Saturday Night Live

[SomeChick]

Gilda Radner (1946-1989) was the best
on the show.

I'm old enough to remember those days
of SNL.

They used to rerun those every night in syndication on local stations years ago. I think Nick @ Nite did too. I haven't seen them anywhere in awhile. So I wonder if they stopped because they found offering those original episodes on DVD was more profitable when DVD's were all the rage. I seem to remember seeing the seasons available that way in places like Blockbuster.com and Netflix.

Awhile back you could see them all for free on youtube too. But then copyright infringement came into play. So youtube took a bunch of them down and NBC put a few of them up on their own website. Seems to me them doing that was the least profitable way to go about it. They should've kept them in syndication and got the residuals.

[Forever-27]

I tried to watch the show last night. Again its just too painful to sit threw.

Had the change the channel and watch Aqua Teen Hunger Force instead.

[Desert Ghost]

Didn't one of the executives at NBC get in trouble a few years ago for saying that they knew the show had sucked for a long time but they only kept it on because they had nothing to replace it with?

[Forever-27]

I somehow remember something like that.

The show has sucked ass since the late 80s. If that were the case you'd think by now they have replaced it

[NewEnglander]

I haven't been able to watch SNL most of this season. I thought some of the new cast members would breath life into the show, but it's still the same stupid, unfunny skits. Maybe it is time for SNL to hang it up or do an overhall like they did in the mid 80's when they got rid of the really lame cast and brought in Jan Hooks, Kevin Neilan, Phil Hartman etc...

[neilmpenny]

SNL was edgy and raw back in the day. Now it seems to be 'safe'. It has lost it's appeal.

[Vandalay]

SNL was edgy and raw back in the day. Now it seems to be 'safe'. It has lost it's appeal.

It's not that it's become "safe",..it's that the rest of the world has caught with it's edginess...watch 2 1/2 men,..or 2 broke girls...some of their material would have been un-thinkable 10 years ago..

I wonder sometimes if there's any "edge" left to be had...we live in a very jaded society right now...

[NewEnglander]

SNL was edgy and raw back in the day. Now it seems to be 'safe'. It has lost it's appeal.

It's not that it's become "safe",..it's that the rest of the world has caught with it's edginess...watch 2 1/2 men,..or 2 broke girls...some of their material would have been un-thinkable 10 years ago..

I wonder sometimes if there's any "edge" left to be had...we live in a very jaded society right now...

I'm not sure if edgy has anthing to do with SNL now. It's just very unfunny. Maybe they are trying to be avant guard in their performance but it makes for a very unfunny show. The skits are just dumb now. And someone, please keep Fred Armisen (sp?) away from writing. His skits are usually the dumbest.

I was searching, and actually found a video of an old skit from the 90's of Phil Hartman doing a talk show as Frank Sinatra not long ago. He had Bono (Sting), Sinhead (Jan Hooks) a rapper (Chris Rock) and Steve (Mike Myers) & Edie Gourmet on it. It made me LOL. I haven't done that in a long time with an SNL skit. Now that was comedy.

[Forever-27]

I've seen funnier shows get scrapped for less then how bad snl has become over the decades

[phineas117]

the first five years of SNL were golden.....then the long slide into stupidity.
I watched two episodes afterward....the NIRVANA ones.
when they were on, the sound was on. otherwise MUTE

[neilmpenny]

It's not that it's become "safe",..it's that the rest of the world has caught with it's edginess...watch 2 1/2 men,..or 2 broke girls...some of their material would have been un-thinkable 10 years ago..

I wonder sometimes if there's any "edge" left to be had...we live in a very jaded society right now...

That's a good observation. I never thought of that.

[SomeChick]

SNL was edgy and raw back in the day. Now it seems to be 'safe'. It has lost it's appeal.

Last week's episode was lame as hell except for the musical guest.

[RiotBoots]

Alabama Shakes is awesome. I'm so happy they are finding success. Brittany Howard is sensational, I love them.

[Bunratty]

Feel free to burn me as a heretic, but I didn't find Belushi and Aykroyd all that funny

The samurai bit? - give me a break!

[Vandalay]

Feel free to burn me as a heretic, but I didn't find Belushi and Aykroyd all that funny

The samurai bit? - give me a break!

I "sort of" agree.....

I've always maintained that SNL's popularity was partially due to what time it was on...back in '75 what else was there to watch at 11:30pm on Saturday nite?...the million dollar movie?..there was no cable then either..sure the original cast did some edgy stuff, but they also did some stuff that got hardly a chuckle from the studio audience...to me they weren't any better than the mid-late 80's cast

[cleanskull]

You guys just ain't smoking the right stuff when your watching those re-runs. Setting and state of mind had a lot to due with their charm.

[Bunratty]

You guys just ain't smoking the right stuff when your watching those re-runs. Setting and state of mind had a lot to due with their charm.

I drink straight Glenmorangie single malt whisky while watching it -surely that would help?

[cleanskull]

Just drink untill bass-o-matic cracks you up.

