I haven’t been able to say this in quite a while, but I’m going to be sad to see “Saturday Night Live” go away for the summer.
At a time when “SNL” was struggling to get by, the show’s producers made the risky decision this season not to hire any new talent and to cut the cast down to just 11 actors, which I think really payed off.
If you had asked people just last year or the year before what they thought of “SNL,” they would have told you that it just hasn’t been the same. “It’s just not funny anymore,” they would say. Start asking around again, though. I think you’ll find that people’s opinions are changing.
The smaller cast has allowed the show’s newer cast members to really shine this year. Jason Sudeikis has proven himself a versatile comedian, and Kenan Thompson is an okay comedian, but Andy Samberg and his team of “Digital Shorts” creators are a large part of what has made the new “SNL” so great. This season has given us the instant classic “Dick in a Box” skit, as well as “Laser Cats 2,” “Body Fusion” and “Roy Rules!” among others. You can’t argue with 20 million YouTube hits for “Dick in a Box.”
Another cast member who has really stepped up this year is Kristen Wiig. Personally, I love her, so I’m glad that having a reduced cast has given her more chances at airtime (but let’s be honest: The Target Lady was only funny the first time). Whether you love the recurring “Two A-Holes” skits or hate them, Wiig’s turn as an airheaded bimbo gets me every time. The way she chews her gum and twirls her hair is perfect. And did you see the skit where she played Jessica Simpson? Funniest fake singing EVER. All she has to do is look at the camera and I’ll laugh.
YouTube has really helped “SNL” this season, too. Instead of simply removing pirated content from the video Web site, NBC is now uploading its own “SNL” videos so that people can get caught up on the funniest moments from previous episodes. Unlike Viacom, who it seems is adamantly opposed to YouTube, NBC obviously recognizes the potential power of YouTube to actually bring in new viewers. As the “SNL” videos make their way up the most-viewed charts on YouTube, people will catch on to the fact that “SNL” is no longer as lame as it used to be.
But the brightest spot of every Saturday night is Weekend Update. Amy Poehler and Seth Meyers have become quite the dynamic duo of deliciously funny fake news ever since Tina Fey left. With their endless strings of puns and perfectly timed one-liners, Poehler and Meyers can make practically anything funny, and their Really!?! with Seth and Amy segments are hilarious. No one does sarcastic common sense better. Really. Even in an era of “The Daily Show” and “The Colbert Report,” Weekend Update is able to hold its own.
Last week’s episode, with host Molly Shannon, was so fantastic. In addition to performing some new skits, Shannon brought back all her best characters, including Mary Katherine Gallagher as a contestant on “American Idol,” Sally O’Malley as a wannabe-stripper in Tony Soprano’s strip joint, and that mullet-headed beauty Jeanie Darcy as Weekend Update’s featured comedian of the week. It was basically amazing. Sadly, joyologist Helen Madden wasn’t present. But don’t get me started. Don’t even get me started!
Sure, the season has had its dull moments (Forest Whitaker as host? More “Deep House Dish”?), but what show doesn’t? Overall, “SNL” has felt much fresher and more revitalized this year that it has in a long time. Don’t believe me? Go to YouTube and search for “sloths.” You won’t be disappointed.