"Saturday Night Live" is like team sports. Every time a team goes on a playing field, they give it their best, sometimes they win, sometimes they loose, and they do it front of everyone, the spectators at the stadium and the people watching on TV. SNL is unique in that it is the only live comedy sketch program on American television. They have no benefit of repeated takes and post production editing. Again, just like sports, they go on stage, give it their best, in front of a studio audience and a TV audience. Sometimes they succeed, sometimes they don't. Again just like sports the cast gradually changes over time like teams do. Some years the team members are better than other years and a few members are standouts. Loyal fans of specific sports teams hang in there year after year and share the joys of victory when they happen. I think "Saturday Night Live" deserves similar support from its viewers. I think half the fun is watching talented young people going on stage and giving it a try. That kind of courage (or gall!) is also fun to watch.
(On repeats sometimes they show a sketch from the dress rehearsal rather than the live broadcast because that take was funnier. Timing during a performance is everything in comedy and broadcasting live is an added element of risk, definitely worth taking, but just like batting a ball, sometimes you hit it and sometimes you strike out.)
