With at least eight of its strongest cast members moving onto other projects, the hit NBC show needs something powerful to keep it relevant in the realm of popular culture.

For the past five years, comedy shared live from New York has been on a gradual decline. Many argue that this valley among the peaks SNL has reached is largely due to various cast members and writers departing from the show while others toss the blame onto today’s social and political climate.

However, many of those who blame culture have a lot of defending to do, now that cast members Kate McKinnon, Aidy Bryant, Kyle Mooney, Pete Davidson, Alex Moffat, Melissa Villaseñor, Chris Redd, and Aristotle Athari have called it quits.

This loss proves devastating for both long and short-time fans of the sketch comedy series since novice comedians like Moffat and Athari have left alongside veterans like McKinnon and Bryant.

Just four new additions have been made the cast as a seeming last-ditch-effort to fill the gaping holes made empty by mediocrity. Comedians Marcello Hernández, Molly Kearney, Michael Longfellow and Devon Walker will have all eyes on them as the possible saving grace for such a beloved show.

Half the number of members added to the cast compared to the number who have left gives hope to many fans and critics alike.

One of the main criticisms of the show in recent years has been the overwhelming size of the cast. Watching the most recent seasons of SNL has felt more like watching a middle school play in which everyone gets to participate. However, now that the cast size has shrunk, the classic template of SNL sketches will make a return to the 30 Rock stage.

Season 48 has also created anticipation within viewers with the announcement of the first host and musical guest of the season. Indie actor turned heartthrob Miles Teller will share the stage with legendary rapper Kendrick Lamar to kick off SNL’s 48th year on air.

Teller recently hit big with his incredible performance in Top Gun: Maverick, playing Nick “Goose” Bradshaw’s son Bradley “Rooster” Bradshaw. Even though his appearance in the blockbuster may have been the first-time viewers have seen him on the big screen, Teller has been leaving audiences speechless for twelve plus years, with some of his most notable performances including Whiplash, The Spectacular Now, and Bleed for This.

Lamar is similar to Teller in that he has been considered one of the best rappers in the industry since his debut. His most recent album, Mr. Morale and the Big Steppers, reached No. 1 on the Billboard Top 200 Albums chart and is the only hip-hop record of 2022 to surpass one billion streams on Spotify.

Good performances are anticipated all around by the host, musical guest, and returning cast members.

Now that the leading cast members have departed, Ego Nwodim, Bowen Yang, Heidi Gardner, and Mikey Day will most likely step into those leading roles, with longtime cast members Kennan Thompson, Michael Che, and Colin Jost keeping theirs.

Che and Jost will continue their familiar roles behind the “Weekend Update” desk.

Season 48 of SNL premieres at 11:30 pm tomorrow night on October 1, 2022, and can be watched on NBC or Peacock, the network’s streaming platform.