Classic SNL Review: October 31. 1987: Dabney Coleman / The Cars (S13E03)

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

OPENING: LIFESTYLES OF THE RICH, FAMOUS AND SCARY

  • Robin Leach (Dana Carvey) reports from the home of Elvira, Mistress of the Dark (Cassandra Peterson).

  • This was very fast, and Elvira’s presence made it particularly fun. It does seem like they’re aware that Carvey’s Leach impression has run its course, since this is the last time we see it, and Ric Ocasek gets a turn with the “I don’t know why!” catchphrase.

  • They also reused the “Ric Ocasek mistaken for Keith Richards” gag from last year’s Church Chat; was that really a thing with people mistaking the two?

  • Leach references Adnan Khashoggi a few times; Khashoggi was a Saudi arms dealer known for his wealth and lavish lifestyle. He was also the uncle of murdered journalist Jamal Khashoggi.

  • Written by Jim Downey, Robert Smigel, and Dana Carvey.

  • Rerun alterations: Quick cuts of dead air before Elvira and Ric Ocasek’s respective entrances.

***

MONOLOGUE

  • Dabney Coleman looks at the upside of achieving success later in life.

  • Some pretty funny lines here, carried well by Dabney Coleman’s curmudgeonly charm; I liked his “What are you, communists out here?” after his line about the money being all his.

  • Nice touch with the witch on the broom flying past the monitor at the beginning.

  • Rerun alterations: Coleman’s “Oh no” after his fake exit is inaudible in live; this is fixed for the rerun.

***

COMMERCIAL: FIBER

  • Peggy Lee (Nora Dunn) sings an updated version of “Fever” for the National Bran Council.

  • Yes, it’s constipation/poop humor, but it’s very well done: Dunn sells it, the new lyrics are quite funny, and the business with the backing singers with brooms was a nice touch.

  • Written by Rosie Shuster and Christine Zander

  • Rerun alterations: None.

*** 1/2

SHOW: THE WINNING SPIRIT

  • Hal Everett (Dabney Coleman) is less than inspirational about being blind.

  • This was hilarious, and actually a bit ahead of its time in terms of making fun of “inspiration porn” that tends to fetishize disability as something to overcome or to make others feel good about their own lives. Coleman is a perfect fit here, but I also have to give Jan Hooks a lot of credit for selling her growing discomfort as the interview keeps getting further away from the feel-good story she was intending.

  • Some really good jokes in there as well; I like the randomness (and vagueness) of the accident that blinded Mr. Everett as being “porcupine-oriented”, and one of the “upsides” being able to look right at an eclipse.

  • Written by Robert Smigel and Jack Handey

  • Rerun alterations: Alternate camera angle used briefly; there is also a dress rehearsal substitution for the segment where Coleman gives “advice” to other people in his situation. Coleman’s last line at the end (“I know that guy”) is more audible in the rerun.

*****

SKETCH: DON’T GO DOWN TO THE BASEMENT

  • Eddie (Dana Carvey), Susie (Victoria Jackson), and their neighbors don’t let curiosity get the better of them when it comes to investigating the strange noises and smells in the basement.

  • A funny parody of horror movie tropes, and nice atmosphere on this one too.

  • I also liked the running gags of the different descriptions of the potential killer and the references to Carvey and Jackson’s characters being in their underwear.

  • Written by Al Franken and Tom Davis.

  • Rerun alterations: Several small edits, including the removal of the shot of the basement right before the scene with the neighbors.

***

SKETCH: SCOUTMASTER

  • Mr. Weber’s (Dabney Coleman) scary campfire story is about his marriage to “The Woman Who Could Change Herself”.

  • Decent concept, if not the most exciting on the page; what really makes the sketch work is the very gradual pacing, as well as Coleman’s lived-in performance. There are also some nice details in the story, particularly the line about retaining “twinkies and Old Milwaukee”.

  • I noticed an audience member was clapping along with the “women are no damn good” chant at the end.

  • Written by Bonnie and Terry Turner

  • Rerun alterations: A few seconds trimmed from the beginning. Dana Carvey’s flub when he starts saying “my dad” is cut. Ending pan up to audience and Cars bumper removed and replaced with a band shot from dress rehearsal.

