Classic SNL Review: October 17, 1987: Steve Martin / Sting (S13E01)

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RATINGS SYSTEM:
***** - Classic
**** - Great
*** - Good/Average
** - Meh
* - Awful

OPENING: WHITE HOUSE DINNER

  • Ronald Reagan (Phil Hartman) extols the virtues of baseball before beating Robert Bork (Jon Lovitz) with a bat.

  • SNL begins the new season by combining a parody of a scene from The Untouchables with the news of the day (the Robert Bork confirmation hearings). It works due to Phil Hartman’s subtly menacing Reagan and the quick button (“It’ll take more than that to make me quit!”

  • This is also notable for being the debut of Dana Carvey’s George Bush impression, with the line “Ow, you’re hurting my arm!”). Carvey’s impression is not quite where he world take it the next season; here it’s pretty much just a nasally voice and a recurring hand mannerism.

  • Written by Al Franken and others

  • Rerun alterations: The phrase “to get off” is edited out of Reagan’s line about the manager wanting you out of the game. The reaction shot during Reagan’s beating is replaced with dress rehearsal.

*** 1/2

MONTAGE

  • The same montage as 1986-87, with a handful of tweaks:

    • Kevin Nealon gets a live-action clip instead of a still photo, reflecting his promotion to the main cast.

    • The featured player, SNL Band and guest photos are now black-and-white (taken by new show photographer Karen Kuehn) in front of a narrower yellow stripe.

  • For this episode only, the SNL Band’s photo is just a black-and-white version of last year’s picture taken by Isaiah Wyner; Steve Ferrone is still in the photo instead of Chris Parker.

MONOLOGUE

  • Despite the technicians’ strike, Steve Martin still goes ahead with his big dance number.

  • Like with the montage, home base is largely the same with a few minor tweaks:

    • The scaffolding and side door on the sides of the stage is gone, as is the divider used for music performances.

    • The black-and-white pattern on the floor is replaced with a brown floor with a compass.

    • The side alley has been replaced with a new separate stage for music performances.

  • It’s not quite one of his most memorable monologues, but this is an underrated bit of Steve Martin silliness. There are strong jokes at the beginning (the fine line between comedy and “two big fat greasy hippos in a river bottom, rooting for grub”), and Martin’s “dance number” (aided by some prop legs) felt like a throwback to the more goofy Steve of old.

  • There really was a technician’s strike at NBC from June 29th to October 25th that year; just like the previous NABET strike in 1976, the first three shows of this season have a somewhat “off” look to them, as well as a slightly shortened credits.

  • Rerun alterations: The tap sound effect is slow to start in the live show; this is fixed in reruns. A voice saying “legs up” at the number’s conclusion is mixed out.

****

COMMERCIAL: GARY HART

  • No matter how hard she tries, a woman (Jan Hooks) can’t get Gary Hart out of her mind.

  • Directed by Matthew Meshekoff.

  • A funny lesser-known political ad, with Jan Hooks getting to show off her acting chops.

  • Rerun alterations: Audience response mixed louder in repeat.

***

SHOW: COMMON KNOWLEDGE

  • The correct answers to questions are those given by high school seniors, much to contestant Jeane Kirkpatrick’s (Nora Dunn) dismay.

  • A solid game show sketch, with a lot of laughs from the “correct” answers to the questions. as well as from Jeane Kirkpatrick’s frustration and eventual catching on.

  • I love the structure of the sketch, where Kirkpatrick gets a wrong answer right away, and the big reveal isn’t done until we see the game being played correctly by Kevin Nealon’s character.

  • The set for this one looks a little cheaper than normal for SNL’s game show parodies, which I’m going to chalk up to the technician’s strike.

  • Steve Martin calls Dana Carvey’s character “Nile” instead of Kyle by mistake.

  • Written by Tom Davis, Al Franken, Jim Downey, and Robert Smigel.

