[3] Having recently hosted Saturday Night Live, he chose cast member Bill Hader as the subject of his observational documentary.

[2] After completion, much of the show's cast had to "sign off" on the picture, and gaining significant approval was no problem until Franco sought the permission of NBC.

IndieWire's Eric Kohn opined that the film's "attempt(s) to obtain a deeper truth gives [it] a greater sense of candor than your average fluff piece," summarizing, "Franco's portrait emerges against all odds as a compelling look at anachronistic media in action.

[5] Dave Itzkoff of The New York Times deemed it a "fairly straightforward" look behind the scenes of the show, while noting, "the film turns up a number of details and tidbits that are like manna to comedy nerds.

"[6] In 2014, after its wide release on Hulu, The Wall Street Journal's Mike Ayers wrote that "For anyone interested in comedy and the creative process, it's essential viewing.