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SNL wraps, Any cast members leaving?
- Thread starter 1069_KIFR
- Start date
None that I've seen as of yet. I'm sure it'll hit the entertainment press pretty quickly if and when anyone decides, along with all the usual lines about how many say this season wasn't the best (just like every other season in the show's history).
The ones I want to stay around the most are Vanessa Bayer, Aidy Bryant, Bobby Moynihan, Beck Bennett, and Kenan Thompson. I'm also happy with Michael Che on "Weekend Update". He's no Seth or Tina but he is good.
The one person I want most to get rid of is Leslie Jones but since she's a writer I guess that's out of the question.
Kate McKinnon would be my second choice to go but people really seem to like her impressions. Cecily Strong would be my third choice if I had to vote on who goes.
Jay Pharoah does a very good Obama so I say keep him.
The one person I want most to get rid of is Leslie Jones but since she's a writer I guess that's out of the question.
Kate McKinnon would be my second choice to go but people really seem to like her impressions. Cecily Strong would be my third choice if I had to vote on who goes.
Jay Pharoah does a very good Obama so I say keep him.
Jones mugs a bit -- though nowhere near as much as Fallon used to -- but I think she's filled her roles quite well. I've even seen some people suggest she take over Jost's position at the Update desk, though I don't think that's likely.
As rough around the edges as Jost was starting with Strong and even into this first season with Che, he's started to grow into it, and his chemistry with his co-anchor is building rather nicely. Neither of them are up to the level that Strong was, and I still find it unfortunate that she didn't want that chair anymore, because she was absolutely superb, but Jost and Che are coming along. I'd give them at least another season together to solidify their partnership, and if it's not working after that, then move on.
McKinnon might move on after next season. Her Hillary is wildly popular, and she can ride that through the election. After that, though, she's got what it takes to spin her SNL stardom into more TV and possibly movies.
I think Bennett and Mooney are poised to be the next breakout stars. Their low-key characters are phenomenal, and they've proven their versatility in other ways as well.
Pharaoh, in my mind, has kind of stalled out. He's got superb impressions, and they're all popular, but what else does he bring to the table? From what I hear, he's not writing much. He doesn't particularly do one-off characters well -- or, at least, they never seem to find any great place for him in those roles, and given the way the show works, part of that is almost certainly a lack of self-promotion. Beyond having him fill out the remainder of Obama's term, I'm not sure where else they can use him at this point.
Davidson is going to have to step it up next season if he wants to stick around. He's got his "resident young person" title on Update, and he's done some funny things here and there in sketches, but he's otherwise just kinda there. He may well be capable of bigger and better things, but this is a show that demands those things on a consistent basis, otherwise you get lost in the mix, and he's in danger of that.
I think Zamata might be on the list of people to let go, as well. She hasn't really developed into the all-around cast member they hoped she'd be. Ironically, that role has been filled by Jones, who was brought on as a result of the same infamous search for black female cast members, but she was initially only a writer because they didn't see her as a good fit in the cast. Obviously that's changed. Zamata has filled bit parts here and there, and not much else. She has her one YouTube teen dance instructor character, but you can only do that one so many times before it gets old. Not that SNL has ever refrained from beating a dead horse, but if the dead horse is the only recurring character for a given cast member, it's not going to last very long, and neither is the cast member.
As rough around the edges as Jost was starting with Strong and even into this first season with Che, he's started to grow into it, and his chemistry with his co-anchor is building rather nicely. Neither of them are up to the level that Strong was, and I still find it unfortunate that she didn't want that chair anymore, because she was absolutely superb, but Jost and Che are coming along. I'd give them at least another season together to solidify their partnership, and if it's not working after that, then move on.
McKinnon might move on after next season. Her Hillary is wildly popular, and she can ride that through the election. After that, though, she's got what it takes to spin her SNL stardom into more TV and possibly movies.
I think Bennett and Mooney are poised to be the next breakout stars. Their low-key characters are phenomenal, and they've proven their versatility in other ways as well.
Pharaoh, in my mind, has kind of stalled out. He's got superb impressions, and they're all popular, but what else does he bring to the table? From what I hear, he's not writing much. He doesn't particularly do one-off characters well -- or, at least, they never seem to find any great place for him in those roles, and given the way the show works, part of that is almost certainly a lack of self-promotion. Beyond having him fill out the remainder of Obama's term, I'm not sure where else they can use him at this point.
Davidson is going to have to step it up next season if he wants to stick around. He's got his "resident young person" title on Update, and he's done some funny things here and there in sketches, but he's otherwise just kinda there. He may well be capable of bigger and better things, but this is a show that demands those things on a consistent basis, otherwise you get lost in the mix, and he's in danger of that.
I think Zamata might be on the list of people to let go, as well. She hasn't really developed into the all-around cast member they hoped she'd be. Ironically, that role has been filled by Jones, who was brought on as a result of the same infamous search for black female cast members, but she was initially only a writer because they didn't see her as a good fit in the cast. Obviously that's changed. Zamata has filled bit parts here and there, and not much else. She has her one YouTube teen dance instructor character, but you can only do that one so many times before it gets old. Not that SNL has ever refrained from beating a dead horse, but if the dead horse is the only recurring character for a given cast member, it's not going to last very long, and neither is the cast member.
I would never want to see Leslie Jones do "Weekend Update". And I hope they keep the other black woman because they need one who is pretty.
Pharoah doesn't seem to do much that interests me, so once Obama is gone he probably should go too.
Pharoah doesn't seem to do much that interests me, so once Obama is gone he probably should go too.
