Mad TV vs. Saturday Night Live

Non-Phish General
#1

Does/did anyone prefer one over the other?

The earliest I can remember watching SNL would be about 1993. I continued it fairly regularly until about 2001 when I lost interest.

About that same time Comedy Central stopped showing SNL reruns and replaced them Mad TV, which I hated. Since then, Mad TV has grown on me and I love it. Waaay more than SNL, which I haven’t seen a full show in about 5-6 years. I think just the extremely absurd nature of Mad TV is why I prefer it over SNL.

To me, the best days of SNL were mid-90s.
A great book is “Live From New York” by Tom Shales and James Andrew Miller.

#2

I agree with you on the point that SNL’s best days are most likely behind them. Unless they get some amazing cast that changes everything they’re doing now, I think it will just continue to fall.

I loved the SNL reruns on Comedy Central, and would rather watch a million old SNL’s than any Mad TV’s that Comedy Central plays. Maybe I just have to give it more time, and it’ll grow on me like it did you, but I just think it’s so stupid and not funny right now. Right now, I find about one skit funny, per show, and I just don’t feel like sitting through all the shit to get that one funny skit. I just don’t think it’s worth it.

I wish they would bring back the SNL reruns.

#3

i love the old SNL’s from the 80’s and 90’s, but i must say that this Stewart

this Stewart

#4

Agreed.

Stuart Larkin is one of my favorite TV characters EVER.

#5

MadTV is an abomination where things like ‘comedy’ and ‘funny’ go to die.

The fact that the one dude from the show who only does impressions is getting his own show where he does impressions makes me ill to the center of my soul.

SNL is extremely hit-or-miss, but at least they are occasionally “hit.”

#6

why you little…

DAMN IT!!!

he might be kind of right.

in a way.

#7

chris farley SNL is A+ material.

LAY OFF ME I’M STARVING!!!

#8

I agree that it’s pretty lame Caliendo is getting his own show.

However, some of his impressions are spot-on. He does a great Ted Knight. His GWB isn’t that bad, either.

And yes, in its prime I would obviously pick SNL over any MAD TV season. But now, SNL just doesn’t do anything for me. MAD TV still does.

#9

is this even a discussion?

SNL > MadTV

that’s not an opinion; its a well known fact

#10

I’m not a huge fan of either show.

But there was a time when I tuned in for MAD every stinkin’ night. There was a time when MAD TV was always funny … and at the time I felt like every SNL fan should be shown the glory of MAD TV.

Since that time though, I’ve seen some very very terrible MAD episodes, and they were so bad in fact, that I will never again herald MAD TV as superior to SNL … those few real bad episodes were enough to negate all the greatness that’s gone before them on that program.

But yeah, SNL usually leaves me feeling stupid for bothering … do they have to kill every joke by overdoing it for four straight minutes?

Sorry, just wanted to stick up for the glory days of MAD and complain a bit.

#11

Any one season from the early and mid 90’s is better than everything Mad TV has ever done.

#12

If you consider their best years, SNL was absolutely the best. They had an unbelievable magic of producer, cast, writers, and musical guests. Almost no competition.

In their worst years, I think they were pretty equally as bad.

#13

^ What he said.

I don’t watch Mad TV, so I can’t compare, but when SNL WAS great, it was probably the best show on TV. Mad TV may be good, but it’s not better than Curb Your Enthusiasm, or Arrested Development (RIP)…I know I know, it’s apples and oranges, but SNL used to be the single greatest thing on TV, pretty much up until Seinfeld took off. What I mean is; from the late '80s until Seinfeld took off.

'70’s SNL is unparalelled in anyway. Belushi stands alone as the funniest man ever on TV.

#14

confession: I don’t think I’ve ever watched John Belushi.

I mean, maybe a little here and there, but I couldn’t pinpoint one funny line or funny moment.

too old school for me

#15

SNL

#16

^^ If you didn’t find anything funny, maybe you were watching JIM Belushi?

#17

^ LOL. Too true. Once Upon A Crime isn’t bad though. Richie Lewis and John Candy…that’s comedy gold right there.

#18

John Belushi was great, but I’m not a big fan of the 70s SNL. The 80s were a trainwreck. A definite down period. The 90s were their best seasons, IMO. 92-97.

#19

That late '80’s stuff with Lovitz, Hartman, Carvey, Miller and those guys was pretty great stuff too man. That whole period up until Hartman left, which was certainly later than the rest of them, is probably the stuff that I have the fondest memories of.

#20

snl has been part of my life for 30 plus years…LOVE IT. from coneheads to deep house dish , it is a great comedy show and there is no comparison.