SNL’s 10 Worst Rated Episodes and Why They’re Hated

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What are the worst Saturday Night Live episodes of all time?

According to IMDb users, these are the 10 lowest-rated episodes in SNL history—but do they actually deserve their terrible reputations?

For this video, I watched every episode in IMDb's bottom 10 and analyzed what really made each one fail. Were they genuinely awful? Were they victims of controversial hosts? Or were audiences simply judging the people involved more than the comedy itself?

Along the way, I examine episodes hosted by Donald Trump, Elon Musk, Justin Bieber, Paris Hilton, Al Sharpton, Queen Latifah, Ashton Kutcher, Cuba Gooding Jr., and Nia Vardalos, looking at everything from the writing and performances to behind-the-scenes circumstances and audience expectations.

Some of the questions explored in this video include:

• Why do non-comedians often struggle as SNL hosts?
• How much does public opinion influence IMDb ratings?
• Which "terrible" episodes are actually better than people remember?
• Which episodes really are as bad as their reputation?
• Why does Season 28 appear so often among SNL's lowest-rated episodes?
• Are controversial celebrities unfairly punished by viewers?

Rather than simply counting down the rankings, I break down why each episode landed where it did and whether I think the criticism is deserved. Some episodes were painful to sit through, while others genuinely surprised me and ended up being far more entertaining than their IMDb scores would suggest.

Whether you're a longtime Saturday Night Live fan, a comedy nerd, or just curious how infamous hosts like Donald Trump, Elon Musk, Steven Seagal, and Paris Hilton compare, this deep dive into SNL history is for you.

What do you think is the worst episode in Saturday Night Live history? Did IMDb get this list right, or are there even worse episodes that should have made the cut? Let me know in the comments—I already have a few candidates in mind for a follow-up video.