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The Guiding Principles and New Rules
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[SNL] Where, like the Simpsons, everything was better a long time ago
Thought it might be nice to have a thread where we post skits, argue about things, and complain about the kids on our lawn (no wait, that's another show).
Season Finale of the Colin and Michael joke swap
https://youtu.be/HPH0HgotIE4
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Posts
SNL is vastly improved on when it's in syndication and the worst 3 or 4 filler skits are trimmed out of each episode.
There are some genuinely great skits and moments out there and some seasons were significantly better than others. But even a lot of the fondly remembered bits went on too long or ended up getting run into the ground if you sit and watch the whole skit now.
Its also pretty much standalone unique.
No, MadTV doesn't count. You don't count garbage, you throw it out.
Also SNL is still great (overall)
It was fantastic when it was on, though.
Blizzard: Pailryder#1101
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"Tragedy today, as former President Gerald Ford was eaten by wolves. He was delicious."
Its a bit unfair to compare it to a typical sketch show where they can write and massage scripts for weeks. A sketch that doesn't work at all might get scrapped completely whereas SNL they might not find a sketch doesn't work until Friday rehearsals
Her songs sounded like elevator music you’d hear at a casino but I liked her very soft and girly costumes
Anyway, here’s my Season 49 playlist
https://www.tiktok.com/@huggyattack/video/7281145882530024747?lang=en
Oh my god it is, I've never looked at TikTok, PM me your venmo for the bounty
Ah, I'm good. Just happy to help out. I know from personal experience, SNL clips are a PITA to find online.
One thing I think gets overlooked often is modern members don't have confidence. Phil Hartman is the GOAT, this is not up for debate. But he was confident enough in his skills that he didn't mind not being the center of attention in a sketch, he wasn't constantly being a Bobby Moyhnahan in overacting whenever it was his turn to speak or Kenan Thompson doing a lame smirk. If he acted well he made it easier on the other members getting their time to maybe shine, and that comes from the Groundlings actually being good back in the day and not "break character in case of a bad sketch." There's an old sketch he did in '88 or '89 when Nora Dunn was still there, where he ran a "sentimentality pawn shop" and it's one of those pleasant chuckle skits in the second half of the show that I don't think modern writers can even fathom anymore. Oh my God they actually put it up, excellent:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wTfDh2LlOHo
Will Ferrell's had this similar confidence when he was on the show, and that's really the last person to do so after Daryl Hammond was sort of sidelined into being "the politics pinch hitter." Nowadays the members are too worried to go against the audience, or make them buy into the sketch. It would help if modern members could learn the basics of acting.
Since then it’s been nothing but timid waffling and insecure mugging, and it’s painful. I really do feel like the last two years were some of the show’s worst.
The last two years have been mired in sketches that actually remind me of the really terrible stuff in the 80's where the cast digs into a single, basic joke for an entire, insufferable sketch - "you put your weed in it!" being a classic example. Thankfully with a strong showing at the end of this season and at least 2 or 3 all time classic sketches rolling in by the season end, I'm hoping the show is back on solid footing.
Half the sketches are just “this person is different in a way actual real people are different and we are gunna fricken roast um for it!”
I’m not saying you’re wrong, I’m just saying I’m not seeing what you’re seeing.
Other than Bowen, I wouldn’t lose sleep if they sacked the entire cast. There’s not a single breakout star among them. I had high hopes for Sarah, but she’s floundered and hasn’t been able to break out of her one-note wheelhouse.
I can see where you’re coming from. I agree they currently don’t have a breakout star, I more or less said as much, but I think they have a few good contributors. Most of the previous cast have left at this point with Cecily leaving last year (Kenan may stay on the cast until he dies), and it usually takes a couple seasons for new cast members to rise to prominence.
Of the current cast Bowen is probably the biggest star, but I think Marcelo Hernández has some real talent. James Austin Johnson is good and has a good Trump impression, Chloe Fineman and Heidi Gardner are consistently funny too.
Please Don’t Destroy do a pretty good job with the digital shorts.
It wouldn’t be the end of the world if any of them left, but at the same time I enjoy the show currently.
Keenan has had a longer tenure than anyone. Nearly 20 years.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LnAKK0FPFB0
Underappreciated skit, Dog Show, because the dogs they cast were perfect (Rocky Balboa would sit on two legs and the audience would "awwwww" ) and the last one they did had Tom Green on with a pig who squeeled and almost killed the skit but it was tears in your eyes hilarious because Green was trying to be serious and not break. Change your VPN to Sweden and you can watch it below.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=im-u04CtltE
That whole episode was great, Rap Street was a criminally underrated sketch.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q0TCYu1FiQc
This is another great one because of Hader and Anna Faris, dark but hilarious
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ctPt74CNBA4
And an even older one with an even greater cast
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EceHIbRkI08
There’s been more and more discussion about that as the 50th season gets closer. I’ve seen some speculation that when someone takes over for Lorne it will be someone who was a writer/on the cast. Some rumblings about Tina Fey or Seth Meyers, but I don’t think anything serious has come out.
Seth just reupped his contract this week for four more years, though that doesn’t really mean anything
Tina Fey or John Mulaney would be the ideal choices to replace him
Two years ago I would have said Mulaney wouldn’t have been interested, but a lot has changed for him in those two years
I do think it’s Tina’s job to lose at this point, though, and based on Lorne’s dwindling acumen over the last 15 years, I think it’s time. 50 years is a long time to do anything.
I would like it to be Tina because it would at least feel like a chance to rebound like 20 years ago, but I think a dark horse like Sandler would work but there's no way it would every happen. Conan would make a lot of sense, but he's 61 (ffffff-) and doesn't have to worry about putting that weight of saving an icon on his shoulders. A super darkhorse, out of the blue choice for me would be Kyle Newachek but doing so would acknowledge the SNL brand is completely empty on the inside.
edit: I do want to say for as bad as Season 20 was, and it was, especially the last few episodes, Season 21 was just as bad save the Phil Hartman and Jim Carrey episodes.
https://youtu.be/V_cnK8Cd6Ag?feature=shared
I am curious if Lorne is gone after next year. I agree Tina Faye is the best choice. She knows the show. Does well with comedy in short order. Has a good place to bring in new young talent and train them up as well.