“Saturday Night Live” sucks.
Yeah, I know-way to hit these cultural phenomena at the height of their popularity.
However, it needed to be said. America’s longest-running comedy series in television history is so awful that “According to Jim” has more laughs. John Belushi must be rolling over in his grave-if there’s room in his casket.
Of course, this isn’t new. When Will Ferrell left after the 2001-’02 season to further his movie career, the show took a decided turn for the worse. I remember trying to watch the show during my freshman year of 2002. I spent most of the night trading instant messages with a friend at John Carroll University discussing how horrible the show was.
With that in mind, I decided to do better things with my Saturday nights. “SNL,” one of the benchmark shows of my formative years, was no longer part of my life.
It felt like a large comedy hole. Through my middle school and high school years, I watched the show’s mid-1990s re-runs religiously when they were on Comedy Central. Comedians like Adam Sandler, Chris Farley, David Spade, Norm MacDonald and Chris Rock made me laugh and probably helped form my current warped sense of humor. Characters like Farley’s motivational speaker Matt Foley and Spade’s receptionist for Dick Clark were comedic gold.
I guess I find myself yearning for that kind of quality “SNL” again. Last Saturday night, maybe with a little bit too much hope, and with nothing to do but spend a relaxing evening in front of my television, I decided to watch the show again for the first time in two years. What I saw was nauseating.
I did not laugh in the 45 minutes I watched the show. The only time I came close was when Will Forte sang a mildly amusing song to his mother about how he would miss her when she’s dead, but it was more morbid than funny. The next Mother’s Day skit involved a cross-dressing father at a restaurant (awkward), and another skit had Chris Parnell playing a character named “Merv the Perv” (disgusting and decidedly un-Mother’s Day).
It was so bad that I actually felt sad for everyone involved. I felt like I was doing the cast a service by turning the show off so that maybe their embarrassment would be lessened with one less viewer tuned in.
What the hell happened to this American icon?
Maybe “SNL” has become a relic. Whereas the show was once a bastion of comedy that pushed the envelope, its just another show now. “The Simpsons,” “South Park” and “Family Guy” have all blown “SNL” out of the water when it comes to risqué humor. There is no more envelope to push. “SNL” can survive only by combining creative writing with topical humor, and they are failing miserably.
That is where Ferrell comes in. Both his acting and writing were a cut above any “SNL” player since the mid-1990s. It was amazing how much Ferrell meant to the show. His ability to make almost anything funny hid what was a horrible cast. Chris Kattan, Darrell Hammond and Jimmy Fallon were the other “stars.”
At least they were mildly amusing compared to today’s dreck. Rachel Dratch? Rob Riggle? Someone named Finesse? Awful, awful, awful.
If the cast is bad, the writing, which has always been the staple of the show, is worse. The head writer, Tina Fey, can’t even be funny when she’s writing her own material on “Weekend Update.” That is a bad sign. The show’s political humor and impressions, which once set a standard, have flat-lined.
However, maybe for one night, they can be saved.
Ferrell will return to host the show Saturday night. If there is any hope for the show, the writers will be able to come up with something funny for the “SNL” legend to do.
I defy you not to laugh at the characters Ferrell portrayed during his seven years on the show. His impressions of Alex Trebek, George W. Bush, Harry Caray and James Lipton are legendary. You’re probably snickering at something like the word “strategery” right now. His portrayal of fictitious cowbell-playing Blue Oyster Cult band member Gene Frenkle has become one of the brilliant pop culture characters of our time.
If anyone can make “SNL” relevant again, it is Ferrell. A triumphant return to the show would cement Ferrell’s reputation as Hollywood’s funniest man. If he can be funny Saturday night, in a setting where so many have failed over the past three seasons, he might be a comedic miracle worker.
So for one more Saturday night, bring on “Janet Reno’s Dance Party;” Will Ferrell is back.
Jeff Svoboda likes funny television shows, which means he does not watch much TV anymore. Svoboda, The Lantern’s sports editor, can be reached for comment at [email protected].
