Saturday Night Live. Can you believe it’s really been on TV for 50 years? It feels like the show has always just… been there. And if your family was anything like mine, SNL was a tradition. Who didn’t beg their parents to let them stay up way past bedtime to catch it live?
For me, the SNL I grew up with was the mid-to-late-2000s cast. I’m talking Maya Rudolph, Kristen Wiig, Kenan Thompson, Jason Sudeikis, Andy Samberg, Bill Hader, and of course, Weekend Update with Amy Poehler and Seth Meyers. That lineup was pure comedy and actually formed my sense of humour. I’ll always have a soft spot for their sketches and characters. But honestly, doesn’t everyone think their SNL era was the best? Some swear by the 90s cast (Will Ferrell, Molly Shannon, Adam Sandler), others love the 80s (Eddie Murphy, Jon Lovitz, Dana Carvey), and the die-hards will always insist on the original 1975 lineup: Dan Aykroyd, Gilda Radner, John Belushi, and Chevy Chase. There’s just something special about the cast you grew up watching.
Last year, a movie called Saturday Night was released, taking us back to where it all began in 1975. It’s all about the chaos of the 90 minutes leading up to the very first episode of SNL (back when it was still called Saturday Night). The whole thing plays out in real time, following Lorne Michaels as he tries to keep everything from falling apart before the cameras roll. It’s one of those movies where you’ll be pointing at the screen every few minutes going, “Hey, I recognize that actor!”
Literally me the whole time. (Picture from Esquire)
My only criticism is that some of the casting left me a bit confused, like, it would cut to people having a conversation but you don’t know who they’re supposed to be. For example, they kept cutting to this guy and gal working on their comedy bits, and it turns out they’re supposed to be Billy Crystal and Valri Bromfield. I genuinely had no clue until near the end of the movie. On the flipside, some portrayals were uncanny. The actors playing Chevy Chase and, especially, John Belushi were spot-on, absolutely nailed it.
All in all, Saturday Night is a fascinating, sometimes intimate look at how a show beloved by so many almost didn’t make it to air. If you’re a fan of the show or just love a good story about TV history, I definitely recommend checking it out. Just NOT with the kids…lots of swearing, some drug use, and just a tiny bit of nudity.
You can stream Saturday Night on Crave.
Comments