Though Saturday Night Live is a very funny series in its own right, it has also been responsible for cultivating the talent of many actors who have gone on to have successful series of their own. One of the most recent examples is Vanessa Bayer, who is currently appearing in the comedy series I Love That For You. Thus, it is worth taking a look at the many other series, particularly the comedies, that have starred alumni from Saturday Night Live, many of which have come to be regarded as great series.
Parks And Recreation (2009-2015) - Streaming On Peacock
For almost the entirety of its run, Parks and Recreation was regarded as one of the finest comedies on NBC. In part, this was because it was one of those series which focused on good people doing the best that they could to make the world, and their city, a better place.
In particular, Amy Poehler shines as the character Leslie Knope, a woman who fiercely believes in the power and benefit of local government, even if she can at times be a bit overzealous.
Brooklyn Nine-Nine (2013-2021) - Streaming On Peacock
great series to have come from the mind of Michael Schur. As with so many of the other series from Schur, it has a general optimism about its characters and the world, particularly as the of the titular precinct. Andy Samberg is one of the stars of the series, playing the very childish (but brilliant) policeman Jake Peralta. Brooklyn Nine-Nine remains one of the funniest series of the 2010s, with a sense of humor that was all its own.
30 Rock (2006-2013) - Streaming On Hulu
Tina Fey was one of the most talented people to have appeared on Saturday Night Live. She particularly excelled at a variety of impressions, particularly politicians. In the years since her appearance on the show, she has shown that she has a great deal of skill when it comes to writing, as she showed with her creation of 30 Rock, the sitcom that focuses on the behind-the-scenes antics of a sketch comedy show. Fey’s talent is even more extraordinary given that she also acts in the series.
I Love That For You (2022) - Streaming On Showtime
Vanessa Bayer is another actor from Saturday Night Live who has been long overdue. Like much of Bayer’s work, it has an intriguing (and somewhat bizarre) premise, in that her character, Joanna Gold, lies about her health in order to maintain her job.
Though she is at the center of the story, the series also features a number of other extremely talented actors, including Molly Shannon. I Love that For You is at times inconsistent in tone, but there’s no question that Bayer has a unique charm that allows the series to work.
Schmigadoon! (2021-present) - Streaming On Apple TV+
The musical is one of the most enduringly popular genres, and it has recently become a part of the television landscape as well. With Schigadoon!, the viewer is introduced to a struggling couple–played by SNL alum Cecily Strong and Keegan-Michael Key, who manage to rediscover their love for one another once they visit the town of the title. It’s a loving homage to the many musicals that were very popular in the 1950s. It is a uniquely charming series, one that has all of the utopian pleasures associated with this escapist genre.
Ted Lasso (2020-present) - Streaming On Apple TV+
This seems to be a golden age for series that are designed to make the viewer feel good about the world, like Ted Lasso. Focusing on Jason Sudeikis’ character of Ted Lasso, an American football coach who is hired to lead an English soccer team, like many of the great comedies starring the alumni from Saturday Night Live, it takes a generally optimistic tone to the problems that its characters face and, as it proceeds, it explores the rich psychologies and personalities of its various characters.
Shrill (2019-2021) - Streaming On Hulu
Aidy Bryant is without a doubt one of the most valuable and talented of the recent Saturday Night Live casts. She brings all of that considerable charm and charisma to bear in the series Shrill, based on the book of the same name by Lindy West.
The series succeeds not only because Bryant is such a tremendously skillful actress, but also because the series pushes the boundaries of body acceptance, aiming for something akin to outright fat acceptance, a truly radical effort.
The Other Two (2019-present) - Streaming On HBO Max
HBO Max has produced a number of notable series in recent years, of which The Other Two ranks as among the best. While most of the series focuses on the title characters, there’s no question that Molly Shannon threatens to steal the show as the mother. With her bubbly charm and her indefatigable will, Pat Dubek is inarguably one of the series’ most likable characters, and it demonstrates why Shannon remains one of the most popular stars to have appeared on SNL.
Veep (2012-2019) - Streaming On HBO Max
Of all of the Veep is arguably one of the best. Starring SNL alum Julia Louis-Dreyfus as Selina Meyer, it is a scathing look at the hypocrisy and mendacity that are all too frequently a part of politics in America. The genius of Louis-Dreyfus’ performance, however, is that she makes Meyer a character that the audience wants to spend time with, even as they also have to acknowledge how toxic–and often how cruel–she can be, particularly toward those who work for her.
Barry (2018-present) - Streaming On HBO Max
Like the other stars who have appeared on Saturday Night Live, Bill Hader has gone on to have a very successful career in both movies and TV. In the series, he plays a hitman who, upon coming to California, ultimately enrolls in an acting class and, as time goes on, begins to question not only his profession but many aspects of his identity. The brilliance of the series, however, stems from Hader’s performance, who brings a powerful humanity to his character.