Saturday Night Live: Season 26
Saturday Night Live aired its twenty-sixth season on NBC during the 2000 to 2001 television season, producing 20 episodes between October 7, 2000, and May 19, 2001. Ahead of the season, cast departures included Cheri Oteri, Colin Quinn, and Tim Meadows, while SNL head writer Tina Fey and Second City comedian Jerry Minor joined as featured players alongside remaining featured players Rachel Dratch and Maya Rudolph. Wi
Season 26 Lore Primer
Key plot threads, lore context, and character stakes you need to remember before diving into this season.
- Cheri Oteri, Colin Quinn, and Tim Meadows departed the show before the start of the season.
- Colin Quinn's departure left the Weekend Update anchor seat empty.
- Rachel Dratch and Maya Rudolph remained featured players as the season began.
- Tina Fey had served as a show writer since 1997 and became the show's head writer in 1999.
Season overview
Saturday Night Live aired its twenty-sixth season on NBC during the 2000 to 2001 television season, producing 20 episodes between October 7, 2000, and May 19, 2001. Ahead of the season, cast departures included Cheri Oteri, Colin Quinn, and Tim Meadows, while SNL head writer Tina Fey and Second City comedian Jerry Minor joined as featured players alongside remaining featured players Rachel Dratch and Maya Rudolph. With Colin Quinn's departure leaving the Weekend Update seat empty, executive producer Lorne Michaels introduced a dual-anchor format featuring Jimmy Fallon and Tina Fey. Because of her status as head writer, Fey rarely appeared in sketches outside of Weekend Update. The season marked Molly Shannon's final run on the show as she departed mid-season. Following the conclusion of the season, Chris Parnell and Jerry Minor were let go, though Michaels later acknowledged that firing Parnell was a mistake and sought his return. The late-night live television sketch comedy and variety show was created by Lorne Michaels.
Episode Guide
Season 26 Progress Shield
Rob Lowe/Eminem
Oct 7, 2000 · 67 min
Live From New York, it's...Chris Parnell Sketches include The First Presidential Debate, Corn Chip Nails, Backstage SNL: Rob Lowe Meets Ralph Nader, Scooby Doo and Shaggy on Court
Kate Hudson/Radiohead
Oct 14, 2000 · 67 min
Live From New York, it's...Chris Parnell (again!) Sketches include "The Second Presidential Debate", "College Girl's Wild Spring Break", "TV Funhouse: The X-Presidents", "Inside T
Dana Carvey/The Wallflowers
Oct 21, 2000 · 67 min
Live From New York, it's...Dana Carvey Sketches include: "The Third Presidental Debate", "Magic Mouth", "Delicious Dish", "Church Chat", "Bush Sr. and Bush Jr. Go Hunting", "VH-1
Charlize Theron/Paul Simon
Nov 4, 2000 · 67 min
Live From New York, it's...Will Ferrell Sketches include: "A Glimpse of our Possible Future: George W. Bush", "TRL", "A Glimpse of our Possible Future: Al Gore and Bill Clinton",
Calista Flockhart/Ricky Martin
Nov 5, 2000 · 67 min
S26E05 (11/11/2000) was originally mis-identified as Presidential Bash (S00E36, air date 11/3/2000)
Tom Green/David Gray
Nov 18, 2000 · 67 min
Sketches include ""Decision 2000,"" ""Bald Eagles,"" ""Rap Street,"" ""Lorne and Tom in a Tub,"" ""Hardball,"" ""Dog Show,"" ""Oprah,"" ""Story Tellers,"" ""TV Funhouse: Sex and th
Val Kilmer/U2
Dec 9, 2000 · 67 min
Live From New York, it's...Chris Parnell Sketches include: Gore's Lawsuit, Wade Blasingame: Dog Lawyer, Behind The Music, Palm Beach, Veronica and Co., Seasons Greetings From SNL,
Lucy Liu/Jay-Z
Dec 16, 2000 · 67 min
Sketches include ""George W. Bush and Al Gore at Chi-Chi's,"" ""Gemini's Twin,"" ""Celebrity Jeopardy,"" ""Pretty Living,"" ""Jarret's Room,"" ""Christmas Ornaments,"" and ""Robert
Charlie Sheen/Nelly Furtado
Jan 13, 2001 · 67 min
Sketches include ""Dick Cheney,"" ""Iron Chef,"" ""Eric Dickerson's NFL Pre-Game Special,"" ""The Culps,"" ""Patsy March,"" ""Giving Birth to a Grown Man,"" ""T.G.I. Friday's Obnox
Mena Suvari/Lenny Kravitz
Jan 20, 2001 · 67 min
Sketches include ""Bill Clinton,"" ""Airport Metal Detector,"" ""Janet Reno's Dance Party, ""Rap Street,"" ""Veronica & Co.,"" and ""The DeMarco Brothers.""