[Barbossa]

Feel free to burn me as a heretic, but I didn't find Belushi and Aykroyd all that funny

The samurai bit? - give me a break!

Burn me too, I think John Belushi was highly overrated.

The best SNL crews of all time, IMHO, were those that included Dana Carvey, Chris Farley, Phil Hartman, Mike Myers, Kevin Nealon, Chris Rock, Tim Meadows, Julia Sweeney, and Adam Sandler i.e. 1991-92.

[DivineDeath]

Yay, last Saturday's SNL seemed to have recovered nicely from that dreaded Biever episode...

[radiojane]

I'm way too young for the older stuff. Belushi doesn't do much for me at all. I never watched it at the time, but I've watched some from when I was in high school on Netflix, and it wasn't bad. I at least get the references. "Suck it Trebek" finally makes sense to me now. It sure as hell didn't when I was 15 and EVERYONE was saying it.

[Domino]

My favorite Aykroyd line was "Jane you ignorant slut."

We just don't have quality TV anymore...

I was going to say the same thing. I loved that and was always so shocked they could get away with that line. SNL was good up until mid 90's I guess. After that, forget it. I've tried to watch as recent as a year ago and it's not funny at all. It sucks so bad.

[Bunratty]

Burn me too, I think John Belushi was highly overrated.

The best SNL crews of all time, IMHO, were those that included Dana Carvey, Chris Farley, Phil Hartman, Mike Myers, Kevin Nealon, Chris Rock, Tim Meadows, Julia Sweeney, and Adam Sandler i.e. 1991-92.

I thought Charles Rocket was seriously underrated - just kidding

I liked Farley, Spade, Hartman, Ferrell, Baldwin hosting

[NewEnglander]

I thought Charles Rocket was seriously underrated - just kidding

I liked Farley, Spade, Hartman, Ferrell, Baldwin hosting

I miss the Pat skits (with his/her partner Chris). Classic!

I really can't stand Alec Baldwin, except when he was on SNL. I loved it when he was playing a soap opera doctor and mispronounces all the medical terms (you have a polloop (instead of polup) and it benig (instead of bening).LOL.

[Barbossa]

I miss the Pat skits (with his/her partner Chris). Classic!

I really can't stand Alec Baldwin, except when he was on SNL. I loved it when he was playing a soap opera doctor and mispronounces all the medical terms (you have a polloop (instead of polup) and it benig (instead of bening).LOL.

Loved Baldwins's Schweddy Balls and Weiners skits too.

[MirrorDimly]

I was searching, and actually found a video of an old skit from the 90's of Phil Hartman doing a talk show as Frank Sinatra not long ago. He had Bono (Sting), Sinhead (Jan Hooks) a rapper (Chris Rock) and Steve (Mike Myers) & Edie Gourmet on it. It made me LOL. I haven't done that in a long time with an SNL skit. Now that was comedy.

Hartman (as Sinatra, addressing Sinead O'Connor): Sinbad, when I look at you, I think, "Eight ball in the corner pocket!!"

[NewEnglander]

Hartman (as Sinatra, addressing Sinead O'Connor): Sinbad, when I look at you, I think, "Eight ball in the corner pocket!!"

Or when Sinatra called Sinhead "Uncle Festus" LOL.

[ichabodius]

[Wendy A.]

I always love it when Mick Jagger is on...

[SomeChick]

Watching the one with Louis CK right now. His monologue is hilarious

[MiraculousMandarin]

Watching the one with Louis CK right now. His monologue is hilarious

He makes me laugh a lot

[SomeChick]

The Last Call sketch at the end was hilarious And I belive it's the first one they did. Now they have 'em all the time. Whoever's the host as the drunk dude picking up on that same gal, lol. There have been some good ones but I think Louis' is the best so far.

[DivineDeath]

Beck Bennett:

[DivineDeath]

John Milhiser:

[DivineDeath]

Kyle Mooney:

[DivineDeath]

Mike Oâ??Brien:

[DivineDeath]

Noël Wells:

[DivineDeath]

Brooks Wheelan:

[Bunratty]

The music acts on SNL used to be alternative & "edgy" but now seem to be "Top 40 " style flavour of the month stuff

[MirrorDimly]

*SOS* going out to you SNL/Chris Farley fans: Can you help me find a link to the skit where Farley is in a recording studio as Hank Williams Jr., with a bottle of Jack Daniels, unsuccessfully warbling through the NFL theme song? "Ahh yew reddy fuh thah fuuuut-BAWWWWWWWWWWWWWLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL!!!!!"...

1. I've never seen it, only heard about it second-hand (and it sounds too good to miss).
2. I've searched the SNL/NBC skit website with no luck.
3. I'm super into the search, now that football season is in full swing.

Thanks in advance for your help!!

[ichabodius]

I think this is the funniest SNL short movie:

In restrosepct it is a precursor to Waiting For Guffman, A Mighty Wind and Best In Show.

