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SNL UK Review: The Kids Are Alright (The Who Are British, Right?)

SNL UK got off to a strong start, with the show doing right by the "Saturday Night Live" name while already establishing its own identity.

We've got good news, folks! If the opening episode is a sign of what's to come, Saturday Night Live UK (we're talking cast members Hammed Animashaun, Ayoade Bamgboye, Larry Dean, Celeste Dring, George Fouracres, Ania Magliano, Annabel Marlow, Al Nash, Jack Shep, Emma Sidi, and Paddy Young) is going to be just fine, thank you very much. Was it perfect? No, and no one should've expected it to be. But it was a solid-to-strong start that's even more impressive when you consider the uphill climb it had. To say that the announcement of SNL UK becoming a reality wasn't exactly well-received by a lot of folks across the pond would be a serious understatement. There was a whole lot of "Who are they to tell us how to be funny?" (I'm being nice with the wording), and folks were already out with their knives, ready to carve up the show before a cast had been picked.

Except, here's the reality check. NBC's Saturday Night Live has been around for over half a century, out of pity or because someone over at the network forgot it was still on. SNL is still a success because it sets the standard for all sketch comedy shows. And before you think that's just "ugly American bravado," take a few minutes to check out exactly how many SNL cast members and writers have gone on to have major impacts on the pop culture scene – and that influence extends well beyond the US. That said, SNL UK isn't an effort to force American humor into UK brains; that was evident when the cast and writing teams were announced. While keeping to the skeleton of the SNL format, SNL UK found ways to distinguish itself that bode well for the show moving forward – and it helps having a cast that's showing an overall chemistry early on.

SNL UK S01E01 Thoughts: Tina Fey & Wet Leg

One of the best compliments that I can throw at the SNL UK opener is that 85%-90% of my laughs were upfront, while the remaining 10%-15% came into play after someone was kind enough to explain some of the references that were lost to this American brain. The fact that I enjoyed those sketches enough to do the "homework" to appreciate them more speaks volumes – and it's only fair since that's pretty much what the rest of the world that watches SNL has to deal with.

I was glad to see SNL UK go political with its first Cold Open, with Fouracres offering a just-absurd-enough take on U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer, with Animashaun and Shep (who you're going to hear more about in a minute) offering the perfect combination of "straight man" and satire to help stick the landing. Also, I will readily admit that I got chills when I heard, "Live from London, it's Saturday night!" for the first time.

At this point, it's pretty clear. In the SNL kingdom, there show creator/EP Lorne Michaels… and then there's Tina Fey. For me, she's the heir apparent when the day comes that Michaels hands over the SNL reigns. That's why I thought it made perfect sense to have Fey serve as an "SNL Ambassador" to help the show set sail. Her monologue was a perfect blend of self-deprecation and quiet bravado, while also willing to have a little fun with the less-than-rosy reception SNL UK received when it was first announced." "The way it was explained to me was that for this first episode, anyway, how do I put this politely, none of you fuckers would do it. Does that make sense?" Fey responded when asked by celebrity guest star Nicola Coughlan why Fey was chosen to be the first host.

Speaking of Coughlan, she and fellow guest stars like Michael Cera, Graham Norton, and Regé-Jean Page were used perfectly. Enough to get attention and a reaction (and headlines), but not so much that they took away from the show. And we're going to put it out there now: if SNL UK ends up having a long run, Coughlan will be the first "Five-Timer." She seemed like such a natural fit with the show (look no further than "What Kind of Irish Is Your Grand Dad?" with Fouracres, which also continued the SNL tradition of not always knowing how to end a sketch – but this time, it didn't matter).

If there was one tiny complaint I have about SNL UK "Weekend Update" anchors Magliano and Young, it's that I wish they had played it straight for at least the first few shows. I was being reminded a little too much that they were cast members doing a sketch. That said, their chemistry together and individual deliveries were spot-on – definitely got a Jane Curtain/Dan Ackroyd vibe from them. As for the "headlines" themselves, there were definitely some cringeworthy winners. But it was this line from Magliano about ex-Prince Andrew and the Epstein Files that was the winner for me: "Andrew's new residence, Marsh Farm, is of course named after the nearby marsh where his body will be found."

I mentioned earlier that I would be swinging back to spotlight Shep, and rightly so, because he stole the "David Attenborough's Last Supper" sketch. The premise itself was wonderfully absurd, yet it spoke volumes about the ongoing AI debate. Fouracres' David Attenborough resurrects a number of big-time British names to help him find the answer to "what really makes Britain great" – including Winston Churchill, Isaac Newton, Mary Seacole, Benjamin Zephaniah, Freddy Mercury, Elizabeth I, and Cilla Black, and Agatha Christie. But good luck taking your eyes off of Shep's Princess Diana, who went a long way to turning an ensemble sketch into a spotlight based on their natural ability to pull you in as a viewer. Also, we can't shake this feeling that Fey really enjoyed playing famed author Christie – the vibe was just there.

As for the Paddington Bear immersive experience, I would love to wax poetic about the comedic intricacies of the sketch and how they date back to the earliest days and things like that. But that's not why I loved it. I loved it because it's one of those absurd sketches that, in the back of your mind, you can't help thinking, "Yeah, people would sign up for this." Even if that means losing half of your face or most of your family. "In retrospect, maybe hot glue-gunning the hat to the bear's head may have made it more angry," Fey's experience organiser admits at one point. And yet, "I'm taking it to Broadway regardless."

Saturday Night Live UK S01E01: Tina Fey & Wet Leg

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Review by Ray Flook

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8/10

We've got good news, folks! If the opening episode is a sign of what's to come, Saturday Night Live UK (we're talking cast members Hammed Animashaun, Ayoade Bamgboye, Larry Dean, Celeste Dring, George Fouracres, Ania Magliano, Annabel Marlow, Al Nash, Jack Shep, Emma Sidi, and Paddy Young) is going to be just fine, thank you very much. Was it perfect? No, and no one should've expected it to be. But it was a solid-to-strong start that's even more impressive when you consider the uphill climb it had.

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