With massive fall election campaign, SNL finally recognizes that I just can’t stay up that late
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- August
- 7
The biggest knock on Saturday Night Live over the years goes something like, “It’s not nearly as funny as it used to be,” or “The old cast was way better.”
At various times, these were probably true. Often, though, they couldn’t have been. After all, if prior lineups and renditions were always funnier, the show would have been in steep decline since its inception. Even harsh critics would agree instead that the show has had its peaks and valleys.
I can only speak from memory, though, because it’s been years since I could stay up that late with any regularity. So I’m pretty stoked for plans this fall to accommodate my increasingly early bedtimes.
And Lorne Michaels and Co. are doing so in a way that takes advantage of what I see as the show’s historic strength—the political satire of Weekend Update (aka the original faux news).
Taking advantage of a heated political season, the show that featured appearances by John McCain, Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama in its spring season will start its 34th (!) season by airing four straight live weekly shows, a marathon for the not-ready for-prime-time crew. But it’s the prime-time plans that I’m excited about.
On Oct. 9, 16 and 23, the three Thursdays leading up to Election Day, we’ll get to see Saturday Night Live Weekend Update Thursday.
The half-hour episodes will air at 9:30 p.m., at the tail end of the Must-See-TV comedy lineup that features The Office, 30 Rock and that Earl show I never watch.
They’re capping things off with an election-eve Presidential Bash 2008 on Monday, Nov. 3 from 9:30-11 p.m.
Seriously, how much better does that sound than anything Olber’Reillyman are going to do?
This entry was posted
on Thursday, August 7th, 2008 at 10:22 am by Brian Howard.
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