The Independent Student Newspaper of St. John's University

The Torch

The Independent Student Newspaper of St. John's University

The Torch

The Independent Student Newspaper of St. John's University

The Torch

Losing the Laughs

Saturday Night Live is not quite what it used to be. When compared to the show’s heydays of the 70s and 90s, SNL has proven for the last few seasons that it cannot capture that certain draw that the show had years ago.

Recently, the writing has gotten boring and repetitive and the skits have become tiresome. Although the cast of SNL is still made up of immensely talented comedians, their skills are put to waste on the material that they are given to work with.

The season premiere of SNL was hosted by Megan Fox and featured musical guest U2. The outcome of the show was extremely predictable, and among all of the sketches only a few stood out as truly entertaining.

Highlights included Fred Armisen’s impression of a Russian woman, done in a dress and wig, and Keenan Thompson’s advice-filled skit concerning special “positions”. Another memorable moment came when one cast member accidentally blurted out a profanity, proving how entertaining live television can be.

Aside from a few moments, the show’s premiere was dismal. It is hard to imagine the last time “Weekend Update” was funny after Tina Fey and Jimmy Fallon left the show. The current “Weekend Update” skits are generally lazy and overly political.

As for the host, Megan Fox did a mediocre job considering the script she was given. It was evident she was trying her best to be funny. Despite her best efforts, she just couldn’t provide the show with any sort of real comedy.

One very disappointing aspect of the show was the SNL “Digital Shorts.” Both “Digital Short” skits featured in the premiere were, at best, average, and at worst, confusing.

Even though the show was not spectacular, one part did not disappoint: the musical guest. U2 delivered Saturday night, singing three songs during the show. The band’s enthusiasm and energy provided a much-needed boost.

It might be wishful thinking, but given the potential of some rising comedians like Andy Samberg, Bill Hader and Kristen Wiig, it is difficult not to yearn for those old SNL days where the writers consistently delivered hilarious material. Maybe it will come back, maybe it will not, but audiences will just have to keep watching and see.

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