The rise and fall of “Saturday Night Live” on satellite TV
If there’s ever been a show that people love to comment on, it’s definitely NBC’s great sketch comedy show, “Saturday Night Live.” How one show has managed to launch so many amazing comedians including John Belushi and Bill Murray is a true testament to how good it has been. But for every bright young star who got his start on “SNL,” there seems to be a series of epic fails, whose comedic timing is less than stellar and whose spin-off movie projects aren’t bad enough to be considered good again.
However, in the world of changing tastes and high-definition TVs, there’s definitely still a place for “Saturday Night Live.” After all, things started to go downhill in the 1990s after Will Ferrell’s departure, but after that slump, things picked up again with Tina Fey returning in 2004 to play Sarah Palin during the heated times. electoral. In fact, the clever political commentary that “SNL” brought to satellite television during that time was good enough that the show even had a special segment that aired during prime time on Thursdays, one of the best slots available. on NBC. And even during the most difficult times, certain segments always managed to do a good job. There’s practically never been a bad “Weekend Update” host, and Amy Poehler was one of the best the show had seen in many years, along with Seth Meyers, who’s running things on his own at the moment.
This recent cast of “Saturday Night Live” is definitely not one where you can immediately point to the best and brightest comedians of the future. In fact, it looks like dead weight, which could be one of the reasons why ratings have dropped and people seem to have opted to switch their satellite TVs to different channels, or go out on Saturdays. While it’s definitely fun to see someone who used to be on Nickelodeon’s “All That” turn into an adult career, there’s something seriously missing from the cast, or perhaps this current team of writers, now that Tina Fey has moved on. . to work on “30 Rock” in her place. However, the only bright spot is the fact that the digital shorts seem to be consistently hilarious and often surprisingly risqué for the network. With guest appearances from everyone from Susan Sarandon to Justin Timberlake, the digital shorts and music videos are worth tuning in to, though watching them online once they go viral can often be a much better use of time.
However, you can’t just write off “Saturday Night Live,” as it’s a huge cornerstone of America’s popular culture history. Whether it’s watching reruns on Comedy Central and seeing incredible moments from the past, or watching a surprisingly good episode during this somewhat dry run, there will always be room for “SNL” on satellite television, and in the hearts of many Americans.
