10 Shows To Watch if You Love 'Saturday Night Live' (2024)

Saturday Night Live (SNL) is one of those shows that polarizes viewers. Celebrating its 50th anniversary in 2025, viewers have been calling the show irrelevant and unfunny for decades. Yet these same people continue to watch the show, or at least the viral clips of the best sketches and monologues. Others, meanwhile, stand firmly by the series as the best sketch comedy show on television. Indeed, Saturday Night Live has earned 84 Primetime Emmy Awards of 305 nominations throughout its run and is frequently named one of the best TV shows of all time.

Nonetheless, the show is only on once per week during a season, leaving you to seek out something to fill the need for hearty laughs. Thankfully, there are other shows like SNL worth watching, including both sketch comedy series and related shows, to keep viewers laughing until the next season or episode.

Saturday Night Live

Music

Comedy

Where to Watch

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Release Date

October 11, 1975

Directors

Lorne Michaels

Cast

Leslie Jones , Aidy Bryant , Kyle Mooney , Alex Moffat , Kate McKinnon , Beck Bennett , Kenan Thompson , Colin Jost , Mikey Day , Cecily Strong , Michael Che , Pete Davidson , Melissa Villaseñor

Seasons

48

Network

NBC

10 'A Black Lady Sketch Show' (2019-2013)

Created by Robin Thede

Representation is important, and while Saturday Night Live has a diverse cast, A Black Lady Sketch Show takes this up a notch by featuring a cast that is not only entirely made up of people of color, but also women. As the name implies, the cast of ladies portrays various characters in all types of hilarious sketches.

The list of cast members through the four seasons is impressive, including Quinta Brunson, Issa Rae (who also serves as an executive producer), Vanessa Williams, Angela Bassett, Laverne Cox, Nicole Byer, Amber Riley, Kelly Rowland, Wanda Sykes, and more. It’s a fabulous series that highlights how women are just as funny as men and deserve to have a comedic spotlight shone on them.

A Black Lady Sketch Show

TV-MA

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See Also

Bob Odenkirk - Early Life, 'Mr. Show' & 'Better Call Saul'The 24 Best Mr. Show Sketches, In OrderBob Odenkirk Shows Us What Happens When Parents Take Their Kids Ideas SeriouslyBob Odenkirk, de 'Better Call Saul' a héroe de acción a los 58 años: “Como actor era un reto”

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Release Date

August 2, 2019

Cast

Robin Thede , Gabrielle Dennis , Ashley Nicole Black , Skye Townsend

Seasons

4

Main Genre

Comedy

9 'In Living Color' (1990-1994)

Created by Keenan Ivory Wayans

Catapulting the careers of the Wayans brothers, including Damon, Shawn, and Marlon, as well as Jamie Foxx, David Alan Grier, Jim Carrey (who was only one of two white main cast members), not to mention Jennifer Lopez and Carrie Ann Inaba who worked as interlude “fly girl” dancers, In Living Color turned the concept of sketch comedy on its head. The skits were racy and pushed the envelope, tackling subject matter that other shows might have considered too risky.

Most importantly, however, In Living Color was incredibly funny. The sketch comedy series had a similar selection of popular recurring skits, like Men on Film, Homey the Clown, and Fire Marshall Bill. It was exactly what was needed at the time to shake up the late-night TV sketch comedy landscape. Without this show, fans would never have been exposed to some of the most talented comedic actors of this generation.

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8 'MadTV' (1995-2009)

Created by David Salzman, Fax Bahr, and Adam Small

Similar to In Living Color, MadTV proved that Saturday Night Live wasn’t the only sketch comedy game in town. The cast included comedians who went on to achieve great things, including Michael McDonald, Alex Borstein, Will Sasso, Nicole Parker, Bobby Lee, and, most notably, Jordan Peele and Keegan-Michael Key. The sketches were always funny, many going viral at a time when “going viral” wasn’t even really a thing yet.

Some of the best recurring skits and characters on MadTV include ones with the abrasive Coach Hines, the adorable Ms. Swan, Stuart Larkin, and McDonald’s hilarious impersonations of Steve Jobs delivering his black turtleneck-wearing presentation for the new “revolutionary” iPhone. While not all the sketches hold up today, for those who appreciate the humor, MadTV is as funny now as it was 30 years ago.

