SNL tonite. Holy G-d, was that HilARious!!

[bunnie3]

The opening sketch.  Brilliant!

[Jordan Catalano]

"Farewell, Mr. Bunting" is one of the greatest things to ever happen in the history of SNL.

[SmoothLover]

Agreed! Some very funny sketches. The best episode of the year!!!

[jasonf]

I almost didn't watch because I really dislike Fred Armisen, but I have to say the show far exceeded my expectations.  The opening was smart, the monologue was genuinely funny, the Lewis and Clark skit was surprisingly well written, the Andy Samberg song was solid, and the Farewell Mr. Bunting skit was one of the funniest things they've done in 40+ years of tv.  Seriously, watch it again - I can't remmeber EVER hearing an audience react like that to a sketch.

[phantom8019]

I thought Mr. Bunting was so-so--certainly not even a highlight of the season. I would be impressed if high school or college kids made that sketch. From professionals, I expect a bit more. Here is my problem with it—I do not mind the gore. What bothers me is all that setup for what basically amounts to one joke. Some would argue the payoff is worth it, but I do not think so.

To me, this is a repeated problem with modern-day SNL. The writing often falls into one of two categories: 1) a bunch of set up for one joke, which is usually something shocking/unexpected or a juxtaposition of elements in the sketch; or 2) the same joke, or a variation of such, repeated over and over (for example, Gilly). If you compare this with Mad TV, which at its prime was superior to SNL, you see that Mad TV usually had fully developed characters that would do new things each time they were featured.

There are exceptions to SNL’s writing trap--the Clinton/Sanders opening was good because there were actual, varied jokes. The writing had pacing and progression. It’s hard work to write and flesh out an actual sketch, once you have the idea. It seems to me that SNL, at times, simply puts just the IDEAS for sketches to camera and not actual sketches, if that makes any sense.

[Someone in a Tree2]

I dunno, you guys. Lots of super-high high points in the first half, alternating with indulgent Fred Armisten crap. Then the whole thing sort of tanked after the halfway mark (as usual).

Cold open was brilliant, best in a long, long time. Monologue bored me to tears.

Lewis & Clark was nonsensical fun. Digital Short was laugh-out-loud nuts. Yeah, we laughed at Regine in spite of ourselves (mostly 'cause the cast was breaking up-- the Tim Conway effect).

Mr. Bunting was pure bliss, pure simple genius. 

The rest of the night was either a bore or an embarrassment. Either way, we should have turned off the TV right after those fateful students stepped up on their desks. Then the season would really have gone out on a high.

 

 


 

 

[Jordan Catalano]

I agree 100%

 

http://www.pajiba.com/saturday_night_live/snls-dead-poets-society-parody-is-the-best-sketch-of-the-decade.php

[hork]

That sketch is idiotic. Not only is it a long set-up to a single joke, it's a bad joke, predicated on a puerile supposition and an impossible outcome. But the show hasn't been funny in 25 years, so maybe that sketch just looks good in comparison to all the other crap they deliver.

[Jordan Catalano]

You're right. I see it in a completely different way now. Thanks so much for setting us right on that. 

[hork]

Are you this defensive every time someone disagrees with you? Relax, it's a message board. People sometimes post opinions here that differ from yours. They're not a threat to you.

[Jordan Catalano]

Cool story, bro. 

[hork]

Jesus.

[Jordan Catalano]

Don't forget Mary, Mary. 

[hork]

Feel better?

[Jordan Catalano]

I feel fine. You're the one who had to get something off his chest.

[SNAFU]

Yes, SNL hasn't been funny for 25 years, hell, 29 years! Not once, not ever! I guess that is why it is still on and making it's highest ratings in it's history. I guess that is why we discuss it on this board today. Shrug, or maybe, just maybe you have aged out of it's targeted demographic. Shlt happens.

 Can't wait for the new season of Mad TV!

[hork]

Or maybe we just have different senses of humor. Geez, what is wrong with people today?

[SNAFU]

Yes, exactly. 

[phantom8019]

"Can't wait for the new season of Mad TV!"

I can't tell if this is sarcasm or not. There actually IS a new season of MadTV coming:

http://variety.com/2016/tv/news/mad-tv-the-cw-series-revival-1201750370/

My fingers are crossed but my expectations are low. Mad TV ended on a very low note. The middle seasons were the best.

 

[John Adams]

I hungry for a meatball salad.

[Roscoe]

Google Monty Python's Flying Circus Salad Days to find the sketch this one borrows from.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hnv7tXEBATc

[hork]

SNAFU said: "Yes, exactly. 

I'm confused. Isn't that what I said originally? Fine, I'll rephrase it for the message board sensitive:

I didn't care for that sketch. I did not find it funny, in my opinion. In my opinion, SNL has not been funny for 25 years. But that is only my opinion. Let's agree to disagree, to each his own, different strokes for different folks, and so on and so on and scooby dooby doo.

 

[SNAFU]

Not being sensitive, this updated version is NOT what you stated in your original post.

 

[John Adams]

Roscoe said: "Google Monty Python's Flying Circus Salad Days to find the sketch this one borrows from.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hnv7tXEBATc"

Yes, and the same bloodbath joke was also used by Dan Akroyd in his Julia Child sketch.

On The Dick VanDyke Show, Rob has to give a presentation to Richie's class (it's Career Day) on what a comedy writer does. In his talk, he explains what makes people laugh after he accidentally trips over something on the classroom's floor and all the kids laugh. He points out that we laugh at what's unexpected, or a surprise.

Even though the joke has been used before, I didn't see it coming. If anything, I was misdirected into thinking the punchline would be more in line with spoofing Dead Poets Society.

[Kad]

"It's a bad joke, predicated on a puerile supposition and an impossible outcome," seems like a sentence you'd find in a textbook called A Comprehensive Guide on How to Engage One's Sense of Humor (Fourth Edition; with updated analysis of the perceived comedic merits of cowbells).

[SNAFU]

Also, the All Drugs Olympics.

http://www.nbc.com/saturday-night-live/video/update-all-drug-olympics/n9691