Since it began 50 years ago, Saturday Night Live has experienced as much criticism as it has praise. That's especially true as the decades have gone on and certain fans grow nostalgic for the SNL of years past. But one legendary cast member is defending the current cast.
Lorne Michaels put it best when he suggested that everyone thinks Saturday Night Live was at its best when they were in high school. Older audiences tend to watch new SNL episodes more critically, comparing today's cast to legends like Jim Belushi, Gilda Radner, Chris Farley, and more.
But according to Bill Murray, that's not a fair assessment. He told the New Heights podcast that today's sketches can go up against anything he did in the late '70s.
“People always give me a hard time like, ‘Oh god, the original show was so great and it’s lousy now.’ No it’s not,” he said. “The show that’s on now, they do stuff that’s just as good as anybody ever did all the time.”
Murray also praised Lorne Michaels for what he's been able to do for the past half-century. “And the damn producer’s gotten so good, he’s gotten so damn good at it. He’s ruthless.”
Bill Murray has the right view of Saturday Night Live
Bill Murray's vote of confidence in the Saturday Night Live season 50 cast is sure to give them an ego boost. And the SNL legend isn't wrong for his assessment of where SNL stands in 2024.
It's easy to look back at the original cast of "Not Ready for Primetime" players and think of all the outstanding sketches. But nobody really remembers the ones that bombed. Every season goes through its ups and downs.
Saturday Night Live also changes with the times. Humor evolves, and SNL has evolved along with it as well as anything else in entertainment. Seasons and casts from 10 or 20 years ago that were criticized are now viewed with appreciation and reverence. The same will likely be true for the current era.
Everyone is entitled to their opinion about Saturday Night Live. But when you're Bill Murray, your opinion does carry a little more weight.