My review of the season

Overall, it represents something of a step down from the Network 90 years. The tone and visual style carry over almost intact, and the presence of John Candy in the first episode helps to ease the transition, but there is a sense of creative energy on the wane. The four remaining members of the core cast still turn out brilliant moments, but they also seem to be running out of steam.

One telltale sign of desperation is the attempt to create new promos from previously seen material. There are also sketches that seem to go on much longer than they should. Even in the first few episodes of the season, one gets a sense of writers and performers trying hard to fill time. The “You’re On with Max Lansky" segments, for example, struck me as so interminable as to undermine the joke. (Of course, it’s all very subjective -- these sketches may have worked much better for other viewers.)

In trying to nail down the difference between the NBC and Cinemax runs, I would point to the latter’s tendency toward relative accessibility. This is to say that some of the show’s trademark subtlety is lost in favor of something that more closely resembles what one would expect upon hearing the phrase “1980s sketch comedy.” There is a slight increase in vulgar and/or salacious humor. One of my biggest questions before seeing the season was whether or not it would include nudity or profanity. It doesn‘t, but stuff like “Das Boobs” or Andrea Martin’s impression of Jennifer Beals surely could not have been shown on NBC at the time.

Another minor complaint: The pay-cable conceit does not entirely work in that many sketches continue to parody network or PBS/CBC-type shows (e.g. Soren-Weiss or Stars in One), and the last episode is centered around a pledge drive.

But it’s not a total loss. In fact, I prefer this season over the Harold Ramis era. Here are a few of the highlights:

*“Power to the Punk People Polka” -- the Schmenge Brothers’ music video cluelessly equating the counterculture with zombies.
*“Stars in One: Bob Hope” -- Dave Thomas’ impression was probably at its high point here. I could have watched a full hour of this.
*“Milton Berle for Dumont Color Television” -- I did not like the second installment of Vic Arpeggio nearly as much as the first, but I loved this parody of early commercials.
*Edna Boil as Joan d’Arc for going out of business sale.

Another plus is that Andrea Martin really gets to shine as the only female cast member, whereas before she seemed to get shortshrifted, or at least overshadowed by Catherine O’Hara. She does an interesting piece as a Texas housewife/Gypsy queen, for exampl, that I can't imagine being in an earlier season.