Saturday Night

Front Row at the Movies by Shirrel Rhoades

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So, I’ve got to go to the movies to see the latest chapter in TV’s “Saturday Night Live”?

Yep, but it’s worth the trip.

The new eponymous film tells the story of the debut of the televised NBC late-night live sketch variety show created by Lorne Michaels. Debuting on October 11, 1975, the satire has been coming to our living rooms for half a century.

“Saturday Night” is a new biographical comedy-drama about that tumultuous night in 1975 when “NBC’s Saturday Night” (later retitled “Saturday Night Live”) premiered.

The movie, directed by Jason Reitman (“Juno,” “Up in the Air,” “Ghostbusters: Afterlife”), captures the chaos of its opening night.

“Garrett Morris, who has a background in operatic theater, ponders his place among a cast of comedic performers; John Belushi remains detached from everyone and constantly picks fights; Jim Henson complains over how he is being treated by the writers; the writers are at war with censor Joan Carbunkle and her demands; host George Carlin thinks the whole show is a sham; and everyone is trying to figure out what exactly the show is about.”

NBC is not happy. Milton Berle is brought in to replace George Carlin, but that doesn’t happen when Chevy Chase confronts Berle about hitting on his girlfriend Jacqueline. Meanwhile, John Belushi quits and storms off the set.

Amidst this mayhem, Lorne Michaels slips out to a bar to calm himself. There, he comes across comedy writer Alan Zweibel and hires him on the spot to become a writer on the show. Zweibel and Gilda Radner find Belushi ice skating and convince him to come back to the show.

Nevertheless, the show almost gets closed down.

Johnny Carson doesn’t like the concept. And NBC is prepared to replay an episode of “The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson” to fill the time slot.

NBC exec David Tebet demands that Michaels show him exactly what the show entails. So, Andy Kaufman does his silly Mighty Mouse routine and Chevy Chase offers an impromptu version of weekend update using Zweibel’s newly written material. And NBC reluctantly let the show go on the air – live!

The show worked. SNL was ranked #10 on TV Guide’s 50 Greatest TV Shows of All Time. Time Magazine included it on the list of 100 Best Television Shows of All-TIME. The Writers Guild of America ranked it as #25 on the list of the 101 Best Written Shows of All Time. TV Guide listed it as #18 on its list of the 60 Greatest Shows of All Time. Variety ranked Saturday Night Live as #15 on its list of the 100 Greatest TV shows of All Time. And Hollywood Reporter’s survey of 2,800 actors, producers, directors, and other industry people named SNL as their #7 favorite show.

Since that almost-didn’t-happen debut, “Saturday Night Live” has received 84 Primetime Emmy Awards, six Writers Guild of America Awards, and three Peabody Awards.

The movie’s cast of doppelgängers includes Gabriel LaBelle (as Lorne Michaels), Cory Michael Smith (as Chevy Chase), Matt Wood (as John Belushi), Ella Hunt (as Gilda Radner), Lamorne Morris (as Garrick Morris), Dylan O’Brien (as Dan Aykroyd), Kim Matula (as Jane Curtin), Emily Fairn (as Lorraine Newman), Josh Brener (as Alan Zweibel), Nicholas Braun (as Andy Kaufman), Matthew Rhys (as George Carlin), and J.K. Simmons (as Milton Berle). Willem Dafoe makes an appearance as the threatening NBC brass. And Jeff Witzke does the voice of Johnny Carson.

I remember watching that first episode of “NBC’s Saturday Night” back in 1975. Perhaps it was a little manic, but me and my then-girlfriend and my best buddy (whom she ran off with) enjoyed it.

Nearly fifty years later, I enjoyed the movie version too!

Ah, the memories.

Email Shirrel: srhoades@aol.com