How was the SNL season premier?

[pokerfan]

Left coaster here. Worth staying up for?

[BuyingThyme]

1. I heard it was crap but somebody said "Fuck."

[pokerfan]

3. I heard something about that

It's on youtube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ylUrRKUi-mE

For now anyway. NBC is pretty anal about clips.

I'm sure that will be bleeped for the west coast.

[Tangerine LaBamba]

2. Lousy -

not even with the blurted "fuck."

U2 needs to hang it up, Megan Fox is not burdened with talent, and the writers - jesus, who ARE they?

I won't be watching again. Time for it to be retired, I think............................

[question everything]

4. Agree. Until last year, with Tina Fey, I have not watched it for years

since the 70s, really. And it appears that last year was an aberration. Except their Halloween night which was really good, for adults.

Perhaps I am just getting old. Most of their skits are juvenile but perhaps this is their audience.

[Tangerine LaBamba]

5. Maybe we're both getting old,

but I don't think that's it. The writing is horrid, just awful. Back in the seventies - the last time the show was consistently funny - the writers were smart and hip and erudite, a lovely mixture. Now, they're just flat. Nothing there.

That skit where the young woman dropped the "fuck" was absurd. A skit built around the word "frickin'"?

Please.

Last night, with the campaign, they had some riches on which to draw. The mark of good writing is when you've got to spin gold from chaff, and these people can't do it.

The Thursday show - Weekend Update - is funny so far. That's about all I'm willing to give to SNL. Time for it to go......................

[Danger Mouse]

8. SNL was good in the 70's, bad in the 80's, then back to good again in 90's...

but by the late 90's all the talent (Phil Hartman, Dana Carvey, Mike Myers, Chris Farley, Adam Sandler) had moved on and the people who came on in place of them weren't so good.
And of course the writing wasn't there to cover up for the weakness of the cast.

[question everything]

13. What's interesting, after the opening skit they show all the players

and most of them I don't even see (or recognize) later on.

[newcriminal]

14. You're getting old.

When you have to type "maybe we're getting old", you sound just like the old folks that use to tell you how funny it use to be, and why it sucks now with these new whippersnappers.

[Adenoid_Hynkel]

6. wretched

one of the worst batch of sketches ever.
Lorne really needs to clean house with the current cast and writers soon

Even U2 couldn't save it, because NBC fucked up the sound during their performances so bad (and cut off the best song).

[NoPasaran]

7. It was an express train to Suckville

[Danger Mouse]

9. SNL hasn't been consistently good since the mid-90's.

That was frankly the best cast aside from the original 70's cast.

[AwakeAtLast]

10. They need to call Justing Timberlake ASAP

Megan Fox was not as bad as some of the cast members, and she wasn't that good.

[peekaloo]

11. I larfed my ass off

while watching a repeat of 'Chappelle's Show'. }(


*rocking chair creaks* I remember a time when SNL had interesting guest hosts/musical acts.

[Generic Brad]

12. It appears to be hip to slam SNL

I have watched since the first episode. With the exception of one particularly horrid season in the 80's, there has always been at least one funny thing each episode that makes me laugh. Sometimes I think my impression of what is funny says more about me than the writers of the cast.

That said, it appears the best stuff they have done this season was in the half hour Thursday episodes. The news seemed a little strained last night (that was as far as I watched). The opening sketch also did not elicit even a chuckle from me.

But I did enjoy the commercial for the shy bladder pill and I was really laughing at the SNL short.

When this show is hottest - it is a presidential election year. Three more years to go before it is rip roaring again. But until then, there will always be at least one very funny thing in each show. Watch the highlights.

[bigwillq]

18. I still enjoy SNL.

No, it's not as funny as in past years. Last year, especially the fall of 2008, was really good.
It still makes me laugh. I didn't watch it last night, though.

[Capn Sunshine]

15. I think the problem is writing or lack of it

none of the players write their own material any more. That might be some of it. But SNL humor lacks depth. They used to troll the continent, particularly mining Second City's writing staff, and the Canadian Troupes as well. Now they try the network formula of hiring under 30's writers and hoping for a miracle.

[pokerfan]

16. The problem is NBC

or more specifically, the ridiculous contracts they demand the talent sign:

From John Belushi in the 70's to Eddie Murphy in the 80's and Mike Myers in the 90's, many young stars have traded the fame they gained on Saturday Night Live for big money at the box office. Now NBC is taking tough measures–in the form of a new Saturday Night Live contract for first-year cast members–to make sure it keeps its hands on those potential millions. Anyone joining the cast of Saturday Night Live for the 1999-2000 season must sign a strict new contract with NBC that could tie them to the network for as long as 12 years.

http://www.observer.com/1999/snl-s-killer-contract

They would rather have complete control over a mediocre comic than partial control over a great talent.

[Writer]

17. There were some funny skits and some that weren't as funny...

As it has been for this show all the way back to the original cast.

I refuse to practice cynical chic.