Never insinuated that Hymie. However, people who think todays SNL is still on top of its game, should review earlier shows to see it when it was. I have nothing against todays talented SNL ensemble, but rather the often crappy material they’re given. John
There are no "topics that are off-limits from management positions" unless you mean obvious things like they could not produce a pro-Nazi sketch. The show reflects the sensibilities of the writers and performers. SNL remains among the higher-rated network shows among total viewers, and retains popularity in the 18-49 demographic. Rregardless of what one thinks of its quality, it's a valuable promotion tool. The notion that hundreds of celebrities are turning down the opportunity to host is patently ridiculous, not to mention completely unsupported by any evidence whatsoever.
“Accept certain inalienable truths: Prices will rise. Politicians will philander. You, too, will get old. And when you do, you'll fantasize that when you were young, prices were reasonable, politicians were noble and children respected their elders.” - Mary Schmich, Wear Sunscreen We used to start these SNL season threads with this disclaimer in the first post, just to get it out of the way. Whomever starts the thread next season should put back this disclaimer: The show hasn't been funny since Chevy Chase/John Belushi/Eddie Murphy/Dana Carvey/Phil Hartman/Chris Farley/Norm Macdonald/Will Ferrell/Tina Fey/Kristen Wiig/John Milhiser left, and I can't believe anyone still watches it.
Thank you for providing - didn't change my mind on this particular episode. I did enjoy Selena Gomez's monologue. I haven't viewed W/E Update on youtube, either, to date, but based on the rest of the sketches I viewed, not feeling very inclined to. I'd already addressed other aspects, such as the pretty difficult odds for this episode coming off very highly, following last week's w/Benedict Cumberbatch, which was tops! Too bad that wasn't season end, b/c that would've been going off on a very high note, indeed!
I started watching in 1975 too. I was only seven, but I had a hip mom, and she let me stay up and watch it with her. I distinctly remember seeing the Bass-O-Matic sketch live whenever that aired in 1975/76. While it’s natural to think it’s all been downhill since then, a while back I bought the DVDs of the first two or three seasons, and, while the orginal cast was great and there were many great moments, there were also a lot of not-so-funny or just “meh” sketches and moments in those early shows as well. It is what it is. The show has usually never been consistently funny for all 90 minutes. And I would say a lot of cast members such as Kristen Wiig and Bill Hader and Kenan Thompson and many, many others have been as good and as funny as the original cast members.
I agree. I think memory plays tricks on us regarding the earlier seasons since only the best skits get released on DVD compilations and Youtube. This creates a disproportionate sense of quality, especially when you haven't watched the original run.
I am 100% positive the people posting here have watched much earlier seasons. It is borderline condescending that you would use that to make an argument as to why the people here like this season. We here just don't know better if we actually like this season?
I guess some people don't realize how much SNL is an institution for not only TV, but also movies. I guess their hate, clouds their judgement. SNL ain't going anywhere...
My hate only really goes as far as SNL being hung up on being an institution. I'm all for the mission itself: live sketches with as much immediate cultural awareness as they can translate into humor. What ruins it for me every episode, is the way somehow they always manage to make it about the show itself, reminding the audience about how important they are. And, once you go down that road, I think that's where you cease to become that vital thing. I get that the show is a big cultural touchstone, but it's the rubbing that in our faces itself in the opening monologue which puts me off. The guest that is in awe of being on This Sacred Stage, or the mad-libs quality of the formatted monologue that robs the show right then and there of any hope for real spontaneity or danger. The sketches that repeat show-to-show just because the structure of the last one was received so well since it was the same thing that made us laugh months ago. Recurring characters in the news sketch (for years I thought that was the only role that was keeping Kenan on the show). This Years Blonde cast member. The Five-Timer Host Club. The first sketch being a game show parody. Every pre-produced musical/rap sketch that has followed "Dick In A Box". The recurring sketches in the last half-hour based on getting cast members to crack up. It's she show's self-awareness as an institution and its' own tradition, and hammering on that over and over, that robs it of its' freshness.
It’s not quite official yet but Pete is leaving the show: Pete Davidson to Leave 'Saturday Night Live' - Variety
He hasn't even appeared in the last five or six episodes. Wonder if he will come back for the finale to say goodbye.
This season there are 21cast members. I know there have been posts about the overexposure of certain cast members. It seems to me that most episodes utilize 7 or 8 cast members. By that, I mean they at least have a few lines. The rest are not seen or are in the background. I didn't do any research on this. I'm I totally wrong about this?
‘SNL’: Kate McKinnon, Aidy Bryant & Kyle Mooney To Exit Alongside Pete Davidson As Major Cast Shake-Up Set For Season Finale
I could see Lorne Michael's pushing to get Kate McKinnon into position to take over James Cordens upcoming talkshow vacancy. Until I remembered it involves the wrong network.
Pretty much, yeah. It's been common this season for a few cast members to be absent each week, but it's not nearly as lopsided as you suggest.
Actually, they seem to have worked pretty hard this year to get almost everyone involved in each episode, despite the huge cast. Most of the episodes have had at least one long omnibus-style sketch such as below, in which a procession of cast members appear. The sketch below in fact features 18 of this year's 21 cast members (the only ones missing are Cecily Strong, who was not present that week due to work on an outside project, and Jost and Che who obviously do not appear in sketches):
Dude...she's gonna be just fine being that wacky, bug-eyed co-worker one cubicle over in the next few Jennifer Aniston/Jennifer Lopez/Jennifer Garner films.
I'm good with all of these cast members leaving. The newer ones seem to be really good adn playing off each other well. Glad Alex Moffat and Mikey Day seem to be staying. I like Kate quite a bit as a comedic actress - her vocal timing and emphasis is really good - and I'm happy with her moving on.
