Many of the most iconic SNL actors would go on to maintain their notoriety as the stars (or scene-stealing supporting characters) of their own TV shows — typically of the sitcom variety. The following are some of the greatest sitcoms that served as a follow-up to a comedy icon after leaving Saturday Night Live.
Parks And Recreation (Amy Poehler)
A year after Amy Poehler left SNL in 2008, she started leading the Parks and Recreation cast as Leslie Knope. Following the mockumentary series’ end in 2015, the Emmy winner would reprise the ambitious political official on SNL when co-star Aubrey Plaza hosted in 2023.
The PJs (Eddie Murphy)
Eddie Murphy was already one of the biggest stars on the planet by the time he left SNL in 1984 and would not return to television until 1999 with The PJs. Murphy also co-created this stop-motion animated series, which lasted three seasons on Fox, in which he voices Thurgood Stubbs — the grouchy superintendent of an inner-city housing project.
30 Rock (Tina Fey)
After years of first-hand experience as a performer and head writer for SNL, Tina Fey created a series about what goes on behind the scenes at a sketch comedy show and starred as its head writer, Liz Lemon. The 30 Rock cast also included fellow SNL vet Tracy Morgan, Five-Timer’s Club member Alec Baldwin, and others who really made the surreal showbiz satire something special.
Community (Chevy Chase)
Just about every member of the Community cast went on to hit A-list levels of notoriety — especially Donald Glover — but when Dan Harmon’s inventive twist on the school-set sitcom first aired in 2009, its most recognizable name was Chevy Chase. Despite only lasting one season on SNL (its very first) the former Not-Ready-For-Primetime Player went on to lead a legendary movie career, but his role as Pierce Hawthorne marked his biggest TV success since leaving Studio 8H.
Seinfeld (Julia Louis-Dreyfus)
While there are many who have since forgotten Julia Louis-Dreyfus was on SNL (around the same time Larry David was a writer, actually), no one could ever forget her illustrious, tenure on the Seinfeld cast as Elaine Benes. Her Emmy-winning performance is what made the character — the only woman in the four-person main ensemble — and her most iconic moments on the legendary sitcom so refreshing for the time and anytime.
The Last Man on Earth (Will Forte)
In 2014, Will Forte created a series that served as a perfect platform for him to prolong his signature absurdist brand of humor beyond SNL. He stars on The Last Man on Earth — which Fox cancelled before it could finish its story properly — as Phil, who takes advantage of being the only remaining man following the spread of a deadly virus, but still longs for some company, which he does soon receive.
Kate & Allie (Jane Curtin)
Jane Curtin made a name for herself on SNL, and her role in the popular ‘90s show 3rd Rock from the Sun made her sitcom royalty, but it was the since-forgotten Kate & Allie that made her a two-time Emmy-winner. Created by Sherry Coben and running from 1984 to 1985 on CBS, the show starred Susan Saint James and Curtin as the titular duo — a pair of divorced moms sharing an apartment, and a family, together.
Norm (Norm Macdonald)
The late Norm Macdonald was the host of Weekend Update on SNL from 1994 through 1997. A couple years after his departure from the series, he landed his own self-titled sitcom, in which he plays a field hockey player forced to become a social worker as community service. Originally titled The Norm Show, the Emmy-nominated series lasted three season on ABC.
Designing Women (Jan Hooks)
The late Jan Hooks was one of the most talented ‘90s-era SNL stars, and also went on to land a memorable recurring role on 30 Rock, to name one notable career detail. Her first major taste of sitcom stardom, however, came when she joined the Designing Women cast as Carlene Frazier Dobber from 1991 to 1993.
The Michael Richards Show (Tim Meadows)
Following his long-running SNL tenure (a then-record-breaking 10 years), Tim Meadows went on to star on several sitcoms — such as TBS’s The Bill Engvall Show, ABC’s The Goldbergs, and its spin-off, Schooled. The first, however, was NBC’s short-lived The Michael Richards Show from 2000, on which he played Kevin Blakeley — a private investigator who works alongside central character, Vic Nardozza (played by the titular former Seinfeld star).
