Im going to miss the show, despite its weaknesses...
Ever since this show started so many years ago, whenever I was home on Saturday nights (more and more as I got older, lol!) I have always loved watching SNL & MadTV. I used to wish they were on at different times, but as it became obvious that wouldnt happen, I started enjoying swapping between them depending on guests, skits, and the casts at the time. The last few years I have really cracked up at Keegan-michael Key & his characters' skits, some of the best on that show since the earlier days. I also thought the girls were getting funnier after a few year slump on the female side, and thought Bobby Lee really picked up his game with some great characters and skits for the most part, although he definitely had some lousy ones as well (rice & beans tour was especially boring imho--"oh were asian and latino, youre white hicks, gafaaw" been there done that).
On the other hand, those are the only good things I have to say about the show lately, so I do recognize its been very weak in some ways. For one, the latino guy who always does the stereotypical mexican gang guy (one of the most boring, overdone character types EVER, and we had to get a new one??) & the arabian store owner--just another twist on a character type from the SAME show, bad idea. I dont even know the comics name, and dont want to, because those skits are examples of times when MadTV lately left me switching over to SNL and not tuning back in. I dont mean to single him out because obviously its not just his fault and there are other comics that havent stepped into the big shoes of the early cast members, either.
Guess Im just kinda rambling but despite all this and even with the mixed feelings, thru both hilarious and lousy skits, Im still going to miss the show next season. When ya go to switch between them after being used to it for SO many years, even through slumps, its still gonna suck to never see some of those great characters ever again. I definitely hope that Keegan-michael Key & several of the other hilarious cast (including from the early years, its not too late!) can make it big elsewhere and we get to see them again. Peace Out MadTV, like alot of skit shows its been an up & down ride, but there were some real crack-up moments I'll always remember---thanks for the memories!!!