This Season’s ‘Saturday Night Live’ Hosts, Ranked by Ratings (Photos)
Can upcoming “Saturday Night Live” hosts Benedict Cumberbatch and Selena Gomez draw more viewers to the NBC sketch show than Kim Kardashian? It’s going to be tough. The reality star-turned-beauty-billionaire has left 17 other hosts in the dust ratings-wise.
We ranked this season’s hosts according to how well their episode rated in the advertiser-coveted 18-49 demographic. We accounted for live viewing, plus the following seven days, including digital viewing, courtesy of NBC.
“Ted Lasso” star and “SNL” alum Jason Sudeikis, “Succession” actor Kieran Culkin, “Lovecraft Country’s” Jonathan Majors and singer Billie Eilish round out the list of the top five highest-rated hosts after Kardashian.
If you’re wondering if they got an assist from their respective musical guests, it’s certainly possible. In addition to Eilish pulling double duty, Halsey, Taylor Swift, Ed Sheeran and Brandi Carlile performed in the same top five episodes.
We’ll have to see how things shake out after “SNL” returns this weekend to NBC. For now, see below for a ranking of every host this season so far, according to their episode rating.
1. Kim Kardashian (10/9/21, 3.06 rating)
Musical guest: Halsey
2. Jason Sudeikis (10/23/21, 2.56 rating)
Musical guest: Brandi Carlile
3. Kieran Culkin (11/6/21, 2.43 rating)
Musical Guest: Ed Sheeran
4. Jonathan Majors (11/13/21, 2.41 rating)
Musical guest: Taylor Swift
5. Billie Eilish (12/11/21, 2.39 rating)
Musical guest: Billie Eilish
6. Owen Wilson (10/2/21, 2.31 rating)
Musical guest: Kacey Musgraves
7. Simu Liu (11/20/21, 2.21 rating)
Musical guest: Saweetie
8. Jerrod Carmichael (4/2/22, 2.16 rating)
Musical Guest: Gunna
9. Rami Malek (10/16/21, 2.08 rating)
Musical guest: Young Thug
10. Lizzo (4/16/22, 2.06 rating)
Musical guest: Lizzo
11. Ariana Debose (1/15/22, 2.04 rating)
Musical guest: Bleachers
12. John Mulaney (2/26/22, 2.03 rating, Tie)
Musical guest: LCD Soundsystem
12. Jake Gyllenhaal (4/9/22, 2.03 rating, Tie)
Musical guest: Camila Cabello
13. Will Forte (1/22/22, 1.97 rating)
Musical guest: Måneskin
14. Willem Dafoe (1/29/22, 1.95 rating)
Musical guest: Katy Perry
16. Paul Rudd (12/18/21, 1.88 rating, Tie)
Note: Musical guest Charli XCX and most of the cast were unable to appear on the Christmas episode due to the spread of the Omicron variant of COVID-19.
16. Zoë Kravitz (3/12/22, 1.88 rating, Tie)
Musical guest: Rosalía
17. Oscar Isaac (3/5/22, 1.82 rating)
Musical guest: Charli XCX
