Live from their apartments, it's time to watch SNL online, from homes. Yes, Saturday Night Live might seem like a show that's forced off the air because of social distancing, but that's not the case: tonight, Lorne Michaels' cast and crew return to the airwaves.
Start time: SNL at home begins tonight (April 11) at 11:30 p.m. Eastern and Pacific
Channel: NBC
Yes, in alphabetical order, the cast — Beck Bennett, Aidy Bryant, Michael Che, Pete Davidson, Mikey Day, Chloe Fineman, Heidi Gardner, Colin Jost, Kate McKinnon, Alex Moffat, Kyle Mooney, Ego Nwodim, Chris Redd, Cecily Strong, Kenan Thompson, Melissa Villaseñor and Bowen Yang — will be remotely-producing an SNL episode outside of the storied halls of Studio 8H at Rockefeller Center.
I'd bet we also see announcer Darrell Hammond and creator Lorne Michaels, mostly because the two love the camera.
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According to Deadline, the contents of the show "are still being figured out," but there will be a Weekend Update segment, with co-anchors Colin Jost and Michael Che. This episode may show us a different side of Che, who lost his grandmother to coronavirus, and posted to Instagram (in a post that's since been taken down) about how tough the grieving process has been.
Weekend Update makes the most sense to come back as, at least outside of the show's monologue, it's the simplest segment, all you really need is each host to have a webcam in their apartments, and record a call. Desus and Mero have been recording their show, with a similar format, for weeks.
Other Lorne Michaels-produced shows — The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon and Late Night with Seth Meyers — are also back on the air.
Here's everything you need to know about how to watch SNL online.
How can I watch SNL online with a VPN?
If NBC or SNL aren't available in your location — but you still want to watch this completely unique episode live — you don't need to be thwarted by geo-fenced restrictions. But, with the help of a virtual private network (VPN), you can watch SNL from anywhere, using the services you already pay for.
Our favorite VPN is ExpressVPN, which is easy to use and delivers fast internet speeds, making it simple to set up for streaming in no time at all. It also works on practically any device, starting with iOS and Android and including streaming devices such as the Amazon Fire TV Stick and Apple TV. Plus, game consoles like PlayStation 4 and Xbox One.
How do I watch SNL online in the US?
In the U.S., SNL airs on NBC, starting at 11:30 p.m. Eastern and Pacific. Yes, folks on the west coast will have to wait three hours longer than they normally would.
If you cut the cord, NBC is available on live TV streaming services, but know that each may differ depending on your location, see below for details.
How to watch SNL online in the UK
Since Saturday Night Live broadcasts at the ungodly hour of 4:30 a.m. GMT in the UK, it's not surprising that folks across the pond have to wait.
Annoyingly, SNL in the UK still airs at night, on Sky Comedy, when the content isn't live and has aged a little bit. We wouldn't be surprised to learn that people watch clips on YouTube instead.
How to watch SNL online in Canada
In Canada, Saturday Night Live airs at the same time as it does in America, on Saturdays at 11:30 p.m. Eastern | 8:30 p.m. Pacific, both on Global and NBC.
