NEW YORK (OSV News) – The debut of a TV show these days is almost never a culture-changing event, despite all efforts at energetic hype. But that was not the case in the three-channel universe of the 1970s.

In that pre-internet, mostly pre-cable era, network TV had undiluted impact. So overnight sensations were just that, and hit programs such as "All in the Family," for example, had the power to shock with racial slurs in the service of revelatory humor.

Such is the background of "Saturday Night" (Sony), the maladroit origin story of one of the longest-lived series in the history of the small screen, NBC's "Saturday Night Live." The film seeks to recreate the atmosphere of the sketch-comedy and musical show's epoch-making premiere on Oct. 11, 1975.

The movie's theme is the creation of an entirely fresh approach to garnering laughs, one that's suitable for a burgeoning younger generation -- specifically, in this case, baby boomers. Yet, ironically, its setting is by now so remote that the narrative feels like a museum piece in need of interpretation by a docent.

Instead, as scripted by director Jason Reitman and Gil Kenan, the fitfully paced proceedings assume an audience that's in on all the jokes, regards TV performers as cultural icons and reverences now-ancient comedy routines as some form of holy writ. The filmmakers seem unaware of the fact that the echoes they're evoking are those of long-forgotten laughter.

More fundamentally, the screenplay also treats cocaine use -- and overdoses -- as a running gag. Given the way some of the show's original cast and creators died, this blithe attitude toward the subject comes across as both crass and tone deaf.

Producer Lorne Michaels (Gabriel LaBelle) is attempting to summon order out of chaos during the tense 90 minutes before the show debuts. He has a lot to contend with, including difficult actors -- a perpetually angry John Belushi (Matt Wood) among them.

Unctuous network executive Dave Tebet (Willem Dafoe) also poses a challenge. He's alternately scornful and encouraging toward Michaels but has nothing but flattery for Chevy Chase (Cory Michael Smith). Additionally, Michaels finds he has an over-eager cohort in producer Dick Ebersol (Cooper Hoffman).

Further stress is laid on by phone calls from late-night king Johnny Carson, who wants the program to fail. Meanwhile, a sneering Milton Berle (J.K. Simmons) -- the embodiment of old-time comedy -- is present in person, making a sexual menace of himself and briefly indulging in indecent exposure when challenged about it.

The women in the cast, Gilda Radner (Ella Hunt), Laraine Newman (Emily Fairn) and Jane Curtin (Kim Matula), are nearly mute. For his part, Garrett Morris (Lamorne Morris), keeps wondering why he’s there.

Reitman et al. seem to take it for granted that viewers can negotiate all this history unaided. Indeed, just when retrospective guidance is most needed, their attitude can best be summed up in the phrase, "You had to have been there!" Simple demographics would suggest, however, that many were not.

The film contains a glimpse of frontal male nudity, several scenes of drug use, a few profanities and fleeting rough language. The OSV News classification is L -- limited adult audience, films whose problematic content many adults would find troubling. The Motion Picture Association rating is R -- restricted. Under 17 requires accompanying parent or adult guardian. - - -CAPSULE REVIEW"Saturday Night" (Sony)Director and co-writer Jason Reitman's recreation of the tense 90 minutes that preceded the epoch-making 1975 debut of NBC's long-running sketch-comedy and musical series "Saturday Night Live" offers its audience little in the way of retrospective guidance. Instead, the filmmakers take it for granted that viewers are in on all the jokes, regard TV performers as cultural icons and reverence now-ancient routines as some form of holy writ. More fundamentally, the screenplay, penned with Gil Kenan, treats cocaine use -- and overdoses -- as a running gag, despite the real-life fate of such key personalities, both behind the camera and in front of it, as John Belushi (Matt Wood). Throw in the fact that among the stress-creating factors producer Lorne Michaels (Gabriel LaBelle) has to contend with, as he tries to summon order out of chaos, is a sneering Milton Berle (J.K. Simmons) who makes a sexual menace of himself and briefly indulges in indecent exposure when challenged about it, and it swiftly becomes apparent that this blend of drama and comedy is unsuitable fare for most. A glimpse of frontal male nudity, several scenes of drug use, a few profanities, fleeting rough language. The OSV News classification is L -- limited adult audience, films whose problematic content many adults would find troubling. The Motion Picture Association rating is R -- restricted. Under 17 requires accompanying parent or adult guardian. - - -CLASSIFICATION"Saturday Night" (Sony) -- OSV News classification, L -- limited adult audience, films whose problematic content many adults would find troubling. Motion Picture Association rating, R -- restricted. Under 17 requires accompanying parent or adult guardian.- - - Kurt Jensen is a guest reviewer for OSV News.