Saturday Night Live Thread

[Cooler Tom Schuler]

Please do not use this thread for "it hasn't been funny since..." discussions. I'd like a thread to discuss current episodes/cast, even if I'm alone in here.

Being a big sketch comedy fan, I still watch SNL regularly. It has always been a hit-or-miss kind of show, no matter how fondly people remember years gone by. I personally think the cast right now is the best since about 20 years ago.

But anyway, upcoming episodes are-

April 2 - Host and musical guests: Elton John
April 9 - Host: Helen Mirren, Musical Guest: Foo Fighters

[Blitz]

I continue to think that the show over the last few years has been as solid as it's ever been.

[Cooler Tom Schuler]

I have a particular soft spot for the cast around 91-92, but I think the cast right now is excellent.

Kristen Wiig gets a lot of crap from the "internet experts", but she is a really strong cast member. She has a strong stock of characters, and you can't fault her for going back to what has worked in the past. Recurring characters make money.

Jay Pharoah and Taran Killam are excellent additions with great potential.

Bill Hader's character work is remarkable and certainly brings a lot to the table.

Jason Sudeikis has an excellent comedic sense and an ability to deliver lines in a way that can save a sketch that could have easily fallen flat.

I'm not really a fan of Abby Elliot or Nasim Pedrad, time will tell how they develop. In general I find Pedrad's characters irritating, forced, and altogether unfunny.

Andy Samberg is certainly an embodiment of "modern humor" as it stands right now. The question for him is really how to translate that when he leaves the show. The Lonely Island's musical ventures are one thing, but what else will he do?

[Seth82]

Bill Hader is excellent

I believe Taran Killam was on MAD TV at one time

[Cooler Tom Schuler]

Bill Hader is excellent

I believe Taran Killam was on MAD TV at one time

Both of those things are true. I love the Stefon character.

[Seth82]

Taran was awesome as the lead singer from The Calling during his MAD TV days

hopefully he can break out as a star on SNL

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[Cooler Tom Schuler]

He, like Pharaoh, is an excellent impressionist. Theres always a place for that.

[Jeritron]

I think the cast improves every year recently. I'm a big fan of quite a few regulars now

[#1-norm-fan]

Kristen Wiig gets a lot of crap from the "internet experts", but she is a really strong cast member.

Really? Even the people like myself who are vocal about their dislike of the show now seem to love Kristen Wiig. I never hear anything bad about her.

[jerichoholicninja]

Kristen Wig was the John Cena of SNL for a while. She was shoved down our throats and was the lead character in just about every sketch for a few seasons. I like some of her stuff but a lot of it just doesn't click with me. She is the only cast member that I'm not a fan of.

Jay Pharoah and Bobby Moynihan are great and really underrated cast members. Bill Hader does great characters and great impressions. Fred Armisen and Jason Sudeikis have taken a back seat recently but still bring some good stuff. Abby Elliot and Nasim Pedrad are the rare combination of hot and funny.

[Nightwing]

Kristen Wiig is one of the best things about SNL. Shes my favorite to watch easily. Jason Sudeikis and Bill Heder are great. Keenan Thompson being on there annoys me though. I dont think hes funny.

I dont get why the cast gets slammed. This current one isnt bad at all.

[Razzamajazz]

it seems like whenever i remember to watch the show i have no idea who the host is

[Blitz]

All people mentioned thus far are amazing. Hader is one of the best impressionists they've ever had. His characters are great too (Herb Welch). Sudeikis is a great comedy straight man a la Will Ferrell. Samberg (and the rest of the Lonely Island) excels at bizarre, left field humour. Kristin Wiig is probably gonna go down as one of the best cast members in SNL history, as well she should.

