Reply #14: It's just so much fluff [View All]

[pokerfan]

It takes no thought to write because no one is given any lines. I guess that's what makes it funny. Family Guy does that a lot--repeat a joke over and over (and over!) until it becomes annoying and then repeat it some more because that's supposed to make it funny somehow. Granted, a lot of recurring sketches do that to some degree. Celebrity Jeopardy for example but at least with CJ, there's occasionally some clever jokes. WUWT just doesn't work for me. And they ran it something like six times this season. But, in its defense, it's always fun to see the SNL band.

Agree that Betty's episode was the best this season (and Peyton Manning's was the best of the last several years) and I continue to tune in. I've been watching since the beginning and it's really not that bad. What I think a lot of people forget is that SNL (and all sketch comedy) has always been a bit hit or miss. Comedy Central used to air classic reruns that were actually condensed episodes in order to fit them into an hour which allowed them to cut a third of the crap. That's going to make the show look a lot more funny right there.

But there has been a decline and I lay the blame squarely on NBC. After the success of Blues Brothers and Wayne's World, NBC became annoyed that talented comedians were using their show to launch film careers. So they made the contract more onerous and one that forbids the actors from running off and doing a third party film for 12 years (and tying them to a five figure salary for any film NBC decides they must do). Or pretty much doing anything not SNL/NBC/Lorne related for 12 years.

So instead of Belushi/Murphy/Myers, we are left the current crop, the only comics willing to sign such a contract. The level of talent is down but at least the talent is staying. Congratulations, NBC! Well done. :applause:

http://www.observer.com/1999/snl-s-killer-contract">SNL 's Killer Contract