Saturday Night Live UK Launches, Airs First Episodes to Varied Reception

"Saturday Night Live UK" Debuts on Sky One Amidst Mixed Reactions

"Saturday Night Live UK," an adaptation of the iconic American sketch comedy program, premiered on Sky One on March 21, 2024. The program's initial episodes, including a debut hosted by Tina Fey and a second episode hosted by Jamie Dornan, have received varied critical responses and attracted 226,000 viewers for its premiere. The show, which closely mirrors the U.S. format while incorporating British comedic elements and allowing for more explicit language, is scheduled for an eight-episode run.

The British adaptation of "Saturday Night Live" launched on Sky One, executive produced by "SNL" creator Lorne Michaels, bringing a familiar format with a British twist.

Debut and Format

The British adaptation of "Saturday Night Live" debuted on Sky One and is executive produced by "SNL" creator Lorne Michaels, with James Longman overseeing the production. The program adopted the core format of its U.S. counterpart, featuring sketch comedy, rotating guest hosts, and live television elements. The initial episodes had a runtime of 75 minutes.

Premiere Content and Cast

The inaugural episode was hosted by veteran "SNL" performer Tina Fey. Her opening monologue included an explanation of Saturday Night Live's format and impressions of various British television shows. Fey also engaged with celebrity audience members, including Michael Cera, Graham Norton, and Nicola Coughlan.

The cold open of the premiere featured a sketch depicting Prime Minister Keir Starmer seeking communication advice from a Gen Z consultant concerning President Donald Trump, concluding with the declaration, "Live from London, it's Saturday night!" This skit was subsequently shared by Donald Trump on his Truth Social platform.

The debut episode's structure incorporated topical comedy, unique sketches, mock commercials, a "Weekend Update" news satire segment, and a musical performance by the English band Wet Leg. The humor in the premiere incorporated references to topics such as pedophilia, the Epstein files, and Prince Andrew.

The cast comprised primarily lesser-known comedians:

• Hammed Animashaun
• Ayoade Bamgboye
• Larry Dean
• Celeste Dring
• George Fouracres
• Ania Magliano
• Annabel Marlow
• Al Nash
• Jack Shep
• Emma Sidi
• Paddy Young

Specific cast members received mention for their performances:

• George Fouracres was noted for his impressions of Keir Starmer and David Attenborough.
• Jack Shep garnered attention for his Princess Diana impression and youthful energy.
• Hammed Animashaun introduced multiple potential recurring characters.
• Emma Sidi's bra concierge character was identified as having potential.
• Celeste Dring contributed quirky line readings.
• Ania Magliano and Paddy Young co-anchored the "Weekend Update" segment.

Second Episode Content

The second episode was hosted by Jamie Dornan, with an appearance by Chris O'Dowd. Its cold open featured a sketch centered on Prince Andrew, portrayed by Jack Shep. The sketch's narrative depicted a young Prince Andrew in a meeting with MI5 agents, where he was assigned a 29-year plan to enhance the public image of Prince Charles, who would eventually become King. This plan reportedly involved other members of the royal family reducing their public appeal.

The sketch included references to Jeffrey Epstein, with the character of Andrew mentioning a directive to "befriend a notorious paedophile" both before and after conviction. Peter Mandelson, also characterized as an Epstein confidante, appeared in the sketch. The agents in the sketch provided Andrew with the code word "Pizza Express Woking" to conclude the plan, a reference to an alibi associated with Prince Andrew's BBC Newsnight interview.

Viewership and Ratings

The premiere broadcast attracted 226,000 viewers in its 10 PM slot on Sky One, achieving a 3.2% share of the available television audience.

"SNL UK's" debut significantly outranked the U.S. version's recent viewership on Sky Comedy and surpassed other Sky entertainment premieres.

This viewership figure surpassed Channel 4's "Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation," which drew 215,000 viewers in the same time slot. The BBC News on BBC One was the highest-performing show at 10 PM, with nearly 2 million viewers and a 25% share.

