Broadcast live from New York… Is “Saturday Night” falling behind?
It’s a bit disheartening to admit, but the new British counterpart, SNL UK, is seriously outshining the 51-year-old American version.
I catch both shows weekly—SNL UK on Sundays through Peacock—and the contrast is striking.
NBC does have a standout sketch with rising star Ashley Padilla. Marcello Hernandez seems poised for stardom, think Adam Sandler kind of vibes. Yet, Domingo? Not my cup of tea. Much of what’s coming from Studio 8H lately feels like it’s prioritizing quirky ideas rather than solid writing. It often boils down to a fall off a cliff, like, what’s the point?
Meanwhile, in London, the British version offers a consistently enjoyable experience. From start to finish, it’s often spectacular. The humor is sharper, wittier, and, honestly, a breath of fresh air. It shows that “SNL” can have its moments of brilliance.
And I’m not saying this lightly. Lorne Michaels, the mind behind “SNL,” mentioned something similar.
“My plan was for the cooler show to be the one that outperformed us,” he shared in an interview. “It’s smarter, it’s funnier, it’s more original.”
Ouch! That must’ve stung over at 30 Rock. Tough to swallow when you’ve got bills to pay.
The impressive reception of “UK,” especially on social platforms like YouTube and Instagram—where clips are hitting millions of views—might stem from a well-thought-out launch.
Honestly, many—including myself—thought it would flop.
British comedy, well, it’s a pretty big deal. Can the American format really compete with such an established tradition?
But wasn’t the original show itself a bit of an underdog when it launched in New York?
Both the 1975 debut with Gilda Radner and Chevy Chase, and this new British show, faced skepticism and chaos right from the start. “What is this madness?” people wondered.
Back in the mid-70s, “SNL” took off, launching the careers of many then-unknowns.
Fast forward fifty years, and there’s a similar sense of upheaval with the start of the UK’s first alarming cold spell back on March 21st.
The opening segment took aim at Prime Minister Keir Starmer, portraying him as a nervous, Dilbert-like figure that many Americans might not find relatable. Worrying about a call to Trump regarding war? The sketch depicted him as a timid little creature.
“I’ll try anything, except being firm,” Four Acres’ Starmer stammered—pure gold in political satire that our “SNL” can’t quite pull off anymore. They showed politicians, previously dull like George H.W. Bush and Al Gore, in a delightfully ridiculous light.
I, for one, would love to have seen Trump’s reaction after he shared that mock sketch online, boosting “SNL UK” into cultural relevance.
Last week, Four Acres’ chancellor was on “Who Wants to Stay a Billionaire?” when asked about giving Peter Mandelson a job, which met with a series of humorous responses.
“Who are you going to call?” the host quipped. “I’d like to call Peter Mandelson,” came the answer. Hilarious!
Right now, the “UK” cast consists of largely unknown performers, bringing a fresh energy to each sketch. Jack Shepp has been a standout, earning praise for his spot-on impression of Princess Diana early in the season.
A week later, he tackled the controversial Prince Andrew. The sketch was set in 1997 when Andrew visited MI5 to discuss a wild scheme aimed at making his younger brother look better.
“So you want me to do this?” he asked. “And, by the way, about being pals with a notorious figure?”
Even offbeat sketches managed to shine, like a parody of the show “Traitors,” dubbed “The Great Big Crab Man,” where a contestant kept guessing wrong—hilarious!
And in a wild pre-taped segment, host Riz Ahmed took on the role of someone obsessively fixated on the game Operation.
Of course, being “SNL,” there are bound to be some hiccups. If it continues, they’ll be adding new faces, and let’s be real—they might not match the current talent.
But for now, during these early days, it’s clear that the unfortunate folks at Rockefeller Center could really use a British takeover.
