Honestly, it's been years since I felt I had to keep up with it even on hulu. Last one I watched out of a sense of duty was the Eli one. And a reason for that might be... Cuz it sucks now?!
Heard Keenan is leaving -- and there you have reason 1,2, and 3 why I have felt the show was sub par since he became featured. He has never been funny his entire career - ever. Not on Nick, not in movies, not on SNL.
Does anyone watch that show on a weekly basis and is there any hope in sight?
Go back and watch full versions of the show from its heyday, not the condensed versions. So much filler.
Those who insist that it "sucks" now and "I miss 90s SNL" either don't actually watch it or are just now crabby old people who probably have a shitty sense of humor to begin with. And pining for the "good old days"...90s SNL was mostly shit outside of Farley anyway and the writing was not nearly as good or satirical as it is today.
Great show.
No way.
Tina Fey is still watching.
Holy shit was it bad.
No way.
Tina Fey is still watching.
I agree - ive seen bits here and there but really have been disappointed with everything.
Hartman
Carvey
Myers
Nealon
Sandler
Farley
Cmon now....
The 90s SNLs were really just a lot of shit. Definitely some classic sketches but so much filler and overall carried by Farley.
It is far, far better these days. Not even close.
re Keenan: I used to hate him and thought he was a sketch loer. But over the last two seasons I've found he hit his stride and he cracks me up. what's Up Wth That and his Steve Harvey skits kill me.
I've seen plenty of old episodes. They had a lot of crap mixed in with their great skits too.
This sketch is funny.
Stefon was funny.
I'd concede that most or even all of the current cast don't "pop out" and are not superstars like a Ferrell or Wiig, but most are really talented and funny.
It's plainly obvious that the longing for the "good ol days" is just that and probably would not last if one sat down and actually watched those dated sketches. "Makin coooopays!"
Gilly was excruciating
This sketch is funny.
Stefon was funny.
I'd concede that most or even all of the current cast don't "pop out" and are not superstars like a Ferrell or Wiig, but most are really talented and funny.
It's plainly obvious that the longing for the "good ol days" is just that and probably would not last if one sat down and actually watched those dated sketches. "Makin coooopays!"
Writing that amounts to some creativity instead of a bland, cut and dry sketch
Hmmm. Off the top of my head: Celebrity Jeopardy? Stefon, as you mentioned. Gap Girls, Matt Foley... To a lesser extent, Brian Fellow
It's almost never about the on-air talent and almost always about the writing. Sometimes they have really sharp writing staffs who are terrific at cutting to the heart of things on a weekly basis. Other times, you wind up thinking 'Man, this is the funniest take they had on (whatever)? The Daily Show and/or Colbert did much better with (whatever).' They've been particularly weak on politics in recent years. And the whole 'Let's make everything a game show!' is so played out. Update is normally reliable, but Cecily Strong (thankfully, taken off the desk) and Colin Jost were a disaster last season. Michael Che could be an improvement. And we'll see what it's like with a full season of no Seth Myers at head writer.
So, yeah. We still DVR. Then let it roll for 20 minutes or so and then FF through the dull stuff. Some episodes require a lot of that. Some not so much. And anyone who thinks that hasn't always been the case, probably hasn't been watching all that closely.
Oh, and Keenan will be there this year.
For me, the show has been there since I was a teen. They've torn down Giants and Yankee Stadiums, the Seaside Heights boards were drowned and burned, but at least some things remain the same.
Long Live SNL.
It's almost never about the on-air talent and almost always about the writing. Sometimes they have really sharp writing staffs who are terrific at cutting to the heart of things on a weekly basis. Other times, you wind up thinking 'Man, this is the funniest take they had on (whatever)? The Daily Show and/or Colbert did much better with (whatever).' They've been particularly weak on politics in recent years. And the whole 'Let's make everything a game show!' is so played out. Update is normally reliable, but Cecily Strong (thankfully, taken off the desk) and Colin Jost were a disaster last season. Michael Che could be an improvement. And we'll see what it's like with a full season of no Seth Myers at head writer.
So, yeah. We still DVR. Then let it roll for 20 minutes or so and then FF through the dull stuff. Some episodes require a lot of that. Some not so much. And anyone who thinks that hasn't always been the case, probably hasn't been watching all that closely.
Oh, and Keenan will be there this year.
This. My wife and I watch still - although we don't watch the night of. It's one of those things we save for repeat weeks for our other shows (that we more aggressively keep up with).
Some episodes are 80% good others it's 50%. We just fast forward through the lame stuff. Except when Justin Timberlake hosts. Those shows are 100% good. It's amazing really, he's been host 5 times now, and we still haven't gotten tired of him. The last one with Fallon and Timberlake was largely a riot.
Overall, I think the product is decent. The cast is actually pretty good as others noted.
I liked the Marvel trailers. The pet hospital where all the pets die. The awkward booty rapping. Plenty of NFL satire. And Che, despite a few stumbles, was good on the Update desk. It's always better when the 'anchor' takes it seriously and allows the jokes to go by without elbowing them along. (Cecily Strong is so much better at support on there. Looks like she lost some weight, too.)
Nothing classic. But aside from Ariana Grande and the aforementioned He-Man sketch, nothing that made the fast forward finger too itchy.
I liked the Marvel trailers. The pet hospital where all the pets die. The awkward booty rapping. Plenty of NFL satire. And Che, despite a few stumbles, was good on the Update desk. It's always better when the 'anchor' takes it seriously and allows the jokes to go by without elbowing them along. (Cecily Strong is so much better at support on there. Looks like she lost some weight, too.)
Nothing classic. But aside from Ariana Grande and the aforementioned He-Man sketch, nothing that made the fast forward finger too itchy.
I read that Cecily wanted to do more sketches and that's part of the reason they moved her off the desk.
The good old days weren't always good...
Her Justin Bieber is terrific.