The Maddening Death Of Mad TV

During the time of it's premiere, MadTV was set up to be the perfect replacement for a struggling Saturday Night Live. With a fresh cast of talent, and the history of Mad Magazine behind it, MadTV started strong, but quickly lost favor among it's core audience when SNL began it's resurgence. Even though it was brought back for a brief time years after it's cancellation, MadTV never quite found it's footing with a new audience. Should Mad Magazines, MadTV have had a longer legacy? Or was Saturday Night Live just too big to go up against?

#madtv #saturdaynightlive #snl

SOURCES

[rykeman]

I didn't know what SNL was until my late teens but i watched MadTV as a kid

[johnnykarate_SweepLeg]

The fact that the narrator felt the need to say in the introduction that it was NOT a SNL skit, but rather a show "called MadTV"... like it was forgotten in time... breaks my heart. This show was a big part of my late teens/early 20s.

[Old-ded-memes]

Kenny Rogers jackass sometimes pops in to my head for no reason.

[HandsomeLongshanks]

MadTV was an underrated gem that should have gotten more attention. So many people from that cast are funnier than most people in Hollywood and don't get the credit they deserve

[DeTAYL.]

MadTV felt more raw and edgy at the time. I always preferred it over SNL.

[skyMcWeeds]

MAD TV John Madden and Kenny Rogers skits will always be iconic

[darex]

I loved Mad TV growing up as a kid. Absolute gold. Things went down hill and it stopped being a thing. Miss the gold old days, lol.

[StarlaBizarre]

I never thought SNL was ever funny but I used to watch this like crazy

[JoeyArmstrong]

As far as I'm concerned, Michael McDonald, Debra Wilson, Will Sasso, Aries Spears, Nicole Sullivan, Alex Borstein, Mo Collins, Stephanie Weir, Nicole Parker, Phil Lamarr, Frank Caliendo all deserve a place in the television comedy pantheon.

[roberttreacy]

Fun fact: Family Guy was originally going to start as a series of shorts on MadTV, but MadTv’s budget was not big enough to support animation production, so the idea was scrapped.

[Seibertz]

Stuart what are you doing? "holding a chicken and smoking a cigarette" I will never forget that line

[frankbivona]

ADAM SMALL IS DAVID ALLEN GRIER.. AT LEAST THATS THE PICTURE YOU USED @02:37 LOL

[Uncle_nb]

Used to watch this with my mom as a child. Great memories.Mad always brings a smile to my face. R.I.P. Mom ❤

[guyr.]

As a teen not living in the US, I wasn't exposed to SNL as it was not airing in my country. But we did have MadTV in syndication, so I have very fond memories of those forst 5 seasons. What a great cast!

[ARCWuLF]

For my money, the Will Sasso/Pat Kilbane/Ares Spears era was one of the funniest sketch comedy shows ever produced, with the "Son of Dolomite, " "Sling Blade, " and "Rocket Revengers" sketches being highlights.

[miked]

The OJ Simpson touring golf courses looking for the killer was my favorite skit.

[JaneDoesMind]

I grew up on Mad TV, would always get a Mad TV magazine every time I flew because it kept me distracted. It will always have a special place in my ❤.

[Willsgottenbday]

I was raised on mad tv, my brother & I still quote Stuart and miss Swan

[planescaped]

Crazy how Will Sasso's Steven Seagal parody became more and more accurate with each passing year, XD

[KeyDash]

I remember my mind being blown when I found out Phil LaMarr was Samurai Jack. He was funny on MadTV, but he's a genius voice actor.