Tag: 30 Rock

The Top 50 SNL Cast Members of All Time: Number 12 – Tina Fey

Tina Fey has established herself as one of the 21st century’s preeminent comedic writers and performers by creating 30 Rock, Mean Girls, and Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt. The Second City alum’s storied career took flight with nine years as head writer on Saturday Night Live during a fruitful period.

It was partly her sharp writing that turned Weekend Update into a must-watch experience after a dull couple of seasons with Colin Quinn (a talented performer who never nailed the Update desk). Her six seasons as a cast member was mostly at Update with Jimmy Fallon as her cohost and then Amy Poehler. Both pairings spun comedic gold.

Two years after her departure, she would make one of the most triumphant returns in the program’s history when fate gave her Sarah Palin as the VP candidate in 2008. It resulted in gigantic ratings and an Emmy for Outstanding Guest Actress in a Comedy Series. There’s simply no doubt that Fey is one of the most important figures in the show’s near half century. She might be on the SNL Mount Rushmore of all contributors when factoring in her behind the scenes contributions. Her on camera work nearly puts her in the top 10 and #11 will be up soon!

Tina Fey

Years on the Show: 2000-06

The Top 50 SNL Cast Members of All Time: Number 48 – Tracy Morgan

Through the sheer force of his outsized personality, Tracy Morgan made a memorable impression in his seven years at 30 Rockefeller Plaza on Saturday Night Live. It translated into even shinier comedic gold on 30 Rock shortly thereafter. He comes in at #48 on the list of greatest performers on the program that just started its 50th season.

From clueless though well-meaning Safari Planet host Brian Fellows to homeless Woodrow, Morgan’s mix of sweetness with outrageousness gave us bright spots in a top shelf SNL era. He also killed as Star Jones in those View sketches. In what should come as no surprise, we’re not finished with 30 Rock cast mates. #47 is coming you way soon!

Tracy Morgan

Years on the Show: 1996-2003

The Top 50 SNL Cast Members of All Time: Number 50 – Chris Parnell

My Top 50 countdown of SNL cast members begins with a glue guy who was present in one of the show’s finest eras. That would be Chris Parnell. Whether rapping about Jennifer Garner or Britney Spears or rapping alongside Andy Samberg in the iconic “Lazy Sunday” short or lead singing beside a cow-belling Will Ferrell, Parnell was always a welcome presence on the show.

A utility player who would also provide hilarious moments on Tina Fey’s 30 Rock, Parnell kicks off the list and #49 is coming your way shortly!

Chris Parnell

Years on the Show: 1998-2006

If you missed my prelude mentioning cast members who just missed the cut, you can find it here:

The Top 50 SNL Cast Members of All Time: A Prelude

Oscar Predictions: Spaceman

Johan Renck’s Spaceman is not – I repeat, not – about the doctor that Chris Parnell hilariously played on 30 Rock. The sci-fi drama does star a fellow SNL alumni in Adam Sandler as a Czech astronaut on a solo mission. It premiered at the Berlin Film Festival earlier this week, hits theaters in limited fashion this weekend, and premieres on Netflix March 1st. Costars include Carey Mulligan (currently vying for Best Actress in Maestro), Paul Dano (doing voiceover work), Kunal Nayyar, Lena Olin, and Isabella Rossellini.

Sandler’s serious work has probably come close to making the Academy’s cut with 2019’s Uncut Gems or 2022’s Hustle which earned him a SAG nod. I don’t think you’ll see Spaceman launch him into consideration. The RT score is a mixed 64% with some reviews calling it a bore. Others are far more complimentary, but not to the degree that I think that generates any awards buzz. The lone exception could be Visual Effects. I’m not confident in that. My Oscar Prediction posts will continue…

Maggie Moore(s) Review

At one point in Maggie Moore(s), New Mexico police chief Sanders (Jon Hamm) tells his blunt deputy Reddy (Nick Mohammed) that he has no concept of when it’s OK to tell a joke. You could say the same with Paul Bernbaum’s screenplay. This black comedy attempts to pull off incorporating pedophilia and hate crimes as its murder mystery plays out. It doesn’t work in this aimless grim pic. Plus it’s just not very funny.

