The twenty-ninth season of Saturday Night Live, an American sketch comedy series, originally aired in the United States on NBC between October 4, 2003, and May 15, 2004.
History
This season marked the debut of a brand new stage for the host's monologue and the musical guest performing stage. Instead of the wrought-iron fire escape motif with the blinking "ON AIR" light, the stages are now modeled after Grand Central Terminal (right down to the spherical clock).
Cast
Before the start of the season, longtime cast members Chris Kattan and Tracy Morgan, who had both been on the show since 1996, departed the show on their own terms, and featured player Dean Edwards, who had been on the show the past two seasons, was let go following the finale. Despite their departures, Kattan and Morgan would make guest appearances in several episodes throughout the season and Morgan would later host in 2009 and 2015.
Will Forte, Seth Meyers, and Jeff Richards were all promoted to repertory status, while Fred Armisen remained a featured player.
The show added two new African-American cast members: stand-up comedian Finesse Mitchell and Kenan Thompson, a former child star from the Nickelodeon comedy shows All That and Kenan & Kel. Thompson became the first SNL cast member to be born after the show's premiere in 1975 (Thompson was born in 1978) and would eventually become the longest-tenured cast member in the show’s history.
This was the final season for longtime cast member Jimmy Fallon, who had been on the show for six seasons since 1998, and Richards, who departed mid-season after three seasons on the show since 2001. In an interview at the time, Richards said he left to branch out into other projects, though he later mentioned that his substance abuse was a factor.
Cast roster
bold denotes "Weekend Update" anchor
Writers
Future cast member Jason Sudeikis and stand-up comedian J.B. Smoove were hired as writers this season.
John Lutz and Liz Cackowski are hired midway through the season, starting with the Megan Mullally-hosted episode.
This was the final season for longtime writers Michael Schur (who had been a writer since 1998) and Dennis McNicholas (who had been a writer since 1995; and became head writer back in 2001).
Schur left the writing staff after 6½ years, while McNicholas left after nine years with the show, and 3½ as head writer, but returned to produce Weekend Update, 10 years later in 2014.
Episodes
Specials
References
