Saturday Night Live aired its tenth season during the 1984-1985 television season on NBC. The season contained 18 episodes and was cut short due to a writer's strike and budget constraints.
During the previous season Eddie Murphy left the show mid season. Because of Murphy's departure Joe Piscopo also left the show because he did not want to do it without Murphy. Dick Ebersol then fired Robin Duke, Brad Hall and Tim Kazurinsky.
Ebersol then wanted to blow up the show by adding seasoned comedians instead of newcomers. He hired Billy Crystal, Harry Shearer, New Zealander Pamela Stephenson, Rich Hall, Martin Short, and Christopher Guest. Guest would become the anchor of Saturday Night News.
In the middle of the season, Harry Shearer left the show, due to "creative differences". Despite his departure, his image is still shown in the opening credits.
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Reviews
Community reviews for Saturday Night Live, shown here with its season details.
G
GenerationofSwine
1.0
It was good, then it was great, then it was good again and now it stinks.
As of 2018 The edginess is gone. There are no risks in the jokes. They all consist of two things, 1. Trump is bad. and 2. This was a thing, remember it?
Neither of those really work for me. Make fun of Trump all you want, but do it with a punch line. Most of the time they forget the punchline. Simply not liking him is NOT a punchline. You have to exaggerate something, make it satire, mock it in some way. I don't even care if it's a cruel mockery...so long as it doesn't seem like they are just stating an opinion.
Opinions are NOT jokes.
The same thing goes with their "remember this, this was a thing" jokes...
They leave you sitting there waiting for them to say something funny about it. You're with them for a little while, "Yeah I remember it, go on..." then you realize that, no, that was the joke.
That's not a joke, that's just asking me to remember something.
Again, if they had a punch line, if they said something about what they were asking me to remember, then it might be funny...but they don't. The jokes are literally "this was a thing, laugh at it." and that's not funny. It has to be followed up with something.
Like with Trump, an opinion is NOT a joke unless it is followed by something. The same thing with a memory, a memory is NOT a joke in and of itself. They both have to be followed by something
s
sethdozerman
Saturday Night Live will always be my comfort show. The longevity and influence SNL has had on the comedy scene is unmatched. It has been the catalyst for so many careers, e.g. Eddie Murphy, Bill Murray, Will Ferrell etc... The show has definitely had its ups and downs but, in taking a step back it is evident that the show has remained consistently mixed in it entire run.
Not every season has had great writers or talent, some actors have been much more successful than others, and yet it has always found an audience. My favourite era of the show was the mid 2000s with Bill Hader and Andy Samberg, but most people have a a preference for whatever season they had as a teenager. The consistency of structure and crew unites all the different casts, creating a familiar image and sensibility, found in every season.
There will always be a host monologue, musical guest, Weekend Update and most importantly, it will always be LIVE! The production process of a pitch meeting with the host, staying up all night on Tuesdays to write, read-through and dress rehearsal. Whether it's 1975 or 2023, everyone endures the same experience (although whether they have the aid of cocaine is certainly a difference!).
The argument SNL hasnt been funny since the "insert previous ten years" is redundant. Every season of the show has been criticised for not being funny but every season of the show has produced hilarious sketches and shone a light on the new faces of comedy. In the 70s they had Dan Aykroyd and John Belushi, the 80s they had Julia Louis Dreyfus and Conan O'Brien, the 90s they had Will Ferrell and Eddy Murphy, the 2000s Tina Fey and Amy Poehler, the 2010s Kate McKinnon and Vanessa Bayer and finally in the 2020s we have Bowen Yang and Marcello Hernandez.
The show continues to inspire and entertain the next generation of aspiring creatives with it's ground approach to sketch comedy. It is an American institution that will always hold a very dear place in my heart.
Episodes
Episode 1
(no host)/Thompson Twins
NR
Oct 6, 198467 min
Sketches include ""Lifestyles of Relatives of the Rich and Famous,"" ""Wheel of Fortune Interview,"" ""Grandpa Howard,"" ""Syncronized Swimming,"" ""First Draft Theater,"" ""Rich Hall's Election Report,"" and ""Olympics 1984."" Thompson Twins perform their hit ""Hold Me Now.""
Episode 2
Bob Uecker/Peter Wolf
NR
Oct 13, 198467 min
Live from New York, "it's a baby boy, Mr. Williams!" it's... Martin Short!
Sketches include "Password," "Snap, Crackle & Pop," "An American Portrait," "Little League Trade," "Tom Brokaw," "Mamie Eisenhower Center For The Dull," "7 x 4," "Negro Leaguers" (film), "Lost and Found Department," "Tippi Turtle" (cartoon), "SNL Mailbag," "Baseball Juice," and "Color Commentary."
Peter Wolf performed "Lights Out" and "I Need You Tonight.
Episode 3
Jesse Jackson/Andrae Crouch, Wintley Phipps
NR
Oct 20, 198467 min
Rev. Jackson has his monologue sabotaged, meets Ed Grimley, sings two pop songs and hosts the parody game The Question is Moot!
Episode 4
Michael McKean/Chaka Khan, The Folksmen
NR
Nov 3, 198467 min
Sketches include ""Gerry and the Mon-dells,"" ""Fernando's Hideaway,"" ""The Folksmen Reunion,"" ""First Draft Theater,"" ""Buddy Young Jr. Is Back,"" and ""Mondale's Strategy.""
