Although many of my fellow Badgers probably spent last Saturday attending the final Farmer’s Market or celebrating the win against BYU, I found myself unable to get out of bed. Mostly because I was lazy, but also because I felt something important was missing. There was a hole in my heart that would normally have been filled by 'Saturday Night Live,' as the cast had this past weekend off.
I know, this might sound a bit dramatic, and some of you might be skeptical. If you grew up watching the show, you may have noticed its steadily declining buzz year after year. But my hopes remain high for SNL’s 39th season, and here’s why: The show has undergone a bit of a makeover.
If this upcoming Saturday is your first time tuning in this season, you might wonder if you’re on the right channel. All of the new faces you see are part of the largest cast hiring in nearly ten years. It makes sense if you think about it. Hearts first broke with the departure of Kristen Wiig and Andy Samberg in 2012. To make the large puddle of tears into a full-on lake, veterans Fred Armisen, Jason Sudeikis and Bill Hader all left the show at last season’s close. Not to mention the successive departures of Tina Fey, Amy Poehler and Maya Rudolph beginning back in 2006.
For a cast of only 16 regulars, losing even one member is a serious hit. But losing five within two years? It’s probably unheard of for many shows to undergo and survive a change of this scale. But SNL is no regular show and five episodes into the new season, I’m starting to really laugh again.
Despite losing a number of big stars, plenty of notables still remain. Thus far Kenan Thompson, Taran Killam and Bobby Moynihan have certainly stepped up their game. Thompson and Killam have both taken more prominent roles in skits and, although it will take many seasoned viewers a long time to get over the loss of Hader’s legendary character Stefon, Moynihan has proven worthy of the lost laughs with his characters Drunk Uncle and Second Hand News Anchor Anthony Crispino.
A handful of up-and-coming newbies have proven to be even more surprising and encouraging for the show’s future. This season Jay Pharoah, Aidy Bryant, Kate McKinnon and Cecily Strong all made the transition from featured to repertory players and so far they’ve made a huge difference. In addition to improving sketches overall, each has brought something unique to the table. Pharoah first stole my heart back in 2010 with his hilarious impression of Will Smith. I expect him to continue knocking it out of the park with his roles in music video spoofs and wide catalogue of impressions, ranging from Shaquille O’Neal to President Barack Obama.
However, building on the legacy of Fey and Poehler, the women of SNL continue to steal the spotlight. Bryant reminds me of Melissa McCarthy, and while the “Bridesmaids” star was never a cast member on SNL, look for Bryant to continue playing characters similar to McCarthy’s Megan Price. She was off the chart in the Nov. 2 episode as an innocent game show contestant on “Cartoon Catchphrase” who gets her heart broken on fake live television when her unfaithful boyfriend pops up in everyone else’s phone a friend call.
McKinnon has been somewhat of an underdog story for me. After experiencing an inexplicable distaste for her initially, she’s quickly become a favorite of mine. Her impressions of both German Chancellor Angela Merkel and U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services Kathleen Sebelius had me actually rolling on the floor. My prediction? McKinnon will steal the show during the 2016 presidential election cycle as the perfect candidate to imitate yet another hard-hitting powerful woman, Hillary Clinton.
While Strong has yet to shine quite as brightly, she will have plenty of opportunities. Currently co-anchoring the show’s famous Weekend Update segment with veteran Seth Meyers, she’ll be forced to take full command of the desk with Meyers's departure at the beginning of 2014. Thus far, she’s seemed a bit nervous in the hot spot, but who wouldn’t be—considering the shoes she’s setting out to fill?
However, Meyers' imminent departure to take over Late Night this February draws attention to my one concern moving forward. Although Meyers' only character role is Weekend Update anchor, he’s held the vital position of head writer since 2005. Only time will tell who will take Meyers’ position and whether or not they will be successful.
In the mean time, with an impressive first quarter of the 39th season already complete, I suggest tuning in. Edward Norton and Janelle Monae combined to make an all-around spectacular show Oct. 26. Keep an eye out for Lady Gaga doubling up as host and musical performer this weekend, followed by heartthrob Josh Hutcherson and the Haim sisters. There’ll be plenty of laughs to go around.
