SNL UK cool or crass?

[Max2000AD]

Just saw some of SNL UK on Sky catch up, seemed kind of harsh humour most of the time, but nothing unlike what I see with UK stand up comedy elsewhere on TV. 

Does anyone think it will succeed or will it probably be cancelled after this season and never see the light of day again because it's too hit and miss?

[Daniel0210]

@Max2000AD 

I have merged your post into the current thread discussing this programme. 

[Angel_Aka]

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@Max2000AD wrote:

Just saw some of SNL UK on Sky catch up, seemed kind of harsh humour most of the time, but nothing unlike what I see with UK stand up comedy elsewhere on TV. 

Does anyone think it will succeed or will it probably be cancelled after this season and never see the light of day again because it's too hit and miss?

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Well the first episode was much better received by critics and viewers than most people thought it would be. 

It's too early to say whether it'll return for a second run but I think it'll depend on who they can attract to host the second half of this first series. We don't know who they've got after Jamie Dornan and Riz Ahmed. If they can get some decent, interesting and unexpected folk to do it then it could easily keep going. 

Sky have already upped the episode count by two for this first season, so the likelihood of a second series I would say is quite high. 

[MarkGoldsmith]

Just seen they have added Jack Whitehall as a guest host (https://www.skygroup.sky/en-gb/article/jack-whitehall-announced-as-next-host-of-saturday-night-live-...) 

 I'm guessing this is more a promotional thing for the launch of The ‘Burbs on Sky One.

[nolte]

I thought the second episode was really enjoyable. Probably  my favourite 2 was the songs the cast did. 

[Mr+Ripley]

  Not seeing many comments on E2 on here yet. What did you think? Whilst it is still watchable, I think E1 was better. Weekend Update seems to be the best part of the show so far. I watched ( nearly ) all of E1 ( I skipped the music act ), but with E2, I was skipping some of the comedy sketches as well. At least I can F/Fwd my recording of the show, not an option if watching it Live on Saturday Night.

  I was wondering, do we know if it genuinely broadcasts live, or is there a small delay in case something unfortunate happens?

[mr.tickle]

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@Mr+Ripley wrote:

  I was wondering, do we know if it genuinely broadcasts live, or is there a small delay in case something unfortunate happens?

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I would be astonished if it was live. They'd have absolutely nothing to gain at all.

[Angel_Aka]

It is genuinely live. I know a couple of people working on it. 

I thought ep2 was strong. Jamie Dornan was well up for it and got better as the ep progressed, the opening monologue was his weakest bit. 

I loved the British Themed Pub sketch - the song has been in my head every day since! 

[stereohaven]

I watched 15 minutes of the first episode and never returned. Seems I'm not alone.

Variety: 'SNL U.K.' Ratings Drop by 42% for Riz Ahmed-Hosted Episode 3 

SNL = DOA

[Angel_Aka]

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@stereohaven wrote:

I watched 15 minutes of the first episode and never returned. Seems I'm not alone.

Variety: 'SNL U.K.' Ratings Drop by 42% for Riz Ahmed-Hosted Episode 3 

SNL = DOA

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Ouch! Certainly not helped by being Easter weekend but 130K & 1.8% share is VERY poor. 

[stereohaven]

@Angel_Aka I think sketches might be doing well on socials, but launching a live comedy show aimed at a demographic that increasingly doesn't watch linear TV or use services like Sky, was either brave or mad, depending on your perspective.

[Angel_Aka]

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@stereohaven wrote:

@Angel_Aka I think sketches might be doing well on socials, but launching a live comedy show aimed at a demographic that increasingly doesn't watch linear TV or use services like Sky, was either brave or mad, depending on your perspective.

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Indeed, but it's the numbers on the official SNL:UK YouTube channel which are being looked at more. Overnights and audience share for live viewing are becoming a lot less important in broadcast TV. The Deadline article does state that the overnights are still above average for what Sky normally gets on a Satuday night slot so it tells you a lot about how few people watch live telly these days. 

Some of the SNL sketches have hit more than 2 million views on YouTube which is much more what they're after. Couple that with Instagram followers, TikTok views and such like (where most of the demographic it's aimed at now watch content) and I think they'll probably be quite happy. 

I see they're having a 1 week hiatus after Jack Whitehall's episode next week, then coming back for the remaining 4 eps of series 1. I fully expect them to announce a second series pretty soon as I honestly think it's doing what they hoped it would. If they can attract some higher profile people to host the second block then I'm sure interest will pick up again. 

