NBC Thursday Premieres Kath & Kim (Uh Oh!) and SNL Weekend Update Thursday

Big alum will be on the SNL "NotWeekend" Update show according to the clip from MSNBC after the jump, I assume they are talkin' Tina Fey. Watch, I'll be completely wrong and Gary Kroeger will show up and harsh everyone's buzz.

Can't remember who Gary Kroeger was? Google him.

This is what will be in the 9:30 slot until 30 Rock returns on the 30th (stupid move, they should have premiered directly after the Emmys).

Now, about Kath & Kim, from the LA Times' Mary McNamara:

For reasons perhaps only Christopher Guest understands, it is very difficult for Americans to do the broad hyper-social satire that the Brits and Aussies specialize in. Perhaps it's because Americans are not comfortable with lead characters who are lovably absurd. We have a disturbing need for simple-mindedness to be recognized as wisdom, à la Forrest Gump.

This both dilutes and confuses things in a show like "Kath & Kim," which desperately tries to caricature both family dynamics and consumer culture but winds up just abusing its terrific cast. " Saturday Night Live" alum Shannon is an instantly likable comedic actress, and she really is doing the best she can. But with lines like "Well I've turned a corner and his name is Phil" and "What the bedazzle is she doing now?" -- well, honey, not even Meryl Streep would stand a chance.

Owie! Man, that hurts.

Neal Justin, Minneapolis Star-Tribune:

For all its efforts, NBC has rarely been able to assemble four great programs at the same time for its Thursday comedy block. The latest clunker is Kath & Kim, a remake of an Australian hit about a dysfunctional mother-daughter team who are supposed to remind you of Laverne and Shirley. Instead, you'll wind up pining for the intellectual banter of Lenny and Squiggy.

And that, too. NBC needs someone to kiss it and make it better, now. And I mean BETTER, NOW!

Clip after the jump.

LINK