Saturday Night Live.....

[undercoverbrother]

While I didn't enjoy Wiig, I did enjoy the musical guest.

I find that often the mix is off on SNL, but I thought she sounded good (oh please don't tell me she was just moving her lips).

[troutman]

Dua Lip Synch.

[undercoverbrother]

Originally Posted by troutman

Dua Lip Synch.

Dude you are raining on all my parades today.

[troutman]

https://twitter.com/user/status/1341188457075453958

[Tsawwassen]

Paul Rudd was hosting on the repeat episode from Dec. 2013. Kristen Wiig was in the opening. Will Ferrell was in the opening monologue and was in the drunk salesmen skit. One Direction was the musical guest and overall it was a good show.

[brocoli]

Originally Posted by Tsawwassen

Paul Rudd was hosting on the repeat episode from Dec. 2013. Kristen Wiig was in the opening. Will Ferrell was in the opening monologue and was in the drunk salesmen skit. One Direction was the musical guest and overall it was a good show.

I was just coming to post about this. Rewatching this episode form only 7 years really shows how far SNL has fallen. It was such a well done episode and laughs with every skit

[Regulator75]

Wiig was majorly botox'd. Her normally expressive face was frozen all night.

[direwolf]

This is definitely one of their down years. There have been a few good episodes (Bill Burr, Mulaney, Chappelle), and a few sketches here and there that have stood out. But the majority of the shows just haven't been very good.

I have no doubt that they'll bounce back like they always do. But man, this season has been a struggle, save for Weekend Update which is clearly the best thing the show has going right now.

[troutman]

I've said this before, and will argue again - SNL from the very beginning always has roughly the same hit rate. Most shows have 2-3 good skits, some years have 2-3 shows where most of the skits were good. This is the challenge of a Live show where writing occurs basically over two days.

If you watch old shows in their entirety (not just the really good episodes that get replayed) there are always plenty of misses.

[Coach]

Originally Posted by troutman

I've said this before, and will argue again - SNL from the very beginning always has roughly the same hit rate. Most shows have 2-3 good skits, some years have 2-3 shows where most of the skits were good. This is the challenge of a Live show where writing occurs basically over two days.

If you watch old shows in their entirety (not just the really good episodes that get replayed) there are always plenty of misses.

I don’t disagree but there can definitely be stretches of years where it’s just not as good as it was or would get later. They have lost some really great cast members the last few years that they just haven’t replaced. Not to mention MacKinnon, Bryant, Thompson, Bayer probably all looking to buck out in the near future.

[getbak]

I don't know if anyone is keeping track, but it seems like they're doing fewer, longer sketches this year. I assume that's a COVID thing to minimize the number of set and costume changes required in each episode.

If that is happening, it has two downsides: If it's a weak sketch, it just becomes a long, weak sketch; and even if it's a good sketch, there's only so many ways to tell the same joke before it starts becoming repetitive, which will make even a good sketch seem bad.

[jayswin]

Originally Posted by troutman

I've said this before, and will argue again - SNL from the very beginning always has roughly the same hit rate. Most shows have 2-3 good skits, some years have 2-3 shows where most of the skits were good. This is the challenge of a Live show where writing occurs basically over two days.

If you watch old shows in their entirety (not just the really good episodes that get replayed) there are always plenty of misses.

Nope, I respectfully reject this. There is another key factor missing that negates the idea that it's always the same and we just remember the good. The show also goes through growing pains where the current/new cast is trying to find chemistry, characters, inside/reoccurring jokes etc.

Right now is a bad period where they clearly don't have a strong cast with a huge lack of chemistry. A skit needs to be perfectly written right now to be a hit, the cast will rarely push anything extra of out it or create something of nothing.

Look at Hader, Wiig, Armison etc. Huge chemistry, huge skill, regularly making mediocre premises just land in hilarious ways, with the chemistry and breaking between cast turning even some bad sketches into memorable ones.

[looooob]

Originally Posted by brocoli

I was just coming to post about this. Rewatching this episode form only 7 years really shows how far SNL has fallen. It was such a well done episode and laughs with every skit

maybe someone else has already pointed it out but I guess another issue is that the rerun episodes are 60 minutes long instead of 90 so they usually cut one song, a few dud sketches and truncate the weekend update (as best I can tell)


so even the Wiig episode would become like: Cold open, monologue, the christmas morning robe song sketch, the teacher sketch, probably the Grinch one, most of weekend update and one song and the episode then while still without anything amazing, doesn't look as weak


otherwise I agree this year isn't so strong, but there is a cast under transition and I imagine covid isn't helping on multiple levels

[GreenLantern]

Don't really watch or pay attention to this show much, and maybe it's even an old skit but I just saw it for the first time, the one with that girl from Bridesmaids playing the Mom and the Dog getting more presents. Haven't actually laughed out loud on anything on the internet for a while but that was gold.

