The "problem" with SNL

[Mizzougrad96]

The reruns are usually 60 minutes long (usually omit the musical guest and some of the last 30-minutes skits), but SNL has always been 90 minutes.

Actually the reruns usually don't omit the musical guest, which has always puzzled me. Who watches an SNL rerun for the music?

I think they only show one of the songs.

 

[friend of the friendless]

Mr Down,

The problem is Lorne Michaels, and it blows me away that he gets so little of the blame and the cast gets so much. I really believe that the reason 30 Rock is funny and SNL is not is that Lorne doesn't have as much day-to-day control over 30 Rock.

There is no reason why the writing staffs for The Daily Show and The Colbert Report can churn out eight funny half hour shows a week between them, but SNL can't come up with 40 minutes of funny material. Lorne, or NBC, could have thrown a bunch of money at Ben Karlin (former head writer of TDS) after he left Comedy Central, and really shook things up, but instead they went from Tina Fey to Seth Meyers. I would argue that the show was even less funny when Fey was the head writer.

There is way too much emphasis on recurring characters instead of creating funny, relavent ****.

When in doubt, blame a Canadian.

YD&OHS, etc

 

[Oggiedoggie]

I remember watching the very first Saturday Night Live show. I turned to my roommate and said, "Ya know, they used to be a lot funnier."

 

[Johnny Dangerously]

I remember watching the very first Saturday Night Live show.

So, you mean the one on ABC with Howard Cosell, right?

Because what became what we now call "Saturday Night Live" on NBC was first called "NBC's Saturday Night." Hence, the opening: "Live from New York, it's 'Saturday Night.' "

And yes, I know what you meant. Just educating the young kids out there.

;D

 

[Buck]

I remember watching the very first Saturday Night Live show.

So, you mean the one on ABC with Howard Cosell, right?

Because what became what we now call "Saturday Night Live" on NBC was first called "NBC's Saturday Night." Hence, the opening: "Live from New York, it's 'Saturday Night.' "

And yes, I know what you meant. Just educating the young kids out there.

Live from New York, this show hasn't been hip in 20 years!

 

[Evil Bastard (aka Chris_L)]

I remember watching the very first Saturday Night Live show.

So, you mean the one on ABC with Howard Cosell, right?

Because what became what we now call "Saturday Night Live" on NBC was first called "NBC's Saturday Night." Hence, the opening: "Live from New York, it's 'Saturday Night.' "

And yes, I know what you meant. Just educating the young kids out there.

Live from New York, this show hasn't been hip in 20 years!

20 years? 1988? The Charles Rocket years? Joe Piscapo? Those guys were hip to you?

You ignorant ****.

 

[Double Down]

Mr Down,

The problem is Lorne Michaels, and it blows me away that he gets so little of the blame and the cast gets so much. I really believe that the reason 30 Rock is funny and SNL is not is that Lorne doesn't have as much day-to-day control over 30 Rock.

There is no reason why the writing staffs for The Daily Show and The Colbert Report can churn out eight funny half hour shows a week between them, but SNL can't come up with 40 minutes of funny material. Lorne, or NBC, could have thrown a bunch of money at Ben Karlin (former head writer of TDS) after he left Comedy Central, and really shook things up, but instead they went from Tina Fey to Seth Meyers. I would argue that the show was even less funny when Fey was the head writer.

There is way too much emphasis on recurring characters instead of creating funny, relavent ****.

When in doubt, blame a Canadian.

YD&OHS, etc

Mr. FoF,

Just this particular aging Candaian. Seth Rogan can take over the producing responsibilities of this show as of, like, yesterday and I would be delighted. I wouldn't dare suggest an aging Bill Cosby produce Kids in The Hall.

Alberta bound in good humour,

Double Down

 

[kokane_muthashed]

The problem starts with Seth Meyers, head writer.

From my post in May. Still believe it.

 

[PCLoadLetter]

The problem with SNL is it's not funny, and hasn't been for years.

More specifically, though, I think the problem is the goal isn't to create a funny show anymore. The goal is to create bankable recurring characters that (a) make the show easier to write, but mostly (b) can be spun off into a painful movie. That may have been at its peak in the Will Ferrell era, but at least some of the characters were funny.