  • Rerun alterations: Small edits made, mainly to shots of cards being removed to reveal questions; music added when players switch places during tag team round; applause added after Kevin Nealon and Victoria Jackson’s characters finish their round.

****

SHOW: THE NFL TODAY

  • Brent Musburger (Kevin Nealon) covers football during the NFLPA strike, where Gary Hogeboom and George Plimpton (Dana Carvey) are doing well on the gridiron.

  • Nealon’s Brent Musburger is always funny (especially the increasingly convoluted shoehorning of “on CBS” into sentences), as well as the jokes about the kind of players that are on the field (including 50something women).

  • Compared to the previous and next NFL Today sketches, this edition has a simplified set, with a chromakey panel only up for one joke (the hack license).

  • Written by Jim Downey, Robert Smigel, A. Whitney Brown, and Kevin Nealon.

  • Rerun alterations: There are a few changes to the You Make The Call segment, including a hard-cut transition instead of a fade-out/fade-in at the beginning and end, drumming added to the title screen, and a slightly different voiceover when throwing to the Sip-N-Save ads. The football footage during Plimpton’s narration is re-edited. The portion when Musberger asks Jimmy The Greek (Phil Hartman) if he actually bet his own money on his picks is from dress rehearsal.

*** 1/2

SKETCH: SLIDE WHISTLES

  • Slide whistle sound effects represent people’s internal reactions toward what they just heard.

  • A very basic premise, but executed well enough with some good variations once it was established (I love the part with Nealon reacting to the order of half a carafe of house wine).

  • Written by Al Franken, Tom Davis, and others.

  • Rerun alterations: Several switches to dress rehearsal (Jackson’s reaction to Martin’s work, Martin’s reaction to Jackson’s behavior when drinking, Martin offering to go somewhere else).

***

MUSICAL PERFORMANCE: “WE’LL BE TOGETHER”

  • Sting performs the atypically funky first single (originally written for a Japanese beer commercial) from his new album …Nothing Like the Sun, released earlier that month. This has a bit more of a jazzy flourish than the album version.

  • This is also the debut of the show’s new musical guest stage, which has a rooftop motif.

  • Sting’s band includes Jeff Campbell on guitar, Kenny Kirkland and Delmar Brown on keyboards, Branford Marsalis on saxophones, Tracy Wormworth on bass, Marvin “Smitty” Smith on drums, Mino Cinelu on percussion, and Danny Quatarochi on synclavier. Cinelu actually appeared on SNL exactly six years before as part of Miles Davis’s band.

  • Rerun alterations: Count-in and fade-out/fade-in from bumper removed. Audio mix is less cluttered.

WEEKEND UPDATE

  • Best jokes: Bork in a well, Biden plagiarism/channeling, Pat Schroeder’s old job

  • Opening music: “Should I Stay Or Should I Go” - The Clash

  • Dennis Miller is back for another season, and it looks like he didn’t bother with a haircut all summer. It’s pretty much more of the same, though there are a few jokes at the expense of Robert Bork’s popularity, political views, and even one about his beard leaving him for a younger man, Kirk Cameron (fitting choice, considering how he turned out).

  • Al Franken is back to cover the final Presidential election during the Al Franken Decade, and is covering damaging personal disclosures (oh, the irony). This time he has proof that Bruce Babbitt has been using the express lanes at supermarkets when he has too many items. Babbitt’s participation makes this work (I love his “Who told you that? The Dukakis campaign?).

  • Victoria Jackson declares that she doesn’t fall into the same category as Jessica Hahn et al. by singing “I Am Not A Bimbo”, one of her more memorable Update “sociological introspectives”; it’s hard not to like this one, especially when she’s practically screaming the “IIII”, and doing a dance on the newsdesk. Jackson wrote this with Christine Zander; the backstory is that Cheryl Hardwick’s suggestion to change the song from blues to pop was what made it click.

