Everyone has their own plans for spending their Saturday nights. Married couples tend to go out for dinner every time the sixth day of the week comes around. Young people tent to spend their Saturday nights tearing it up on the dance floor with their friends. And some people like my grandmother, prefer to go to bed at an earlier time. As for myself, however, I tend to spend my coveted Saturday night at home in front of the television. Why you ask? Because, as a lover of comedy, I enjoy staying up late in order to watch the long-running and renowned staple of humor and New York City: Saturday Night Live. There is nothing I love doing more on a Saturday night than listening to energetic music and watching funny movies in order to pump myself up so I would be ready to be on my couch at 11:30pm to watch the comedic cast of the NBC sketch comedy show perform with a talented host for a grand block of comedy. Unfortunately, this season as well as last year’s heave been experiencing a serious problem. What originally was an outlet for a talented cast to perform unique and creative comedy pieces, has now become a dumping ground for mostly up-to-five-minute segments containing bad jokes and lame premises. And as I watch the show, all the while anticipating something exciting to happen, I strain to find the humor; as most sketches end without a well-developed and funny conclusion. Thus, it is with great seriousness that I decree:
Saturday Night Live Has Suffered Greatly Due to Bad Writing!
Since 1975, the long-running and groundbreaking Saturday Night Live has been entertaining audiences with comedic sketches, television talk show parodies, political humor, and live music. And throughout its run, many people who we’ve become immense fans of have been featured on the legendary stage. In the 70’s, the original cast consisted of great performers such as John Belushi, Gilda Radner, Chevy Chase, Dan Aykroyd, and Bill Murray; who joined the cast in 1977. These artists of comedy were equipped with great writing and a great sense of pure comedic timing. Such great characters as The Coneheads, Belushi’s Samurai, and Bill Murray’s Lounge Singer were fully-developed characters who were able to be used in different premises; thus delivering greatly constructed punch -lines and believable performances. Also, Weekend Update, which was first helmed by Chevy Chase, consisted of intelligently-crafted puns, hilariously-exaggerated commentaries, and straight-faced deliveries. As the 80’s came along, the comic powerhouse known as Eddie Murphy stole the show with great characters such as Mr. Robinson, Buckwheat, and Gumby; as well as dead-on impressions of Rev. Jesse Jackson, Stevie Wonder, and James Brown. And throughout his stay at SNL, Murphy brought an immensely-dynamic spirit to the show; which kept viewers’ laughing after the original cast had left. As the decade went on, more great performs came along that were hilarious in every aspect. Such performers as Dana Carvey, Phil Hartman, Jon Lovitz, Jan Hooks, and Mike Myers were all skilled in the art of sketch comedy as they kept audiences laughing into the early nineties; when the likes of Chris Farley, Adam Sandler, Chris Rock, Rob Schneider, and David Spade came along with material that was humorous, but also a tad juvenile. Thus, SNL’s material was starting to gear towards young people and the show’s quality was highly in question.
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However, in 1995, a new performer came along who proved to be the ultimate utility player. This person was Will Ferrell; who played vibrant characters such as Craig the Cheerleader, Roxbury Guy Doug Butabi, and Professor Roger Klarvin. Ferrell also performed impressions of noteworthy figures such as Former President George W. Bush, Former Attorney General Janet Reno, and frustrated Jeopardy host Alex Trebek. These impressions would be completely dead-on, completely cartoonish in nature, or even a combination of both. Nevertheless, Ferrell kept audiences laughing throughout his seven years as a cast member; until he left the show in 2002 in pursue in inevitably successful film career. Meanwhile, Weekend Update was being helmed by the well-crafted combination of reliable sketch-performer Jimmy Fallon and Head Writer Tina Fey; two people who provided a strong stage performance and a necessary spark of energy that was vital to the show’s longevity. However, Fallon left in 2004 and Fey remained as Head Writer as well as co-anchor of the long-running news segment. And to help her out, the enigmatic and talented Amy Poehler took over for Fallon; and the show was safe until 2006; when Fey left to create and star in the successful NBC sitcom 30 Rock. Little did everyone know that this was leading up to the darkness that is the current SNL.
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When Saturday Night Live returned for its 32nd Season in September 2006, veteran cast member Seth Meyers was instated as not only her replacement on Weekend Update but also her replacement as the show’s head writer. At first, Meyers, who had been on the show since September 2001, proved to be a good fit on Weekend Update as he and Amy Poehler proved to possess a great chemistry that was qually as good as when Fey worked with Jimmy Fallon from 2000 through 2004. The jokes were good and each installment kept audiences laughing as well as informed about current events. Then, as the 2007-2008 season began, the show started gearing towards the 2008 Presidential Election; leading up to a cameo by Future President Barack Obama in November 2007. Unfortunately, following this episode, which featured a hosting stint by NBC News Anchor Brian Williams, SNL went dark for four months as the Writers Guild of America went on strike. But then, the show returned with Tina Fey hosting in February 2008; and the show’s political humor continued stronger than ever. Then, as Season 34 approached in September 2008, the upcoming election led to some an explosion of political humor; which included Tina Fey frequently cameoing as Republican vice Presidential Candidate Sarah Palin. The show even continued to burst with energy as Republican Presidential Candidate John McCain made an appearance as well; proving to be a good sport as he made fun of himself on Weekend Update in November. It looked as if the good times would continue forever.
