Saturday Night Live UK: A New Continent, A Familiar Formula?
When Saturday Night Live first burst onto American television screens back in 1975, it was a whirlwind of audacious, spontaneous energy. Lorne Michaels, then just 30, assembled a cast of unknowns, the legendary “Not Ready for Prime Time Players,” including future comedy titans like Chevy Chase, Dan Aykroyd, and Gilda Radner. This anarchic, anything-goes approach quickly became a cultural phenomenon. Now, over fifty years later, the show’s iconic format is making its way across the pond, reimagined for British audiences as Saturday Night Live UK. With a fresh cast of voices and a distinctly British take on pop culture, the burning question is: can it recapture that initial lightning in a bottle, or will it be a pale imitation?
For its debut, Saturday Night Live UK enlisted the considerable talents of American comedian Tina Fey to host the Sky One premiere. Fey, a veteran of the US SNL machine, playfully quipped in her opening monologue, “I’m just here as a longtime SNL employee to help out.” When questioned about the absence of a British host, she candidly, and with a characteristic flourish of profanity, explained, “None of you fers would do it.” This willingness to embrace strong language marked an immediate ideological departure from its American counterpart. Despite the lighthearted banter, Fey proved a capable guide, skillfully navigating uniquely British comedic territory, weaving in references to shows like Come Dine with Me and nostalgic adverts for Autoglass. Alongside a young, promising ensemble of comedians, including the relatively well-known Emma Sidi from Taskmaster*, Fey acted as an experienced facilitator for this new venture. The subsequent hosting stints by Jamie Dornan and Riz Ahmed will likely offer a more telling indication of the show’s potential for long-term success.
However, Saturday Night Live UK faces an uphill battle from the outset, partly due to its broadcast platform. Airing on Sky One, a channel with a more limited reach compared to mainstream broadcasters, presents an immediate challenge. Furthermore, the series has been commissioned for a modest eight episodes, a stark contrast to the typical twenty-episode seasons of its American predecessor. The scheduling decision to broadcast Premier League football immediately before the show’s premiere also meant scant opportunity for pre-show promotion, with barely enough time to advertise, say, FoxyBingo before the opening sketch. Yet, these logistical hurdles might not be as significant as they first appear. The creators seem to understand that SNL UK doesn’t need to thrive solely as a traditional, linear television broadcast in the way the original did in 1975. Its true potential for gaining traction lies in its ability to function as a collection of shareable, engaging clips, ripe for likes, comments, and viral dissemination across social media feeds.
This strategic approach to content distribution offers a degree of flexibility to SNL‘s notoriously hit-or-miss format. The opening episode certainly had its share of misses, including a drawn-out David Attenborough sketch that, despite Jack Shepherd’s uncanny impression of Princess Diana, struggled to land a punchline. Another sketch offered a rather uninspired jab at the current political climate, targeting the Keir Starmer premiership. However, amidst these less successful segments, there were also several notable hits. One sketch presented a de-aging serum so potent it inadvertently led to a husband being targeted by paedophile hunters – a darkly humorous premise. Another featured a bizarre Paddington immersive experience, complete with a grizzly bear to whom Tina Fey had seemingly glue-gunned a red bucket hat. The “Weekend Review” segment, featuring Ania Magliano and Paddy Young, delivered topical jokes with a sharper edge than its US counterpart, quipping, “Coming up, paedophiles – but first, war!” While some jokes, such as one referencing Prince Andrew’s supposed fate in a marsh, fell flat, the show demonstrated a commendable willingness to risk offending its audience.
Some of these sketches are undoubtedly destined to find a second life on social media, helping to build the SNL brand within the UK. While Saturday Night Live is a cornerstone of American comedy, its cultural resonance in Britain hasn’t always translated directly. It’s a slight disappointment, then, that the show adheres so rigidly to a tried-and-tested formula. It imports a format that has evolved from an anti-establishment rebellion into a polished launchpad for comedians. Producer Lorne Michaels, director Liz Clare, and head writer Jonno Johnson deserve credit for assembling an interesting mix of talent and resisting the temptation to rely on bigger names for a short-term run. However, they haven’t significantly shaken up the established structure – the host’s monologue, topical sketches, fake adverts, musical guests, and so forth. This adherence to the familiar means SNL UK struggles to find its own unique spark of irreverence. At its best, it showcases what it has learned from half a century of its New York cousin; at its worst, it feels like a somewhat uninspired imitation.
However, judging a show like SNL solely on its opening episode is a premature exercise. The chemistry between the cast members will undoubtedly develop and strengthen over time. The reception on platforms like TikTok and Instagram will also play a crucial role in determining which sketches resonate and gain traction, akin to the enduring popularity of characters like “Head Wound Harrys” or “David S Pumpkins” from the US version. Conversely, less successful bits will likely be relegated to the writers’ room archives. What the opening episode of SNL UK clearly demonstrates is a genuine willingness to push boundaries and take risks, even if it means venturing into questionable taste. While borrowing a beloved American format might feel a little derivative, there are glimmers of new ingredients that suggest SNL UK could indeed offer something fresh and distinctive to the British television landscape.
