One of the things you learn very quickly working in television is how remarkable the stage crews usually are. The first time I wrote a big-budget prime-time variety special, the entire set (which was enormous and complex) had to be loaded-in and set-up overnight and I decided I had to see how that was done. I went to Canter's Delicatessen, bought a sack of sandwiches, and went over to the stage to spend much of the night watching the crew work.
It was amazing, absolutely amazing. The only thing I have seen since that's been in any way comparable has been a few times at Comic-Con International in San Diego when I stayed in the main hall after closing and watched all those booths and exhibits come down. It was like watching Disneyland be disassembled and moved elsewhere right before my eyes.
On the variety show stage, I saw physical feats that would not have been outta place at Cirque Du Soleil, only performed by grips and technicians in t-shirts and jeans. I was sitting on a little platform, talking with anyone who stopped by for a free sandwich. And all the time I was thinking, "This is more entertaining than the show's going to be!"
The clips below are from last week's Saturday Night Live and we're going to do this in sequence. The first is the cold opening with Alec Baldwin in what is turning out to be the role of his career, playing You-Know-Who. As it ends and the prerecorded opening rolls, the crew has a tad under two minutes to pull off a big reset on live television with rows of audience members in their way. That's in the second video. If you think there's not much talent working on that show this season, you're wrong…