As Biff knows, I bought the first three seasons of SNL a week or two ago (20 bucks each at Target!), so I too am motoring through these. I'm on disc 4 of the first season, and it's been a long haul. With three episodes per disc at a solid hour apiece, I'm almost 12 hours into this thing.
Biff's comments sum it up well. It's frustrating at the beginning, because you just want the show to find its groove. I'm to the part where they seem to be getting their footing, and it's a relief. But seriously: Neil Sedaka?
Chevy Chase is an egomaniac. Bring on Murray. And the Muppets are rough.
But don't get me wrongI'm enjoying watching the show evolve. And Aykroyd is the man.
So the 1st disc finally came. Episode 1 had George Carlin and was pretty funny, aside from the fact that Carlin and the cast never shared the stage at the same time. Episode 2 is just surreal. Paul Simon hosts. And boy does he host. The show is basically like watching Austin City Limits. I think there are 9, literally 9, musical performances by him as well as Randy Newman, Pheobe Snow and Art Garfunkel. What the hey was that about? I believe there was one sketch. Things get back to semi-normal with Episode 3 which has Rob Reiner and no musical guest. Whatever, at least there was some jokes told. All in all disc 1 was not as bad as I have heard, although the Paul Simon episode is a bit trying at times. I went right from that back to disc 6 which shows the show finally getting in a regular groove. The repeat jokes are amazing in their abundance (Emily "nevermind" Latella has been on 6 weeks in a row, they often repeat the fake commercials) but all in all the shows are pretty funny. Seriously, poor Garrett Morris gets no love. Chevy Chase? Shameless panderer.
I have been making my way through the 1st season of SNL on DVD, courtesy of Netflix (although the 1st disc hasn't arrived yet and I am already on disc 4, whatevs), and I have been pleasantly surprised. While some of the jokes are a bit dated (way too much Gerald Ford humor) I am finding it overall a lot funnier than the one hour reruns on Comedy Central. Without edit, the show turns into a really bizarre mish-mash of sketch comedy, short films, Muppets, real commercials performed by the cast, bits that aren't intended to be funny, and mostly awful '70s musical guests (Neil Sedaka anyone?). So far, host highlights have been Richard Pryor and, to my shock, the comedy duo of Peter Cook and Dudley Moore. Who knew Dudley Moore was funny?
Watching these shows I can totally understand how and why Chevy Chase became the big headed star and left the show. He cold opens every show, is in at least half the sketches, and does the weekend update. So far Garrett Morris and Larraine Newman are so underused that nowadays they would call them featured players. Dan Akroyd, fully with moustache, seems to be my go to man. He is awesome.
And by the by, anyone who tries to act like repetitive jokes and characters is a new thing is insane. Chevy opens each show with the exact same pratfall, opens each weekend update with the same gag, they rolled out the news for the hearing impaired FIVE episodes in a row, etc...
Like I said, I am only half way through. I am already jonesing for some young Bill Murray in season two, although I have surprisingly no complaints about season 1.
