"Welcome to 'Today' on this Monday morning. We are so glad you started your week with us, and it's good to be home."
Her co-anchor Craig Melvin responded:
"Yes, it's good to have you back at home."
Guthrie followed this by saying:
"Well, here we go, ready or not. Let's do the news."
Guthrie performed her duties stoically for the first hour of the program.
But when the team went on their customary trip outside to the Today Show Plaza to greet fans at the top of the second hour, she became tearful seeing the signs, shirts, and yellow ribbons supporting her and her family.
You can see footage here:
Melvin said to the gathered crowd:
"It’s a special Monday morning for us and for this crowd as well, special, because we’re welcoming back our North Star, SG, come on out here."
Guthrie walked out holding hands with her friend and colleague Jenna Bush Hager.
Becoming emotional, Guthrie addressed the crowd saying:
"These signs are so beautiful. You guys have been so beautiful."
"I’ve received so many letters, so much kindness to me and my family. We feel it. We feel your prayers, so thank you so much."
Veteran Today show weatherman Al Roker offered Guthrie his handkerchief, to which she replied:
"This is such a nice pocket square I don’t want to slobber on it."
People shared their support online.
reply to @todayshow/Threads
reply to @todayshow/Threads
reply to @todayshow/Threads
reply to @todayshow/Threads
reply to @todayshow/Threads
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After the show, Guthrie's colleagues also shared their support on social media.
Craig Melvin shared photos of the whole Today team captioned:
"Joy is her protest. And today, joy is ours too. Welcome back, Savannah."
In her March interview with Hoda Kotb, who came out of retirement to fill in during Guthrie's absence, Guthrie shared her desire to return to her work family, saying:
"It’s hard to imagine doing it because it’s such a place of joy and lightness and I can’t come back and try to be something that I’m not. But I can’t not come back because it’s my family."
"I think it’s part of my purpose right now. I want to smile. And when I do, it will be real. And my joy will be my protest. My joy will be my answer. And being there is joyful."
Guthrie added:
"And when it’s not, I’ll say so. I have been so grateful to have this family. I consider this my family, my greater family, and when times are hard, you want to be with your family. And I want to be with my family."
"I don’t know if I can do it. I don’t know if I’ll belong anymore, but I would like to try. I’m not gonna be the same, but maybe it’s like that old poem, more beautiful in the broken places."
Jenna Bush Hager shared several photos captioned:
"OUR dearest is home. Thanks for your prayers. [Savannah Guthrie] amazes us all."
Carson Daly shared a photo of Guthrie captioned:
"Words can’t describe how great it is to have our North Star [Savannah Guthrie back [at the 'Today' show]. She returned with her usual dose of grace, bravery & proficiency. We continue to pray for her & her family daily."
Kotb shared a throwback photo of Guthrie with her children Vale and Charley captioned:
"With you"
Guthrie has been with NBC's Today show since 2011, originally joining as a co-host of the third hour before being named main co-anchor in 2012.
On Easter morning, Trump threatened to wipe out critical Iranian infrastructure if the waterway isn't opened, writing:
"Tuesday will be Power Plant Day, and Bridge Day, all wrapped up in one, in Iran. There will be nothing like it!!! Open the F**kin' Strait, you crazy bastards, or you'll be living in Hell - JUST WATCH!"
"Praise be to Allah."
You can see his post below.
@realDonaldTrump/Truth Social
Kelly later took to X to call out those who've condemned Trump's threat—and somehow made the post all about the profanity instead of all the potential war crimes the president seems about ready to commit:
"Everyone so 'Horrified' at President TRUMP and his language. GIVE ME A BREAK. This is the way people TALK. Get Over it."
"It’s barely lunch Time and I’ve heard the F word on the streets of NYC a dozen times. TRUMP is Keeping it Real—-WE ARE GOING TO WIN!"
You can see his post below.
But, as they say, "there's always a tweet," and Kelly is no exception.
In early 2022, Kelly complained about "offensive vulgarity" on X, then known as Twitter:
"I frown upon offensive vulgarity! I favor a ban (voluntary) on THE F WORD. Should ONLY be uttered in Private, in "certain" situations. Never in public !!!!"
You can see the post below.
The hypocrisy was rich... and people mocked Kelly profusely.
We see right through you, Greg.
The shootdown created what officials described as a nightmare scenario, with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps also searching for the missing airman in southwestern Iran. Both crew members were ultimately recovered during special forces operations inside Iran.
One official said the second rescue mission involved a specialized commando unit supported by heavy air cover, with U.S. forces unleashing intense fire before extracting the officer and leaving Iranian territory. According to two sources, the pilot and weapons systems officer initially made contact through their communications systems after ejecting.
The pilot was rescued within hours. An Iranian strike during that operation hit a U.S. Black Hawk helicopter and wounded crew members, though the aircraft remained operational. It took more than a day for U.S. forces to locate and recover the second airman.
