'Saturday Night Live' Stars Talk the New Class

This Saturday, school is back in session — the school of live, late-night comedy!

When "Saturday Night Live" returns for its 39th season this week, it'll have a new look: Six new cast members are joining the cast, and Cecily Strong will be sitting next to Seth Meyers at the "Weekend Update" desk.

It's definitely going to be a season of change for the NBC sketch show, with veterans Bill Hader, Jason Sudeikis, and Fred Armisen all gone. But the players who've stayed can't wait to see what the year brings.

[Video: Watch Classic 'SNL' Sketches on Yahoo Screen]

"It's very exciting because people get to show more," Jay Pharoah told Yahoo TV at NBC's fall launch event. "Especially me. Folks have seen me do a lot, but for the most part, you've seen me do impressions and things, but I have more stuff in the barrel."

Check out Pharoah's Thanksgiving rap:

The veterans can't wait to play with the new cast. "Everybody's excited to go back to school," Aidy Bryant said.

Watch Bryant as social-media expert Kourtney Barnes:

"It is my fourth year, which is technically senior year," added Vanessa Bayer, who turned to "sophomore" Bryant and joked, "Guess what? Maybe you can sit at my lunch table."  

Check out Bayer as Jacob the Bar Mitzvah Boy:

And though the six additions are "freshmen," don't expect any hazing.

[Related: 'The Chevy Chase Show' Turns 20: Anatomy of a Late-Night Disaster]

"Yeah, I'm like, how can I mess up their first experience on television?" Pharoah laughed. "There's none of that. We just want to see people succeed. It's like little ducklings — you want to see a duckling walk in line. You don't want to see one wandering over there, getting picked up by a random beaver or something."

In fact, the vets took the newbies out for a celebratory dinner and karaoke.

"My song is — and this is my standard and it has been for years — 'All I Want for Christmas Is You' by Mariah Carey," Bryan revealed. "It brings down the house year around."

[Related: Where Did Bill Hader Go to Celebrate His Emmy Nom?]

"I do a lot of Jewel," Bryant chimed in. When told that the singer was at the event to promote "The Sing-Off," she brightened. "Is she really? I'm going to have to do it for her!"

We smell a potential sketch!

"Saturday Night Live" premieres Sept. 28 at 11:30 p.m. on NBC.

Check out episode photos from Season 38 of "Saturday Night Live":