Saturday Night Live: Emma Thompson, Paul Rudd to close out season
Let’s start with what you already knew — Adam Sandler is hosting for the first time on May 4, and interestingly enough, his episode may be the most-hyped of the final three this season. It’s just not that often you get a former cast member coming back to host for the first time in decades! Shawn Mendes is going to be the musical guest, which will also give this episode a little bit of pop appeal for younger viewers.
As for the new hosting announcements today…
May 11 – For the first time (how is it the first time?), the incomparable Emma Thompson will be hosting the show alongside musical guest the Jonas Brothers. In between Mendes, the Jonas Brothers, and BTS, it really seems like SNL is hitting hard pop music for most of this spring.
May 18 – Paul Rudd is returning to host the final episode of the season — no surprise that the show would go with an established host for the final episode since they often want to make sure that they end on a high note. Like Emma Stone, Rudd is closing in on the elusive five-timers’ club — he actually hasn’t hosted in a while, so there is a certain amount of appeal that should come from him turning up here.
For the finale, DJ Khaled will serve as the musical guest.
Want to get some more SNL video discussion? Following Emma Stone’s episode this past week, we did a video talking about her, BTS, and a whole lot more. Take a look below, and remember to subscribe to CarterMatt on YouTube for more. Also, check out our full SNL playlist to make sure that you don’t miss any other updates on the series.
What to look forward to — beyond the hosts themselves
We have to brace ourselves for the possibility that these three episodes are the final ones of the Kenan Thompson era, the longest era for any host in the history of the show. This is a guy who has devoted almost his entire life to sketch comedy in between SNL and All That, and we really hope that the finale is a proper tribute to him in the event he does decide to leave. (It really is going to come down to whether or not Kenan’s new NBC pilot gets ordered to series — if it doesn’t get picked up, we could see him sticking around potentially for another year. This is probably why we haven’t heard one way or another if he’s leaving for sure.)
As for most of the other cast members of the show, we aren’t getting definite word on the future of some other cast members — we know that the time could be running out for Cecily Strong, Aidy Bryant, and Kate McKinnon, but we’ve already posted a piece discussing why all three of them may end up sticking around for at least a little while longer.
What do you think about the closing lineup for Saturday Night Live this season? Be sure to share right now in the comments, and we recommend that you check back soon for some more insight on the show. (Photo: NBC.)