New Season of NBCsaturday night liveIt is set to premiere later this week. But the massive cast exodus has raised questions about how the show will cope with the loss of some of its most popular players.
While accepting the Emmy for Best Variety Sketch, the show’s creator and executive producer, Lorne Michaels, thanked the cast over the past two years for putting it out there during a pandemic that brought unique challenges to the show. However, eight actors have announced their departure from the show since the 47th season that ended in May.
Demand for the venerable sketch show has grown significantly since its 42nd season spanning 2016–2017, according to data from Parrot Analytics, which takes into account consumer research, streaming, downloads and social media, among other engagements.
During season 47, the show averaged 16.8 times the average series demand. After just two seasons, demand for the show had more than doubled to 40.1 times. During these years, the show Received a considerable amount from contemporary politics for his sketches, That tactic clearly helped grab the attention of viewers, with demand for the show more than tripling in the five years since the 2016 presidential election.
The show has managed to continue its growth path even during the challenging years of the pandemic. Even though season 45 was shortened, producing several episodes remotely due to COVID-19, it managed to average 46.1 times the average series demand during its season. Record season demand was set during the show’s 46th season when it reached 58.0 times for the season.
Last season 47 saw a drop in demand for SNL for the first time in six years. If Season 46 represents a high-water mark for the show, it may seem like a sensible move for its late cast to leave at the height of their popularity, especially if they see their recent success taking a leap. are able to leverage as- the closing point for new endeavors.
“SNL” is one of the most valuable content that platforms have to offer their customers, regularly ranking at the top of shows available on platforms such as Hulu and Peacock. But with a sketch comedy show like “SNL,” with its ensemble cast, it’s arguable that talent is the most important ingredient. This can be a cause for concern in sketch shows. Given the demand for talent from its cast last season, three of the five most sought-after cast members were among the go-tos.
Of these actors, our data confirms what many people already knew: Pete Davidson had left the show behind. With 29.8 times the average talent demand, he had reached a level of popular recognition and engagement well above other cast members. Whether inspired by his high-profile love life or the number of movies he’s starred in recently, Davidson has successfully expanded his fan base beyond the “SNL” audience.
Kate McKinnon and Eddie Bryant are the other two exiting performers who were most sought after during the last season (7.3 times and 6.2 times, respectively).
Colin Jost and Kenan Thompson will be important cornerstones in the upcoming season. He is one of the most sought after actors and also plays an important role in the show. Jost is the co-anchor of the ever-popular “Weekend Update” and Thompson is the show’s longest-serving cast member, who has a depth of experience experienced by anyone else in the cast.
As the newly announced cast learn the ropes and try to fill the late cast’s shoes, one way the show can compensate is doubling the star power of its hosts and musical guests. In such a situation, things are looking positive for the show.
The scheduled host for the season premiere is Miles Teller and the musical guest is Kendrick Lamar. Their average talent demand over the past 30 days was 45.6 times and 52.9 times, respectively, making them one of the most popular talents in the United States. This will also put him ahead of the other hosts and musical guests from last season. However, it remains to be seen how much of a hit the show will be with the loss of so many cast members and how much the hosts and special guests can help fill the void.
Christopher Hamilton is a Senior Insights Analyst at Parrot Analytics, a WrapPRO Partner. For more from Parrot Analytics, visit the Data & Analytics Hub.
