It seems that there is a positive side to the series, having lost Pete Davidson and Kate McKinnon.
“Saturday Night Live” is in the process of transitioning, as several key players have left the show, and new actors have since been added to them. Between seasons 47 and 48 at the flophouse, eight actors left for various reasons. Now, after a summer of notable departures, SNL creator Lorne Michaels has spoken about these departures and why they collectively are a good thing.
When fan favorites like Pete Davidson and Kate McKinnon said goodbye during the season 47 finale, SNL experienced more notable departures, including Melissa Villasegnor and Alex Moffat. Recently, series veteran Chris Redd, who has worked for five years, celebrated his departure with a sweet message to fans. While all of this may be overwhelming for viewers, Lorne Michaels isn’t as worried as he previously was about the upcoming cast changes of “Saturday Night Live.” EP told the NYT that losing cast members actually helps the show survive:
”Yes, but we were also 23 or 24 years old. We got to the point where we had a lot of people and people didn’t have enough playing time. The way the series has survived is the upgrade level. The price of success is that people leave and do other things; their main responsibility is their talent and continue to promote it. And there’s something much better about the show when all that matters is the show. There is a time to say goodbye, and there is a natural time for this, but at this natural time, the pandemic just intervened.”
It seems that Lorne Michaels knew that some actors were ready to leave before the COVID-19 pandemic broke out. The ordeal seemed to have prevented these exits from happening earlier. Given that this is a television institution, and SNL has to update the information every few years to keep the machine running. And there’s no need to worry about departed stars, as Kate McKinnon, Pete Davidson and Chris Red have turned their time on the show into fruitful projects off the show.
The departure of key players would be difficult for any show, but SNL is used to the changing landscape. These discoveries allowed Lorne Michaels to add four new select players to the already approved SNL Season 48 roster. At the same time, the creator of the series said that new participants will add to the long-existing series:
”I think all four are fresh. They bring things we don’t have, and they complement the people we already have. In people like Kate and Eddie, we had superstars, and that’s only because you got to know them over the years, and then they grew in stature. New people could last for years. These are not load-bearing walls. They’re not what they’re going to be yet, but at least half the fun of watching shows is watching people who start and discover them.”
Being an elected player can be the gateway to comedy fame, as evidenced by viewers interacting with alumni such as Kate McKinnon and Aidy Bryant. And if new players are given the opportunity to grow, they will be able to achieve the same level of success. However, as Lorne Michaels pointed out, when it comes to their progress, it all depends on the reception of the public. Let’s see how they work and whether they can help the development of the show.
Along with new faces including Devon Walker and Molly Kearney joining for the 2022-23 season, the show still features beloved characters like Kenan Thompson and Bowen Young. Fans are also waiting for the star presenters and musical guests of the 48th season, including Megan’s stud and Brendan Gleeson. The last season of the show “Saturday Night Live” starts on October 1 with Miles Teller from Top Gun: Maverick as the host and Kendrick Lamar as the musical guest. The premiere will take place on NBC at 23:30 Eastern standard time as part of the TV program for 2022. In the meantime, you can stream past episodes of the show using a Peacock Premium subscription.
