Saturday Night Live

[BillBrasky]

Mulaney was evidently at the Creative Arts Emmys on Saturday supporting the show, although that doesn't necessarily mean he's returning this year to write for the show.

I forgot about the 3 most recent people hired (Chris Kelly, Zach Kanin, and Neil Casey), so there's actually about 13 people on staff right now. Here's a rundown of how long they've been with the show:

'12-'13- Neil Casey
'11-'12- Zach Kanin, Chris Kelly
'10'-'11- Sarah Schneider (She joined late in the season)
'09-'10- Michael Patrick O'Brien
'07-'08- Rob Klein, Kent Sublette
'06-'07- Marika Sawyer, John Solomon
'05-'06- Colin Jost, Bryan Tucker
'00-'01- James Anderson, Erik Kenward

Plus the aforementioned Baze, Meyers, Higgins, Downey, and Lorne (who I doubt writes anything).

Four new people hired in the last 3 seasons isn't that many. You'd think they'd be trying to infuse the show with some new blood, writing-wise. James Anderson has been responsible for some of the worst stuff on the show in recent years, like "Gays in Space", "Gemini's Twin", "Deep House Dish", recently "The Californians" with Fred. John Solomon wrote a lot with Will Forte and recently was working on the Digital Shorts, so it doesn't seem like he will be around much longer.
Marika Sawyer was credited as a "writing supervisor" in this episode, so I don't know if that is maybe a promotion for her, with Jost now being co-head writer with Seth.

[DiscoInferiorityComplex]

James Anderson has been responsible for ...recently "The Californians" with Fred

So, you're saying he's a national treasure?

[JDiddy]

To quote a classic Matt Besser character from Comedy Bang Bang, "Serious or Sarcastic?"

Fred's impression has run its course, so he's the natural next in line. But there's a lot going on with Obama beyond just his voice that we will see if Jay can actually do.

I was serious, and it's no surprise to me that it was great. I have a soft spot for impressionists, so Pharoah is one of my favorite castmembers.

Loved the puppets sketch too. Overall it was a pretty good episode, but it didn't feel like the big season premiere episode like in years past.

[BillBrasky]

So, you're saying he's a national treasure?

I know some people like this, but I'm not one of them. As far as I can tell, the basic joke is "Californians like to give directions to each other all the time". Dino Stamatopolous pointed out on Twitter that the basic premise of the sketch is similar to that Monty Python sketch where an Agatha Christie-type murder mystery descends into everybody talking about railway timetables. But that was taking something stuffy and traditionally drama-y and inserting something silly into it, and ended with Cleese (or Palin, I forget) as a theater critic analyzing the work of this presumably insane playwright whose work is "just a bunch of rubbish about timetables". So the premise sort of made sense. Whereas with The Californians they're taking the tropes of a typical soap opera and just having everybody give directions, which....I guess is a thing? I don't know, is this a stereotype of LA people I wasn't previously aware of?

I guess the first sketch was amusing because of everybody breaking up during it, but I've grown less enamored of sketches where everybody breaks in recent years. (Didn't really like that Price is Right model sketch with Maya Rudolph and Kristen Wiig where they started laughing during the sketch, either). With Debbie Downer the laughter seemed kind of genuine and like everybody couldn't help it, but it has seemed a little more forced with this recent cast, like they're doing it to prop up otherwise weak material.

[Pimpbot]

Has anyone else seen Colin Jost's stand-up? I found it underwhelming at best. Though, to be fair, sketch writing is its own thing. Any idea what prominent sketches he has been responsible for?

[Jixby Phillips]

Seriously I do not get people insisting that "American Dad" is a good show. I'm troubled by how bad it is and how many people there are who will insist with intensity that it actually isn't. Are you all just fooled by the fact that there aren't flashbacks on it?

[BillBrasky]

I don't really understand that either. Maybe it's because "American Dad" has been bumped to 7 PM on Sunday nights so I rarely watch it anymore, but to me it seems like the most boring of MacFarlane's 3 shows. While the humor on "Family Guy" and "Cleveland Show" is rarely that sophisticated, and yeah, he goes to the well of Tosh-like rape/anti-woman jokes too much, at least I usually laugh when watching those shows. American Dad seems really dull to me.

