The 35th season of Saturday Night Live (also branded SNL 35), an American sketch comedy series, originally aired in the United States on NBC between September 26, 2009, and May 15, 2010. The season premiere on September 26, 2009, hosted by actress Megan Fox, with musical guests U2 and concluded on May 15, 2010, hosted by actor Alec Baldwin, with musical guests Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers.
A total of 22 episodes were broadcast during the show's eight-month-long season, which included a two-week break in February due to the 2010 Winter Olympics. The season was accompanied by three prime-time episodes of Saturday Night Live Weekend Update Thursday and three prime-time SNL clip shows.
This season introduced a new opening montage, which was shot using the Canon EOS 5D Mark II and Canon EOS 7D digital SLR cameras. Typical elements are recorded at thirty frames per second (fps), with slow-motion sequences shot at sixty fps, both in full 1080p high definition.[1]
A notable moment of the season was when an internet campaign was created to get actress Betty White to host an episode of the show. The campaign was started in early 2010 on Facebook and the group was called "Betty White to Host SNL (please?)!" The campaign was successful, and White became the oldest person ever to host the show. For White's episode, Lorne Michaels brought back former cast members Rachel Dratch, Tina Fey, Ana Gasteyer, Amy Poehler, Maya Rudolph and Molly Shannon. The episode garnered the show's highest ratings in over a year. with a rating of 5.8 in the 18–49 rating, demographic and with 12.1 million viewers overall.[2]
Cast[]
Prior to the start of the season, Darrell Hammond, who was the last cast member from the 1990s, left the show. At the time, Hammond became the longest-running cast member with a total of 14 seasons, though he would later be surpassed by Kenan Thompson in 2017. Following Hammond's departure, featured players Michaela Watkins and Casey Wilson were both let go from the show after the finale of the previous season. Wilson had been on the show for two seasons, while Watkins had been on for only one.[3] To account for the absences of Watkins and Wilson, the show brought in two new female featured players as replacements, comedian and writer Nasim Pedrad of The Groundlings and stand-up comic Jenny Slate.[4] Abby Elliott and Bobby Moynihan remained as featured players.
This would be the final season for longtime cast member Will Forte, who had been on the show for 8 seasons since 2002.[5] This would also be the only season for Slate, who was let go at the end of the season.[6]
Darrell Hammond, Casey Wilson, and Michaela Watkins did not return from the previous season. Nasim Pedrad and Jenny Slate were added as featured players. Slate notably had an f-word slip in her first appearance.
Cast[]
Repertory Players[]
 Fred Armisen |
 Will Forte |
 Bill Hader |
 Seth Meyers |
 Andy Samberg |
 Jason Sudeikis |
 Kenan Thompson |
 Kristen Wiig |
Featured Players[]
 Abby Elliott |
 Bobby Moynihan | |
 Nasim Pedrad |
 Jenny Slate |
Episode List[]
Opening montage[]
S35
This intro would be used until the end of season 37. But seasons 36 and 37 removed any references to the 35th anniversary.
| Preceded by: Season 34 |
Season 35 (2009— 2010) |
Followed by: Season 36 |
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| Seasons | |
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