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"What's the word on the street?"
Having endured one of the most disastrous seasons of its entire run, SNL pulled one of the greatest tricks in its playbook: make the audience forget about last year with some dramatic course-correction. With Jon Lovitz, Nora Dunn, and Dennis Miller being the lucky (if unsurprising) few to evade the chopping block over the summer break, the show decided to match their comedy chops with a cast who would have guaranteed success with the art-form, prioritizing known talent over the botched optimism of Season 11's efforts to harness celebrity or bring alternative talent to center-stage. Goodbye, young Robert Downey Jr. and Anthony Michael Hall—welcome, 38 year-old Groundlings stalwart Phil Hartman! Farewell to Terry Sweeney from the world of cabaret, and Danitra Vance from the world of experimental theater—hello, Dana Carvey, Kevin Nealon, and Victoria Jackson from the stand-up circuit! Jan Hooks from the Atlanta-based sketch show Tush rounds out the cast, securing the spot that she initially lost to Joan Cusack the year before in one of SNL's rare examples of righting a wrong.
It was a cast poised for success, and fortunately, as history would demonstrate, they found it. But how is their very first season? Come along, dear reader, and let's find out together!
For my reviews of the previous season, Season 11, CLICK HERE!
