pezboy

Or for that matter, the season? I understand Reese Witherspoon is hosting but what will the opening be like. And what do they do from there?

Last season, they hit a chord with critics and viewers with dead-on parodies of Gore and Shrub. The 3 debate sketches were replayed on cable over and over, each time getting funnier and funnier. But after Smirk assumed power, Wil Ferrel's portrayal of an idiot-in-chief took over. Can he/they afford to do that this Saturday, or even at all anymore?

And what about Weekend Update? I'm a part-time comedian myself, and I pride myself on material based on politics and current events, but try doing that now. I predict Mariah Carey, Micheals Jordan and Jackson, and Whitney Houston jokes up the ying yang.

I'd also assume we'll se a return to the generic characters from the last few years, with maybe some new ones starting out. Why mine for trouble with current events when you can bust out Marty Culp and Bobbi Mohan-Culp, Gemini's Twin (which I HATE), or Fallon and Dratch's Boston teenager sketches.

Thoughts?

Jadzia

I read this in the Detroit Free Press today:

WHEN IS "SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE" RETURNING?

On Saturday. The new season will acknowledge the attacks "in an emotional way," executive producer Lorne Michaels said Wednesday.


I didn't even know it was starting until I read this. Glad I didn't miss it.

Charlie Goose

Lorne Michaels has announced that there definitely will NOT be any jokes about GWB. Looks like Will Ferrell's impersonation is going to be shelved for a while. I'm glad about that, it's the same joke beaten into the ground over and over again.

TheEdge21

It was my understanding that Walter Cronkite was going to do a speech before the Emmys

Charlie Goose

The Emmys are going to be a complete change from what they were. No outlandish dresses, no wacky jokes, no acceptance speeches, etc.

Darren Garrison

Too bad. I'd just love to see someone pounce over his multiple use of the word "misunderestimate" in a recent speech.

Professor Frink

And there's another GWB mannerism that has come out during his speeches of the past few weeks - "make no mistake..."

He sometimes says that line 3 or 4 times in one address.

Frank TJ Mackey

I kept thinking the season opener this saturday was a repeat because Reese Witherspoon just hosted the show last season.......I'm almost positive.

Does any1 know if this is correct??

das Monkey

Nah, this one's all new. They announced early in the summer that Reese would be hosting the next season's premiere. I remember thinking the same thing, because she had hosted not 4 weeks earlier. But the TV spots confirm that it's super duper all new ... with Alicia Keyes.

das

pezboy

Has anyone seen The Onion? www.theonion.com They've unleeashed an outstanding issue nearly entirely Sept. 11 related. I'm wondering if that's the "go ahead" that shows like SNL needed to gauge interest in (lightly) mocking Dubya or patriotism or stuff like that.

Of course w/ the WTC right there, you'd think they'd be pretty somber and reflective. I'm still expecting a Marty Culp and Bobbi Mohan-Culp medley of patriotic hits.

mikehunt

on the news today they said Gulliani is doing the opening, there will be no bush jokes until everything has settled down, and no jokes about the attacks

mikehunt

what was up with the beginning, the narator said something like "ana gasteyer was tina fey"

mikehunt

horatio sans does the best teachers in the world

mikehunt

jeffkjoe

Thoughts as I watch the show now....


1) DON PARDO screwed up. Since all of the supporting players from last year have been promoted to regulars,

he said: "Ana Gasteyer" by accident when Tina Fey's face popped up after Will Ferell's pic. I guess he's not used to having Tina Fey appearing after Will Ferrell now in the openng credits.


2) Boy, do the "safe" sketches REEK!


Sure, the writers can be safer now, but does that mean the sketches have to be so darn terrible? And I'm a LONGTIME, DIE-HARD SNL FAN!

mikehunt

LOL
this is soo funny

das Monkey

Just like last season ... the most annoying trend of the last 5 years of SNL is that it's NOT a 90 minute show. It's a 60 minute show with 30 minutes of cow poop thrown on the end.

The beginning was pretty funny as usual. Weekend Update seemed to be bumped earlier in the show, but that could just be perception. I LOVED the Nostradamus joke, but apparently the audience didn't get it. For a premiere, I was pretty disappointed, but SNL is always hit or miss ... you never know when something's going to be incredibly funny or when it will fall completely flat (you like-a da juice, ah?). I do think they should ditch Celebrity Jeopardy. It's their funniest bit from the past 5+ years, but it can't be as funny as it was. The last two they've done just weren't as good.

das

Darren Garrison

I thought the "making fun of that damn nitwit Jessie Jackson" segment was pretty good.

mikehunt

classic

das Monkey

It was probably their worst Jessie Jackson appearance ("If not here, where? If not now, when? Ibbidy dibbity ... bibbidy doo"), but at least they went after him again. He should be satirized twice a week.

das

ravan

Those two on the piano and singing whatstheirnames...

THEY ARE SOOOOOOOOO BAAAAAAAAAAAAD.

Loved the mermaid and most of the stuff in the beginning..

tofu

i think this is the first time that i've ever liked the skit with the two music teachers.

when they started singing h to the izzo

and the news was alright too.

Frank TJ Mackey

I think it is crippling to Darrell Hammond when he can't do "any" political figures.

Jessie Jackson is not one of his best in my opinion and they stayed with it FORRRREEEEVVEERR.

Horatio Sanz is being put in all the wrong skits.......he's just not that good and he's not Chris Farley.

Very true how the last half (which i rarely watch anymore) always sucks. I still vote to keep Jeopardy because on a curve it's still pretty good.

Maya Rudolph did ok I think.......it's apparent she's the leading lady now.

They used up the first ten minutes with Paul Simon........I guess if you're a big fan of his then that's good.

I still like the music teachers.......Ana Gasteyer always reminds me of "Tootsie" by the way she looks.

I liked Tracy Morgan's two seconds when they went over to the hospital room with his baby.

WEEKEND UPDATE is about the only thing i consistently find funny. And I never liked it with Colin Quinn or Dennis Miller.

And I am a huge Dennis Miller fan from the HBO show.

G. Noel Gross

It's good to see SNL is still a total waste of my time, so I can continue watching The Howard Stern Radio Show without feeling like I'm missing anything over on NBC.

Charlie Goose

The Weekend Update segment has some good jokes, but Tina Fey and Jimmy Fallon are just way too annoying to watch. The worst part is when they deliver a punchline and then start laughing at what they just said. It's pathetic.

The Celebrity Jeopardy skits are running out of steam, too.