Maggie Moore (Louisa Krause) works at a diner while sleazy husband Jay (Micah Stock) is the franchisor of a sandwich shop where he buys rancid meat on the black market. When she threatens to expose his various shady business dealings, she turns up dead. A gigantic deaf hitman named Kosco (Happy Anderson) is responsible. In this small town setting, there’s another Maggie Moore (Mary Holland) and perhaps her murder will throw Hamm’s chief from the fast food potential felon.

This all goes down early in the picture and most of Moore(s) is Sanders and his partner catching up with what we already know. This unfortunate structure zaps it of any suspense and when the humor falters (which is most of the time), the mold gathers quickly.

You might think a 30 Rock reunion of Hamm and Tina Fey courting each other could save it. She plays Jay’s nosy and self-conscious neighbor who catches the lawman’s eye. Despite their easy chemistry that results in a handful of laughs, it can’t rescue the second feature length effort from the lead’s Mad Men costar John Slattery.

The aforementioned taboo subjects indicate that its makers want to bring an edge that is never earned. None of the relationships feel authentic in a script where the players are quirky without quality development. The subs aren’t the only item that are substandard.

*1/2 (out of four)

Top 25 SNL Alumni Movie Performances: Numbers 25-21

It’s time for another list on this here blog of mine and Saturday Night Live has been on the mind lately. With The King of Staten Island garnering solid reviews and serving as a launching pad for the film career of current cast member Pete Davidson, I’ve decided to compile my own personal list of top 25 performances from the 45 years of SNL alumni.

And this is sure to be a list where many moviegoers would have their own choices that do not reflect my own. Obviously SNL has a rich history of performers that have made the transition to the big screen and there are lots of notable comedic (and some dramatic) highlights.

A couple of notes before we start with numbers 25-21:

  • There are couple well-known actors that I chose to leave on the cutting room floor due to their very brief tenures on the show. Ben Stiller was a cast member for only 4 episodes and Laurie Metcalf was a not ready for prime time player for exactly 1 show. That didn’t seem like enough to include them. In short, if you lasted a season or more on SNL, you are eligible.
  • This list is undeniably dominated by men. That’s just a fact. On the other hand, if I did a list that included TV (which I may after this), you would certainly see a more substantial presence of former female performers. Think Tina Fey, Amy Poehler, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, and their acclaimed small screen work.
  • We have a couple of cinematic legends like Eddie Murphy and Bill Murray and I could have chosen plenty of their roles for inclusion. I tried to limit that, but you will see them make quite an impact in the top 25.

And with that, let’s get to the list!

25. Jan Hooks, Pee Wee’s Big Adventure (1985)

OK, maybe this is cheating a little bit since Ms. Hooks (who was brilliant on SNL) gets about three minutes of screen time in Tim Burton’s team-up with Paul Reubens for his iconic character. Yet her work as the cheery tour guide with the southern drawl is so memorable that I couldn’t leave it off. Six words: “There’s no basement at the Alamo!”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cYfjq3ZYZbA

24. Bill Hader, It Chapter Two (2019)

Hader has been one of the most versatile cast members in recent times and has had memorable film roles in Superbad and Trainwreck, among others. I include this horror sequel because he was the undeniable bright spot in an otherwise inferior sequel.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Z1iGzNNzJw

23. Will Forte, MacGruber (2010)

Count me in as one of the ardent defenders of this SNL spin-off featuring Forte doing a feature length version of his idiotic MacGyver like role. MacGruber was a box office flop upon release but has since turned into a deserved cult classic (with a rumored sequel happening).

22. Tina Fey, Mean Girls (2004)

Before her fantastic work on 30 Rock, Fey wrote this hit comedy that has spawned a massive following and a Broadway musical. Her work as a teacher here served as a springboard to an impressive TV and movie career.

21. Billy Crystal, When Harry Met Sally… (1989)

Crystal has certainly had his share of hits, but I’ll give the nod to his romantic leading man role opposite Meg Ryan in Rob Reiner’s blockbuster.

That does it for now, folks! I’ll continue the list with numbers 20-16 in short order…