Wow - are our tastes different! I think Kate McKinnon is very talented, and I'd speculate that she's the next break-out star (films, other TV shows) along the lines of Kristin Wiig. RE: your other post about keeping the "other Black woman" (her name is Sasheer Zamata) because she's the "pretty one" - much of the pressure to promote Leslie Jones from occasional player to regular cast member was that she represented a kind of African-American woman (physically and otherwise) who is usually missing from TV. Personally, I like her...though she does stray over the top at times.
The other breakout star, IMO is Taran Killam. I'm totally over Moynihan and Thompson. Agreed about Jay Pharoah, though.
On a slight tangent - has anybody else noticed that the new "Colonel Sanders" in the KFC commercials is Darrell Hammond, formerly from SNL?
I read an article stating that the slightly humorous bent of these ads "tarnishes the iconic image of the "Colonel." Never mind that the real "Colonel" was a mean old racist...
I read an article stating that the slightly humorous bent of these ads "tarnishes the iconic image of the "Colonel." Never mind that the real "Colonel" was a mean old racist...
any worse than Randy Quaid?
Wonder how much longer will Kenan Thompson be around? He joined in 2003. Agree with Leslie Jones acting a bit over the top but that's probably what they asked for and how she went from the writer's room to the stage. Jones can go back, similar to Mike O'Brien: started as a writer, became a featured player last year, and went back to the writer's room this year. Pete Davidson and Sasheer Zamata didn't do a lot this year. Vanessa Bayer has been overshadowed by Bryant/McKinnon/Strong.
I think the next big thing(s) will be Beck Bennett and Kyle Mooney with Mooney having a slight edge. They work very well together. Mooney is more versatile playing different characters.
I think the next big thing(s) will be Beck Bennett and Kyle Mooney with Mooney having a slight edge. They work very well together. Mooney is more versatile playing different characters.
I have to say: Bennett and Mooney together are pure gold. They remind me a lot of Phil Hartman and Jon Lovitz working together. Their chemistry has that same "best friends" vibe to it.
I saw him in a movie once playing himself. Not a nice man at all.
And that's a good thing.
The reason I mention "the pretty one" is that Leslie would have a hard time playing pretty characters. She was perfect when Michelle Obama turned into a hulk-type character.
I have only been watching the show since NBC started prime-time reruns of recent episodes in 2013, which they've replaced with vintage episodes.
So it was only recently I found out Ana Gasteyer and Chris Parnell were both on the show. This explains why they were married to each other on "Suburgatory".
And the reason I don't like Michael Che as much as Seth is that Seth has a more friendly quality and Michael is more professional.
So it was only recently I found out Ana Gasteyer and Chris Parnell were both on the show. This explains why they were married to each other on "Suburgatory".
And the reason I don't like Michael Che as much as Seth is that Seth has a more friendly quality and Michael is more professional.
Parnell in particular is all over the place. He also had a recurring role in 30 Rock as the totally incompetent (and probably drug-addled) staff physician.
"Probably?" I'd say 99.9%! lol
Parnell also is the voice of the Progressive Box in the Progressive insurance commercials.
I don't think Parnell gets enough credit for SNL's Lazy Sunday sketch. He performed similar raps on Weekend Update about hosts Jennifer Garner, Kirsten Dunst and Ashton Kutcher.
Kenan Thompson is the only announced returnee so far: http://splitsider.com/2015/05/kenan-thompson-says-hes-returning-to-snl-next-season/
Probability of who's in and who's out for season 41: http://www.pastemagazine.com/articles/2015/05/with-a-bumpy-but-respectable.html
Personally, I'm done with Kenan. I would like to see What's Up With That one more time but all background characters from that sketch are gone (Fred Armisen as the sax player; Jason Sudeikis as the curly haired exercise guy; Bill Hader as Lindsay Buckingham; even Nasim Pedrad as one of the background singers).
I'm also done with Bobby Moynihan. Hate Drunk Uncle and Riblet (Update character) does nothing for me.
While Colin Jost has gotten better, he is really out of place and should just go back to the writer's room. Michael Che just looks really bored most of the time. Maybe, as one of the above links mention, just have Che anchor solo.
Probability of who's in and who's out for season 41: http://www.pastemagazine.com/articles/2015/05/with-a-bumpy-but-respectable.html
Personally, I'm done with Kenan. I would like to see What's Up With That one more time but all background characters from that sketch are gone (Fred Armisen as the sax player; Jason Sudeikis as the curly haired exercise guy; Bill Hader as Lindsay Buckingham; even Nasim Pedrad as one of the background singers).
I'm also done with Bobby Moynihan. Hate Drunk Uncle and Riblet (Update character) does nothing for me.
While Colin Jost has gotten better, he is really out of place and should just go back to the writer's room. Michael Che just looks really bored most of the time. Maybe, as one of the above links mention, just have Che anchor solo.
Kenan Thompson is one of my favorites, but I agree about "What's Up With That".
I like Bobby Moynihan too but not those Update characters.
I don't care much for either Colin or Michael and wouldn't want to see Michael by himself. Since Seth can't return, I don't know who would make me happy. I feel like Beck would make a good anchor, but my problem with Michael is he is so professional rather than friendly so I might not actually like Beck being that way.
Comedian Jon Rudnitsky is joining as a Featured Player:
https://www.nbc.com/saturday-night-live/blog/jon-rudnitsky-joins-snl-cast
The website has all members of last years cast returning.
https://www.nbc.com/saturday-night-live/blog/jon-rudnitsky-joins-snl-cast
The website has all members of last years cast returning.
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