“Saturday Night Live” has been on something of a roll since the election of Donald Trump, upping their political satire with recurring mocking of Trump, Kellyanne Conway, Sean Spicer, and Jeff Sessions. Now, one of their longest running segments, “Weekend Update”, is getting its own TV show airing on Tuesdays. NBC has ordered a four week run of episodes to air during SNL’s offseason, beginning on August 10th.
Though I would expect the name to be changed, regulars Colin Jost and Michael Che will continue to host the show, with other SNL cast members expected to appear. This is an interesting but not unprecedented move for SNL, as “Weekend Update” has been around just as long as SNL. And as the New York Times notes, NBC previously aired Thursday night versions of the show in 2008, 2009, and 2012. “Weekend Update” paved the way for many night comedy shows such as “The Daily Show,” “The Colbert Report,” and “Last Week Tonight,” so it’s fittingly coming full circle.