SATURDAY NIGHT LATER

What is good etiquette for giving feedback? How should you structure a sketch class? How do you get butts in seats for a live show? All this and more on this very special episode of Saturday Night Later! Thanks for reading Unusual Things: A Guide to Sketch Comedy! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work. For additional questions, send us an email at: learnaboutsketchcomedy@gmai...

What a fun ending to the very first season of SNL UK — with plenty of teachable moments! (Especially when it comes to the first half page of your sketches.) Thank you everyone for tuning in this season. And send questions for our mailbag episode next week to learnaboutsketchcomedy@gmail.com! Thanks for reading Unusual Things: A Guide to Sketch Comedy! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and su...

Why should you watch out for references in your sketches? What’s the difference between a low-energy character and a sketch that feels boring? How do you avoid accidental de-heightening? All this and more on this week’s episode of Saturday Night Later — with special guest Tristan Griffin! Thanks for reading Unusual Things: A Guide to Sketch Comedy! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and suppo...

What tweaks would we have made to the Sunburnt Lawyers sketch? What makes Daniel Day-Lewis such an appealing sketch subject? And — SCRIMPCHHHHH!!! All this and more as we discuss the latest SNL UK episode (hosted by Hannah Waddingham)! Thanks for reading Unusual Things: A Guide to Sketch Comedy! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work. This is a public episode. If you would lik...

Marina and Madalyn welcome special guest Kevin Hines to talk about the Matt Damon episode! Thanks for reading Unusual Things: A Guide to Sketch Comedy! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit marinatempelsman.substack.com

Marina and Madalyn discuss this week’s SNL UK sketches, showing that there’s still a lot to learn even when an episode is rocky. And coming up soon — we’ll be having a mailbag episode! Send your questions to: learnaboutsketchcomedy@gmail.com Thanks for reading Unusual Things: A Guide to Sketch Comedy! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work. This is a public episode. If you wou...

What’s the line between an internet trend and your own original observation? How do you give notes on a sketch you truly don’t understand? And what made that music video sketch such an ABSOLUTE delight?! All this and more on today’s episode of Saturday Night Later, featuring the INCREDIBLE Jason Sweeten! Jason’s Bio: Jason Sweeten is a Brooklyn-based comedy writer and playwright. His play Y ou mus...

How can the voice of reason help you have more fun? How do you avoid a static scene? And… What happened to that finger?!!?!??!?! All this and more as we discuss the SNL UK episode hosted by Nicola Coughlan! Thanks for reading Unusual Things: A Guide to Sketch Comedy! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other...

How can a justification give you MORE room to play? What happens when your beats defy gravity? And… what’s with all the dad stuff?!?!?! All this and more as we discuss this (extremely fun!) episode of SNL UK, with special guest Niccolo Aeed! Thanks for reading Unusual Things: A Guide to Sketch Comedy! This post is public so feel free to share it. This is a public episode. If you would like to disc...

Why is it hard to make “gross” a game? Why do some sketches fall just short of being great? And… what if we told you this table was a MAN? All this and more on today’s episode of Saturday Night Later — where we talk through the sketches from the Colman Domingo episode with the incredible Natasha Vaynblat! (And tune in later this week for our next episode, about last weekend’s SNL UK!) Guest Bio: N...

Why do some sketches make us cranky? Why does clear labeling matter in a sketch? And… can YOU find the great big crabman?! All this and more in this episode! This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit marinatempelsman.substack.com

Why are your sketches getting bogged down in side jokes? What’s the problem with having a character lie in a sketch? And… we talkin’ TV? Yes we are! Tune in as we discuss and dissect this weekend’s SNL sketches, with special guest Damian Chadwick! Guest Bio: Damian Chadwick is a UCB sketch teacher and former UCB Maude writer and director. He’s slowly working on a science fiction novel (?!) and liv...

Why is a sketch about someone being hot so hard to heighten? What does it mean to “get on your character’s side,” and how can that help you explore? And… does Jamie Dornan really have a collection of rocks that look like potatoes?!?!?! Learn all this and more in this week’s episode of Saturday Night Later: SNL UK edition! And please share, rate, review, etc. so that more sketch nerds can hear abou...