MADtv

Where to Watch

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Release Date

October 14, 1995

Cast

Aries Spears , Mo Collins , Nicole Sullivan , Will Sasso , Alex Borstein , Ike Barinholtz , Debra Wilson , Anjelah Johnson-Reyes

Seasons

15

Main Genre

Comedy

7 '30 Rock' (2006-2013)

Created by Tina Fey

While 30 Rock is not a sketch comedy series, it is a satirical sitcom about the behind-the-scenes inner workings of one. What’s more, its creator Tina Fey was not only a cast member on Saturday Night Live prior to starring in this show, she was also a head writer and one of SNL's very best comedians. Thus, fans feel like they are really getting an inner view into what it’s like to work on one of these shows, even if the storylines are dramatized and embellished for humorous effect. Those storylines include, among other things, plenty of fake TV shows and movies made up entirely for the show.

In an example of art imitating life, Fey stars as Liz Lemon, a head writer, and showrunner for a fictional sketch comedy series called "TGS with Tracy Jordan," which stars the unpredictable Jordan, played by Tracy Morgan, who was also an SNL cast member for many years. As Lemon tries to keep the cast and crew in check, deal with network executives, and reconcile with her lack of personal life, it’s often chaotic on set. 30 Rock, named for NBC Studio’s address 30 Rockefeller Plaza in New York, earned several Emmy Awards through its run, including Outstanding Comedy Series three years in a row.

30 Rock

TV-14

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See Also

How I Made It in Comedy: Bob Odenkirk - Chicago Reader

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Release Date

October 11, 2006

Cast

Tina Fey , Alec Baldwin , Tracy Morgan , Jack McBrayer , Scott Adsit , Judah Friedlander , Jane Krakowski , Kevin Brown

Seasons

7

Main Genre

Comedy

6 'Key & Peele' (2012-2015)

Created by Keegan-Michael Key and Jordan Peele

Following their time on MadTV as two stand-out performers from the show, Keegan-Michael Key and Jordan Peele joined forces to launch their own sketch comedy series called . While it’s not live, the pre-taped sketches are downright hilarious. They would often touch on timely topics, from pop culture to ethnic stereotypes and race relations.

Key’s character Luther, President Barack Obama’s angry translator, was so popular, that he was invited to portray him on stage alongside President Obama during the White House Correspondents' Dinner. Substitute teacher Mr. Garvey is one of the most popular characters, however. He would call out kids’ names and horribly mispronounce them, then get angry when they couldn’t understand who he was calling. Think “Jay-kwellin” when he actually means “Jacqueline” or “Bala-kee” for “Blake.” The idea is that he’s mispronouncing white people’s names like white people often do for the seemingly complicated names of people of color. Key & Peele aired for five successful seasons and fans wished it had returned for more.

Comedy

Where to Watch

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Release Date

January 31, 2012

Directors

Peter Atencio

Cast

Jordan Peele , Keegan-Michael Key , Peter Atencio

Seasons

5

5 'Mr. Show with Bob and David' (1995-1998)

Created by Bob Odenkirk and David Cross

It was only after he starred in Breaking Bad followed by Better Call Saul that fans really started noticing Bob Odenkirk. But he had been a comedic talent for some time, including working as a writer on Saturday Night Live as well as heading up his own sketch comedy show in the ‘90s called Mr. Show alongside another famous actor, David Cross. The pair performed a variety of sketches on stage, both live and pre-taped.

Mr. Show was very well received, earning four Emmy Award nominations. Plenty of other familiar faces appeared on the show as well, including Sarah Silverman, Jack Black, Brian Posehn, and Mark Lynn Rajskub. Mr. Show demonstrated the unique and diverse talents of these two comedians, both who went on to become even bigger stars.

