In honor of Saturday Night Live‘s 50th Anniversary, we will be going through its rich and varied history and breaking down its legendary run into easy to digest eras. Some eras might last for years, others only one season. But each era is one that either marked a change in the show, were driven by a remarkable personality of a star, or marked a special part of the history of the program. Today, we look at Saturday Night Live’s legacy and future.
Leading into Saturday Night Live’s 50th Anniversary, the show’s continued existence was called into question. Rumors that the show would be coming to a graceful end after the landmark anniversary season, or, at the very least, the show’s creative muse Lorne Michaels will be retiring.
As I am writing this, which is right after the penultimate episode of the show’s 50th season, nothing has been set in stone. But industry insiders are leaning towards SNL returning for at least its 51st season.
As well it should. It should be back for its 51st and 50 more on top of that. Because Saturday Night Live is more than just a sketch comedy show. It’s more than a piece of entertainment. It is an American institution, and it should be protected as such.
Of course, SNL will not go on forever. Networks run on profits, not prestige and sentimentality. But in a perfect world. SNL would be eternal.
But let’s not put the cart before the horse. Let’s see where the series stands now, and how strong it will be going into the future.
If we were going to make an honest assessment of the current cast, I would say that it is fairly strong. It’s not the best cast ever, but it’s not the worst. What the cast has in droves is potential. It’s a young cast with a lot of talent and should be set up for a rich future.
Let’s talk about the cast with the caveat that I am writing this before the yearly purge. Every year the show sheds cast members. Some leave of their own volition, some are fired, some are just not asked back. Any upheaval is too early to predict, other than it’s likely there will be upheaval. So, I might be singing the praises of a cast member who is no longer in the cast by the time you read this. Point and laugh at me if you wish.
First off let’s talk about the veterans. That obviously means Kenan Thompson, who has been at SNL since 2003, longer than any cast member in the history of the show. It appears that he is working there pretty much at will. He is a solid utility member, the rock the show revolves around. He might be the last one to turn off the lights when the show finally ends.
The Weekend Update crew of Colin Jost and Michael Che have been sitting in those chairs for a long time too, providing a stable foundation for or the show’s most consistent comedy generator. However, Che is always saying that he will be leaving the show, and eventually he will be correct. You could say that Weekend Update is bigger than any anchor, as the Colin Quinn era can attest to. So, if they leave, the segment should be in good hands.
Mikey Day is the next longest cast member. It took me a while to warm to him, but now I consider him one of the most versatile cast members.
The strongest part of the current cast is its female players, Heidi Gardner, Chloe Fineman, and Ego Nwodim consistently provide some of the funniest moments on the show–when they get airtime. Sarah Sherman was a great addition to the cast. Her style of comedy is bizarre and weird, but she has managed to be a fairly darn good actress in sketches as well.
For the other newer cast members, the standout is obviously Bowen Yang. Like Sherman, he has proven himself as a versatile cast member, being able to play everything from the iceberg that hit the Titanic to J.D. Vance. James Austin Johnson does an excellent Trump impersonation. And once of the bright spots for a successful future is Marcello Hernández. I say this using the completely non-scientific method of my 16-year-old daughter and her friends absolutely love him. If they stick with him, he, and the show, have a bright future.
As for the bad part, if anyone can tell Andrew Dismukes and Michael Longfellow apart, you are better than me. I have not done a deep dive on the seasons that have been on the show, but every time I tune in, they both give of the same kind of bland white-boy energy whenever I see them. I find them interchangeable. And I feel I have not seen Devon Walker’s best work, because he hasn’t really been well used by the show.
For the featured players, the one that stands out the most to me is Jane Wickline. With her deadpan delivery and her witty songs, she entertains every time she appears. However, so did Chloe Troast, and she was let go.
But, regardless, the cast gives SNL a good chance to survive for the foreseeable future. But what gives them a better chance is the show’s embrace of social media and video blogging. You don’t have to tune in to see the most talked about sketches. If you missed out, you could check it out on Instagram, You Tube and other services. That expands the audience for the show, which is good for the show’s health.
But my main feeling about the show comic back is the fact that NBC has nothing else to put in its place. Starting up a new show will be expensive and take time to build and audience. The NBC affiliates would be more likely to replace the show with infomercials than whatever NBC offers as a replacement. Unless SNL tanks so much that is costs NBC money to air, it should be safe.
Which is good. As I write this last tribute to the 50 years of SNL, I hope it stays around for another 50 years. I hope my daughter is writing an article on this site in honor of the show’s 100th anniversary, explaining how her love for Marcello Hernández, made her a fan.
