Saturday Night Live season 30

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.

History

This season was notable for a lip-syncing gaffe by Ashlee Simpson during her second performance (on the episode hosted by Jude Law). This season was also home to many sketches focused on the 2004 U.S. Presidential election.

Cast

Before the start of this season, longtime cast member Jimmy Fallon left the show after six seasons with the cast since 1998. 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). 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.

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.

Cast roster

bold denotes "Weekend Update" anchor

Writers

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.

Weekend Update writer Alex Baze is added to the writing staff this season.

Near the end of the season, writer Jason Sudeikis left the writing staff to join the cast.

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. 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. T. Sean Shannon (the other writing supervisor) was removed from his role, but remained as a writer the next season.

Longtime writer Jim Downey did not write for the next season, but would return for season 32.