What’s the difference between a zany base reality and too many unusual things? When should you have more characters, and when should you dial BACK the number of characters? And… does a quintessentially American show like SNL translate to the UK? Can it become its own unique thing? Listen to our discussion of all this and more in this special edition of Saturday Night Later, with special guest Shem...

Why do some bucket sketches work well, while others feel too broad? What made these two Weekend Update character bits such a great (and interesting!) pairing? And… what can a man screaming in a FedEx teach us about framing sketches? Learn all this and more in today’s Saturday Night Later, with special guest Achilles Stamatelaky (Broad City, Audible, UCB), as we discuss the Harry Styles episode! Th...

What’s the Venn diagram of “fun” and “funny”? How many flavors of “bro” game are there? And… did this episode mark a complete turning point in SNL, or not even a little bit? (A surprisingly divisive question!) Check out my conversation with Madalyn Baldanzi and Geoff Garlock as we discuss all this and more. And leave your thoughts below! ___ A few sketches we referenced: Almost Pizza: Oh Captain M...

What happens when a sketch leans too much on a physical joke without the writing to back it up? What’s the best way to approach a draft of a sketch that has way too many unusual things? And — WHERE DID MARINA GO?! (Spoiler alert: my wifi cut out for about a minute in the middle, but fear not, we make a triumphant return.) All this and more in this week’s episode of Saturday Night Later! Leave a co...

How do you write a political sketch with a voice of reason… when no one is being reasonable? What makes a long wind-up to a reveal pay off? And… why should we all blame Madalyn for one of this week’s sketches?! Learn all this and more as we discuss this weekend’s episode of SNL (hosted by Alexander Skarsgård, musical guest Cardi B). Thanks for watching! And please share with your fellow sketch ner...

How can you “calibrate” your sketches? When does a Trump cold open cross over from annoying to… despicable? And… why does Michael Hartney want to walk into the sea?! Take a listen as we discuss this weekend’s episode of SNL, hosted by Teyana Taylor! Follow / subscribe to get updates about future discussions — and don’t forget to share this with your fellow sketch nerds! (And if you listen to this...

What’s the difference between a goofy base reality and an Unusual Thing? What made Wayne’s World so special? And… why weren’t there more marshmallows?!?!?!?!? Take a listen as we discuss this week’s episode of SNL (hosted by Finn Wolfhard). And share your thoughts, questions, and feedback below! Thanks for reading Unusual Things: A Guide to Sketch Comedy! Subscribe for free to receive new posts an...

What makes a show feel joyful? How can thinking about actors help you write your sketches? What’s the difference between a slow set-up and a confusing set-up? Learn all this and more in this week’s installment of Saturday Night Later, with Marina, Madalyn, and special guest LAURA CANTY-SAMUEL! Laura Canty-Samuel is a four-time Emmy-nominated TV writer, award-winning comedian, and former Co-Artisti...

What makes a parody sketch great? How do you write a character that’s based on ~vibes~? Why can basic premises sometimes become great sketches, while sometimes great premises become basic sketches? And… what do sketches and Apple Jacks have in common? Learn all this and more in this week’s installment of Saturday Night Later, with Frank Garcia-Hejl! (Madalyn will be back along with a brand new gue...

Is it more fun to watch a high-status or a low-status character? Why does specificity matter? And… how do you make sure you’re delivering a good script, and not just relying on an actor’s comedic excellence? We discussed all this and more in this week’s Saturday Night Later, with special guest Georgie Aldaco ( Inside Amy Schumer, The Onion) ! This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss...

How do you pick the right setting for your sketch? How do you decide which part of your character is unusual? And… who IS Sebastian Maniscalco? Listen as Marina and Madalyn discuss each sketch from this weekend’s SNL episode! This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit marinatempelsman.substack.com

Why is it so hard to write a good sketch about sex? How do you figure out what makes your sketch interesting? And… how do you know if your idea is actually less interesting than you think? Listen as Marina and Madalyn discuss each sketch from this weekend’s SNL episode! This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit marinat...