[CaptainYooh]

I recall someone (a former cast member) saying that SNL always went from super to mediocre casts consistently, almost every complete cast change cycle. One good-one bad and so on. Possible explanation was that viewers like some casts so much that the next one inevitably becomes a disappointment regardless of its own merits. I give this theory some credibility. Julia Lois-Dreyfuss (who I believe said that) admittedly was in the "bad"-cycle cast and is not remembered for her SNL performances much. Same with a few other successful comedians like Chris Rock.

Regarding the current state of SNL, I disagree with troutman's viewpoint on it being the same hit'n'miss as always. I think it is suffering from over-politicization of its material and from becoming way too partisan. SNL used to be relatively apolitical and focusing mainly on being funny with various degrees of success. Since Trump, SNL's material has been decidedly left-leaning and very political, which makes it a lot less funny even when skits are good and hitting their intended marks.

Host selection has become puzzling. Mulaney hoisting for the 5th time in 2 years is plain ridiculous. Even Wiig: other than "Bridesmaids", what has she done post-SNL to deserve 4 host appearances?

Also, musical guests are now a lot less deserving of an SNL stage than they used to be (unless you really like rap music and teen-pop).

[looooob]

Originally Posted by CaptainYooh

Host selection has become puzzling. Mulaney hoisting for the 5th time in 2 years is plain ridiculous. Even Wiig: other than "Bridesmaids", what has she done post-SNL to deserve 4 host appearances?

Also, musical guests are now a lot less deserving of an SNL stage than they used to be (unless you really like rap music and teen-pop).

its an interesting point re: hosts. I guess 2020 in particular is hard as there isn't as much stuff for celebs to promote in general and I guess in Wiig's case there is Wonder woman coming up


I think there have likely always been people that have been 'go tos' as hosts more than their specific projects of the day may have merited. Buck Henry hosted the show 5 times in the first two or three years I think. Baldwin and Goodman (yes both famous guys ) have hosted over 30 times between them- I think sometimes you just find someone that fits well (or is willing to say yes I suppose). they do seem to like to draw on former SNL cast/writers. it is possible this is happening more than ever, you could be right there


I think one thing they need to do with this (or any) cast is let them develop and rely less on guest stars. the cast should be able to provide the president and president elect etc. I was happy to see them push out Moffat as Biden- I don't know whether it will work or not but they need to try

[CaptainYooh]

Originally Posted by looooob

...
I think one thing they need to do with this (or any) cast is let them develop and rely less on guest stars. the cast should be able to provide the president and president elect etc. I was happy to see them push out Moffat as Biden- I don't know whether it will work or not but they need to try

I don't mind star actors as guest or surprise guest appearances at all. It makes an episode exciting. Remember De Niro and Pesci in street clothes coming in unexpectedly without a prepped script and beating one of the Weekend Update hosts (can't recall whom) with baseball bats in response to criticism? I heard that was completely impromptu and it was hilarious.

What bothers me a lot is some form of "SNL-family" nepotism, which is developing over there. They keep bringing in ex-cast members like Rudolph or Dratch for no good reason all the time.

[looooob]

Originally Posted by CaptainYooh

I don't mind star actors as guest or surprise guest appearances at all. It makes an episode exciting. Remember De Niro and Pesci in street clothes coming in unexpectedly without a prepped script and beating one of the Weekend Update hosts (can't recall whom) with baseball bats in response to criticism? I heard that was completely impromptu and it was hilarious.

What bothers me a lot is some form of "SNL-family" nepotism, which is developing over there. They keep bringing in ex-cast members like Rudolph or Dratch for no good reason all the time.

I think we are on the same page here- occasional guest stars are awesome. 'guest stars' becoming cast members because they play the president is a concern

[troutman]

I think I read Lorne Michaels to say that the criticism that the current season is not as good as before, started in Season 2 and became an annual complaint ever since.

Musical guests were certainly more edgy and artistic in the beginning. Now it is definitely more "pop".

Political satire has been difficult in the time of Trump - the reality is so absurd you can't make it more silly.

I think I would rather have cameos from top SNL alumni, than random celebrities.

[CaptainYooh]

Originally Posted by troutman

I think I read Lorne Michaels to say that the criticism that the current season is not as good as before, started in Season 2 and became an annual complaint ever since...

What else would he say? It's his show.