However, once Then-Senator-Now-President Barack Obama took office as well as longtime cast member Amy Poehler departing the show in December 2008, the show began to dip slightly. Weekend Update was initially the first casualty as Seth Meyers was now alone at the desk; and without his co-anchor, a large spark of energy was gone. The Update Anchor did not possess a lot of power by himself; thus the recurring segment resulted in featuring a lot more guest characters and less time spent on jokes. Then, following an amazing season finale in May 2009 hosted by the great Will Ferrell and featuring a slew of cameos, veteran cast member and impressionist Darrell Hammond, who had actually been on the show since September 1995 and brilliantly mocked personalities such as Former President Bill Clinton, Noted Thespian Sean Connery, and Former Vice President Dick Cheney, finally called it quits and left the show. And in September 2009, the show returned with Megan Fox as the show’s host and that’s when the serious trouble started.
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With Amy Poehler left in 2008, the writers knew they needed a new go-to female utility player and they all turned to current star Kristen Wiig; who had actually been with the current cast since November 2005 and had already been starting to stand out in sketches over time and leading into May 2009. But it was September 2009 that the writers began to showcase Wiig in nearly every sketch; usually playing a loud and one-dimensional character; such as the trouble-making Gilly, the braggadocios Penelope, and the surprise-party-loving Sue. These characters, while initially slightly funny, started being used over and over again between the years of 2009 and 2010; up to the point where their appearances were almost too predictable. These characters are completely the opposite of those performed by Wiig in films such as Adventureland, Date Night, and Ghost Town; as the individuals she portrayed on the big screen tend to be less cartoonish and more offbeat and more realistic. Plus, when you take a look at the trailer for her upcoming film Bridesmaids, you can see that she is going to be playing a more down-to-earth character than any of those that she portrays on SNL. Henceforth, SNL is not utilizing Kristen Wiig to her full comedic potential and are missing a great opportunity to showcase more understated comedy.
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Another problem that the current scribing staff has is that they do not know how to effectively write for their hosts. In the past, frequent hosts such as Tom Hanks, Steve Martin, and Christopher Walken were given material that allowed them to be a vital part of the sketch; even going as far as to making them the official heart of the sketch. In fact, hosts would even be given their own reoccurring character; which would provide the audiences something to look forward to every time a regular host was featured. In the 70’s, Steve Martin joined Dan Aykroyd in playing the Festrunk Brothers; aka “Two Wild and Crazy Guys” who were always looking for love. Also, in the early 80’s, Tom Hanks would frequently play Mr. Short-Term Memory; a man who would constantly forget everything after only a matter of seconds. Plus, Walken was given his own reoccurring character in the form of The Continental, a self-expressed-man-of-the-night, who would try to entertain a lady visitor; only to send her away due to his inappropriate dialogue and behavior. Now, the SNL writing staff does not give their hosts any well-developed reoccurring characters; often sticking them in skits that do not allow them to showcase their true comic abilities.
In one such frequent sketch, cast members Fred Armisen, Kristen Wiig, and Bill Hader play a kissing family called The Vogelcheks, who, along with hosts such as James Franco and Paul Rudd, spend four-to-five minutes smooching each other as well as other characters. After a minute, the joke is already told and we are left with a few more minutes of endless kissing. These sketches have been done for the past couple seasons and they do not allow these talented hosts to be used properly. What’s more the sketch was also done in March 2009 when comic force Zach Galifianakis hosted and he merely played a religious figure that partook in the kissing and only appeared on screen for a little over a minute. I recall seeing this sketch on my television and scratching my head as to figure out why this sketch was the first episode of the night and used with such a great comedian. Another instance of a sketch that did not allow the host to be fully employed to the best of their ability is a piece from this season in which Kristen Wiig plays an overzealous prize giveaway reporter who would be more excited about the event than the actual victor; who would be nonchalantly snacking or drinking throughout the whole affair and not being excited until something trivial came along. The sketch has been done this past October with Emma Stone and then this past Saturday with Russell Brand. These two are great performers and its disappointing to see them featured in a sketch that follows the same formula each time; thus not allowing them to do much. It should also be mentioned that this sketch actually debuted when Brian Williams hosted in November 2007; and it was only moderately funny when first executed.
