‘Saturday Night Live’ Hits Season Ratings Highs With Host Adam Levine

Adam Levine SNL in Skit - H 2013

Dana Edelson/NBC

January continues to be a strong month for Saturday Night Live.

The Jan. 26 episode of SNL, featuring host Adam Levine, was the season's strongest in both adults 18-49 and total viewers. Initial ratings had it on par with Bruno Mars' pre-election showing in October, but Nielsen's live plus same day returns now give SNL a 2.7 rating in the key demo and 7.3 million viewers.

In the demo, that marks the series' best performance since season's May 12 finale hosted by Will Ferrell, which also pulled a 2.7 rating.

With total viewers, the episode came in just shy of Lindsay Lohan's 7.4 million strong telecast on March 3.

SNL reached its highest ratings for the past two seasons in the month of January, with hosting efforts by Charles Barkley (2012) and Jim Carrey (2011).

The show announced Wednesday that Christoph Waltz will make his hosting debut on Feb. 16 after the Feb. 9 episode featuring Justin Bieber.

Michael O'Connell