Saturday Night Live: Season 30
Saturday Night Live had its thirtieth season on the 2004-2005 television season on NBC. The thirtieth season began on October 2, 2004 and ended on May 21, 2005 with 20 episodes in all. Before the start of this season, Jimmy Fallon left the show. In the wake of his departure, Fred Armisen was promoted to repertory status, while Finesse Mitchell and Kenan Thompson remained feature players. New cast members this seaso
Season 30 Lore Primer
Key plot threads, lore context, and character stakes you need to remember before diving into this season.
- Directly follows the overarching narrative developments of Saturday Night Live Season 29.
- Faction dynamics and core character alliances shift under escalating external stakes.
- Crucial mysteries introduced previously reach key turning points and narrative reckonings.
- Sets up serialized story arcs that build directly toward the climactic season finale.
Season overview
Saturday Night Live had its thirtieth season on the 2004-2005 television season on NBC. The thirtieth season began on October 2, 2004 and ended on May 21, 2005 with 20 episodes in all.
Before the start of this season, Jimmy Fallon left the show. In the wake of his departure, Fred Armisen was promoted to repertory status, while Finesse Mitchell and Kenan Thompson remained feature players.
New cast members this season include Rob Riggle, an improv comedian and U.S. Marine. This would be Riggle's only season on the show. In addition, SNL writer Jason Sudeikis 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 two-woman anchor team.
This season was also notable for Ashlee Simpson's infamous lip-syncing gaffe during her second performance. This season was also home to many sketches focused on the 2004 U.S. Presidential election, but, unlike the 2000 election, there was little to no media coverage about the sketches.
Episode Guide
Season 30 Progress Shield
Ben Affleck/Nelly
Oct 2, 2004 · 67 min
Live From New York (and opening the 30th season of SNL), it's...Chris Parnell Sketches include ""First Presidential Debate 2004,"" ""Dr. Porkenheimer's Boner Juice,"" ""Debbie Dow
Queen Latifah
Oct 9, 2004 · 67 min
Live From New York, it's...Darrell Hammond Sketches include ""Hardball"", ""Sky Captain Filming"", ""Dyson Toilets"", ""The Ninth Presidential Debate"", ""Paris Hilton Apologizes"
Jude Law/Ashlee Simpson
Oct 23, 2004 · 67 min
Live From New York, it's...Jim Downey translating for Seth Meyers Sketches include: NBC Special Report, Rap Night, Mrs. Dr. Frankenstein, TV Funhouse: John McCain's Speech, Clinto
Kate Winslet/Eminem
Oct 30, 2004 · 67 min
Live From New York, it's...Will Forte Sketches include: Kerry at the Beach, Star Jones' Wedding Night, You Call This A House Do Ya?, Dr. Porkenheimer's Boner Juice (repeat from th
Liam Neeson/Modest Mouse
Nov 13, 2004 · 67 min
Sketches include: ""C-SPAN Terrorist Alert,"" ""Woomba,"" ""Pranksters,"" ""A 'Blue' Christmas"" (cartoon), ""The Undercover Cop,"" ""Prince Christmas Special,"" ""Apprentice Chris
Luke Wilson/U2
Nov 20, 2004 · 67 min
Live From New York, it's...Darrell Hammond Sketches include: CNN Press Conference, Trucker Talk, Beaver Ranch Brothel, Hardball, Black Paramedics, Noony and Nuni, and The Not So G
Colin Farrell/Scissor Sisters
Dec 11, 2004 · 67 min
Live From New York, it's...Tina Fey and Amy Poehler! Sketches include: ""The Bush Twins"", ""Condelezza Rice's Hearing"", ""Gaystrogen"" (from season 29), ""Paul Giamatti's Limo D
Robert De Niro/Destiny's Child
Dec 18, 2004 · 67 min
Live from New York, it's...Rachel Dratch Sketches include: American Idol, CheapKids.Net Ad 1, Versace Skiing, Starkisha and Portia at the Purse Shop, CheapKids.Net Ad 2, Exclusive
Topher Grace/The Killers
Jan 15, 2005 · 67 min
Live from New York, it's... Horatio Sanz Sketches include ""Kim Jong Il,"" ""me-Harmony.com,"" ""Monkeys Throwing Poop at Celebrities,"" ""Black History Month,"" ""The Best of TT
Paul Giamatti/Ludacris & Sum 41
Jan 22, 2005 · 67 min
Live from New York, it's... Amy Poehler! Sketches include ""Neverland Ranch,"" ""Grayson-Moorhead Investments,"" ""Sheila Choad's LA Face,"" ""Hot Plates,"" ""Debbie Downer at the
Paris Hilton/Keane
Feb 5, 2005 · 67 min
Live from New York, it's...Rachel Dratch Sketches include: American Idol, CheapKids.Net Ad 1, Versace Skiing, Starkisha and Portia at the Purse Shop, CheapKids.Net Ad 2, Exclusive
Jason Bateman/Kelly Clarkson
Feb 12, 2005 · 67 min
Live From New York, it's...Darrell Hammond Sketches include: Hardball, meharmony.com (repeat from the Jason Bateman/Kelly Clarkson episode), Oprah, The Push-Up Contest, Kevin Fede
Hilary Swank/50 Cent
Feb 19, 2005 · 67 min
Sketches include ""Papal Debate '05,"" ""Extreme Makeover: Home Edition,"" ""Michael Jackson"" (cartoon), ""The Barry Gibb Talk Show,"" ""One-Star Hotel,"" ""Woo! The Musical,"" ""
David Spade/Jack Johnson
Mar 12, 2005 · 67 min
Live from New York, it's...Chris Parnell Sketches include: A Message From Tom DeLay, Dr. Porkenheimer's Boner Juice (re-edited and using the alternate ending from the Liam Neeson/
Ashton Kutcher/Gwen Stefani
Mar 19, 2005 · 67 min
Live From New York, it's...Paula Abdul Sketches include: ""Primetime Live: The American Idol Scandal,"" ""Sally & Dan Harrison: The Couple That Should Be Divorced,"" ""Donald Trum
Cameron Diaz/Green Day
Apr 9, 2005 · 67 min
Live From New York, It's... Darrell Hammond (yet again) Sketches include ""Hardball,"" ""America's Next Top Model,"" ""Monster-In-Law Screening,"" ""The Prince Show,"" ""Little It
Tom Brady/Beck
Apr 16, 2005 · 67 min
Live from New York, it's...Chris Parnell Sketches include: A Message From Tom DeLay, Dr. Porkenheimer's Boner Juice (re-edited and using the alternate ending from the Liam Neeson/
Johnny Knoxville/System of a Down
May 7, 2005 · 67 min
Live From New York, it's...Paula Abdul Sketches include: ""Primetime Live: The American Idol Scandal,"" ""Sally & Dan Harrison: The Couple That Should Be Divorced,"" ""Donald Trum
Will Ferrell/Queens of the Stone Age
May 14, 2005 · 67 min
Sketches include ""Will Backstage,"" ""Celebrity Jeopardy,"" ""Oracle Conclave,"" ""Going 2 C Movies,"" and ""Luxury Spy.""
Lindsay Lohan/Coldplay
May 21, 2005 · 67 min
Live From New York, It's... Darrell Hammond (yet again) Sketches include ""Hardball,"" ""America's Next Top Model,"" ""Monster-In-Law Screening,"" ""The Prince Show,"" ""Little It