“Lorne created an iconic cultural institution. It’s like as if he created Yale or something. Or NASA.” – Former SNL writer-performer member Mike Myers
I am – Hercules!!
Ah yes. “Not as good as it used to be!” 'Tis the refrain that haunts every “Saturday Night Live” talkback. In fact, SNL will likely never be as good or as bad as it used to be. How does one top the pure black genius of “impressionist Michael O’Donoghue” pretending to be talk-show host Mike Douglas with long steel needles thrust through his eyes? And how likely are we to see the show again produce something as tedious as Joe Piscopo’s Sinatra medleys? Sunday's documentary special “Saturday Night Live in the ‘90s: Pop Culture Nation” demonstrates that the ‘90s was a creatively rich era for SNL, built on the talents of Phil Hartman, Adam Sandler, Chris Farley, Mike Myers, Norm Macdonald, Will Ferrell, Robert Smigel, Jack Handey, Al Franken, Jim Downey, Tim Herlihy, Adam McKay, Conan O’Brien and a pantheon of other comedy giants. Like the ‘70s and ‘80s SNL specials before it, the fast-paced new documentary deftly blends old sketch footage with new interviews. Writers and performers who sit down for fresh chats include Alec Baldwin, Dana Carvey, Tom Davis, Jim Downey, Jimmy Fallon, Will Ferrell, Tina Fey, Al Franken, Ana Gasteyer, John Goodman, Darrell Hammond, Tim Herlihy, Steve Higgins, Chris Kattan, David Koechner, Steve Koren, Norm Macdonald, Adam McKay, Mark McKinney, Tim Meadows, Lorne Michaels, Mike Myers, Kevin Nealon, Paula Pell, Colin Quinn, Chris Rock, Molly Shannon, Sarah Silverman, Robert Smigel, David Spade, Julia Sweeney and Fred Wolf. Others contributing interviews include non-writing producers Michael Shoemaker, Ken Aymong and Marci Klein, and NBC execs Don Ohlmeyer and Rick Ludwin. (Among the most conspicuously absent are Adam Sandler, Rob Schneider and Christopher Walken.)
THE LAST GREAT PURGE Backstage drama forms the spine of the new documentary, as backstage drama formed the spines of its two prequels. The main conflicts this time emerge out of the show’s freakish mid-‘90s “ratings free-fall.” The situation was exacerbated by an infamous and highly critical New York Magazine cover story that left the ’94-’95 cast and crew feeling betrayed and infuriated. The cast at that point featured both Mike Myers and Adam Sandler, who ultimately emerged as two the show’s most popular alumni. “Now people look back and say, ‘Those were the good times; it’s this bunch I don’t care for’,” notes SNL producer Michael Shoemaker. “And it’s always that way.” NBC execs, basking in the extraordinary critical and popular success of freshman primetime sitcom “Friends,” pressured Michaels to drop most of his cast, including Myers, Sandler and Farley. Norm Macdonald, whose savage Weekend Update pieces on accused murderer O.J. Simpson reportedly provoked the ire of NBC chief (and Simpson pal) Don Ohlmeyer, was gone soon after. It’s a rare SNL season when the rookies outnumber the vets, and autumn 1995 brought the sixth and last of the show’s overhauls. Some new cast members – Darrell Hammond, Will Ferrell, Cheri Oteri, Molly Shannon, Chris Kattan – would enjoy long tenures. Others – David Koechner, Nancy Walls, Jim Breuer, Mark McKinney – not so much. (The documentary reminds us also that the Fox network, no doubt sensing weakness and opportunity, launched “Mad TV” that same autumn.) The special is packed with fascinating factoids. Kevin Nealon remembers that during his tenure the cast swelled from eight to 18, enough players to fill two casts. Writer Steve Koren jokes that writers were encouraged during this era to write sketches featuring army units and parades. Ana Gasteyer reveals she was a childhood friend of Amy Carter, and has memories of Jimmy Carter watching SNL and “laughing hysterically” at Dan Aykroyd’s impression of him. Will Ferrell reveals he wrote the “More Cowbell” sketch long before it aired (though someone told me years ago that filmmaker Paul Thomas Anderson authored it).
THE MACDONALD FIRING We learn Sean Connery was not in the original Celebrity Jeopardy sketch and that the franchise was born out of writer Steve Higgins wanting Macdonald to utilize his Burt Reynolds impression. Macdonald reveals that the real Reynolds wanted to come on a Celebrity Jeopardy sketch, punch Macdonald in the face, and continue the game with even stupider answers. “But then I got fired,” concludes Macdonald sadly, “so he couldn’t do it.” The segment on Macdonald’s infamous firing is one of the special’s most compelling. “Norm did, I thought, a terrific job for a couple of years,” says former NBC chief Ohlmeyer. But when Ohlmeyer soured on Macdonald, Michaels fought hard to keep the comedian on Weekend Update. “It was the only thing, in the time I was there, that we had knock-down drag-out arguments about,” remembers Ohlmeyer. “They pretended to believe [Macdonald’s firing] was going to be an enormously popular decision for which the public would thank them,” remembers Update writer Downey, who dismissed from Update the same day as Macdonald. “And in fact the unanimity of the TV critics was something to see. I remember Time magazine had a thing about it and even printed up a little [“Save Norm”] postcard to send to NBC.” “When it happened that Norm was taken off of Update,” says SNL producer Shoemaker, “I don’t think any of expected that it could happen. Before or since, it’s never been that kind of network. Complete interference.”
INCLUSIONS AND OMISSIONS So we’re not left wondering what all the fuss is about, the special kicks off with Steve Martin leading the cast in “Not Gonna Phone It In Tonight,” then unfurls a solid string of additional highlights: Phil Hartman leading “The Sinatra Group”; David Spade denying Jesus Christ entrance to Dick Clark Productions; Norm Macdonald discussing the perils of prison; the Bush-Clinton-Perot debates; Kevin Nealon as Mr. Subliminal; Julia Sweeney as Pat; Chris Farley as motivational speaker Matt Foley, who lives in a van by the side of the river; Adam Sandler as Canteen Boy and Operaman; Tim Meadows as Leon Phelps; Chris Rock as Nat X; Spade inaugurating Hollywood Minute; Will Ferrell as a karate expert beset by injury; Jimmy Fallon doing Jerry Seinfeld; Tracy Morgan ordering Lorne Michaels to fetch; Bill Murray crooning special material during the 1999 SNL 25th anniversary special; and Christopher Walken demanding more cowbell. One gathers writer-producer-director Kenneth Brower had more “A” material than he could agreeably cram into a 2-hour special. We don’t sample “Sassy’s Sassiest Boys” or “Toonces: The Cat Who Could Drive A Car” or “Stockdale’s Joy Ride” or “Lothar of the Hill People” or “The Ambiguously Gay Duo.” We don’t get to see Macdonald play Bob Dole. We barely glimpse “Sprockets” and “Unfrozen Caveman Lawyer” and Sandler’s budget Halloween costumes. Chris Elliott, Janeane Garofalo and Laura Kightlinger are nowhere to be found. The show is punctuated by brief but gratifying musical clips showcasing Barenaked Ladies, Beck, The Blues Brothers, Blues Traveler, Sheryl Crow, En Vogue, Foo Fighters, Gin Blossoms, Garbage, Macy Gray, Green Day, Dave Matthews, Nirvana, Oasis, Pearl Jam and REM. 9 p.m. Sunday. NBC.

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