E2

    Live from New York, it's...Gilbert Gottfried! Sketches include: Sitting Up Straight In The Electric Chair, Mutually Omaha's Wild Kingdom: In Search of the Negro Republican, Tobacco Growers of America, Serf City, Amy Carter Gets Adopted To The Reagans, Alex DeLarge For The American Milk Association, SNL Film: Showdown, Gothic Novel Shop, The 100 Years War, The Leather Weather Report, Commie Hunting, The Rocket Report, Jack The Stripper, SNL Film: Someone Is Hiding In My Apartment, and The Wine Cellar With Caroline Parker Captain Beefheart and the Magic Band perform: ""Hothead"" and ""Ashtray Heart""

    Directors:Dave Wilson, Ken Friedman
    Writers:Brian Doyle-Murray, Larry Arnstein, David Hurwitz, Barry W. Blaustein, Billy Brown, Mel Green, Ferris Butler, John DeBellis, Jean Doumanian, Nancy Dowd, Leslie Fuller, Sean Kelly, Mitchell Kriegman, Patricia Marx, Douglas McGrath, Pamela Norris, David Sheffield, Terry Sweeney

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  22. Saturday Night Live Season 26 Episode 6 - Tom Green/David Gray
    5.0/10(112 votes)

    S26:E6

    Sketches include ""Decision 2000,"" ""Bald Eagles,"" ""Rap Street,"" ""Lorne and Tom in a Tub,"" ""Hardball,"" ""Dog Show,"" ""Oprah,"" ""Story Tellers,"" ""TV Funhouse: Sex and the Country"", ""Rock Around the Clock,"" and ""Tom and Drew's Wedding."" The NBC rerun replaces the ""Sex and the Country"" TV Funhouse with the one from the Charlize Theron episode where Mr. T lands a job doing a tampon commercial.

    Directors:Beth McCarthy-Miller, James Signorelli, David Wachtenheim, Robert Marianetti
    Writers:Paula Pell, Lorne Michaels, Steve Higgins, Tina Fey, Tom Davis, Harper Steele, James Anderson, Robert Smigel, Matt Murray, Matt Piedmont, Dennis McNicholas, Hugh Fink, Adam McKay, Robert Carlock, Scott Wainio, Michael Schur, T. Sean Shannon, Tony Daro, Melanie Graham, Jerry Minor, Barry Sobel, Jon Rosenfeld, Shawn Greenson, Derek Harvie

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  23. Saturday Night Live Season 49 Episode 2 - October 21 - Bad Bunny
    5.3/10(578 votes)

    S49:E2

    Rapper and singer Bad Bunny hosts and performs live.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Ceara Jane O'Sullivan

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  24. Saturday Night Live Season 31 Episode 4 - Lance Armstrong/Sheryl Crow
    5.0/10(104 votes)

    S31:E4

    Live from New York, it's... Darrell Hammond! Sketches include "The Libby Indictment," "Celebrity Ironman," "RAD 3000," "Indigo Girls Harmonies," "The O'Reilly Factor," "Sheryl's Song," "Days of Our Lives," "Carol!," and "Giddy Henchman." Sheryl Crow performed "Good is Good" and "Strong Enough."

    Director:Beth McCarthy-Miller
    Writers:Paula Pell, Lorne Michaels, Erik Kenward, John Lutz, Steve Higgins, Jorma Taccone, Emily Spivey, Tina Fey, Seth Meyers, Harper Steele, Bryan Tucker, James Anderson, Robert Smigel, Akiva Schaffer, Matt Murray, Colin Jost, Frank Sebastiano, T. Sean Shannon, Alex Baze, Doug Abeles, Charlie Grandy, JB Smoove, Liz Cackowski

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  25. Saturday Night Live Season 22 Episode 5 - Chris Rock/The Wallflowers
    5.0/10(103 votes)

    S22:E5

    Sketches include ""Bob Dole and George Bush,"" ""Charles Grodin,"" ""The Dark Side with Nat X,"" and ""The Culps.""

    Director:Beth McCarthy-Miller
    Writers:Paula Pell, Lorne Michaels, Steve Higgins, Harper Steele, Robert Smigel, Matt Piedmont, Dennis McNicholas, Jim Downey, Tim Herlihy, Norm Hiscock, Ross Abrash, Cindy Caponera, Hugh Fink, Tom Gianas, Adam McKay, Lori Nasso, Colin Quinn, Frank Sebastiano, David Breckman, Robert Carlock, Scott Wainio, Stephen Colbert, Michelle Saks Smigel

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Worst Episodes Summary

"Donald Trump with Sia" is the worst rated episode of Saturday Night Live. It scored 3.1/10 from 886 votes. Written and directed by Unknown, it aired on November 7, 2015. This episode scored 0.5 points lower than the second lowest rated, "Al Sharpton/Pink".

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