Saturday Night Live Update – New Cast Members and Stepping Up

Following an off-season where NBC’s long-running comedy show Saturday Night Live lost quite a few big-time members including Kristen Wiig, Andy Samberg, and Abby Elliott, they went to their reliable farm system to pick up some potentially solid feature performers. The Second City comedy groups have always been a feeder team for Saturday Night Live, going back to John Belushi, Chris Farley, and many others. Since the show is losing such fire power, Lorne Michaels and the powers that be involved in Saturday Night Live decided to go with a proven plan to replace their players. Calling up the new talent from Second City, the show will hopefully be able to rebound quickly.

The up-and-comers include Aidy Bryant, a Second City E.T.C alum, a Second City Main stage performer in Tim Robinson (also has a part in Christopher Mintz-Plasse’s Friend Me) and Cecily Strong, a Second City touring company player. Saturday Night Live should also open the season with a bang with slotted hosts such as Family Guy’s Seth McFarlane, Angels in the Outfield’s (some other stuff too) Joseph Gordon Levitt, and James Bond (Daniel Craig).

As for the current Saturday Night Live players who must step up to fill the voids, look no further than Taran Killam, an already steadfast up-and-comer who has been itching for more screen and stage time, but has been waiting in the wings for the chance to become one of the leaders on the show. They all had to do it, (except for Chris Farley who destroyed the audience from the beginning) and Taran Killam has the chops to step up. Also, he’s got some stability in his social life to keep him focused after marrying steady girlfriend Cobie Smulders of How I Met Your Mother – they both share a three-year-old daughter – and they were married in Solvang, California.

Speaking of Saturday Night Live and How I Met Your Mother, Abby Elliot, who was one of the SNL players that left, although maybe a bit early, has a character arc on How I Met Your Mother. Abby Elliott was always solid, but never really exploded onto the scene. What is interesting is that Kristen Wiig likely stole some of the spotlight from Abby Elliot, but now both are leaving the show. Either way, it will be interesting to see what Saturday Night Live has in store for us this upcoming season and beyond.