Saturday Night Live: Season 19

Season overview

The nineteenth season of Saturday Night Live aired on NBC from September 25, 1993, to May 14, 1994. This season was defined by significant personnel transitions and the departure of several long-standing cast members. Prior to the season premiere, Dana Carvey, Chris Rock, and Robert Smigel departed the program. In response to these changes, the production promoted Ellen Cleghorne, Melanie Hutsell, Tim Meadows, Adam Sandler, and David Spade to repertory status. The show also expanded its roster by hiring stand-up comics Norm Macdonald, Jay Mohr, and Sarah Silverman, who initially joined as writers before debuting as featured players early in the season. Later in the production cycle, veteran comic actor Michael McKean joined the cast as a repertory member. The season marked the final appearances for Phil Hartman, Melanie Hutsell, Rob Schneider, Sarah Silverman, and Julia Sweeney. A notable moment occurred during the conclusion of the season when the cast and crew honored Phil Hartman with a bronzed stick of glue, acknowledging his role as the glue of the show, a designation attributed to him by Adam Sandler. These shifts in the ensemble cast characterized the nineteenth season as a period of substantial transition for the long-running sketch comedy series.