| Saturday Night Live | |
|---|---|
| Season 30 | |
 | |
| No. of episodes | 20 |
| Release | |
| Original network | NBC |
| Original release | October 2, 2004 – May 21, 2005 |
| Season chronology | |
The thirtieth season of Saturday Night Live , an American sketch comedy series, originally aired in the United States on NBC between October 2, 2004, and May 21, 2005.
This season was notable for a lip-syncing gaffe by Ashlee Simpson during her second performance (on the episode hosted by Jude Law). [1] [2] [3] This season was also home to many sketches focused on the 2004 U.S. Presidential election. [4] [5]
Before the start of this season, longtime cast member Jimmy Fallon left the show after six seasons with the cast since 1998. [6] In the wake of Fallon's departure, Fred Armisen was promoted to repertory status, while Finesse Mitchell and Kenan Thompson remained featured players.
New cast members this season included Rob Riggle, an improv comedian (at the Upright Citizens Brigade Theater) and U.S. Marine (making him the first and, as of 2025, only SNL cast member to serve in the Marines). [7] This would also be Riggle's only season on the show. In addition, SNL writer Jason Sudeikis (who appeared in many bit roles before joining the cast) joined the cast as a featured player for the last three episodes of the season. [8]
With Fallon gone, Amy Poehler became Tina Fey's co-anchor on Weekend Update, making Fey and Poehler the first and, through at least season 50, only two-woman anchor team. [9]
Repertory players | Featured players
|
bold denotes "Weekend Update" anchor
At the start of the season, longtime writer Harper Steele (who had been a writer since 1995) was named as the co-head writer alongside Tina Fey. [10]
Weekend Update writer Alex Baze is added to the writing staff this season. [10]
Near the end of the season, writer Jason Sudeikis left the writing staff to join the cast. [11]
This was initially the final season for longtime writer/writing supervisor Paula Pell (who had been a writer for 10 years since 1995), as she left to work on her sitcom Thick and Thin. [12] However, that sitcom never aired so Pell (who had also been a writing supervisor for eight years since 1997) returned to the show early in the next season. [13] T. Sean Shannon (the other writing supervisor) was removed from his role, but remained as a writer the next season. [14]
Longtime writer Jim Downey did not write for the next season, but would return for season 32.
| No. overall | No. in season | Host | Musical guest(s) | Original release date | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 566 | 1 | Ben Affleck | Nelly | October 2, 2004 | |
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| 567 | 2 | Queen Latifah | Queen Latifah | October 9, 2004 | |
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| 568 | 3 | Jude Law | Ashlee Simpson | October 23, 2004 | |
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| 569 | 4 | Kate Winslet | Eminem | October 30, 2004 | |
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| 570 | 5 | Liam Neeson | Modest Mouse | November 13, 2004 | |
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| 571 | 6 | Luke Wilson | U2 | November 20, 2004 | |
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| 572 | 7 | Colin Farrell | Scissor Sisters | December 11, 2004 | |
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| 573 | 8 | Robert De Niro | Destiny's Child | December 18, 2004 | |
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| 574 | 9 | Topher Grace | The Killers | January 15, 2005 | |
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| 575 | 10 | Paul Giamatti | Ludacris featuring Sum 41 | January 22, 2005 | |
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| 576 | 11 | Paris Hilton | Keane | February 5, 2005 | |
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| 577 | 12 | Jason Bateman | Kelly Clarkson | February 12, 2005 | |
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| 578 | 13 | Hilary Swank | 50 Cent | February 19, 2005 | |
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| 579 | 14 | David Spade | Jack Johnson | March 12, 2005 | |
