Saturday Night Live season 38

Prior to the start of the season, longtime cast members Kristen Wiig and Andy Samberg, both of whom had been on the show for seven seasons since 2005, decided not to return following the end of the previous season.^[3][4] Following Samberg and Wiig's departures, Abby Elliott was let go after four seasons on the show since 2008.^[5] Vanessa Bayer, Taran Killam, and Jay Pharoah were all upgraded to repertory status, while Kate McKinnon remained a featured player.

To fill the void, the show hired three new cast members – Chicago improvisers Aidy Bryant, Tim Robinson, and Cecily Strong – as the replacements for Wiig, Samberg, and Elliott. According to the official press release, "Bryant trained at the iO Chicago, Annoyance Theatre and she was also part of the ensemble that performed on the Second City E.T.C Stage. Robinson also trained at the Second City, he performed on their Mainstage and was also part of their National Touring Company. Like Robinson, Strong had also performed as part of the National Touring Company and trained at the iO Theater".^[6]

This was the final season for longtime cast members Fred Armisen,^[7] Bill Hader,^[8] and Jason Sudeikis.^[9] Armisen had been on the show for 11 seasons since 2002, Sudeikis had been on for nine since 2005, and Hader had been on for eight since 2005. This would also be the only season for featured player Tim Robinson, who would leave his spot in the cast to instead join the writing staff the following season.^[10]

Jay Pharoah debuted his Barack Obama impersonation this season, taking over the role from Armisen.^[11]

Starting with this season, writing supervisor Colin Jost (who has been writing for the show since 2005) is named as the show's co-head writer, alongside Seth Meyers (Jost had previously been writing supervisor for the past three seasons).^[12]

Additionally, prior to the start of the season, Upright Citizens Brigade Theater performers Josh Patten and Neil Casey joined the writing staff (though this would be Casey's only season with the show).^[13][14]

Also, starting with this season, Marika Sawyer (who had been writing on SNL since 2006) is named as the show's co-writing supervisor, alongside Bryan Tucker.^[12]

This was also the final season for longtime writer Jim Downey (who had been writing for the show on-and-off since 1977), as he retired at the end of the season, after 30 non-consecutive years with the show.^[15] Downey is the longest-tenured writer in the show's history.