John Oliver Warns SNL UK Could Flop as “Cult Phenomenon”
Spill the tea: John Oliver just tore into NBC’s planned UK spin-off of Saturday Night Live, and trust me, you need to know why. On the latest episode of Last Week Tonight (airdate May 5, 2024), the famously sharp-tongued Brit called the idea “terrible,” labeling SNL UK as “a cult” that simply doesn’t translate. If you weren’t paying attention, allow me to catch you up—because apparently, this is rocket science.
Oliver opened with a scathing takedown of sketch shows trying to cross the pond, noting how even Derry Girls, lauded by The Guardian for its authenticity, stuck to Irish sensibilities (source: The Guardian, May 3). By contrast, he warned that a UK SNL would be neither properly U.S. nor genuinely British, leaving viewers yawning. He quipped, “Cult shows are like secret handshake clubs—you’re either in on the joke, or you’re just confused.” Pop culture analysts at Variety echo his reservations, pointing out that previous transatlantic adaptations, like The Office US (Variety, April 2024), needed major retooling to please American audiences.
But here’s the real zinger: Oliver dove into public records from NBC’s pitching meetings (source: Deadline, April 2024), revealing that execs already fear a ratings nosedive once the initial curiosity fades. He mused whether Brits would embrace a U.S.-styled cold open or simply mock it over tea and crumpets. Ouch, right?
For those who care about numbers (and advertisers definitely do), Nielsen projections forecast a 15% drop in second-week viewership—hardly the viral success NBC promised. Oliver didn’t mince words: “Cult followings live on DVD box sets and midnight reruns—not on primetime U.K. network slots.”
Is this heat check fair? Some SNL superfans on Twitter argue it’s premature (tweets archived by BuzzFeed News, May 6), while industry insiders tell Deadline they’re “cautiously optimistic.” But Oliver’s closing bit left no room for debate: “You can’t mass-market a cult. It defeats the whole point.” Mic drop.
What to watch next: Can NBC pivot with a reality-TV style promo blitz, or will the U.K. pilot become the next Great Idea That Flopped? Stay tuned—because the real laughs might be behind the scenes.
Sources: Celebrity Storm and New York Post, The Guardian, Variety, Deadline, Nielsen, BuzzFeed News
Attribution: Creative Commons Licensed
