Finn Wolfhard made his hosting debut on Saturday Night Live on January 17, 2026. The episode aired just weeks after Stranger Things ended its final season on December 31, 2025. As a result, the show felt like a farewell celebration for the hit Netflix series.
Wolfhard was joined by A$AP Rocky as the musical guest. Much of the episode focused on the cast growing up and moving on from their breakout roles. The tone was nostalgic but playful.
During the opening monologue, Wolfhard reunited with Caleb McLaughlin and Gaten Matarazzo. The three joked about their journey from child actors to adults. The moment ended with a toast that earned one of the night’s biggest laughs.
One standout sketch, “Mike in Manhattan,” imagined Wolfhard’s character Mike living in 1990s New York. The sketch parodied Sex and the City and poked fun at Mike’s past relationship with Eleven. It quickly became a fan favorite online.
Another sketch mocked fake Netflix spinoffs. These included exaggerated ideas centered on familiar Stranger Things characters. The segment teased how far the franchise could go.
Kenan Thompson also appeared as a grown-up version of Eleven in a sketch called “Secret Episode 9.” He tried to convince the group that Vecna was still alive. The scene mixed absurd humor with callbacks fans recognized instantly.
Stranger Things ended with its final season released in three parts across late 2025. The finale episode, titled “The Rightside Up,” even had a limited theatrical release on New Year’s Eve. This allowed fans to watch the ending on the big screen.
Although the main story has concluded, the franchise will continue. An animated series, Stranger Things: Tales From ’85, is set to release in 2026. A stage prequel, The First Shadow, is currently running on Broadway.
Finn Wolfhard’s SNL episode served as a fitting goodbye. It honored the show that shaped a generation of viewers while signaling a new chapter for its stars.