Jennifer Lopez
Feb 10, 2001 · 67 min
Sketches include ""Will Ferrell and Jennifer Lopez,"" ""Mango,"" ""Gemini's Twin,"" ""Fly Girls,"" ""Good Morning Bronx,"" ""Jeanie Darcy,"" and ""Lana Thornberry.""
Sean Hayes/Shaggy
Feb 17, 2001 · 67 min
Sketches include ""George W. Bush,"" ""Delicious Dish,"" ""Hardball,"" ""Jeffrey's,"" ""Hello Dolly,"" ""Fashion Week,"" ""Action News,"" ""Mary Katherine Gallagher,"" ""Brian Fell
Katie Holmes/Dave Matthews Band
Feb 24, 2001 · 67 min
Sketches include ""The Clinton Family,"" ""Mr. Peepers,"" ""Drew Barrymore and Tom Green,"" ""Lovers,"" ""Jarret's Room,"" ""Tough as Nails,"" and ""Cruise Ship Lovers.""
Conan O'Brien/Don Henley
Mar 10, 2001 · 67 min
Live from New York, it's...Will Ferrell Sketches include: Bush's Good Health, Subshack, The Boston Teens At The Liquor Store, Moleculo: The Molecular Man, Napster Testimony, Taint
Julia Stiles/Aerosmith
Mar 17, 2001 · 67 min
Sketches include ""Martha Stewart Living,"" ""Wake Up Wakefield,"" ""Post Office Security,"" ""Suel Forrester,"" ""Foreign Cleaning Ladies,"" ""Amateur Night,"" and ""Der Lachlen B
Alec Baldwin/Coldplay
Apr 7, 2001 · 67 min
Sketches include ""George W. Bush,"" ""Delicious Dish,"" ""Military Soldier,"" ""Inside the Actor's Studio,"" ""Robert Goulet,"" ""Democrats.""
Renee Zellweger/Eve
Apr 14, 2001 · 67 min
Sketches include ""The Culps,"" ""Jerry Maguire 2,"" ""Hardball,"" ""A Wedding Story,"" ""Blind Date,"" and ""Crazy Doctor.""
Pierce Brosnan/Destiny's Child
May 5, 2001 · 67 min
Sketches include ""George W. Bush,"" ""Gemini's Twin,"" ""The Weakest Link,"" ""Jeffrey's,"" ""Psycho Boss,"" ""The West Wing,"" ""The Soldiers of World War II,"" and ""Paradise Lo
Lara Flynn Boyle/Bon Jovi
May 12, 2001 · 67 min
Live From New York, it's...Darrell Hammond Sketches include ""A Message From Mayor Giuliani,"" ""Leon Loves Mango,"" ""Hardball,"" ""The Continental,"" ""Porch Lovers,"" ""Dirty C
Christopher Walken/Weezer
May 19, 2001 · 67 min
Live From New York, it's...Darrell Hammond Sketches include ""A Message From Mayor Giuliani,"" ""Leon Loves Mango,"" ""Hardball,"" ""The Continental,"" ""Porch Lovers,"" ""Dirty C