"As Saturday Night Live celebrated its 50th anniversary earlier this year, the discussion about the show's legacy rarely focused on its comedy. Instead, the emphasis was placed on its lore and rituals as well as the Sphinx-like decision making ofthe show's creator, showrunner, and executive producer, Lorne Michaels. Unlike that of any other TV program, SNL's mystique-behind the hiring process, how to break out on-air, the clockwork nature of the production schedule-has become ingrained in the public imagination."
"Such a move wouldn't be unprecedented. In 1986, for Season 12, the showrunner retained only three members of the previous season's group, including the Season 11 standout Jon Lovitz; he nixed all but five performers in fall 1995, following the notoriously stagnant Season 20. (Among those cut: Chris Farley and Adam Sandler.) Michaels's approach has been gentler in recent times, however."
"Yet whispers of a big shake-up have proved to be little more than ... whispers. That's not to suggest that some of the departures weren't surprising: The eight-season veteran Heidi Gardner may or may not be leaving of her own volition. Ego Nwodim's late-breaking exit was another significant blow; she had been the most talented rising star of recent years, rivaled only by the Emmy-nominated Bowen Yang. Plenty of the show's current stalwarts will remain, however, including Yang, Sarah Sherman, and Chloe Fineman."
SNL's 50th anniversary emphasized the show's lore, rituals, and the mystique surrounding Lorne Michaels's decision making more than its comedy. The hiring process, on-air breakout strategies, and the production's clockwork schedule have become part of public imagination. Speculation about a full cast purge for Season 51 arose after announcements of departures and additions. Historical precedents include major overhauls in 1986 and 1995, though recent approaches have been gentler. The recent phaseout of the 2010s lineup unfolded gradually, the ensemble expanded for Season 50 celebrations, and several surprising exits occurred alongside many retained stalwarts.
Read at The Atlantic
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