Those 4 tend to get all the attention, but the rest of the cast is still great. Seth Myers is great doing update. Bobby Moynihan is building some funny characters, but his work as non-characters or the straight man in a sketch...there's just something about him. Dunno, I think he's always hilarious. Abby Elliot is a good utility female with some funny impressions. Kenan Thompson is probably my least favourite cast member, but he's still got some tremendous characters. Dunno, I will always love Jean K Jean and Lorenzo McIntosh. But probably the best is Fred Armisen, Just hilarious at everything.

Also, the crop of featured players is maybe the strongest as ever. Vanessa Bayer, Jay Pharoah and Taran Killam should all be big parts of the show's future. Nasim Pedrad should already be a full cast member. They haven't really given Paul Brittain much to do yet, but he's been pretty funny in the little bit he's done.

Dunno. Love this cast.

[jerichoholicninja]

Looking forward to tonight's show. I think Elton John's terrible acting skills will make for much unintentional hilarity.

[D Mac]

FYI in case you didn't know. All the seasons are on Netflix. Some shit is cut out though, like the Roxbury guys.

[Nervous Ferret]

I have always wanted get into this show but never know when it is on

[Schlomey]

hilarious NF.

[voncouch]

There's alot of talent on the show, but ever since Tina Fey took over the writing X amount of years ago, they just can't put together a sketch to save their life. The highlights these days are, without a doubt, the digital shorts. Those are laugh out loud funny about 95% of the time.

Also "What's Up With That?". When I first saw that sketch, I thought it was the dumbest thing I have ever seen. But it quickly grew on my and I think it's the best re-occurring sketch on the show.

[voncouch]

Kristin Wiig is probably gonna go down as one of the best cast members in SNL history, as well she should.

I think the proof of her talent really came with the last Celebrity Jeopardy they did. She was able to hold her own with Will Ferrel, Daryl Hannah, Tom Hanks and Norm Macdonald. I think the last main cast member they brought on for a revamp of that sketch was Jimmy Fallon doing Adam Sandler, and look how well he's doing.

[Triple A]

I also hate people who were saying "this show hasn't been good in years" in like 1995, but it has been fucking horrendous the past couple of years. The cast is good but the writing is like... like seems unbelievable. The opening sketches... Also don't like Seth Meyers at all. Heard he was the head writer. Makes sense.

[jerichoholicninja]

...but ever since Tina Fey took over the writing X amount of years ago, they just can't put together a sketch to save their life.

Tina Fey hasn't been a writer for quite a few years now.

[jerichoholicninja]

Best episode of The Ambiguously Gay Duo ever.

[Fignuts]

I liked Ellie Goulding's performance last week.

[Cooler Tom Schuler]

This weekend has Justin Timberlake hosting and Lady Gaga as the musical guest. Should be a good show.

[Cooler Tom Schuler]

I think the proof of her talent really came with the last Celebrity Jeopardy they did. She was able to hold her own with Will Ferrel, Daryl Hannah, Tom Hanks and Norm Macdonald. I think the last main cast member they brought on for a revamp of that sketch was Jimmy Fallon doing Adam Sandler, and look how well he's doing.

Kristin Wiig seems to get a lot of crap, but she's easily top 10 all-time in my book.

I also hate people who were saying "this show hasn't been good in years" in like 1995, but it has been fucking horrendous the past couple of years. The cast is good but the writing is like... like seems unbelievable. The opening sketches... Also don't like Seth Meyers at all. Heard he was the head writer. Makes sense.

Seth Meyers is indeed the head writer, and the sketches have been somewhat weaker since he's taken over. The biggest problem is that nobody is really strong on the current-events humor, and they've been really forcing them due to the success of they '08 election sketches.

Though somewhat contrary to what you'd expect, I think the Weekend Update has been really well written lately. I just can't stand Meyers' delivery.

[D Mac]

And now Deep Thoughts...


































...By Jack Handey

[Sixx]

I enjoy current episodes way more than the episodes from the 70s.

Maybe it's the 70s humor I don't really get,but yeah, I think SNL is pretty funny.

[Jura]

I've always wondered if the guest host picks the guest band/group/singer since it seems like the musical guest is something the guest host would like.