Saturday Night Live has been making audiences laugh for over 50 years, and season 51 is no different. The show has always been a place where comedic voices shine and where sketches capture exactly what is happening in the world, sometimes outrageous, sometimes spot-on. This year, viewers have had to say goodbye to one of the veteran faces on the show, but the rest of the cast promises to keep the laughs going with the same intensity as ever before.

With a mix of familiar favorites and rising stars, SNL is committed to keeping the spotlight shining on late-night comedy.

Saturday Night Live’s 51st season is in full swing, delivering fresh comedy and memorable sketches each Saturday night. The season, however, marked a significant moment with show staple Bowen Yang departing on December 20, leaving behind a legacy of standout characters and sharp wit.

Other familiar faces, such as Kenan Thompson, Michael Che, Colin Jost, Chloe Fineman, James Austin Johnson, Sarah Sherman, Marcello Hernández, Mikey Day, Andrew Dismukes, Ashley Padilla, and Jane Wickline, will continue to anchor the show in his absence, leveraging their signature humor with new comedic perspectives.

Joining the old ensemble this season were Ben Marshall, Tommy Brennan, Jeremy Culhane, Kam Patterson, and Veronika Slowikowska. Their inclusion complemented the established cast, keeping SNL dynamic and unpredictable. They, too, will continue to sustain SNL’s inventive sketches, political satire, and character-driven comedy following Bowen Yang’s exit.

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The actor and comedian, who rose from a writer to a screen personality on the show, said goodbye to SNL in a tearful sketch last night.

Bowen Yang bid adieu to SNL in a touching final sketch during the December 20th Christmas episode, joined by a very booked and busy Ariana Grande as a host and musical guest Cher. Playing a Delta Airlines worker on his last shift, he aligned his fictional feelings to his real life, talking about how he perceives bidding farewell to the show.

"I’ve loved every single person who works here because they’ve done so much for me, especially my boss,” Yang said in his last sketch on SNL, and it obviously had greater meaning.

The sketch ended with Yang hugging Grande and Cher, closing his seven-year run on a heartfelt note.

As SNL season 51 prepares to move forward without Bowen Yang, the show looks poised to hold on to its spirit of bold, boundary-pushing comedy. Its blend of seasoned performers and fresh faces remains in place to ensure that every Saturday night will continue to surprise and entertain audiences, keeping the sketches sharp and the laughs coming.

While the masses will undoubtedly miss Yang’s unique voice, the remaining cast is ready to carry the legacy, reminding viewers why SNL has stayed at the forefront of late-night comedy for more than five decades.

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What do you think about the SNL season 51 cast without Bowen Yang? Let us know in the comments.