Mr. Show with Bob and David

TV-MA

Where to Watch

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Release Date

November 3, 1995

Creator(s)

David Cross , Bob Odenkirk

Cast

David Cross , Bob Odenkirk , John Ennis , Jay Johnston , Paul F. Tompkins , Jill Talley , Brett Paesel , Brian Posehn , Tom Kenny , Bill Odenkirk , Janette Andrade , Karen Kilgariff , BJ Porter , Dino Stamatopoulos , Jerry Minor , Theresa Mulligan , Sarah Silverman

Main Genre

Comedy

4 'Chappelle's Show' (2003-2006)

Created by Dave Chappelle and Neal Brennan

Famously ending only because creator Dave Chappelle abruptly left to take a break from Hollywood, Chappelle's Show remains one of the best sketch comedy series ever. Chappelle carried every episode, but he did so with seeming ease thanks to his skill at both stand-up comedy and playing characters. Most of the jokes involved race, stereotypes, masculinity, and celebrity culture. Chappelle never shied away from controversial topics like gun violence, drugs, and sexuality, and continues to hold true to this unapologetic style.

From start to finish, every episode of Chappelle’s Show was entertaining, from a stand-up monologue to kick things off to funny sketches and ending with a hip-hop or soul musical performance. The series could have gone on for far longer had Chappelle made the decision to stay. He remains one of the best SNL hosts of the last five years. His triumphant return led to many others on that show, reminding fans of what was so great about Chappelle’s Show.

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3 'Baroness von Sketch Show' (2016-2021)

Created by Carolyn Taylor, Meredith MacNeill, Aurora Browne, and Jennifer Whalen

With an all-female case, Baroness von Sketch Show made it clear that women weren’t just the supporting acts in sketch comedy shows, they could be the central stars and bring the same level of comedy and laughs. The show both starred and was executive produced by Carolyn Taylor, Meredith MacNeill, Aurora Browne, and Jennifer Whalen. Hailing from Canada, the series aired on IFC in the U.S. for its five-season run.

The subversive series pokes fun at everything from social trends to office politics. It tackles current issues with a stereotypical Canadian slant but with jokes and performances that are universally funny.

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2 'Only Murders in the Building' (2021-)

Created by Steve Martin and John Hoffman

Only Murders in the Building is a scripted mystery comedy-drama versus a sketch comedy show. But at times, it feels like it is sketch comedy with two iconic comedic talents, Steve Martin and Martin Short, at the helm. The way the two riff off one another as their characters on the show, Charles and Oliver, respectively, it’s almost like some scenes are short comic sketches designed to make viewers keel over with laughter.

Both, of course, have a history with Saturday Night Live, Martin as a frequent host of the show and Short as a cast member for a single season. The two are veteran gems of comedy on their own, but together, Martin and Short are comedy gold. They’re also responsible for some of the most iconic SNL characters, like Jiminy Glick and Ed Grimley for Short and King Tut and The Festrunk Brothers for Martin.

Only Murders in the Building

PG-13

Comedy

Mystery

Crime

Where to Watch

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Not available

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Release Date

August 31, 2021

Creator

Cast

Michael Cyril Creighton , Aaron Dominguez , Ryan Broussard , Selena Gomez , Martin Short , Vanessa Aspillaga , Steve Martin , Amy Ryan , Jeena Yi

Seasons

4

1 'SCTV' (1976-1984)

Created by Bernard Sahlins and Andrew Alexander

Effectively the Canadian equivalent of Saturday Night Live, SCTV, also known as Second City Television, is a sketch comedy show that was devised as an offshoot of the Second City comedy troupe in Toronto, Ontario Canada. It’s one of the few Canadian shows (at the time) that made a successful transition to appearing on American television as well, picked up by NBC.

SCTV counted some of the biggest comedic talents from Canada among its cast, including the late John Candy, Eugene Levy, Andrea Martin, Rick Moranis, Catherine O’Hara, Harold Ramis, Martin Short, and Dave Thomas. The concept was that of a fictional TV station, which meant in every episode, fans got something different. It might be from a mock sitcom, soap opera, talk show, kids’ show, news broadcast, and more. Considering how popular many of its cast members went on to become in Hollywood, that’s a testament to how great the show is.

NEXT: The Best Sitcoms of All Time, Ranked