is it just me, or did it used to be the case that SNL skits proceeded without people transparently staring fixedly at cue cards the entire time?

Yeah, it ne'er used to be so bad. It bothers me a lot when I watch it... so I try not to watch it.

I don't know. I've only watched for the past 3 years or so (totally not regularly. like one episode every few months/year) and it's always been that way, but it bugs the crap out of me.

I can't watch it for that very reason.

The show also used to be funny. Just, you know, overall funny. I think Tina Fey might have been keeping the show afloat, honestly.

You mean reading cue cards isn't funny? Hmm.

i checked some old sketches on hulu, and i was right.  they didn't used to do that.

so why the change?  is there more of a disconnect now between the writers and performers?  less rehearsal time?  more network pressure not to have any ad-libbing?  or do they just suck?

i mean, sure it's high pressure or whatever, but especially if you do it all the time, it is seriously NOT hard to memorize a few lines, and only glance at the cue card if you need a hint.

conclusion:  everyone affiliated with SNL completely sucks except for Tina Fey, Amy Poehler, and Kirsten Wiig.