Saturday Evening Reside went into Season 47 with eight solid members who had been on the present for not less than seven seasons, which is the usual size of an SNL contract: Kenan Thompson (18 seasons), Kate McKinnon (10), Aidy Bryant (9), Cecily Robust (9), Colin Jost (8), Beck Bennett (8), Kyle Mooney (8), Michael Che (7).

Extremely, solely one of many eight, Bennett, left the NBC program, with everybody else returning this season, together with Davidson, McKinnon, Bryant and Robust, whose Season 46 finale look felt like a goodbye.

Few anticipated that to occur, together with Davidson, apparently. “I can’t imagine I’m again,” he exclaimed on the finish of his Weekend Replace phase, through which he mentioned his Met Gala outfit whereas carrying a T-shirt paying tribute to former SNL solid member Norm Macdoland who died of most cancers final month.

Davidson additionally ad-libbed on the finish of his Weekend Replace look within the Season 46 finale when, in an atypical earnest type, he uttered what appeared like a farewell message, “I’m very grateful to be right here, and it has been an honor to develop up in entrance of you guys.”

As Deadline reported earlier this week, SNL boss Lorne Michaels has develop into extra versatile in recent times, permitting Saturday Evening Reside’s largest stars to mix the present with different tasks, which has made it attainable for established solid members to remain on past the tip of their contracts.

As an illustration, Davidson was off for a number of weeks whereas filming Suicide Squad, Bryant additionally was away whereas engaged on her Hulu sequence Shrill, and Thompson juggles SNL together with his primetime comedy sequence Kenan.

The relaxed coverage was on show tonight when McKinnon missed the season premiere as she is filming the Peacock restricted sequence Joe Unique through which she performs Carole Baskin.