Critic Reviews

Was it a crime against comedy – as the original Saturday Night Live often is nowadays? No – and by any reasonable measure it was off to a flying start.

Promising debut of the British spinoff. .... As a debut, the episode could be hit and miss. But then, which sketch show isn’t? As the immensely likable cast members settle and share the spotlight more evenly, it may boil down to the weekly host to get that essential traction online.

Most of the flaws in the premiere were, in fact, entirely part of the SNL DNA. .... There were no disasters, though, which can’t always be said for episodes of traditional-flavor Saturday Night Live. .... For me, the cast was good enough that I’ll watch the next few weeks, if only to justify facile jokes about how it USED to be funny.

“SNL UK” managed to feel very much like its parent show — which is to say, some of it worked well and some of it worked less well, but very little of it didn’t work at all. There were sketches that ran too long, or ended weakly, but were generally redeemed by a young(ish), confident 11-member cast that made the most of them. .... Why not 10 [episodes]?

It could have been a lot, lot worse. And it could have been a lot better. But it is likely to become so as the team and the audience settle in over the coming weeks and we might see some recurring characters and start to build a rhythm and rapport with the show.

What SNL UK’s opening episode does demonstrate is a willingness to push the envelope, to risk bad taste. Borrowing a beloved American format might feel a bit stale, but there are notes of new ingredients that could offer something fresh.

The sketches are darker and more surreal than its U.S. counterpart, the comedy much more deadpan. Even if all the sketch itself doesn’t work (hey, they kept that feature too) there’s enough one-liners to keep you going and try out the next. .... The weakest part of “SNL U.K.” is, well, the “Saturday Night Live” part. .... At times, watching this feels like visiting a branch of Five Guys. It’s fine, but it’s not like eating in America.

As this first live sketch cut to an ad break, the typical British cynicism that had earmarked SNL UK as an all-time televisual disaster had shifted into a mood of, “Wait... is this actually good?” .... The second half of the 75-minute show suffered in comparison. .... Although a 50-year run like Lorne Michaels’ flagship operation might be too optimistic, it may well outlive what the vast majority expected.

With a tried-and-true formula, SNL UK‘s cast most likely will find their voices and establish themselves as a separate entity, albeit with the same plusses and minuses that the American show has. Some sketches and performances will become legendary; but most, forgettable. Unless SNL UK can break out of this formula and determine what makes them special, the show may never match the heights of Monty Python, or even the Canadian alternatives from SCTV through Kids in the Hall.

My unsolicited advice to “SNL UK,” which streams stateside on Peacock? Be yourself. Don’t be too slavish to your American counterpart, which currently feels a little flabby and rudderless. That freedom that allows you to drop F-bombs? Use it to create some truly dangerous comedy.