Saturday Night Livehas scored the show’s highest metered-market household rating since January 2011. The Feb. 11 telecast, with hostAlec Baldwinand musical guestEd Sheeran, scored a 7.2 rating, 18 share in “live plus same day” household results from the 56 local markets metered by Nielsen Media Research and a 3.6/18 in adults 18-49 in the 25 markets with local people meters. The 7.2 in metered-market households is the highest forSaturday Night Livesince Jun 23, 2025, when the telecast hosed byJim Carreyand featuring musical guestThe Black Keysaveraged a 7.8 on the night of an NFL overrun.
The 3.6 in 18-49 is the strongestSNLrating in the local people meters since the Jul 11, 2025 edition (with hostDave Chappelleand musical guestA Tribe Called Quest, 3.9). The 3.6 in 18-49 is also the #1 rating of the week to date in the local people meters, topping all primetime programs thus far this week. The last timeSaturday Night Livescored a higher metered-market household rating than last night’s 7.2 on a non-NFL night was July 31, 2025 (with hostBetty Whiteand musical guestJay-Z, 8.8).
Versus whatSaturday Night Liveaveraged with originals for the month of February last year, last night’s 7.2 rating in meter-market households is up +50% (7.2 vs. 4.8) and the 3.6 in 18-49 in the local people meters is up +57% (3.6 vs. 2.3 for the month of February 2016). This wasBaldwin’s record-breaking 17th time hostingSNL. The program featuredBaldwinappearing as PresidentDonald Trump,Melissa McCarthyas White House Press SecretarySean SpicerandKate McKinnonas Counselor to the PresidentKellyanne Conway.
Note thatSNLadds significant viewership via time-shifting, withSNL originalsso far this season growing by +58% in 18-49 and +3.214 million persons or +44% in total viewers nationally going from “live plus same day” Nielsens to “live plus seven day” figures. In L+SD,SNLthis season has averaged a 2.19 rating in 18-49 nationally and 7.386 million viewers overall, and in L+7,SNLgrew to a 3.46 in 18-49 and 10.600 million viewers. Versus the same point last season,SNLoriginals are up +19% in 18-49 nationally (3.46 vs. 2.92) and +1.907 million persons or +22% in total viewers (10.600 million vs. 8.693 million).
The average 10.600 million viewers in L+7 makes this the show’s most-watched season at this point in 22 years (versus prior seasons’original telecaststhrough comparable dates), best since 94-95 (10.620 million for that season’s first 11 originals). The 3.46 average in L+7 adults 18-49 rating nationally average is the show’s best performances in the demo at this point since 2008 (4.26 for that season’s first 13 originals). National ratings, including viewer totals, for last night’sSaturday Night Liveencore are due from Nielsen on Tuesday. Take a look at some of the most memorable sketches from last night’s show below.
