NBC bringing half-hour episodes of SNL's Weekend Update to prime time in August

By Christine Persaud Published March 18, 2017

Weekend Update has long been one of the most popular segments on Saturday Night Live. Now, NBC is looking to capitalize on that popularity, along with the growing trend toward spoof news series, by running four 30-minute broadcasts of the segment in prime time this summer, reports Variety.

The first of the four episodes will premiere at 9 p.m. ET on Thursday, August 10. The episodes will feature the segment’s two current hosts, Colin Jost and Michael Che. In Weekend Update, the hosts cover actual news items and current events, from politics to entertainment news, with healthy doses of hilarity, sarcasm, and, often, realism.

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Feature on the show’s first broadcast in 1975, Weekend Update is SNL’s longest-running recurring sketch. “Anchors” of the faux news program have included Chevy Chase (the first), Jimmy Fallon, Tina Fey, Amy Poehler, Jane Curtin, Dan Aykroyd, Dennis Miller, Kevin Nealon, and Norm Macdonald. Prior to Jost and Che taking over as anchors in 2014, Seth Meyers sat behind the desk for six seasons.

In total, 32 cast members have served as anchor of the broadcast, and several others have appeared as special guests. During the four, extended half-hour broadcasts this summer, SNL cast members are also set to make guest appearances, likely both impersonating real people and portraying some favorite fictional characters.

SNL creator Lorne Michaels is clearly looking to capitalize on the ratings boost the sketch comedy show has experienced following the election of Donald Trump as U.S. president. The show is enjoying its most-watched season since 1992, when the cast included comedic gems like Adam Sandler, Dana Carvey, and David Spade. Ratings for the coveted 18-49 demographic are the highest since SNL’s 34th season in 2008-2009, which included cast members like Poehler, Fred Armisen, Bill Hader, Kristen Wiig, and Jason Sudeikis.

This won’t, however, mark the first time Weekend Update has appeared beyond its short in-show segment. Jost and Che appeared on MSNBC last summer to comment after the Democratic and Republication conventions, while Meyers and Poehler did three episodes in 2008 prior to that year’s presidential election. There were another three episodes in 2009 and two that aired in 2012 as well.

Christine Persaud

Former Contributor

Christine has decades of experience in trade and consumer journalism. While she started her career writing exclusively about…

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Don’t let these 3 hidden March 2025 streaming TV shows fly under your radar

A group of well-dressed people crowd by a doorway, looking shocked in The Residence.

Every month, there's always one, maybe two, new shows that get all the attention. Sometimes, it's a popular show returning with a new season. This March, many less high-profile shows are flying under the radar. You might have heard of these shows but weren't quite sure what they were about or even if they're worth watching.
We suspect that you'll be pleasantly surprised if you give any of these shows your time. Check out an episode or two, and it will likely lead to binging the whole thing. Two of the three series release all season one episodes at once, while the third will tease you with the first two episodes this month. What are these three hidden March 2025 streaming TV shows you shouldn't let fly under your radar? Have a look.
Need more recommendations? Then check out the best new shows to stream this week, as well as the best shows on Netflix, the best shows on Hulu, the best shows on Amazon Prime Video, the best shows on Max, and best shows on Disney+.
Deli Boys (March 6)
Deli Boys | Official Trailer | Hulu
Already receiving rave reviews, Deli Boys is a hilarious comedy about two Pakistani American brothers, Mir (Asif Ali) and Raj (Saagar Shaikh), who discover that their father was much more than a convenience store owner. When he suddenly passes, the brothers discover that dear Dad was actually embroiled in a life of crime.
If they don’t want to lose everything their family has worked for, they need to take over as the new crime bosses. But this is not a life they know anything about. As one of the most anticipated Hulu shows of 2025, Deli Boys’ first season delights thanks to its clever one-liners, talented cast, and bizarre storylines.
Stream Deli Boys on Hulu.
The Residence (March 20)
The Residence | Official Trailer | Netflix
The best way to describe The Residence is that it's like Knives Out in the White House with a gender-swapped Benoit Blanc-like character. The lead is Cordelia Cupp (Uzo Aduba), an equally eccentric yet brilliant detective who consults with the local police. When the White House chief usher, A.B. Wynter (Giancarlo Esposito in a role that was originally supposed to be played by the late Andre Braugher), winds up dead, she’s called in to investigate. A state dinner is going on downstairs with officials from Australia, and Cupp orders that no one leave until she questions all 140+ people present.
The Residence is plenty of fun, mixing the usual whodunit formula with Shonda Rhimes' unique creative flair that will keep you guessing from one episode, even a moment, to the next. Aduba is perfect as Cupp, who combines an oddball personality — including repeatedly birdwatching in the middle of a murder case — with a subtle sarcasm. Through it all, however, she throws down astute observations that teach everyone she knows exactly what she’s doing, even if it doesn’t look like it. If you love the whodunit genre, The Residence won’t disappoint.

Stream The Residence on Netflix.
The Studio (March 26)
The Studio — Official Trailer | Apple TV+
One of Apple TV+’s quieter new show releases is The Studio, which has gotten overwhelmingly positive reception in early reviews. Seth Rogen created and stars in this comedy as Matt Remick, a man who longs to run a Hollywood studio. When he finally realizes this dream, however, the reality of the complicated balancing act of managing budgets, changing economic and societal times, corporate demands, and eccentric actors sinks in.
The Studio has an incredible cast that includes Catherine O’Hara, Ike Barinholtz, Chase Sui Wonders, and Kathryn Hahn. There's also a rotating selection of guest stars playing exaggerated versions of themselves to add to the Hollywood feel, from Zac Efron to Martin Scorsese. Early reviews already give The Studio a perfect 100% Rotten Tomatoes score, with Slant Magazine’s Ross McIndoe singling out the dark and “more than a little pointed” comedy as the highlight.

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3 PBS shows you should watch in March 2025

three pbs shows you should watch in march 2025 call the midwife season 14 tv hero 2

PBS may not be able to boast a lineup of original shows like Netflix and the other streamers, but it's been America's gateway for British dramas for decades. Granted, some of these shows will show up on the streamers as well. The key difference is that PBS won't charge you to watch them, and you can even stream them online if you don't want to support your local station.

This month's picks include two returning British dramas, one of which had almost a full decade between seasons. Our other pick is a returning murder mystery show from Sweden, which proves just how universally popular that genre has turned out to be.

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If you have to watch one Peacock movie this March 2025, stream this one

Saoirse Ronana in Brooklyn

If you're looking for stuff to watch on Peacock, you're probably going to have to sort through a lot of stuff. That's not to say that there aren't things worth watching on Peacock, just that finding them can feel more difficult than it should.
We've done the hard work for you and found a perfect movie for your March watchlist. Brooklyn tells the story of a young woman who immigrates from Ireland to America in the 1950s and finds herself torn between her old life and the new one she's built. Here are three reasons you should check it out:
Need more recommendations? Then check out the best new movies to stream this week, as well as the best shows on Netflix, best shows on Hulu, best shows on Amazon Prime Video, and best shows on Disney+.

It features a star-making performance from Saoirse Ronan
Brooklyn Official International Trailer #1 (2015) - Saoirse Ronan, Domhnall Gleeson Movie HD