Archer (Chris Parnell)
Many of Chris Parnell’s most successful post-SNL credits have been voice acting roles, such as Jerry on Rick and Morty. Before then, the 2012’s 21 Jump Street cast member’s voice was best known from Archer as Cyril Figgis — a neurotic, luckless financial manager for the espionage organization in this long-running animated comedy from FX.
Roseanne (Laurie Metcalf)
Having only appeared on the show twice — for a “Weekend Update” segment and a short film — most people have forgotten that Laurie Metcalf had a brief stint at Studio 8H, making her one of the few Oscar-nominated SNL actors (for Lady Bird). Arguably her most iconic role, however, is Jackie Harris on Roseanne and the rebranded revival, The Conners.
NewsRadio (Phil Hartman)
After a stunning tenure that some argue makes him the greatest SNL actor of all time, Phil Hartman followed it up by playing hilariously arrogant broadcaster Bill McNeal on NewsRadio. Unfortunately, after four seasons, the actor was tragically murdered by his wife, as CNN recalls, and his former SNL co-star, Jon Lovitz, took his place on the NBC sitcom as Max Lewis for the final run.
The Tracy Morgan Show (Tracy Morgan)
Years before he was cast on 30 Rock in the more cartoonish role of Tracy Jordan, Tracy Morgan played the lead of a more traditional family sitcom. Lasting 16 episodes on NBC, The Tracy Morgan Show starred the comedian as an auto repair shop owner with a wife (played by Tamala Jones) and two sons (played by Marc John Jefferies and Bobb’e J. Thompson) and also featured fellow stand-up Katt Williams as one of Tracy’s mechanics.
Brooklyn Nine-Nine (Andy Samberg)
Based on his otherwise brilliant SNL tenure, Andy Samberg is one of the last actors we would expect to play a cop. However, that is one of the many reasons why his Golden Globe-winning performance in the Brooklyn Nine-Nine cast as Det. Jake Peralta became so iconic and the workplace comedy became an instant classic.
I Love That For You (Vanessa Bayer)
As mentioned during her 2022 interview on Late Night with Seth Meyers, SNL vet Vanessa Bayer, when she was growing up in Ohio, had Leukemia and an obsession with QVC. With help from co-creator Jeremy Beiler, she channeled both of these details into the development of I Love That For You, which lasted one season on Showtime and starred Bayer as a woman who falsely announces that her childhood illness has returned in the hopes of keeping her dream job at a home shopping channel.
Everybody Hates Chris (Chris Rock)
Many of Chris Rock’s hilarious appearances on SNL's “Weekend Update” (pictured) involved mentions of his childhood, which also served as the basis of Everybody Hates Chris. Starring future Abbott Elementary star Tyler James Williams as a young Chris Rock, the comedian served as the narrator for this Emmy-nominated series, which he also co-created with Ali LeRoi.
According To Jim (Jim Belushi)
Jim Belushi — younger brother of John Belushi — had a decent run on SNL lasting two years, but his biggest small screen success was ABC’s According to Jim. Lasting eight seasons, the family sitcom starred Belushi as a scheming husband and father, alongside former Melrose Place star Courtney Thorne-Smith as his wife, Cheryl.
Just Shoot Me (David Spade)
David Spade followed up six years on SNL with a scene-stealing role on NBC’s hit, Emmy-nominated workplace sitcom, Just Shoot Me. He played Dennis Finch — an executive assistant at fashion magazine Blush who tries desperate schemes to get the attention of the models seen around the office.
The Jamie Foxx Show (Garrett Morris)
Garrett Morris has multiple sitcoms on his resume — including a run on Martin, a more recent starring role on 2 Broke Girls, and even a series that predates SNL called Roll Out. However, we decided to highlight UPN’s The Jamie Foxx Show, in which he starred alongside the future Academy Award winner as his character’s uncle and employer at an LA hotel.
