NBC’s Saturday Night Live (SNL) closed its milestone 50th season with a finale that surprised many fans by not including any cast member goodbyes. Instead, the show kept things light with jokes about possible departures but no real announcements.
During the finale, there were playful moments about cast member Sarah Sherman leaving and Weekend Update co-anchor Colin Jost possibly replacing longtime producer Lorne Michaels. However, these were just jokes, and no clear hints about the future cast changes were given. The cast hugged on stage but did not have the traditional farewell speeches seen in past seasons.
The current cast has 17 members, including six veterans who have been with the show for seven or more seasons. Among them are Colin Jost, Michael Che, Mikey Day, Heidi Gardner, Ego Nwodim, and Kenan Thompson—the longest-running cast member in SNL history at 22 years.
Michael Che is the only veteran who has publicly mentioned the possibility of leaving, but he did not confirm this during the finale. Other veterans have hinted at departures in interviews and social media, but the finale gave no signs, unlike previous seasons when cast goodbyes were emotional and clear.
Host Scarlett Johansson opened the finale with a musical joke about Sarah Sherman leaving, which caught Sherman off guard. This was meant as a joke, as Sherman is not expected to leave.
The finale also joked about Colin Jost taking over from Lorne Michaels, who has been the show’s producer since it began. Michaels had once suggested retiring after the 50th season but later said there was no immediate plan to leave.
Usually, cast members who plan to leave announce it after the season ends. Lorne Michaels typically makes decisions about the cast by late summer, so fans may learn more soon.
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