[SomeChick]

The same episode two weeks in a row? Really?

[pwem]

I can't even remember the last time I watched an episode.

I do know when I watch the entire episode of an old SNL I realize that the whole show was not a masterpiece. You have to sit through some pretty lame bits to get to Fred Garvin, Male Prostitute and other gems.

During the last years of my watching it I found the local show from Seattle "Almost Live" far superior. I really hoped SNL improved since then.

[SomeChick]

Al Sharpton? Really?

Keenan Thompson's upset because there aren't any black female cast members on this season. And the opening sketch did a riff on that.

But Al Sharpton? Something's wrong there. He doesn't look well. Skinny as a rail and close cropped hair. Weirdness!

[neilmpenny]

I saw a few minutes of an episode just last week on cable. I honestly don't know why people watch that shit any more. It is so bad. The writing is pathetic, the characters are really lame and the acting is terrible. There are no fresh ideas out there.

Of course my frame of reference is what I saw in the 80's. But seriously, if they can't maintain standards why bother?

SNL was like an event back then. You stayed home, or had friends over, and when it was finished you went out for the evening and partied. It was the greatest primer for an evening out.

[choff]

I saw a few minutes of an episode just last week on cable. I honestly don't know why people watch that shit any more. It is so bad. The writing is pathetic, the characters are really lame and the acting is terrible. There are no fresh ideas out there.

Of course my frame of reference is what I saw in the 80's. But seriously, if they can't maintain standards why bother?

SNL was like an event back then. You stayed home, or had friends over, and when it was finished you went out for the evening and partied. It was the greatest primer for an evening out.

If you can remember SNL from the 80s and 70s just like me then odds are we are "too old" for Saturday Night Live. What a 24 year old considers funny doesn't always mean someone who is 44 or even 34 will find it funny too. It also works in reverse too. Heck I still find Mr. Ed and The Odd Couple to be funny but my 20 year old cousin thinks both shows are "boring trash". I saw SNL recently myself and I too found it to be quite bad but I am sure the 20 somethings ( the so-call generation Y group ) probably do think the show is funny and since the networks believe those people "have the money" unfortunately it is what it is.

[neilmpenny]

If you can remember SNL from the 80s and 70s just like me then odds are we are "too old" for Saturday Night Live. What a 24 year old considers funny doesn't always mean someone who is 44 or even 34 will find it funny too. It also works in reverse too. Heck I still find Mr. Ed and The Odd Couple to be funny but my 20 year old cousin thinks both shows are "boring trash". I saw SNL recently myself and I too found it to be quite bad but I am sure the 20 somethings ( the so-call generation Y group ) probably do think the show is funny and since the networks believe those people "have the money" unfortunately it is what it is.

I don't disagree with you, and what you say makes sense.

The whole thing just seems 'forced' to me, if you know what I mean.

[SomeChick]

Every generation says something different about this show. I think that's because it's gone through so many changes and been around so long. I find it very sporadic now. Some decades, I didn't watch at all. It just wasn't funny to me.

I also saw the very first episode when it originally aired. People glorify those days. Yeah there were some great bits. But every season, every cast, every decade, you did have to sit through some crap before hilarity ensued. People forget the crap because it's not memorable, is why I think that is.

I watched the first 30 minutes of last night's show. If that. Not one funny bit in it. But I like to give each new season's cast a chance. Once in awhile they still come up with a winner or two, or three. Some years, bleah. It's just TV. So just like with any other sketch show, you rolls yer dice, you takes yer chances.

[NewEnglander]

Every generation says something different about this show. I think that's because it's gone through so many changes and been around so long. I find it very sporadic now. Some decades, I didn't watch at all. It just wasn't funny to me.

I also saw the very first episode when it originally aired. People glorify those days. Yeah there were some great bits. But every season, every cast, every decade, you did have to sit through some crap before hilarity ensued. People forget the crap because it's not memorable, is why I think that is.

I watched the first 30 minutes of last night's show. If that. Not one funny bit in it. But I like to give each new season's cast a chance. Once in awhile they still come up with a winner or two, or three. Some years, bleah. It's just TV. So just like with any other sketch show, you rolls yer dice, you takes yer chances.

You bring up some very good points. I agree, some years are horrid on SNL and I think the last few have been pretty dismal. I haven't watched the show in about 2 years because what I did watch was not funny. So, I just gave up and stopped watching. I can only sit through so many skits where I scratch my head and wonder what the heck just happened instead of laughing so hard my sides hurt.

I really enjoyed the 90s era with great characters like Dieter Sprokets, the devil (the Peoples Court skit was so funny!), Wayne's World, Hans and Franz.

[Forever-27]

choff you probably said it best man. I haven't ben able to sit threw an episode of snL since about 1990 or 91. The show is dead to me. Its just too painful and pathetic to watch now. In fact I started losing interest back in the middle 80s. The show has long lost its edge to me. And I was young back then. The memories of the glory years of the show are still there tho. Many long nights as a kid watching the show when it was worth watching.