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| 580 | 15 | Ashton Kutcher | Gwen Stefani | March 19, 2005 | |
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| 581 | 16 | Cameron Diaz | Green Day | April 9, 2005 | |
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| 582 | 17 | Tom Brady | Beck | April 16, 2005 | |
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| 583 | 18 | Johnny Knoxville | System of a Down | May 7, 2005 | |
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| 584 | 19 | Will Ferrell | Queens of the Stone Age | May 14, 2005 | |
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| 585 | 20 | Lindsay Lohan | Coldplay | May 21, 2005 | |
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| Title | Original release date | |
|---|---|---|
| "The Best of Cheri Oteri" | September 4, 2004 | |
Sketches include:"Spartan Cheerleaders","Nadeen at the Burger Castle","The Zimmermans","20/20","The View","Monica's Interviewers","Collete at the Pharmacy","Morning Latte","Judge Judy","Rita Snowed In","The Office Flirt","Halloween in New Hampshire","Rita on Halloween","Old French Whore!","Puff &Jennifer in Therapy","Who Wants to Be a Millionaire","Always &Forever","Athena in the Cockpit","Leg Up",and some Weekend Update clips. | ||
| "The Best of Jon Lovitz" | September 25, 2004 | |
Sketches include:"Tommy Flanagan," "The Peoples' Court," "Portrait of the Artist," "The Night Hanukkah Harry Saved Christmas," "Dunkin' Donuts Commercial," "Plug Away," "Johnny's Finished," "Girl Watchers on 49th Street," "ABC Campaign '88," "The Five Beatles," "Wimbledon Loss," "A Betty Ford Straight Arrow Christmas," "The Tonight Show," "Tales of Ribaldry," "Chick Hazzard,Private Investigator," and some Weekend Update clips. | ||
| "The Best of Jimmy Fallon" | October 16, 2004 | |
Sketches include:"Mick &Mick," "Celebrity Jeopardy," "Jarret's Room","The Barry Gibb Show," "Donnie's Party," "Cork Soakers," "2001 Season's Greetings From SNL," "Summer Nights," clips of Fallon's most memorable celebrity impersonations and Weekend Update moments. | ||
| "Presidential Bash 2004:The Great Debates" | November 1, 2004 | |
This special featured some of SNL's mock presidential debates. Darrell Hammond hosted the special while impersonating Bill Clinton. Sketches include:"Debate '76," "Presidential Debate '88," "The First Presidential Debate," "The Second Presidential Debate," "Debate '92," "Perot and Stockdale Car Trip," "The Presidential Odd Couple," "First Presidential Debate 2004," and "Second Presidential Debate". | ||
| "The Best of Tom Hanks" | November 6, 2004 | |
Sketches include:"Steve's Fantasy," "The Stand-Ups," "Girl Watchers on 49th Street," "Calgary 1988," "Mr. Short-Term Memory," "Jew,Not a Jew," "Wayne's World Meets Aerosmith," "Tales of Ribaldry," "Sabra Price Is Right" and "Wilson the Volleyball with Tom Hanks". | ||
| "Live from New York:The First 5 Years of Saturday Night Live" | February 20, 2005 | |
Topics discussed include the creation of the show,the cast coming together,NBC fighting with Lorne over the show's creation,the first few episodes,the show's rise to popularity,Chevy Chase leaving the show,the disastrous Mardi Gras special,Bill Murray joining the show,several backstage fights and feuds,the creation of Weekend Update,the first crop of recurring sketches and characters,the hosts who appeared on the show,how the show struggled in its fifth season with the departure of Dan Aykroyd and John Belushi,and the end of the "Not Ready for Primetime" era after the last episode of season five. Dan Aykroyd,Chevy Chase,Tom Davis,James Downey,Al Franken,Elliott Gould,Buck Henry,Eric Idle,Penny Marshall,Steve Martin,Lorne Michaels,Garrett Morris,Laraine Newman,Don Pardo,Tom Schiller,Rosie Shuster,Paul Shaffer,Lily Tomlin and Alan Zweibel gave insight in the special. | ||
| "The Best Of Alec Baldwin" | May 28, 2005 | |
Sketches include:"Greenhilly," "French Class," "Soap Opera Digest," the infamous "Canteen Boy Goes Camping," "Buckwell's Follies," "Delicious Dish," "Brasky's Buddies at the Bar," "Inside the Actors Studio," "Gay Voicemail," "The Tony Bennett Show," "Zinger vs. Burns," and "Prince Charles' Secretary". | ||