Clinton and Chris Matthews. Cast Jim Breuer Will Ferrell Darrell Hammond David Koechner Norm Macdonald* Mark McKinney Tim Meadows Cheri Oteri Molly Shannon David Spade Nancy Walls Featuring Chris Kattan (first episode: March 16, 1996) Colin Quinn (first episode credited: March 16, 1996) Fred Wolf (first episode: April 13, 1996) * denotes "Weekend Update" anchor Cast stabilisation (1996–1997) The ensemble from the 1995–96 season was mostly unchanged for the 1996–97 season, save for the firing of David Koechner and Nancy Walls, as well as the departure of David Spade. Tim Meadows became the longest-running cast member this season. Tracy Morgan and Ana Gasteyer both joined the cast, taking the places of Koechner and Walls. Mark McKinney left at the end of this season. Cast Jim Breuer Will Ferrell Ana Gasteyer Darrell Hammond Chris Kattan Norm Macdonald* Mark McKinney Tim Meadows Tracy Morgan Cheri Oteri Molly Shannon Featuring Colin Quinn Fred Wolf (final episode: October 19, 1996) * denotes "Weekend Update" anchor Period of (1997–1998) The ensemble from the 1996–97 season remained substantially unchanged for the 1997–98 season. Jim Breuer would leave the show after this season, later blaming then-head writer Adam McKay, although McKay denies the allegations. This is also the only season of the show in which the intro is not based on New York City (instead, just showing colored bars and black-and-white pictures of the cast, musical guests, hosts, special guests, and announcement for Robert Smigel's "TV Funhouse" animated sketches). Norm Macdonald's firing While the cast was, for the most part, unchanged from the previous season, Norm Macdonald's surprise firing was the source of much speculation and scrutiny from the media. Macdonald frequently targeted O. J. Simpson and his murder trial on "Weekend Update", a recurring joke that then-NBC executive Don Ohlmeyer apparently disliked. This is rumoured to be the cause of Macdonald's firing, although Ohlmeyer denied the allegations. He was replaced on Weekend Update by castmate Colin Quinn starting January 10, 1998. Cast Jim Breuer Will Ferrell Ana Gasteyer Darrell Hammond Chris Kattan Norm Macdonald* (final episode: March 14, 1998) Tim Meadows Tracy Morgan Cheri Oteri Colin Quinn* Molly Shannon * denotes "Weekend Update" anchor New featured players (1998–1999) The 1998–99 season introduced new cast members Jimmy Fallon, Chris Parnell and Horatio Sanz. Cast Will Ferrell Ana Gasteyer Darrell Hammond Chris Kattan Tim Meadows Tracy Morgan Cheri Oteri Colin Quinn* Molly Shannon Featuring Jimmy Fallon Chris Parnell