Television The night that was transformed
At 11:30 p.m. on October 11, 1975 for the first time on America television aired a revolutionary show, which would forever alter the American comedy. It was a show that was way ahead of times, unorthodox in every way and featured a different form of comedy to the youth. That show was on Saturday night.
Before the first curtain went up, there was a storm for 90 minutes because there were lots of writers and performers and a lot of juggling taking place in order to create a spectacle that would enthrall the nation. This article focuses on the internal most disorder and the creative activities that led to the creation of an iconic television show.
The Genesis of Saturday Night
The idea for Saturday Night was a resulting of a vision of developing a so-called satires that seeks to go beyond what has been done previously in terms of content. The person behind the show is Lorne Michaels who was able to hire crazy writers and performers that didn’t mind crossing the line.
The original cast of the show includes talented and risk taking comedians like John Belushi, Dan Aykroyd, Chevy Chase, Gilda Radner, Jane Curtin and Garrett Morris. These fascinating people did not leave the stage bare, but rather created outstanding impersonation photographs and constituent pieces of reality.
Pre-Show Rush
The hours before the commencement of Saturday Night, the first ever live program was just a whirlwind of activities. Writers were at the last minute completing their sketches. performances were busy learning the spokes and characters. The energy was infectious and everyone seemed euphoric and impatient.
It was not easy for the Saturday Night crew as one of the greatest impediments they had was keeping abreast of the news. The staff writer for the show would always read the newspapers and watch for political headlines that were ripe for a parody. That meant the subject of the program could change within a few hours depending on the news from the current affairs.
The First Broadcast
And then came, the moment of reckoning. It was 11:30 PM. Saturday was NBCs first late night weekly program. The show kicked off with a cold open showing Chevy chasing Gerald Ford, who was the President of United States. From there, the series of sketches carried on within the show highlighting the abilities of the cast and the writers.
Saturday Night episode one was a hit both with viewers and critics alike. Viewers loved the audacity of the show’s jokes, the boldness in addressing sensitive issues and the ability of the show to reflect the prevailing mood of the time. The show’s popularity soared and its acceptability even surpassed that of its contemporary programs.
The Legacy of Saturday Night
Saturday Night is perhaps the greatest and the most influential television show in the history of comedy. The elements of the program consisting of sketch performances, music and the show of stars has been adopted by numerous other programs. Its uniqueness can be reflected in late night comedy shows to even animated cartoons.
Media and entertainment industry has millions of talented comedians and writers who owe their careers to the show. Many stars who were part of the initial Sabrina cast were themselves stars even after Saturday Night was over. And the absentees of the show’s gender bent cast and its cynical humor where Dopinder Turner’s father is better than Turner are full of butt load’s worth funny bullets.
Saturday Night in today’s content remains a relevant phenomenon in the culture. This is a program that has comprised a remarkable viewership for the last fifty years and more. It has been predicted that even in the coming years audience will appreciate the benefits of this program.
