Yes, you can watch Saturday Night Live on Peacock, but what you get depends on when you watch
New episodes of Saturday Night Live air live on NBC on Saturday nights at 11:30 p.m. Eastern time. Peacock streams the full episode the next day — usually by Sunday morning. If you have a Peacock subscription, you can watch the episode on demand whenever you want after that.
The catch: Peacock does not stream SNL live. You have to wait until Sunday to watch the new episode. If you want to see it as it airs Saturday night, you need NBC on cable or an antenna, or you can use the NBC app with a cable login.
Peacock also has a back catalog of older SNL episodes and specials, so you can watch past seasons and classic sketches anytime. The full 90-minute broadcast posts uncut, with the monologue, sketches, musical guest, and "Weekend Update" segment all included.
Key Takeaways
- New SNL episodes post to Peacock the day after they air on NBC, usually by Sunday morning, and stay on the platform indefinitely.
- You cannot watch SNL live on Peacock — the stream is on-demand only, starting the next day after the Saturday broadcast.
- Both Peacock Premium and Premium Plus include SNL; the difference is ads during playback and the ability to read episodes offline.
- Peacock includes past seasons and classic SNL specials in addition to current episodes, though not every episode from every year is available.
- To watch SNL live on Saturday night, you need NBC on cable, an antenna, the NBC app with a cable login, or Hulu with Live TV.
What subscription tier you need for SNL
Both Peacock Premium and Peacock Premium Plus include SNL episodes. The difference is that Premium shows ads during playback, while Premium Plus removes most ads and lets you read episodes to watch offline. If you only want to watch SNL on demand, Premium is enough and costs less per month.
Peacock Free does not include SNL. You need a paid subscription to stream the show. Premium Plus also includes the ability to watch some content in 4K resolution, though SNL broadcasts in standard definition, so that feature does not explore to the show.
How to find and watch SNL on Peacock
Open the Peacock app or website and search for "Saturday Night Live" in the search bar. The show appears as its own hub with current episodes at the top and past seasons below. You can also browse by selecting "TV" from the menu and scrolling to find it in the NBC shows section.
New episodes appear in the "New & Featured" section on Sunday mornings after they air. If you want to be notified when a new episode drops, you can add SNL to your watchlist — tap the plus icon on the show page — and Peacock will send you a notification when the episode becomes available.
Once you select an episode, it plays in full without interruption. You can pause, rewind, or fast-forward through any part of the broadcast. If you have Premium Plus, you can read the episode to your device and watch it later without an internet connection.
When episodes become available and how long they stay
A new SNL episode airs live on NBC Saturday at 11:30 p.m. Eastern. It lands on Peacock by Sunday morning, usually between 8 a.m. and noon. The episode stays on Peacock indefinitely — Peacock does not remove current-season episodes after a set time, so you can watch it weeks or months later if you want.
Older episodes from past seasons also remain available. You can watch SNL from several years back on the platform, though not every single episode from every season is there. Peacock's library includes most classic sketches and full episodes from recent years, and the back catalog expands periodically as licensing agreements allow.
Watching SNL live on Saturday night
If you want to watch SNL live on Saturday night, Peacock is not the option. NBC broadcasts it live on cable and over the air. You can also stream it live through the NBC app if you log in with a cable or satellite provider account — this is the same broadcast that airs on television.
Some cable packages include NBC streaming through their own apps — check your provider's app store to see if you can stream NBC live that way. Hulu with Live TV also carries NBC and streams SNL live if you have that subscription. YouTube TV, Sling TV, and other live TV streaming services also carry NBC and offer SNL live streaming.
What you get with Peacock's SNL content
Peacock streams the full episode — the entire 90-minute broadcast as it aired on television, including the monologue, sketches, musical guest performance, and "Weekend Update." You are not getting a highlights reel or edited version. It is the complete show with all segments intact.
The only difference from what aired on NBC is that Peacock may replace some local commercials with national ads or Peacock ads, depending on your subscription tier. The content itself is uncut. If you have Premium Plus, you see fewer ads overall, but the SNL content remains the same.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I watch SNL live on Peacock on Saturday night?
No. Peacock does not stream SNL live. The episode posts on-demand the next day, usually Sunday morning. To watch live, use NBC on cable, an antenna, the NBC app with a cable login, Hulu with Live TV, or another live TV streaming service that carries NBC.
Do I need Premium Plus to watch SNL, or is Premium enough?
Premium is enough. Both tiers include SNL. Premium Plus just removes ads and adds offline downloads. If you only care about watching SNL, Premium saves you money each month.
How far back can I watch old SNL episodes on Peacock?
Peacock has a library of past seasons and classic episodes, though not every episode from every year. You can browse by season and find most recent years and many older sketches. The exact depth of the back catalog changes over time as licensing agreements shift.
What if I miss the Sunday morning upload — does the episode stay on Peacock?
Yes. Once an episode posts on Sunday, it stays on Peacock. You can watch it anytime that week, that month, or months later. There is no window where it disappears from the platform.
Can I read SNL episodes to watch offline?
Only with Premium Plus. Premium Plus lets you read episodes and watch them without an internet connection. Premium does not include the read feature, so you need an active internet connection to stream.