Many changes for Season 40, but 'SNL' core is intact
“It's not as funny as it used to be,” they say.
“It's the greatest living institution of both comedy and television,” I say.
“Saturday Night Live” returns for its 40th season this weekend with host Chris Pratt (“Guardians of the Galaxy”) and musical guest Ariana Grande, and that anniversary means NBC's late-night stalwart will be under a stronger microscope and a brighter spotlight.
During Season 39 last December, I wrote in this column that the show was leaning far too much on its celebrity hosts, surprise appearances and former cast members. Those problems are sure to resurface, given the two hosts that follow Pratt: former cast members Sarah Silverman and Bill Hader.
“SNL” overlord Lorne Michaels did not stand pat in the offseason. Gone are last year's little-used feature players — Brooks Wheelan, John Milhiser and Noel Wells were fired, and Mike O'Brien is back to being a full-time writer. Also gone: five-year veteran Nasim Pedrad, who now appears on former “SNL” writer John Mulaney's new Fox sitcom, “Mulaney,” premiering Oct. 5.
Writer Michael Che joins the cast as Colin Jost's new Weekend Update co-anchor; Cecily Strong began last season alongside Seth Meyers at the fake-news desk, and now she can once again focus on sketch and character work. Also new to the cast is Pete Davidson, a 20-year-old comic plucked from MTV and TV guest-shot obscurity.
Despite all that reshuffling — and the impending departure of 12-year cast member Kenan Thompson next May — the core of this era of “SNL” remains intact. Kate McKinnon and Aidy Bryant enjoyed the kind of breakout success last season that could soon put them in Amy Poehler and Kristen Wiig territory. If any current cast member deserves to share the nickname Phil Hartman's “SNL” peers gave him (“The Glue”), it's Taran Killam, who can be depended on to play any role in any sketch at any time. And Vanessa Bayer and Bobby Moynihan have quietly been around so long that the show just wouldn't feel right without them.
But the show won't feel right, not at first, without Don Pardo. The longtime TV announcer was the voice of “SNL” since the very first episode in 1975, and continued to record the opening introductions from his home in Arizona into his 90s. Pardo died Aug. 18 at age 96, and he will be succeeded this Saturday by former cast member Darrell Hammond. Though Hammond is known primarily for his impressions, I think we can all agree that a fake Don Pardo is the last thing we want to hear at the top of this weekend's show.
40 years of favorites
I may not yet be 40 years old, but I've seen just about every minute of “SNL” ever produced. (And thanks to Netflix, Yahoo! Screen and NBC.com, you can too!) Here are some of my all-time favorites:
Cast member: Phil Hartman. Hands down. The show's best straight man could also be the funniest guy in the room. Will Ferrell, John Belushi and Eddie Murphy had higher highs, but no one was as consistent as Hartman.
Recurring sketch: “Celebrity Jeopardy!” These sketches from the '90s and early 2000s combined two things “SNL” has always leaned on too much — game shows and celebrity impressions — and somehow made them must-see TV. My personal favorite features David Duchovny as Jeff Goldblum, who insists that the number 2 is a letter. (“Ah, ah, the letter 2, my friend!”)
One-off sketch: “Massive Head Wound Harry.” If you haven't seen this uproarious sketch from 1991, just know that it involves gory makeup on Dana Carvey and a very eager golden retriever.
Filmed segment: “Men's Synchronized Swimming.” Martin Short and Harry Shearer go for Olympic gold in this 1984 short film by Christopher Guest (“Best in Show,” “A Mighty Wind”) that acts as a template for his big-screen career.
• Sean Stangland is a Daily Herald copy editor, a tireless consumer of pop culture and a master thespian (“Acting! Thank YOU!”). You can follow him on Twitter at @SeanStanglandDH.