Oh btw best single cast member for me is Phil Hartman. Not coincidentally part of one of the best sitcoms of all time, News Radio!
SNL is a great example of "the good ol' days" syndrome. Older seasons always seem better because people tend to only remember the good stuff. The further back you go, the better it was. But not really. Honestly all seasons are probably equally bad with a few gems per episode that will have you telling your kids how much better SNL was in 2014 compared to the crappy cast and writers they have in 2025.
It only dropped off significantly once the last good cast left all at once (Hader, Sudeikis, Armisen, Wiig, Sandberg, etc). The last 2 years or so have not been great, but that has been the first real drop off
That's usually how it goes. They had to go through Colin Quinn, Sarah Silverman and Chris Elliot before Tina Fey and Will Ferrell showed up.
I think my favorite new cast members are the lesbian one, the one who does the dead on Miley Cyrus impersonation and the one who's dad died in 9/11. I can not stand Kenan Thompson, he's like Victoria Jackson bad. If he'd been a women his ass wouldn't have made it past two seasons.
Best season is a toss up between 15 & 16. Honorable mention to seasons 3,4,14 & 17. I can't pick best cast member. That's too tough. But any discussion has to include Belushi, Murray, Murphy, Hartman & Ferrell. Murphy pretty much carried the show for seasons 8 & 9. Hartman was so versatile and made it look so easy you almost took him for granted.
Dan Aykroyd (spoilered for size) Spoiler "Jane you ignorant slut" - One of the most enduring catchphrases from the show. <iframe width="420" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/k80nW6AOhTs" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe> Land Shark <iframe width='640' height='360' scrolling='no' frameborder='0' src='https://screen.yahoo.com/land-shark-jaws-ii-224409387.html?format=embed' allowfullscreen='true' mozallowfullscreen='true' webkitallowfullscreen='true' allowtransparency='true'></iframe> 2 Wild and crazy guys <iframe width='640' height='360' scrolling='no' frameborder='0' src='https://screen.yahoo.com/festrunk-brothers-000000414.html?format=embed' allowfullscreen='true' mozallowfullscreen='true' webkitallowfullscreen='true' allowtransparency='true'></iframe> Coneheads <iframe width='640' height='360' scrolling='no' frameborder='0' src='https://screen.yahoo.com/coneheads-family-feud-000000119.html?format=embed' allowfullscreen='true' mozallowfullscreen='true' webkitallowfullscreen='true' allowtransparency='true'></iframe> Jimmy Carter talking down a kid on LSD <iframe width='640' height='360' scrolling='no' frameborder='0' src='https://screen.yahoo.com/ask-president-carter-000000735.html?format=embed' allowfullscreen='true' mozallowfullscreen='true' webkitallowfullscreen='true' allowtransparency='true'></iframe> "It's a desert topping, no its a floor wax." <iframe width='640' height='360' scrolling='no' frameborder='0' src='https://screen.yahoo.com/shimmer-floor-wax-000000185.html?format=embed' allowfullscreen='true' mozallowfullscreen='true' webkitallowfullscreen='true' allowtransparency='true'></iframe> All classic moments from my childhood. Akroyd was also the best writer of the bunch. I'm going to guess, however, that most people's favorites were from when they were kids. I remember being about 10, and all the schemes I used to try in order to stay up late enough to watch it. It was forbidden fruit, which made it that much better.
Phil Hartman, Chris Farley, Eddie Murphy, and even though I can't stand him now, Dennis Miller was hilarious doing the Weekend Update. Honorable Mention: Will Ferrell, John Belushi, Andy Samberg, Kevin Nealon, Steve Martin, The Manning Brothers, Tina Fey, JT.
