The dog days of summer are here. And though there’s not a new episode of Saturday Night Live airing tonight at 11:30 ET/10:30c/8:30 PT on NBC and Peacock, there’s still plenty of reasons to tune in.
Thanks to memorable Hosts including Harry Styles, Sabrina Carpenter, and Connor Storrie — the latter of whom earned a 2026 Emmy nomination for his unforgettable hosting performance — Season 51 remains well worth a rewatch.
So, which episode should SNL fans expect tonight?
Here’s everything to know about tonight’s episode.
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Is there a new episode of SNL tonight, July 18, 2026?
No. The show is in the middle of its annual summer hiatus before new episodes resume in the fall. The final episode of Season 51 aired on May 16, featuring legendary alum Will Ferrell returning to Studio 8H as the Host, with Paul McCartney as the Musical Guest.
The Season 51 finale was so packed with laugh-out-loud sketches that three were cut for time. Watch the entire season’s cut-for-time sketches here.
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Who is the Host and Musical Guest for tonight’s July 18 SNL episode?
The Matt Damon-hosted May 9 episode is re-airing on NBC tonight, and streaming on Peacock.
For Damon, it’s the opening weekend of his hotly anticipated blockbuster—as the star alluded to during his monologue.
“I’m really excited because I have a new movie out. It’s called The Odyssey. And it is in theaters not this weekend, not next weekend, but nine weekends from now,” he quipped. “Mid-July, baby!”
Well, it is now officially “nine weekends from now,” and the Christopher Nolan epic is now in theaters nationwide.
The film’s release date was July 17 and the epic stars Matt Damon alongside a star-studded cast that includes Anne Hathaway, Tom Holland, Zendaya, and other A-listers.
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In the episode, Damon revived the Tina Fey-approved Justice Brett Kavanaugh impression he first performed in 2018 alongside Aziz Ansari’s Kash Patel.
Noah Kahan made his second appearance on the show as the episode’s Musical Guest.
As in his previous SNL episodes, Damon showcased his versatility in viral sketches like “Godzilla Movie” and “Auctioneers,” as well as the absurd “Tidy Care Crystals.” Fun fact: the latter is the second cat litter SNL parody commercial Damon has starred in, after Season 44’s cut-for-time “Glitter Litter Automatic Litter.”
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When is the SNL ticket lottery?
It’s almost the one time of year when SNL fans can enter the annual ticket lottery, which runs solely in the month of August. Get all the details on how to enter here. And if you don’t strike gold in the lottery, here’s how to to request standby tickets during the season.
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Until Season 52 kicks off in the fall, catch up on past episodes spanning over five decades on Peacock.
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