With its 40th anniversary approaching, legendary sketch comedy show SCTV may be getting the reunion treatment, as Saturday Night Live did a year ago. Eugene Levy, an original cast member, says he’s been in talks with other SCTV principals about marking the milestone in style.
“We’ve been talking about getting together,” he said. “We’ve been talking about the possibility of getting together to do a show."
Levy and Catherine O’Hara, who star as a down and out married couple in the comedy Schitt’s Creek, which airs on cable net Pop, were in the original SCTV cast. Other members included John Candy, Rick Moranis, Dave Thomas, Harold Ramis and Martin Short.
Levy, known for his work in American Pie, A Mighty Wind, Best in Show and a zillion other films, said nothing specific is in the works, but noted that many former cast members remain “amazingly close”.
Short, speaking with the Canadian media a couple years ago, seconded that, but said the deaths of Candy and Ramis would make a reunion “weird.”
Hatched by Canada’s Second City comedy troupe, SCTV ran from 1976 to 1984 on a range of channels in Canada and the U.S., including CBC, NBC and Cinemax. The show developed a cult following, many comedy aficionados preferring it to SNL.
“I think the show is one of the great comedies to ever hit television,” said Levy.
The second season of Schitt’s Creek debuts on Pop March 16.
SNL got a 3-½ hour primetime Sunday special on NBC last February, which over 23 million people watched.
SCTV won’t get that degree of pomp, but even a modest affair would still give the influential show its due. As SCTV debuted in September of ‘76, Levy and Co. have several months to get their act together.
“It would hopefully be this year,” Levy says. “If not, it would be celebrating the 41st anniversary.”