  • Rerun alterations: An error where Franken can be heard talking during the Pat Schroeder joke is mixed out in reruns; his mike levels are fixed as well. There is a small edit before the cut to Franken’s interview with Babbitt. Franken’s remarks after the checkout video and before the Babbitt press conference are replaced with dress rehearsal; in dress, Dennis Miller asks Franken a question and does the throw to the press conference. Laughter added when Babbitt says the cashier counted the Snack Pack as six items.

*** 1/2

SKETCH: BULLETS AREN’T CHEAP

  • Responsible for his own expenses while on vacation, James Bond (Steve Martin) pinches pennies and encounters his nemesis Goldsting (Sting).

  • A very enjoyable James Bond spoof, made even better by Sting’s participation (complete with eyepatch and stuffed bunny).

  • This is also the first instance of Sting appearing in a sketch on the show, something that would happen every time he appeared as musical guest (and, of course, as host). Sting would also guest star as himself on Martin’s series Only Murders in the Building.

  • Is that Victoria Jackson dancing in silhouette during the pretaped opening sequence?

  • Written by George Meyer and Jim Downey

  • Rerun alterations: There is a small cut right before the opening title sequence begins. The entire casino scene is from dress rehearsal (some minor differences in framing and dialogue). Audio fixed on Jan Hooks “Oh James” as Martin puts the pewter necklace on her. The music is also replaced in the Classic SNL airing.

*** 1/2

SKETCH: FREE SPEAKING

  • Navy officers ask permission before unloading a stream of invective at their superiors.

  • A very short, in-and-out bit that works because of its brevity.

  • Written by Jack Handey

  • Rerun alterations: Steve Martin’s rant to Jon Lovitz is replaced with dress rehearsal; a bit of spittle can be seen landing on Lovitz during the dress version. A second is cut before Lenny Pickett begins his sax solo during the band shot.

***

MUSICAL PERFORMANCE: “LITTLE WING”

  • A Jimi Hendrix cover and another track from …Nothing Like the Sun. Instead of Gil Evans’s orchestrations, this actually manages to be even more beautiful, with Jeff Robinson’s guitar solo segueing into Branford Marsalis’s sax solo.

  • I especially love the coda, with Robinson and Marsalis playing some really gorgeous lines as Sting interpolates the Beatles’ “From Me To You”.

SKETCH: ADVENTURES IN THE LOST REALM

  • Todd (Steve Martin) and Alonzo (Phil Hartman) get bored while a dinosaur slowly eats their fellow explorer Jerry (Jon Lovitz).

  • The idea is decent, but the execution isn’t quite there, despite a silly visual from the puppet dinosaur shaking the doll around (and somewhat looking like he’s dancing).

  • I recall Dennis Perrin telling me once that this struck him as very New Show-esque.

  • Written by Jack Handey

  • Rerun alterations: Most of the sketch, from when the dinosaur picks up Lovitz until the others try to retrieve him is from dress rehearsal, with slightly different camera framing (the live version obscures the legs hanging out of the dinosaur’s mouth in Hartman’s statue). Lovitz also doesn’t scream during the dinosaur footage in dress.

** 1/2

SHOW: PUMPING UP WITH HANS & FRANZ

  • Austrian weightlifters Hans (Dana Carvey) and Franz (Kevin Nealon) want to “pump you up”, but spend more time berating viewers than doing exercises.

  • The debut of one of the major recurring sketches from this time period; seeing Carvey and Nealon doing their “We just want to pump (clap) you up” catchphrase without audience participation or even a reaction is a little odd. Still, the audience slowly catches onto the sketch as it goes along.

  • The show also has a different title card and slightly different set than later on.

  • The theme song to this sketch is also the same yodelling record that Nick The Knock destroys.

  • Written by Kevin Nealon and Dana Carvey

  • Rerun alterations: There is a slight edit before the clip of Hans and Franz’s video. The title screen at close fades to the bumper photo instead of a quick smash cut.

