I think the secret of SNL is that it's always uneven. But as we move past it, we only keep watching the good stuff, so it holds.
I don't really interact with it much now. Seems to have a few moments.
this is definitely true imo...it's a sketch comedy show on network tv and it's been on forever. They are going to have more duds than stuff that lands. Way more. The only sketch comedy show that I've ever seen bat .1000 is Chappelle's Show - but it was only on for 2 seasons. It would've gone dull after 40 seasons...anything would. SNL probably should be canceled, it's run it's course and there's no shame in retiring it. The best shows are the ones that know when it's time to walk away.
All what you say above is true, BUT the performers matter
a lot- and they can take so-so or even suspect material and make it work. Will Ferrell was great at this.
Anything Eddie Murphy was in was incredible because he was just such a remarkable performer. SNL just has
really shitty cast members and even shittier writers right now, and honestly they have for awhile now. Everything is low hanging fruit, not even remotely clever writing, zero edge,
and the cast sucks. It's literally unwatchable.
That last really good cast members they had were Jason Sudekis, Bill Hader, Kristen Wiig, and Andy Samberg back in like 2012-2013. That's basically a decade ago. It's been god awful for almost 10 years now. There are people on YouTube making
way funnier skits/sketches right now than SNL has had in basically a decade.