He was one of the main stars. There were about four or five of them who were equal, he being one, and IMO the funniest of the lot.
Is Saturday Night Live any good? Page 2
I hope this is good - I just won the first series DVD in a Chortle.co.uk competition.
The first few years are the best. Especially Belushi.
This first season is the one with Chevy Chase who was the real star of the show as he was the only one who gave his name - "I'm Chevy Chase, and you're not" during the "news" segments. His best line is still "Generalissino Francisco Franco is still dead". Love that line!
It's really just sketch comedy transplanted from the Second City stage.
In my opinion the show is more hit and miss than most other sketch comedy shows I've seen. They usually like to take a character you have seen and liked and beat it to death until you can't take it any more. Also, I find – like so many other sketch shows – they have no idea how to end their sketches. I'd rather watch The League of Gentlemen, Big Train, The Kids in the Hall, SCTV, or Monty Python's Flying Circus. Maybe the difference is in the fact that they have a whole team of writers. >_<
I agree the quality is low, especially lately.
It seems the goal of the show is to pander to the 15-year-old boys and try to get a character they make movies out of. MADtv as well.
Personally, I blame The Groundlings where a lot of people come from (Will Farrel, Cheri Oteri, Phil Hartman). They teach what they call "personal irony" which is a character who thinks they're cool, but they're not. People you generally don't want to be in the elevator with. Prime example is Cheri Oteri's "Simmer down now" waitress. One joke with a character you laugh at, not laugh with. (Unlike THE LEAGUE OF GENTLEMEN who have a level of pathos and characters who you can generally relate to, or at least understand. Isn't there a bit of the failed vet Chinnery in all of us?) Their shows are exactly the same and are hit and miss - about half of it good and half annoying. Some good people have come out of the school, but I left after taking level two as I didn't agree with their theory.
-Erik
Considering that the cream of the country's comedy writers pen sketches for it it's absolutely shocking.
I'd just like to say that the little news report thing they do is just terrible, I mean f**king awful and cringeworthy, they pause and wait for a reaction and the audience just laughs out of pitty.
*shudders*
Quote: Leevil @ September 19, 2007, 6:49 PMI'd just like to say that the little news report thing they do is just terrible, I mean f**king awful and cringeworthy, they pause and wait for a reaction and the audience just laughs out of pitty.
*shudders*
And that's the best part of the show. Except the band. It was innovative in the 70s. I mean, live comedy on tv! But now it's there just because it's there.
Though through the years it's had it's moments, even in the bad years, and some great people have come out of it.
-Erik
I was thinking this morning about how Little Britain is very similar to SNL in that it relies on character recognition and catchphrases. Unlike LoG, which relies on the characters' intrinsic qualities, they focus on one 'shtick' and beat it to death. The worst, and what turned me off of SNL, was when they had those annoying cheerleaders week in and week out. The guest star was always, in the most contrived manner possible, inserted into the sketch.
Maybe that's a difference as well, they have weekly guest stars, and sometimes they really suck, but have to be in the sketches. Sports stars are usually horrible. 
Quote: Mick Dolan @ September 21, 2007, 3:56 AMI was thinking this morning about how Little Britain is very similar to SNL in that it relies on character recognition and catchphrases. Unlike LoG, which relies on the characters' intrinsic qualities, they focus on one 'shtick' and beat it to death.
An insightful comparison. Can it also be coincidental that both shows are unutterably shite?
If it wasn't for Amy Poelher I would definately not watch the first 5 minutes of the new shows 
There's one guy on it, who always makes me laugh when I see him. Unfortunately, he seems to be the most under-used member of the cast. He's the slightly camp looking guy with the glasses, at the start. By the way, on the subject of the start, how uncomfortable does the cast look, when their names are coming up, and they're meant to be at some kind of fancy rooftop party?!!
Quote: Cinnamon @ September 21, 2007, 11:08 PMAn insightful comparison. Can it also be coincidental that both shows are unutterably shite?
I wouldn't say shite. Some of the characters on LB I like. For me, it's about 50/50.
Quote: catskillz @ September 22, 2007, 2:12 AMThere's one guy on it, who always makes me laugh when I see him. Unfortunately, he seems to be the most under-used member of the cast. He's the slightly camp looking guy with the glasses, at the start. By the way, on the subject of the start, how uncomfortable does the cast look, when their names are coming up, and they're meant to be at some kind of fancy rooftop party?!!
That is funny, reminds me of Jack Dee's introduction to Happy Hour but the only difference is Jack Dee is pretending to feel awkward.