***

GOODNIGHTS

  • Steve Martin thanks the audience for tuning in and says “we’ll see you next week”.

  • The titles and names in the end credits are closer together than usual, with a more prominent drop shadow for some reason. Cheryl Hardwick’s name is awkwardly off-centre in the band listing.

Final thoughts: A solid first outing for the season; if last year’s premiere was about introducing the new cast, tonight feels like the now-familiar group comfortably picking up where they left off, and Steve Martin (appearing as host for the tenth time) was a logical choice for this kind of show. It also feels like a hint of the season to come, with less reliance on the big characters from last season and some more conceptual writing.

SHOW HIGHLIGHTS:

  • Common Knowledge

  • Monologue

  • Bullets Aren’t Cheap

  • White House Dinner

  • Weekend Update

  • The NFL Today

SHOW LOWLIGHTS:

  • (none)

MVP:

  • Steve Martin

CAST & GUEST BREAKDOWN:

cast

  • Dana Carvey: 4 appearances [White House Dinner, Common Knowledge, The NFL Today, Pumping Up With Hans & Franz]; 1 voiceover [The NFL Today]

  • Nora Dunn: 2 appearances [Common Knowledge, Bullets Aren’t Cheap]

  • Phil Hartman: 5 appearances [White House Dinner, The NFL Today, Bullets Aren’t Cheap, Free Speaking, Adventures In The Lost Realm]; 3 voiceovers [Gary Hart, The NFL Today, Pumping Up With Hans & Franz]

  • Jan Hooks: 3 appearances [Gary Hart, Slide Whistles, Bullets Aren’t Cheap]

  • Victoria Jackson: 4 appearances [Common Knowledge, Slide Whistles, Weekend Update, Bullets Aren’t Cheap]

  • Jon Lovitz: 5 appearances [White House Dinner, Slide Whistles, Bullets Aren’t Cheap, Free Speaking, Adventures In The Lost Realm]

  • Dennis Miller: 1 appearance [Weekend Update]

  • Kevin Nealon: 4 appearances [Common Knowledge, The NFL Today, Slide Whistles, Pumping Up With Hans & Franz]

featured players

  • A. Whitney Brown: credited, no appearances

unbilled crew, extras, and bit players

  • Tom Davis: 1 voiceover [Permission To Speak Freely]

  • Al Franken: 1 appearance [Weekend Update]; 1 voiceover [The NFL Today]

  • Don Pardo: 2 voiceovers [Weekend Update, Adventures In The Lost Realm]

G.E. Smith and the Saturday Night Live Band

  • Cheryl Hardwick: 1 appearance [Bullets Aren’t Cheap]

guests

  • Steve Martin: 6 appearances [Monologue, Common Knowledge, Slide Whistles, Bullets Aren’t Cheap, Free Speaking, Adventures In The Lost Realm]

  • Sting: 3 appearances [“We’ll Be Together”, Bullets Aren’t Cheap, “Little Wing”]

  • Bruce Babbitt: 1 appearance [Weekend Update]

  • Branford Marsalis: 2 appearances [“We’ll Be Together”, “Little Wing”]

REBROADCAST HISTORY:

  • January 9, 1988

  • August 27, 1988

Known alterations:

  • Audience sweetening:

    • Minimal to mild: Gary Hart, Common Knowledge, Weekend Update.

  • Edits: White House Dinner, Common Knowledge, The NFL Today, Weekend Update, Bullets Aren’t Cheap, Pumping Up With Hans & Franz.

  • Dress substitutions: White House Dinner (part), The NFL Today (part), Slide Whistles (part), Weekend Update (part), Bullets Aren’t Cheap (part), Free Speaking (part), Adventures in the Lost Realm (most).

  • Audio remixing: Monologue, Common Knowledge, Weekend Update, Bullets Aren’t Cheap.

Additional screen captures from this episode are available here.