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And this brings me to asking this question: why does the Saturday Night Live writing staff rehash sketches that aren’t entirely funny to begin with? It makes sense to repeat sketches that always guarantee laughs; such as The Coneheads, Wayne’s World, and Celebrity Jeopardy. Plus, when hosts are allowed to actually star in a frequent sketch, it allows everyone to be treated with something different in every installment. But, when a sketch is repeated that ends up delivering the same basic punch line, there is nothing new to guarantee honest hilarity. Furthermore, the hosts are not allowed to showcase their spot on comedy skills are thus left with playing a one-dimensional role. Also, the writers are not allowing the cast to exhibit all their comic abilities; and that’s unfortunately causing the show to suffer significantly. Therefore, I feel it’s a shame to see what Saturday Night Live has become and I don’t like seeing comedy that is being rehashed cheaply and ineffectively.
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And this brings me to asking this question: why does the Saturday Night Live writing staff rehash sketches that aren’t entirely funny to begin with? It makes sense to repeat sketches that always guarantee laughs; such as The Coneheads, Wayne’s World, and Celebrity Jeopardy. Plus, when hosts are allowed to actually star in a frequent sketch, it allows everyone to be treated with something different in every installment. But, when a sketch is repeated that ends up delivering the same basic punch line, there is nothing new to guarantee honest hilarity. Furthermore, the hosts are not allowed to showcase their spot on comedy skills are thus left with playing a one-dimensional role. Also, the writers are not allowing the cast to exhibit all their comic abilities; and that’s unfortunately causing the show to suffer significantly. Therefore, I feel it’s a shame to see what Saturday Night Live has become and I don’t like seeing comedy that is being rehashed cheaply and ineffectively.
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http://ny.eater.com/uploads/2010_05_stefon.jpg
So you might be asking yourself now: “Why does Nate continue to watch the show if it is suffering so much?” Well I do so because amidst all the bad writing and weak sketches, I still believe that the cast is very talented. For Instance, I really think that Bill Hader is the best cast member on the show due to his creative characters, such as Weekend Update Nightlife Expert Stefon, and his dead-on impressions of personalities such as Alan Alda, James Carville, and Vincent Price. I also feel that Jason Sudekis is a reliable sketch performer as well; as he can play the straight man of a sketch and serve as an impressionist himself- as we have seen him play Vice President Joe Biden with such great enthusiasm and immense folly. Plus, even though I grow tired of her characters, I still think that Kristen Wiig is very talented and every week I hope the writers use her humor effectively. Furthermore, I also like the work of the new featured players as well, particularly Jay Pharoah, who has showcased dead-on impressions of Eddie Murphy, Denzel Washington, and Will Smith; and has thus brought a new strength to the show. But, I really enjoy seeing who is hosting that evening and how he or she will work with the cast. And even if they don’t get to star in every sketch, he or she still gets at least two or three pivotal roles during the course of the evening; allowing the audience to enjoy their total performance. In fact I could go as far as to say that even though the writing is not up to par as past seasons, there are still one or two complete bright spots in every episode that is worthy of my laughter and my time.
http://ny.eater.com/uploads/2010_05_stefon.jpg
So you might be asking yourself now: “Why does Nate continue to watch the show if it is suffering so much?” Well I do so because amidst all the bad writing and weak sketches, I still believe that the cast is very talented. For Instance, I really think that Bill Hader is the best cast member on the show due to his creative characters, such as Weekend Update Nightlife Expert Stefon, and his dead-on impressions of personalities such as Alan Alda, James Carville, and Vincent Price. I also feel that Jason Sudekis is a reliable sketch performer as well; as he can play the straight man of a sketch and serve as an impressionist himself- as we have seen him play Vice President Joe Biden with such great enthusiasm and immense folly. Plus, even though I grow tired of her characters, I still think that Kristen Wiig is very talented and every week I hope the writers use her humor effectively. Furthermore, I also like the work of the new featured players as well, particularly Jay Pharoah, who has showcased dead-on impressions of Eddie Murphy, Denzel Washington, and Will Smith; and has thus brought a new strength to the show. But, I really enjoy seeing who is hosting that evening and how he or she will work with the cast. And even if they don’t get to star in every sketch, he or she still gets at least two or three pivotal roles during the course of the evening; allowing the audience to enjoy their total performance. In fact I could go as far as to say that even though the writing is not up to par as past seasons, there are still one or two complete bright spots in every episode that is worthy of my laughter and my time.
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Thus, I will always be a fan of Saturday Night Live. As a lover of comedy, I stand by my favorite sketch comedy show and I always will. And, even when Miley Cyrus hosts on March 5, I will still watch the show; even though I know that the material will most likely be aimed at younger people. So, whenever its 11:30pm on a Saturday night, you know where I will be: on my couch and in front of my television. Unless it’s a rerun, I might either go out or go to bed early. But, in all seriousness, comedy will always take place every Saturday night on NBC and I couldn’t have it any other way. Well, maybe better writing would be a good thing.
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