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September 4, 2013
Optimism for SNL’s 39th Season

At the end of the last season, three of the most solid “Saturday Nigh Live” cast members—Jason Sudeikis, Fred Armisen, and Bill Hadar—left the show.  It was then announced that head writer and “Weekend Update” host Seth Meyers will leave the show mid-season to take over Jimmy Fallon’s job on “Late Night.”  However, fans of the long running sketch show have reason to be optimistic: the new crop of writers and the rumored cast members coming to the late night main-stay come with some impressive credentials and serious comedy chops.  "SNL," is remaining characteristically mum on all final casting decisions, but Deadline, among other sources, seem confident about the casting of the performers listed below.

Here are some reasons to be (cautiously) optimistic about the upcoming season:

1. The last time there was a cast turnover this large was in 1995/96 season when two of the most acclaimed SNL cast members--Will Ferrell and Darrel Hammond--were hired.

2.  New reported cast member Noël Wells has an impressive following on Youtube and is known for her impersonations.

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ipt9EO8lJ2Q[/youtube]

3. Claire Mulaney, the 25 year old Chicago-native hired as a new writer, is not only the younger sister of John Mulaney (the popular stand-up comedian and a former SNL writer), but also has an impressive background in the Chicago improv scene.

4. Beck Bennett and Kyle Mooney, two of the performers from the long running L.A.-based sketch group "Good Neighbor Stuff", are both rumored to join the cast.  Mooney has recently appeared on NBC's "Parks and Rec". People will recognize Bennett from his AT&T commercials:

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OdXry79EifM[/youtube]

5. Mikey Day, a former cast member of MTV's comedy series "Wild 'N Out", has been hired as a writer for the next season.  Day has been a part of the improv and sketch comedy scene in L.A. for the past decade, and held a recurring segment on "The Jay Leno Show".

6. Mike O'Brien, another former Chicago improviser, has been a writer for SNL since 2009, but this year it is rumored he will be moved to being on cast.  O'Brien is best known for his Hulu web-series "Seven Minutes in Heaven," where he conducted interviews with celebrities in a closet (each interview ends with him kissing, or attempting to kiss, the celebrity).

7. Lastly, there are the strong cast members who remain from last season, some of whom perhaps did not get a great chance to stand-out under the dominating presence of the veterans.  This next season fans might expect to see more of returning cast members Taran Killam, Bobby Moynihan, Jay Pharaoh, Cecily Strong, and Kate McKinnon.

Taran Killam doing Robyn's dance from her music video "Call Your Girlfriend"

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YbEOr5Weqb8[/youtube]

SNL, may have lost some key players, but there's reason to not give up hope yet.

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Written by: Tolly Wright
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