Sketch comedy is not easy. The recent Mitchell & Webb Are Not Helping show on Ch4 was equally as divisive with viewers but did pretty well and has been re-commissioned for a second run. SNL:UK has the much harder job of being topical and doing it live. It's the live element which distinguishes it really, and adds the element of chaos and potential for things to go wrong, therefore making it potentially more appealing to viewers. 

I still found myself chuckling at several moments in ep3 and I'm middle-aged. It is funny. In places. 

I'm having a catch up with a friend who's working on it in a few weeks time so I'll get a clearer picture of how it's really going down from them. 

[nolte]

I thought the Riz Ahmed episode was very good.

I had big laughs for the Operation sketch, and the one about gothic horror was very relatable (I mean my local council have had public meetings on the subject in hand), the traitors sketch was really good.

The last sketch was better than the last sketch in the earlier weeks

The 90s radio sketch was OK, and it shows how the writers are working around each presenters abilities

I thought the cold open was weakish (first half was fine, second half was weak), and fast forwarded Kasabian as I would not be a fan.

This week, I think a big competitor for comedy viewers at the same time was Channel 4 had a new stand up special from Billl Bailey. 

Plus Riz Ahmed isn't that renowned for comedy  (though Four lions was superb)

With Jack Whitehall hosting, it will be interesting to see if the ratings rebound as he Is more associated with comedy.

[MarkGoldsmith]

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@nolte wrote:

I thought the Riz Ahmed episode was very good.

I had big laughs for the Operation sketch, and the one about gothic horror was very relatable (I mean my local council have had public meetings on the subject in hand), the traitors sketch was really good.

The last sketch was better than the last sketch in the earlier weeks

The 90s radio sketch was OK, and it shows how the writers are working around each presenters abilities

I thought the cold open was weakish (first half was fine, second half was weak), and fast forwarded Kasabian as I would not be a fan.

This week, I think a big competitor for comedy viewers at the same time was Channel 4 had a new stand up special from Billl Bailey. 

Plus Riz Ahmed isn't that renowned for comedy  (though Four lions was superb)

With Jack Whitehall hosting, it will be interesting to see if the ratings rebound as he Is more associated with comedy.

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I agree. Whilst i don't watch live, i tend to catch up on a Sunday morning and fast forward through sketches and musical acts that aren't really appealing to me. Thinking about the first 3 episodes, I don't think I fast-forwarded through any of the sketches in episode 3, which is certainly an improvement, and I do think the sketches in general have been getting better as the season progresses. Although the opening monologue was certainly the weakest of the 3 so far, but i'm expecting Jack Whitehall's episode to probably be the strongest one yet.

[Angel_Aka]

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@MarkGoldsmith wrote:

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@nolte wrote:

I thought the Riz Ahmed episode was very good.

I had big laughs for the Operation sketch, and the one about gothic horror was very relatable (I mean my local council have had public meetings on the subject in hand), the traitors sketch was really good.

The last sketch was better than the last sketch in the earlier weeks

The 90s radio sketch was OK, and it shows how the writers are working around each presenters abilities

I thought the cold open was weakish (first half was fine, second half was weak), and fast forwarded Kasabian as I would not be a fan.

This week, I think a big competitor for comedy viewers at the same time was Channel 4 had a new stand up special from Billl Bailey. 

Plus Riz Ahmed isn't that renowned for comedy  (though Four lions was superb)

With Jack Whitehall hosting, it will be interesting to see if the ratings rebound as he Is more associated with comedy.

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I agree. Whilst i don't watch live, i tend to catch up on a Sunday morning and fast forward through sketches and musical acts that aren't really appealing to me. Thinking about the first 3 episodes, I don't think I fast-forwarded through any of the sketches in episode 3, which is certainly an improvement, and I do think the sketches in general have been getting better as the season progresses. Although the opening monologue was certainly the weakest of the 3 so far, but i'm expecting Jack Whitehall's episode to probably be the strongest one yet.

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It's so interesting reading the different perspectives. I personally found ep3 to be the weakest. I really like Riz Ahmed but I did feel that he was taking it a tad too seriously and had clearly learnt his lines much more than either of the previous two hosts. He wasn't bad.... just not quite loose enough. It didn't feel to me like he was enjoying himself, like he was taking it as an acting job and desperately trying to make sure he didn't muck anything up. This slight tension in his delivery killed the vibe for me. 

I didn't laugh as much as with the previous two eps and felt ep3 lacked a real standout memorable moment. There was no Diana or British Themed Pub type moment. Operation was OK but went on too long and didn't nail the landing. 

Jack Whitehall on paper should be perfect so, as you say, ep4 has potential to be the strongest ep so far.