Dakota Johnson Returns to Host Saturday Night Live for Season 52
Actress Dakota Johnson returns to NBC to host Saturday Night Live on October 3, marking her third time leading the sketch comedy series, as reported by pagesix.com. The episode airs live coast-to-coast at 11:30 p.m. ET/8:30 p.m. Johnson turns 35 on October 4, making her just the sixth host in the history of the show to appear on her actual birthday weekend. Hardcore punk band Turnstile joins the broadcast as the musical guest, marking their debut performance on the program. The actress, star of “Verity” and Taylor Swift’s “Patient Zero” music video, made her “SNL” debut in a 2015 episode to promote “Fifty Shades of Gray,” before returning in January 2024 while promoting “Madame Web.”
Streaming Options and Free Trial Access for NBC
Viewers without a traditional cable television subscription must use a live TV streaming service to watch the broadcast. According to pagesix.com, DIRECTV offers a five-day free trial on its Choice plan, which includes NBC among its channel lineup of over 125 channels and provides a $30 discount on the first month. Alternatively, Peacock offers a seven-day free trial of its Premium tier, which costs $16.99 per month afterward, with new episodes becoming available to stream in full on Sunday mornings.
Season 52 Cast and Upcoming Episode Schedule
The Saturday Night Live cast enters Season 52 with only two new hires following an expansion of five additions during the previous season. Repertory players returning for the episode include Michael Che, Mikey Day, Andrew Dismukes, Marcelo Hernández, James Austin Johnson, Colin Jost, Sarah Sherman, and Kenan Thompson. Featured players taking the stage include Saidah Belo-Osagie, Tommy Brennan, Jeremy Culhane, Ben Marshall, Kam Patterson, Grace Reiter, Ashley Padilla, Veronika Slowikowska, and Jane Wickline. Following tonight’s season premiere, the fall and winter schedule features Shane Gillis hosting with musical guest Rosalía on October 10, and Inde Navarrette hosting with Gracie Abrams on October 31, followed by unannounced hosts on November 7, November 14, December 5, December 12, and December 19 through the end of 2026.
Frequently Asked Questions About Tonight’s Episode
Which streaming services broadcast the episode for free?
Viewers can watch the broadcast at no cost by utilizing a five-day free trial through DIRECTV or a seven-day free trial of Peacock Premium, as noted by pagesix.com.
Who is performing as the musical guest tonight?
Hardcore punk band Turnstile serves as the musical guest for the October 3 broadcast, making their first-ever appearance on the show.
How many times has the host appeared on the program?
Dakota Johnson hosts the sketch series for the third time tonight, following previous appearances in 2015 and January 2024.
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