There will be no Saturday Night Live this week (April 23rd) or the following week (April 30th), but it won't be off screens for long; here's when it returns. NBC's beloved sketch comedy series has been on television for nearly 50 years, since 1975, and in October 2021 entered its 47th season. The most recent episode of season 47 aired on April 16th, featuring singer Lizzo as the host; this will be the last episode for the remainder of April 2022.
For nearly five decades, Saturday Night Live has made light of dark situations, creating laughter for audiences for generations. Since the beginning years of the series, numerous comedians, actors, and musicians have made their way to the famous SNL stage. The late-night show is also known for many of its popular SNL skits becoming movies. The series usually takes a couple of weeks' break here and there when ramping up for the rest of the season, and that's precisely why there is no SNL for the rest of April. Rest assured, Saturday Night Live won't be gone for long.
Although Saturday Night Live will be taking the next couple of weeks off, the series will be returning to wrap up its 47th season with Benedict Cumberbatch as the host on May 7th. This will be an exciting episode as Cumberbatch hasn't hosted SNL since 2016. The actor will be hosting the NBC late-night show as part of his promo campaign for Marvel's upcoming Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, which will be opening in theaters on May 6th. The musical guest for the May 7th episode will be the Canadian rock band Arcade Fire, a frequent guest of SNL. This will be the group's fifth appearance, as they have also performed on the series in 2007, 2010, 2013, and 2018.
Benedict Cumberbatch is a popular name in the entertainment industry right now and a perfect choice for a host with his likable demeanor and captivating roles. Fresh off of his Oscar-nominated film The Power of the Dog, the multi-faceted actor will also be starring in Netflix's upcoming fantasy film The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar, based on the 1982 Roald Dahl novel. Wes Anderson is serving as director for the highly-anticipated movie.
If looking to catch up on Saturday Night Live season 47 before the next episode, the 47th season is available on Hulu and NBC Universal's streaming service, Peacock. The most recent skits are available to watch on Youtube for a free option. If looking to binge the entire series, Peacock also has all 46 seasons available to stream.