The Oct. 24 telecast of Saturday Night Live, featuring Adele in her hosting debut and musical guest H.E.R., drew a 5.0 rating household Live+Same Day rating in the 44 metered local markets and a 2.4 adults 18-49 rating in the 25 markets with local people meters.
The episode, which opened with a parody of the final presidential debate, was up double-digits from last week’s show, hosted by Issa Rae with musical guest Justin Bieber (4.5, 2.0). It ranks as the second highest rated show of the season in both households and 18-49 behind the Chris Rock-hosted premiere and third since Nielsen changed its methodology a week into the 2018-19 season, behind the Eddie Murphy holiday episode last year and this fall’s opener.
SNL was the #1 show on the Big 4 networks last night in metered-market households, ahead of Fox’s Game 4 coverage of the World Series (5.0 vs. 4.7). In adults 18-49 in the local people meters, SNL tied the World Series telecast for #1 for the night (2.4 each).
Adele is the latest musical artist to get her first major acting gig as SNL host, joining such performers as Justin Timberlake, Bieber and Halsey. In addition to the debate Cold Open and The Bachelor parody, drawing most views online as of Sunday morning are Adele’s monologue, in which she quipped about her weight loss, and the two news segments of the Weekend Update.