Former cast member Darrell Hammond makes his debut as the show's new announcer, following the death of Don Pardo. Hammond had previously stepped in for Pardo when the latter was unavailable for health reasons, impersonating his voice, but was asked to do "his own separate thing" when he took over permanently.
The first episode featuring Pete Davidson as a cast member, as well as the first to feature Ariana Grande as a performer. In June 2018, nearly four years later, the two confirmed their engagement, although they later split.