"SNL UK's" debut ratings exceeded recent viewership for the U.S. version of "Saturday Night Live" on Sky Comedy, whose Season 51 premiere had 6,800 viewers and a recent episode recorded 4,550 viewers. The initial audience for "SNL UK" was also higher than the 60,000 viewers for "A League of Their Own's" final season premiere, a Sky comedy entertainment series. However, "A League of Their Own" achieved up to 600,000 viewers in its first season, indicating a shift in audience viewing habits over time.

Sky monitors viewership metrics beyond overnight ratings, including repeat broadcasts, catch-up viewing, streaming performance on its Now service, and the online virality of clips. One sketch from "SNL UK" generated over a million views online, and Tina Fey's monologue accumulated over 730,000 views on YouTube by the Sunday following its premiere. Comedies are acknowledged to require time to build an audience, and the British edition features a new production team and a cast largely unfamiliar to UK television viewers.

Critical Reception

The program's launch followed initial public cynicism in the UK, partly due to promotional materials that some perceived as an Americanized interpretation of British humor. The rarity of British sketch comedy on television was also noted.

Initial critical responses varied:

• The Telegraph described the show as "competent" and "occasionally hilarious."
• Nick Hilton of The Independent awarded it three out of five stars, observing "some hits, some misses" and noting an effective Princess Diana impression, while also mentioning moments that resembled "tepid cosplay." Hilton praised the show's willingness to "push the envelope" and "risk bad taste," suggesting new ingredients could offer a fresh perspective despite borrowing an American format.
• Lucy Mangan from The Guardian also gave it three stars, stating the episode "did work" and found the attempt to retool a U.S. brand for a U.K. audience refreshing.
• Charlotte Ivers of the Sunday Times appreciated the edgier humor, noting that comedians pushed boundaries, though she added that, in many instances, the jokes did not match the associated risk, and suggested that "the spark is not there yet."
• Reviewer Scott Bryan from Variety noted that the U.K. adaptation maintained the core elements of the U.S. version, describing the U.K. sketches as "darker, more surreal, and more deadpan" than their American counterpart.

Specific criticisms regarding sketch execution and writing included:

• The cold open being described as soft.
• A David Attenborough sketch noted as a lineup of impressions lacking a strong central narrative.
• A filmed sketch about the internet's creators considered vague.
• A commercial parody that repeated its primary punchline excessively.
• Some sketches (junket, bra inspector, Attenborough) were described as having good concepts but insufficient execution.
• A recurring criticism centered on the significant presence of host Tina Fey in many sketches, which some observers suggested limited opportunities for the new British cast to establish themselves.
• The opening monologue's humor focused on the ability to use profanity on British television was also perceived by some as unrevolutionary.

Despite some critical points on execution, no sketches were deemed disastrous, suggesting a foundation for improvement.

Identity and Distinctions

The show's overall identity was questioned by some, with elements like the set, pacing, and extended runtime feeling American. Concerns were raised regarding whether the show's target audience was primarily those familiar with the U.S. institution or if it aimed to cultivate a unique British appeal. Suggestions for success included embracing a more inherently British and surreal comedic style and marketing itself as a platform for live comedy and music.

Differences from the American "Saturday Night Live" included:

• The allowance of more expletives, consistent with British broadcasting regulations.
• Distinct interstitial music between scenes.
• The absence of host images introducing sketches.

"Saturday Night Live" in the U.S. has been a significant pop-culture entity since its 1975 inception, fostering the careers of numerous comedians such as Bill Murray, Eddie Murphy, and Kristen Wiig. Prior international adaptations in countries like France, Japan, and Italy have typically been brief, though a South Korean version continues to air.

Future Episodes

The initial broadcast schedule consists of eight episodes. Future guest hosts are slated to include Riz Ahmed. Episodes of "Saturday Night Live UK" will be available for viewing on Peacock in the United States.