Is it time to pull the plug on SNL?

[Sandpiper]

I know this isn't the first time someone has mentioned this, but I just can't bear to watch Saturday Night Live anymore.

The current cast is just awful. This by far the most talentless bunch of hacks that SNL has ever put together. The material on the show now is dreadfully unfunny.

SNL has been skating along on name recognition for a long time now. I think it's time to put this once great show out of its misery.

Anyone else agree?

[Syrinx]

1. No

It has been a pretty bad season. But the show goes through cycles. It'll be funny again.

[Kathleen04]

4. yeah, from when the original cast left

to about 1986, it was pretty awful..then it was great until the 94-95 season when it became awful again, then they got a new cast and it became great..which brings us to about 2003 when it hit awful again..round and round we go..

They need to get some new writers! I think the cast is talented but the stuff they write for them just sucks.

[TheMightyFavog]

9. Yeah....

Especailly the ones run by She-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named in the early 80s.

[mykpart]

2. I haven't watched it in about 5 years.

The cast is too big, it's not satire any more, and it's not funny. I think it's time to try another show.

[Dookus]

3. I gotta disagree

I've hated it for years, but I still watch, like picking at a scab.

But I have to say this year's funnier than in a long time. Maya Rudolph is great, Tina Fey is awesome, and some of the others are OK.

[Syrinx]

6. Maya and Tina

Yeah, I agree, they are the best parts of the show now.

[SoCalDem]

5. It was time when Eddie Murphy left

:)

[President Jesus]

7. No, and here's why

Lorne Michaels campaign contributions:
http://www.newsmeat.com/fec/bystate_detail.php?city=New+York&st=NY&contributor=Lorne+Michaels

[TheMightyFavog]

8. The First thing that SNL must do to begin becoming funny again...

Get Jimmy Fallon the fuck off of Weekend Update!

See second definition of Jimmy Fallon on urbandictionary.com
http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=jimmy+fallon&f=1

[Sandpiper]

10. Jimmy Fallon is the worst

Can't deliver his lines without laughing and always mugging for the camera.

He should be the first one fired from the current cast.

[TheMightyFavog]

11. The problem is...

All the teenyboppers and teenaged girls are absolutley gaga over him. They practically worship him over his looks. Fire him, and the kiddies boycott the show.

[Sandpiper]

12. Sigh

I know.

But seriously, is there anyone who appreciates good comedy that actually finds his "look at me" routine funny?

[TheMightyFavog]

15. Jimmy Fallon: The king of corpsing.

End of Line.

[Dogmudgeon]

13. The Same Old Same Old ... but not SNL

People have been saying this about SNL since 1979.

The current cast ... and back through about 1999 ... are the best casts they've ever had. They exude talent like George Bush exudes slime. I think the recent renaissance dates from when Lorne Michaels hired Tina Fay as head writer, but before that, it was still pretty good.

And while Lorne has feet of clay that some say run all the way up to his tooches, he's the guy who brought television comedy back from the dead. If you check out the writing credits, some of the "talentless bunch of hacks" have been on the show since it started.

This past SNL was as funny as I've seen, and it was Nick Lachey and Jessica Simpson. You'd think they'd be brain-dead eye candy, but the show was consistently good. Lots of quotable stuff ... "Human Cow Disease" ... "Chicken of the Sea is PEOPLE!" ... "I'm experiencing engorgement" ... El Cantador ...

I also love the Osama and Saddam phone calls (Jimmy Fallon and Horatio Sanz, respectively). They're almost completely improvised, and are some of the most savage commentaries on the Bush Doctrine that I've seen.

Even the semi-misfires (like Jack Black's opener) had several excellent bits. And any time Christopher Walken shows up, the show is guaranteed to be a scream.

Considering some of the unwatchable über-hip comedy on Comedy Central, I'd say SNL is still at the top of its game.

--bkl

[johnnie]

18. I agree

I have been hearing this since 1980. It has it's moments and non-moments. I catch them when I can these days, and I still enjoy watching.
There is no doubt that the originals were the best, but to compare every cast to them just isn't right.

[Mike Niendorff]

14. agree fully.

Helloooooo Polly!

<wham wham wham>

You see?
This bird has ceased to be.
Bereft of life, it lives no more.
It is a late parrot.

-----

(with apologies to John Cleese)


MDN

[Dees]

16. It's time to piss on the fire and call in the dogs.

It's painful to watch.

[terrya]

17. Jettison the entire cast. Do something about the writing.

When they do a skit about Bush or someone in the administration, don't do some dumb ass parody. Darrell Hammond is a talented guy who can impersonate anyone, but that's not enough. Sharp commentary is needed here. The SNL writers can take a cue from "The Daily Show" in this regard.

SNL can be saved, but it's in intensive care right now.

Terry

[bif]

19. Should have been done years ago.

In my opinion.

[lpbk2713]

20. I haven't watched it for several years. I gave up on it years ago.

It just kept going downhill and I didn't see any hope for any improvement. There was no talent, the skits were lame, even the guests were lame.

[cetasika]

21. SNL died with Phil Hartman

and Chris Farley.