The Offical Saturday Night Live Thread

[Catman]

1991-93 were the two seasons with the best cast. It was an epic cast, really. At times, it felt like you were watching two different shows. Their were the vets: Dana Carvey, Phil Hartman, Kevin Nealon, Mike Myers, etc. And the new kids: Chris Farley, Adam Sandler, David Spade, Rob Scheider, etc. It was the only time where you could actually watch the entire 90 minutes of the show. There was enough material to sustain that running time.

[RetroNaz]

This may earn the ire of some of you, but I don't think Andy Samberg is anything special.

Without his SNL Digital skits he's barely even funny at all. In other words I don't think he's very versatile, which shows because he's rarely featured as a main player in any skit (unless he's that lame duck character)

Bill Hader on the other hand, is the star of the show.

[KenK]

Originally Posted by AwesomeElmo

This may earn the ire of some of you, but I don't think Andy Samberg is anything special.

Without his SNL Digital skits he's barely even funny at all. In other words I don't think he's very versatile, which shows because he's rarely featured as a main player in any skit (unless he's that lame duck character)

They play to his strengths. What's the problem?

Bill Hader on the other hand, is the star of the show.

Well, that I can definitely agree with. Does he do any actual writing for the show?

[Homer J. Fong]

Everybody who's great on SNL writes - whether they're credited as a writer or not - sometimes that's what it really takes to push your own material, through. So I don't know exactly how much Hader writes, but I'm sure he does write.

[GREEN =w= DAY]

Originally Posted by AwesomeElmo

This may earn the ire of some of you, but I don't think Andy Samberg is anything special.

Without his SNL Digital skits he's barely even funny at all. In other words I don't think he's very versatile, which shows because he's rarely featured as a main player in any skit (unless he's that lame duck character)

Bill Hader on the other hand, is the star of the show.

yeah i agree with you. to be perfectly honest, i find Andy Samberg kind of annoying most of the time.

Bill Hader and Jason Sudekis are the only funny dudes on the shows. and with them getting more and more movie roles lately, i don't think they'll be on the show much longer.

[Catman]

I love Bill Hader, but Andy Samberg does steal the show with his rap songs and Digital Shorts. Even his Mark Wahlberg impression was a hit. Hader doesn't really have any standout material. But, that's okay. Phil Hartman is considered one of the best, but he was eclipsed by everyone else.

[Pink Ranger]

Originally Posted by Catman

I love Bill Hader, but Andy Samberg does steal the show with his rap songs and Digital Shorts. Even his Mark Wahlberg impression was a hit. Hader doesn't really have any standout material. But, that's okay. Phil Hartman is considered one of the best, but he was eclipsed by everyone else.

That's a very good comparison. Bill Hader is like the Phil Hartman of this cast: the versatile comedic actor and impressionist, who does reliably funny stuff but isn't considered a game changer.

Whereas Samberg, while he hits and misses a lot, is really the "voice of the generation" performer that guys like Sandler and Farley were. Samberg may not be funny in the classical sense, but he's the guy who really exemplifies the values and comedic world views of the current 20-something and late teens audience.

[Sparta*]

Bill Haders Stefan = epic win haha Hes one of the few cast members nowadays that I actually really like

[Catman]

Originally Posted by Pink Ranger

Samberg may not be funny in the classical sense, but he's the guy who really exemplifies the values and comedic world views of the current 20-something and late teens audience.

He's Adam Sandler for the 21st century.

[Havok83]

I have to disagree with most. Ive never had a problem with SNL's cast. The current one is a good one. Its the writing that sucks. The cast is funny and can be with good material

[Dr. Evil]

I like Bill Hader's Vincent Price impersonation.

[Shifty]

Originally Posted by Havok83

I have to disagree with most. Ive never had a problem with SNL's cast. The current one is a good one. Its the writing that sucks. The cast is funny and can be with good material

The writing has been mediocre to terrible since 2003 with a few shows a year that standout. It no longer attracts some of the top writing talent in North America (expansion of late night shows, Comedy Central, Adult Swim) and its still using the same writing schedule as 1975.

The cast during Carvey's tenure is the most successful and saved SNL from being canceled in the 1980s, Lorne has said that they were the best and looking at what they did at SNL in terms of memorable characters/sketches they just had the right people at the right time. That goes for the writers as well. The writers from that era include: Conan O'Brien, Robert Smigel, Greg Daniels, Bob Odenkirk, Bonnie and Terry Turner, George Meyer and other future Simpsons writers.

Best sketch show since 2003 has been Human Giant.

[RetroNaz]

Originally Posted by KenK

They play to his strengths. What's the problem?

Without the digital shorts he'd be about as useful as Abby Elliot.

It was just an observation.

[Happy Jack]

Originally Posted by Catman

He's Adam Sandler for the 21st century.

Lets hope he ends up having a better movie career than Sandler. And I don't mean in terms of box office.

I like Samberg, but Bill Hader is probably my favorite current cast member.

That said, Kristin Wiig is the most famous.

[RetroNaz]

Yeah Kristin is easily most famous.

Jason Sudekis has a real chance to break out if he keeps on getting good roles in films (he nearly stole the show in The Rocker imo, and got good laughs in Going the Distance).

[Prison Mike]

He's in that new movie coming up, Hall Pass. Looks funny.

[KenK]

Originally Posted by Prison Mike

He's in that new movie coming up, Hall Pass. Looks funny.

That'll definitely be the test for Sudekis. Although Owen Wilson's presence in the film takes it down a notch for me. I'm sorry, but Owen's just not on his game like he used to be.

Sidenote: I want to see more from the "other" Wilson Brother, Andrew. I loved him in Idiocracy as "Beef Supreme", just 'cause he just played dumb so well!!! And he was hilarious in Whip It. Don't ever cut your hair or shave your beard!!!

[Nightmare]

Originally Posted by Prison Mike

He's in that new movie coming up, Hall Pass. Looks funny.

That looks funny. My kind of date movie.

[Catman]

Originally Posted by Shifty

The cast during Carvey's tenure is the most successful and saved SNL from being canceled in the 1980s

The 1985-86 season was a disappointment, but it was an interesting experiment nonetheless and the cast was pretty impressive: Robert Downey Jr., Randy Quaid, Anthony Michael Hall, Damon Wayans, and Joan Cusack. That was also the season where Dennis Miller, Jon Lovitz, and Nora Dunn joined.

The REAL infamous cast was the one from the 1980-81 season. If it wasn't for Eddie Murphy, the show would have been cancelled for sure.

Lorne has said that they were the best and looking at what they did at SNL in terms of memorable characters/sketches they just had the right people at the right time.

1986-95 (yeah, I'll include the `94-95 season), were indeed the best years. But I also have a soft spot for the original 1975-79 seasons. They set the foundation.

[TheIncredibleSk]

Jay PharoahEven though he's soon to be the token black guy on the show, I find him very funny in his little screen time.

[Catman]

Is that the dude who does Denzel Washington?

[GREEN =w= DAY]

Originally Posted by TheIncredibleSk

Jay PharoahEven though he's soon to be the token black guy on the show, I find him very funny in his little screen time.

Originally Posted by Catman

Is that the dude who does Denzel Washington?

yeah

that guy is awesome too. it shouldn't surprise anyone if next season he has more screen time. this guy is going to be huge.

[dark_b]

is there i site where we can watch all Eddie Murphy's sketches?

[KenK]

Originally Posted by dark_b

is there i site where we can watch all Eddie Murphy's sketches?

NBC.com's SNL site features partial collections for some of their most-noted cast members, you should start there.

[Catman]

There's also a Best of Eddie Murphy DVD.