John Cena-Hosted SNL Delivers Its Highest Overnights Since November

The Dec. 10 telecast of SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE, with host John Cena and musical guest Maren Morris, scored a 4.8 rating, 12 share in "live plus same day" household results from the 56 local markets metered by Nielsen Media Research and a 2.3/11 in adults 18-49 in the 25 markets with local people meters.

These are the top "Saturday Night Live" local-market ratings since the Nov. 12 edition, which was the first "SNL" to follow the Presidential election. Featuring host Dave Chappelle and musical guest A Tribe Called Quest, the Nov. 12 telecast averaged a 6.2 household rating and a 3.9 in 18-49 in the local people meters.

Last night's 4.8 rating in metered-market households is up +26% versus "Saturday Night Live's" result on the same night last year (4.8 vs. 3.8 on Dec. 12, 2015) and the 2.3 in 18-49 in the LPMs is up +28% (2.3 vs. 1.8).

The 4.8 rating in households tops the final 10 "Saturday Night Live" originals from last season, and the 2.3 in 18-49 beats last season's final nine originals.

Last night's "Saturday Night Live" was the #1 telecast of the night on the broadcast networks, outrating every Saturday primetime telecast on those nets.

National ratings, including viewer totals, for last night's "Saturday Night Live" are due from Nielsen on Tuesday.

Note that "SNL" adds significant viewership via time-shifting, with originals so far this season growing by +60% in 18-49 and +3.527 million persons or +45% in total viewers nationally going from "live plus same day" Nielsens to "live plus seven day" figures. In L+SD, "SNL" this season has averaged a 2.34 rating in 18-49 nationally and 7.837 million viewers overall, and in L+7, "SNL" has grown to a 3.74 in 18-49 and 11.364 million viewers.

Versus the same point last season, "SNL" originals are up +35% in 18-49 nationally (3.74 vs. 2.78) and +2.788 million persons or +33% in total viewers (11.364 million vs. 8.576 million).

The average 11.364 million viewers in L+7 makes this the show's most-watched season at this point in 24 years (versus prior seasons' original telecasts through comparable dates), best since 1992 (11.949 million for that season's first seven originals).

The 3.74 average in L+7 adults 18-49 rating nationally average is the show's best performances in the demo at this point since 2008 (4.51 for that season's first nine originals).

Image courtesy of NBC