re: SNL's fall

Once they took out the complimentary Coke and Smack out the performers rooms it all went to hell around 1985.

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Hell, I think the Old SNL was even more miss than hit

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For example, one of the classic sketches is Dan Aykroyd as a sleazy toy salesman who sells glass as a toy to kids. In theory it's hilarious. I watched it recently and thought it sucked arse it was so poorly executed.

Nothing will beat Norm MacDonald's Weekend Update. Or Eddie Murphy's Mr. Robinson's Neighborhood. Even Farley's van down the river sketch hasn't held up well, but perhaps that's because it was so wildly popular. Plus, let's face it, most of the people that watch SNL are younger. My sense of humor is much different than it was 10 years ago.

Simpsons is in the same boat

Seriously? IMO this current SNL cast is one of the best ever. The skits and recurring characters are good. If you didn't like last nights episode you must be a very boring person.

Hey now, the show usually sucks but I laughed my arse off at Maine Justice.

Like many say it's cyclical. I think a lot of it has to do with people with predetermined opinions that show is way past it's glory years and it was better in past generations. Too many just assume it sucks or they sit down to watch it and expect to suck and even if it's a pretty good idea they'll just be convinced it was bad.

I'm of the younger generation but I still watch the show anytime I get the chance and have been for years. Some episodes are terrible, some are great.

They still have their big hosts each season. Timberlake has definitely become one of them. They just have a lot of shitty hosts, as well.

As others mention, snl is up and down, from it's very early years. It's almost gone off the air more than once. The '85 season with Billy crystal and Martin short, amongst other, was hugely successful. It was followed by a terrible season in '86, so bad, they almost canned the show during it's run. After that, however, came Dana carvey, mike myers, Dennis miller, and others for a run that lasted in the early 90's.

For those that were around to watch, every great star had some lousy episodes. I still think, week in and week out, the '84-'85 season was the best single year.

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Nowadays, there's so many different avenues, like the internet, for young comedians to get their names out there that they don't need SNL.

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I think this is a great point that I have never seen brought up. Comedians and aspiring comedic actors have a much broader medium to show their ability in today's world, the internet even allows them to write their own sketches and act them out, rather than having to follow a set of writers.

Nailed it.

Articulated what I wanted to say.