Episode 5
George Carlin/Frankie Goes to Hollywood
NR
Nov 10, 198467 min
Sketches were: ""Gary Kroeger's Last Mondale Impression,"" ""Profiles in Sports,"" ""Willie and Frankie as Night Watchmen,"" ""Rich Hall's Election Report,"" ""The Joe Franklin Show,"" ""Ye Olde Comedy Shoppe,"" ""The Ghostbusters Show,"" ""Strategic Airborne Contraceptive,"" ""In Thickeness and In Health,"" ""International Health News,"" and ""Relunctant Cop."" Frankie Goes to Hollywood performs ""Two Tribes"" and ""Born to Run.""
Episode 6
Ed Asner/The Kinks
NR
Nov 17, 198467 min
Sketches include ""Lou Grant's Rescue Mission,"" ""Wing Tips,"" ""60 Minutes,"" and ""Nuclear Plant Retiree."" The Kinks perform ""Do It Again.""
Episode 7
Ed Begley, Jr./Billy Squier
NR
Dec 1, 198467 min
Sketches included "Kate & Ali," "Strategic Airborne Contraceptive," "Book Beat," "Time Traveler," "Grim Reaper Trivial Pursuit," "Refridgerator Magnets" (film), "Let's Watch TV," "Chayefsky," "Meshugana," "Eyeball to Eyeball," and "Elevator Stool." Billy Squier performes "Rock Me Tonight" and "All Night Long."
Episode 8
Ringo Starr/Herbie Hancock
NR
Dec 8, 198467 min
Sketches include ""Beatles Auction,"" ""Fernando's Hideaway,"" and ""Ed Grimley Meets Ringo.""
Episode 9
Eddie Murphy/The Honeydrippers
NR
Dec 15, 198467 min
Sketches include ""Buckwheat Lives!"" ""White Like Me"" (film), ""Milestones,"" and ""Newsmakers."" Robert Plant and the Honeydrippers perform ""Santa Claus is Back in Town.""
Episode 10
Kathleen Turner/John Waite
NR
Jan 12, 198567 min
Sketches include ""Donahue Green Room,"" ""Hypnotic Fireplace,"" ""The Joe Franklin Show,"" ""Boxing Stories,"" and ""Mr. Blackwell.""
Episode 11
Roy Scheider/Billy Ocean
NR
Jan 19, 198567 min
Sketches include "Reagan's Inaguration," "Ricky & Phil," "Super Bowl XIX Tickets Sale," a performance by Steven Wright, "Foldgers Crystals," "In Praise of Women," "Penny Lane," "Good Cop, Bad Cop," and "Mental Hospital." Billy Ocean performs "Carribean Queen" and "Loverboy."
Episode 12
Alex Karras/Tina Turner
NR
Feb 2, 198567 min
Live from New York, its... Billy Crystal!
Sketches include "Prince and Hulk Hogan," "Ed Grimley's Sexy Neighbor," "Time Magazine" (rerun 2/26/83), "A Couple Of White Guys Rap," "Kelly Cola," "Power From Giving," "New York On Five Dollars a Day," "Walter Mondale in Minnesota," and "The Auctioneer."
Tina Turner performs "What's Love Got To Do With It," "Better Be Good To Me," and "Private Dancer."
Episode 13
Harry Anderson/Bryan Adams
NR
Feb 9, 198567 min
Sketches are ""Robert Latta in Congress,"" ""The Kate and Ali's Valentine's Day Special,"" ""American Profiles,"" ""Dueling Magi,"" ""While You Were Gone,"" ""Ricky and Phil's Discuss Movies,"" ""Salem Witch Trial,"" ""Hats,"" and ""Small Time Agency."" Bryan Adams performs ""Somebody"" and ""Run to You.""
Episode 14
Pamela Sue Martin/Power Station
NR
Feb 16, 198567 min
Sketches include "Strategic Airborne Contraceptive" (rerun 11/10/84), "The Joe Franklin Show," "White Rappers," "Fernando at Radio City Music Hall," standup by Rich Hall, "Jim's Promise," "First Draft Theatre," "Linda & Joan: The Catfight Album," "Tom, Dick & Horny", and "Bullet Cartoon."
The Power Station performed "Some Like It Hot" and "Bang a Gong (Get It On)."
Episode 15
Mr. T & Hulk Hogan/The Commodores
NR
Mar 30, 198567 min
Sketches include ""Willie and Frankie In The Crew,"" ""Ed Grimley In The Hospital,"" ""Run and Throw Like a Girl Olympics,"" ""Sports Beat,"" and ""Good Sex."" Greg Kihn performs ""Lucky.""
Episode 16
Christopher Reeve/Santana
NR
Apr 6, 198567 min
Sketches include ""A.D.13,"" ""Superman Auditions,"" ""Jackie Rogers Junior's $100,000 Jackpot Wad,"" ""Escaping the Germans,"" and ""Aging Superman.""
Episode 17
Howard Cosell/Greg Kihn
NR
Apr 13, 198567 min
Sketches include ""Willie and Frankie In The Crew,"" ""Ed Grimley In The Hospital,"" ""Run and Throw Like a Girl Olympics,"" ""Sports Beat,"" and ""Good Sex."" Greg Kihn performs ""Lucky.""