The Other Two (Molly Shannon)
Molly Shannon’s SNL tenure featured a variety of iconic characters — most notably, Mary Katherine Gallagher, whom she brought to the big screen in the 1999 SNL movie, Superstar. One of the actor’s most celebrated roles as of late is Pat Dubek — the mother of a teenage viral sensation and two older struggling artists in the acclaimed comedy, The Other Two, which premiered on Comedy Central before becoming exclusive with a Max subscription for its final two seasons.
White Famous (Jay Pharoah)
After Jay Pharaoh got fired from SNL, he still managed to find success lending his many voices to Family Guy and showing up in The Blackening cast for a memorable moment. However, some credit should be given to his short-lived Showtime series, White Famous, in which he plays an up-and-coming Black comedian trying to make it big.
Happy Endings (Casey Wilson)
Following up her unfairly short SNL stint, Casey Wilson starred on an unfairly short romantic-comedy TV show called Happy Endings. She played Penny — a party girl looking for Mr. RIght — on the ensemble comedy before ABC cancelled it after three seasons.
Me, Myself & I (Bobby Moynihan)
For his first major follow-up, Bobby Moynihan — one of the writers of the beloved SNL sketch that introduced David S. Pumpkins — signed on as one of three actors to play the same role on Me, Myself & I. The experimental sitcom followed a man named Alex as a teen (Jack Dylan Grazer) in the 1990s, in his mid-life (Moynihan) in the 2017-2018 era, and in his 60s (John Larroquette) in the 2042 until it was cancelled after one season by CBS.
Bob Hearts Abishola (Christine Ebersole)
Christine Ebersole is a prime example of an SNL star who led a better career outside of Studio 8H, having starred in Oscar-nominated movies like The Wolf of Wall Street or cult favorite comedies like Black Sheep, opposite fellow SNL alums Chris Farley and David Spade. One of more acclaimed small screen roles comes from the CBS sitcom, Bob Hearts Abishola, as Bob's mother, Dottie.
Schitt's Creek (Chris Elliott)
Before he joined SNL for a sole season, Chris Elliott co-created and lead his own sitcom called Get a Life, which ran from 1990 to 1992. However, more people know the comedian best for his role in the Schitt’s Creek cast as Roland Schitt - the mayor of the titular town where the Roses settle down when they lose everything.
LateLine (Al Franken)
Al Franken’s most notable success outside of writing and performing on SNL would have to be his stint as U.S. senator. However, for a short time between 1998 and 1999, he also led his own NBC sitcom that he co-created called LateLine, which chronicled what goes on behind-the-scenes of an after-hours news program.
The New Adventures Of Old Christine (Julia Louis-Dreyfus)
Before she would go on to star in the hit HBO series Veep, Julia Louis-Dreyfus followed her successful run on Seinfeld with the 2006 comedy, The New Adventures of Old Christine. The future Veep cast lead won her second Emmy for the CBS sitcom following the struggles of a divorced mother.
Superior Donuts (David Koechner)
Arguably, David Koechner's most iconic small screen role following his short SNL stint would have to be his despicable supporting character from The Office, Todd Packer. However, Anchorman's Champ Kind actor would later land a more likable regular spot on CBS' short-lived Superior Donuts as laid-off factory worker, Carl "Tush" Tushinski.
A.N.T. Farm (Finesse Mitchell)
Perhaps best known for his SNL character, Starkisha, Finesse Mitchell has made appearances on a variety of movies and TV shows, including former co-star Kenan Thompson's self-titled NBC sitcom in 2021. His steadiest gig following Studio 8H, however, is his recurring role on Disney Channel's A.N.T. Farm as Daryl Parks — the father of the prodigious young central character, Chyna.
Men Behaving Badly (Rob Schneider)
Rob Schneider first followed his film career with a TV series by leading the short-lived CBS sitcom, Rob — which was also the first IMDb credit for A-lister Jenna Ortega. However, his first small screen follow-up to SNL was a remake of the British sitcom, Men Behaving Badly, on which he played a lazy man-child getting in the way of his roommate's (played by Ron Eldard) relationship with his more mature girlfriend (played by Justine Bateman).
Whether they are on SNL or on their sitcom, these actors always know how to make us laugh.
