What to watch: A new comedy better than a ‘SNL’ Weekend Update

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OK, so that didn’t have the same energy and swagger of that signature “Saturday Night Live” opening. But thankfully the new comedy “Saturday Night,” about the 90 wild minutes before NBC’s “SNL” first went on air, has all the watchable chaos you’d ever want. That’s top of the hot-out-of-the-oven viewing recommendations for this week, plus the standout Cate Blanchett mystery drama “Disclaimer” that’s hitting streaming and, if you can stomach it, the return of the “Terrifier” franchise. Considering that it’s spooky season, I’m determined to get a little horror in everyone’s lives. (You’re welcome.)
Now on to the good stuff:
The early years of “SNL” are my favorite for a couple of reasons: In the ’80s, I stayed up late as a kid to watch Eddie Murphy, Billy Crystal, Martin Short, Julia-Louis Dreyfus and that generation of cast members at the same time I saw original “SNL” stars like Dan Aykroyd, Chevy Chase and John Belushi on the big screen after their graduation to Hollywood. So “Saturday Night,” starring Gabriel LaBelle as a young Lorne Michaels trying to keep that first show from turning into a garbage fire in 1975, hit a nice nostalgic note for me while also channeling the manic energy that made the OG “SNL” so enjoyable. (Peep my ★★★½ star review.)
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My bud Marco della Cava talked with director Jason Reitman and his cast members about the making of “Saturday Night,” including one specific rule: “Jason thought we should steer clear of the real people,” LaBelle says. (Spoiler alert: It got broken by a few folks.)
Director Alfonso Cuarón’s won some Oscar and now he’s obviously going for an Emmy with the excellent “Disclaimer,” streaming on Apple TV+. The mystery drama stars Cate Blanchett as a renowned British journalist who receives a book that exposes a dark secret from her past, and Kevin Kline plays a grieving widower and father who doggedly aims to burn her entire world down around her. Pro tip for the binge lovers out there: First two episodes (of seven) are live now, but make sure you stick with it weekly. (Thank me later.)
TV critic Kelly Lawler loved it, calling the thriller “the best show of the year” in her ★★★★ star review. It’s “as dark and depressing as any story can be, and it will knock you out with the sheer power of its brilliance.” She also recently updated her overall list of 2024 faves, including “Nobody Wants This” and “The Boys.”
I was exposed to horror in the golden age of slasher villains, and even had the chance to interview a few over the years like Robert Englund (aka Freddy Krueger) and Nick Castle (the original Michael Myers). Which is why I’ve been itching to chat with David Howard Thornton, who plays silent and gleefully violent Art the Clown in the “Terrifier” movies. We got a chance to catch up for the new “Terrifier 3,” and the Alabama native dug into the influences behind his brilliant silent-movie performance as Art and how losing his mother to cancer changed his career trajectory:  “Life’s too short not to do what you really want to do. That was my last conversation with my mom.”
“Terrifier” is infamous for its truly gnarly kill scenes so it’s definitely not for everybody. Maybe try something a little less gory from my new Halloween TV roundup, with some less freaky fare like a “Gremlins” animated series or the “Family Guy Halloween Special” (guest-starring Glen Powell).
Got thoughts, questions, ideas, concerns, compliments or maybe even some recs for me? Email [email protected] and follow me on the socials: I’m @briantruitt on Twitter (not calling it X!), Instagram and Threads.