[winnie4theTOUchDowN]

The reason American Dad is great: Roger

[Toddler]

Whereas with The Californians they're taking the tropes of a typical soap opera and just having everybody give directions, which....I guess is a thing? I don't know, is this a stereotype of LA people I wasn't previously aware of?

I've lived in LA my whole life, and no it's not a stereotype that giving directions is common. It's a way of life! LA is so spread out, there are many ways to get to most places, often contingent on which route supplies the least amount of traffic. And more specifically, for people new to LA trying to learn the geography, it's impossible to go anywhere without finding out the best way to get there and at what time. (not that this legitimizes the humor of the Californians, just the relevance of this one aspect of the sketch)

[Don Luzman]

Speaking only for myself, of course, but that actually did finally legitimize the humor of The Californians for me.

[Couldn'tThinkOfaName]

I don't really understand that either. Maybe it's because "American Dad" has been bumped to 7 PM on Sunday nights so I rarely watch it anymore, but to me it seems like the most boring of MacFarlane's 3 shows. While the humor on "Family Guy" and "Cleveland Show" is rarely that sophisticated, and yeah, he goes to the well of Tosh-like rape/anti-woman jokes too much, at least I usually laugh when watching those shows. American Dad seems really dull to me.

It does a lot of Community-like playing with the medium, genre-bending and has nerdy sci fi aspects that the other two don't. Meh, it's okay. It's better than newer Family Guy, imo and much better than The Cleveland Show, which is absolutely worthless.

Also, in the latest Indoor Kids, Kumail mentions that he turned down the opportunity to write for SNL full time.

[Mayonegg]

Seriously I do not get people insisting that "American Dad" is a good show. I'm troubled by how bad it is and how many people there are who will insist with intensity that it actually isn't. Are you all just fooled by the fact that there aren't flashbacks on it?

God this is so condescending.


Seth was great as a host. The Ryan Lochte and Amish spoons sketches were my favorites.

[BillBrasky]

From the tv.com SNL forums:

"I heard back from John Mulaney's sister (we're former classmates). Apparently, John moved to LA in August to focus on his stand-up. He will continue to contribute to SNL on occasion, much like Jorma and Akiva.""

[Umlaut]

So... Stefon pieces. Crap.

This is why Seth Meyers needed to get that Live with Kelly and... job!! Damn you, Michael Strahan!!!

[Jixby Phillips]

God this is so condescending.

My apologies for being such a jerk! This is probably not the place to argue about American Dad, but I just hate it so much that I am trying to make sense of other people liking it. Follow your bliss, namaste.

[thecomedian]

Joe Kelly is also back as a writer this season. He had been writing for HIMYM.

[BillBrasky]

Two "Cat Fancy" jokes in one half-hour episode...good job, writers!

[smartbunny]

God this is so condescending.

You're just fooled by the flashbacks, Stupid Person!

[BillBrasky]

Tim Robinson seems to be specializing in bizarre 10-to-1 type sketches that end up almost not making it on the show (between last week's ultra-short Amish website bit and the realtor sketch this week that didn't quite get to finish). I'm assuming he wrote both sketches, as they seem to be in the style of the kind of stuff he did in that "My Mans" pilot.

Also, is it me, or like Brian Posehn, does Robinson look like he should be wearing overalls and appearing as a redneck in a horror movie watching two teenagers having sex and going "Heh heh...get that sh*t! Get it boy!" He is one strange looking guy.

[Big Box Of Money]

Also, is it me, or like Brian Posehn, does Robinson look like he should be wearing overalls and appearing as a redneck in a horror movie watching two teenagers having sex and going "Heh heh...get that sh*t! Get it boy!" He is one strange looking guy.

I know, what an idiot, walking around looking the way he was genetically programmed to look!!!

What a bizarre thing for an adult to say.