That news came after Iran also shot down an A-10 attack aircraft on Friday, in addition to the F-15 and a Black Hawk helicopter incident. The A-10 pilot was able to reach friendly territory before ejecting safely.
President Donald Trump later argued that the successful rescue of both F-15 crew members without any American fatalities demonstrated that the United States still maintained “overwhelming air dominance and superiority.”
Following the rescue of the F-15 crew member, the far-right X account @MissyIsMAGA shared an AI-generated image of the rescue along with the following message:
"Here is the photo of the honorable Colonel being rescued yesterday— God bless him— our soldiers are ALL doing God’s work! HAPPY EASTER!"
The post has apparently been deleted, but you can see the image below.
@MissyIsMAGA/X
In a now-deleted post, New York Republican Representative Mike Lawler declared "God Bless America!" in response to the "news," sharing the AI picture with his followers.
You can see the post below.
@lawler4ny/X
Texas Governor Greg Abbott–a major Trump administration ally—did the same in a post he has also since deleted, calling the "rescue" picture "so awesome."
You can see the post below.
@GregAbbott_TX/X
It sure was something to see two prominent politicians sharing such obvious misinformation—and they were swiftly criticized for it.
Since the rescues, Trump, who lauded them as an "Easter miracle," has threatened to wipe out critical Iranian infrastructure amid growing concerns about tanker traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, a narrow passage at the entrance to the Persian Gulf that carries roughly 20% of the world’s oil supply.
How he doesn't see that this would put more American service members in danger—requiring more dangerous rescues—is beyond us.
In a recent Instagram comment, the three-time Emmy Award winner, known for This Is Us and The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, offered an explanation for why episode counts have shrunk across both cable and streaming.
The conversation picked up around Season 2 of Paradise, which premiered on February 23 with just eight episodes. When Hulu confirmed the finale would air March 30—only weeks after its debut—fans were quick to push back, questioning why seasons now feel over almost as soon as they begin
One frustrated viewer reacting to Paradise’s shortened season:
"Ugh… 8 episodes are so short… it's too difficult to see the word 'finale' knowing that we are already HALFWAY THROUGH season 2 & we've only just begun!! 😫😫😫😫 I'll take what I can get though, it's just so good!!!!!"
That frustration reflects a broader shift. The once-standard 22-episode season has largely been replaced by tighter runs, often landing between six and 10 episodes—a change driven less by creativity and more by how television is now financed.
But Brown offered an explanation on the key difference between network and streaming models:
"Cable and streamers don't make money on more episodes, but network does. Network is all about advertisers. The more shows you have, the more ads you can run, the more money you make."
That’s the whole shift. Network TV needed more episodes to sell more ads. Streaming doesn’t—it needs new shows to keep subscribers hooked.
So instead of 22 episodes, you get eight. Higher budgets, tighter storytelling, faster drop-offs.
And while that cuts the filler, it also means less breathing room and a whole lot more waiting.
Brown addressed how platforms define success in this new TV watching landscape:
"Premium cable and streamers make their money off subscribers. So it's not about how many shows do you have. It's about how many new shows do you have that make people wanna subscribe to your platform."
The strategy is already visible across major releases. Bridgerton has maintained eight-episode seasons, sometimes split into multiple parts. HBO’s A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms debuted with six episodes, while Apple TV+’s Pluribus ran for nine.
Meanwhile, network comedies like Abbott Elementary continue to produce longer seasons, reflecting a system still built around weekly programming and syndication.
Ultimately, the divide is about business incentives. And unless those incentives shift, shorter seasons are likely here to stay.
Brown weighed in on whether audiences tuning in can influence that model:
“So if they did more episodes, they don't necessary get new subscribers. But if they come with something that's new and shiny that's makes people say 'ooooo I wanna see that, then they're building their subscriber base."
"The only thing that could change it is if fans actually stop subscribing and mandate that these platforms make longer seasons, but I don't think that's gonna happen."
You can view his comment here:
@sterlingkbrown/Instagram
Brown’s comments have since gone viral, reigniting debate around whether “quality over quantity” actually satisfies viewers, or simply reframes what they’ve come to expect.
As for Paradise, the series has already been renewed for a third and reportedly final season, continuing creator Dan Fogelman’s planned arc, further underscoring how tightly structured modern streaming shows have become.
The internet didn’t exactly disagree, but that didn’t stop viewers from voicing frustration over a model they feel prioritizes churn over consistency.
Brown is stepping into his 50th birthday with a comedy roast planned by his wife, actor Ryan Michelle Bathé, pulling in friends and collaborators from This Is Us, Paradise, and beyond.
Comedian and The Daily Show host Josh Johnson offered his own take with a toast to the roast:
Daily Show/YouTube
Brown’s wife also appeared in Season 2 of Paradise as Stacy, a mentor to Jane, played by Nicole Brydon Bloom, with her storyline unfolding through flashbacks, in an approach that mirrors the shorter, more strategic season structures Brown says are driven by today’s subscriber-first model.
