Andy Samberg Blog readers - Debate the quality of SNL

Here we have some of our most active readers discuss the quality of SNL.



Keep this discussion going and we'll add to it here. You all are making some great points!

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Our first person is Ryan C. He runs the sweet Lonely Island Fan blog (http://www.thelonelyislandfan.com/).

Ryan C:

I have to agree a lot on this article (http://andysamberg.blogspot.com/2009/04/gina-didnt-think-andy-samberg-and-seth.html). For a very long time I boycotted SNL and just watched MADTV because more often than not the show was actually quite funny and the quality of the sketches were well executed. Granted sure I always checked up to see what the Digital Short of the week was online from SNL cuz those were always the highlight of the show.

Well when Fall came around SNL really started to get funny. In fact almost the whole show each week was pretty solid and was surprised how on the ball they were with making quality funny stuff.

I think in the last 2 months though I've noticed a rather huge cliff fall and that the show is about where it was at this time last year. Some of the repeat sketches like the Kathy Lee Gifford and Hota morning show spoofs are getting extremely tiring and the last 2 that aired I completely skipped past (thanks to DVR). It just seems like the show has really slacked bad. Certainly there are some gems out there, but you really have to sift through a huge pile of blah stuff before you see the good ones. During that Fall season time I didn't skip past any of the sketches because they were genuinely pretty darn funny.

I'm worried SNL is getting unenjoyable again. I just don't know what happened to that edgy writing they were so consistent with for a while.

I also think SNL could be doomed the day Samberg, Taccone and Schaffer leave the offices to pursue bigger things. Though I know they seem to be extremely happy in the position they are in now.

SNL needs to step it up again. I'm losing faith in the show again.

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Next up is Kate, a friend of our blog. Check out her bio (http://www.blogger.com/profile/07550595837068522417).

Kate:

I actually have to disagree. Like I understand there are some that are just not funny, but maybe I just have a different sense of humor. Because every time I watch SNL I am laughing so hard, especially on the Seth Rogen one, like I would just think about the previous sketch and would laugh to myself. Obviously people will have different opinions and ideas about what is funny and what isn't. But I completely enjoy SNL and yes of course there are some bad ones, but that happens with anything. I think Seth Meyers is doing an awesome job as head writer. But of course a main reason why I watch the show, is for the Digital Shorts and hoping I will see a quick cameo from Kiv or Jorm and to see any sketch Andy is involved in.

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Next we have an anony chime in...

Anonymous:

Sounds like the writer needs to work on his funny-bone tickle-ability (Gina's the writer: http://andysamberg.blogspot.com/2009/04/gina-didnt-think-andy-samberg-and-seth.html)- I have to agree with Kate and completely disagree with the writer and Ryan. I, too, love love love all of the new SNL's- even if there are a few lemons in there- they still aren't sour- I am smiling, even if I am not laughing out loud. So kudos to SNL- I do wish they'd update with more new commercials though. I get the re-runs, but piling the re-run commercial parodies into every episode is a little re-donk-ulous. Otherwise- I am a regular watching SNL fan- so glad they revived it from the last era!

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Ryan C:

I don't deny that there definitely are some funny sketches on the show and I think the more recent Rogen one was okay. It's harder these days because usually as the show got more into it the quality of the sketches lessen, but this season they are spread out. Sometimes there's a hilarious one at the very tail end.

I certainly don't think the show is horrible and of course I do laugh here and there at sketches. To their credit the show is way better than it has been in a few years. I think some of the recycled stuff gets old after a while though like the ones I mentioned. Heck even a few weeks in a row they replayed the Edible Diapers commercial! I mean it was funny, but they need to something new. I wouldn't mind the same commercial getting played once every month or two, but don't repeat it that frequent.

Anyway, sorry if I seemed like I was really ragging on SNL. I don't hate it, but I am just finding that I'm not laughing as hard as later last year with how clever they were in their writing and keeping it pretty fresh. Oddly many of the Samberg sketches are usually funny as well as Hader. It's just a mix of blah and great. I know it's a challenge to be funny all the time, but this is a show that is making money and with that kind of audience they need to deliver every week. It's one thing working as a one-man show, but when you got a whole writing team you gotta wonder sometimes...

I'm still a weekly watcher of SNL and don't plan to let up watching as long as my Lonely Island guys continue contributing!

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The discussion continued with this post's comments...

Kate:

Well whenever the day comes that TLI isn't on SNL anymore, I will be extremely sad. But I do not think it will keep me from watching the show. I think they always end up coming back with new hilarious people. I personally love Bill Hader, Kristen Wiig, Will Forte, Kenan Thompson and Bobby Moynihan. And I think the show will keep going, obviously. It will be not as fun for me to watch, because I love seeing the Digital Shorts and the cameos of the Dudes, but I have loved SNL since I was a kid and I will always like it.

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Ryan:

I honestly can't say I'd 100% stop watching the show. Granted SNL always runs like a bit of a roller coaster and there's your good and not so good seasons or cast. I do think it's been a long while since we've seen as good of a cast ensemble as it is today and I cannot say this is a bad group at all. I'm pretty happy with their choice of overall cast and the transition of new folks seems to be going really well.

I do think the show needs more diverse cast members. I don't quite understand why they only cast one black guy in the show. That never seemed to make sense for me over the years. Maybe I'm wrong and it's only seemed that way, but from recollection that seems to be the trend year to year.

I'm not sure if the Digital Short will press on and be the same without The Lonely Island behind them. Not to say it's impossible, but they do have a unique sense of humor that could be hard to duplicate or make better.

No one knows what's down the road for SNL. Being now in my 30's and have been watching the show since I was very young I can't say I will ever stop watching the show. I do greatly agree with Kate though that there needs to be more character creation and different stories. You can't tell me all these writers don't have other ideas. I bet a ton of them get scrapped before they even get considered writing into complete sketches.

I will also say that I think Lorne Michaels has made some good decisions for the show in the last 5 years trying new things such as the Digital Short feature as well as being a little more daring in their approach to their sketches.

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Kate:

I agree actually. Like I do think there does need to be a bit more of a diverse cast, like of course the cast now is great but eventually some will go and they will need new ones and what not. And I also think Lorne Michaels has done a great job with the risks and ideas he has taken over the past few years. I just hope that after these members and writers that are there now leave, that they are able to find amazing people to take those spaces. Also I agree that the Digital Shorts probably won't be the same without the Dudes.

But it will be interesting to see where SNL goes from there and how they are able to cope from it. I know the show will still be a great one though.

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So let me know if you want to add your thoughts to this discussion!

Are you going to stop watching SNL when Andy Samberg and TLI leave? It's really up to the new generation (which is starting with Casey, Bobby, Michaela, and Abby). Of those new ones, Casey doesn't make me laugh, I think Bobby is hilarious, and Michaela and Abby can be either boring or hilarious (much how I feel about Kristen Wiig, Bill Hader, and Fred Armisen).

My personal opinion is that the crew needs to make new characters and concentrate on collaborative characters (groups of two or three). That's the magic formula that worked for this generation:



Thanks guys for making this blog a lively place, and please keep your comments coming!

Enjoy!

- TAE