*** 1/2

MUSICAL PERFORMANCE: “STRAP ME IN”

  • The Cars perform their new single from their current album Door to Door; it’s definitely not their best material or performance. It makes sense that they actually called it a day the following February; this feels like a zombie of a band.

  • I love how most of the band is dressed up for the stage, except drummer David Robinson, who looks like he was called in on his day off.

  • Rerun alterations: Remixed; the keyboards are more audible in the rerun.

WEEKEND UPDATE

  • Best jokes: George Bush’s dream, no more Rice/Hall/Hahn/Bakker jokes, dummy

  • Opening music: “Suffragette City” by David Bowie

  • Shorter Update tonight; some of Dennis Miller’s jokes are starting to feel a little hacky (particularly the lead-off one about Reagan and Gorbachev setting the date). He also stumbles a bit on a joke about a trick-or-treater being dressed as Joan Collins’ estranged husband.

  • I did like the sheer WTF factor of him quickly taking out the dummy (which looks like Senor Cosa’s dummy Ricardo from a few years before), only to ask “What the hell am I doing?”

  • Elvira drops by to remind people of the “true meaning” of Halloween that gets lost in the candy, costumes, and decorations: death, screaming, and horror. Unfortunately, this is pretty much DOA with tonight’s audience (aside from a line about burying people alive).

  • Rerun alterations: The Elvira commentary as well as Dennis Miller’s following joke about whether to remove the sticker with the dots from his new Sony TV are removed.

** 1/2

SKETCH: MARRIAGE COUNSELOR

  • Dr. Mauser (Dabney Coleman) is blatantly more sympathetic to Gary (Kevin Nealon) than wife Mary Beth (Nora Dunn).

  • Another sketch with a good gradual buildup, with Dunn’s character getting a long leadup before we start seeing Coleman start to get buddy-buddy with Nealon or condescending and rude with her. Again, Coleman’s a natural here.

  • I also like the details of Nealon’s character’s failings that trickle out (shooting skeet in the backyard, not remembering his son’s name, sleeping with his secretary). Dunn also gets a good exit line (“I will leave you now to measure your penises! Good day.”)

  • Written by Rosie Shuster and Christine Zander.

  • Rerun alterations: None.

*** 1/2

SKETCH: COUNT DRACULA, SELF-TAUGHT AUTO MECHANIC

  • Dracula (Jon Lovitz) helps a couple (Dana Carvey and Jan Hooks) with their car trouble.

  • A very silly idea, but it completely leans into the stupidity of the premise (I loved the “Is that bad?” “It’s not good” exchange), doesn’t stretch too long, and has a strong ending (“Well honey, he did fix the car…”)

  • Written by Jack Handey.

  • Rerun alterations: Small edits during Dracula’s initial appearance and the "flying to get tools” scene. Dracula’s line about having “all but one” books in the Time-Life series replaced with dress. Applause at close mixed louder, and non-appearing SNL logo during band shot is fixed.

***

SHOW: THE PAT STEVENS SHOW

  • Pat (Nora Dunn) has an out-of-body shopping vacation and flirts with a furrier (Dabney Coleman).

  • Dunn’s good as usual in this, and Coleman’s performance is strong, but this feels particularly dull for a Pat Stevens sketch, as if they were running out of things for her to do.

  • Written by Nora Dunn and Christine Zander.

  • Rerun alterations: The archive audio of Mark McKinney’s intro sounds a little echoey in live; this is fixed for the rerun. The live show also has the SNL Band drowning out out the closing voiceover; in the rerun, the band is mixed out and the band shot does not appear.

**

SKETCH: MASCOTS

  • Student council members try to come up with a mascot for their new school.

  • This has long been one of my favorite deep cuts in SNL history. There’s just so much in there: Coleman’s low-key frustration, most of what comes out of Carvey’s none-too-bright character’s mouth, and Lovitz always suggesting things that begin with “flaming”.

  • I loved the part where Victoria Jackson suggests “The Super Winners” (with a little expectant glance), followed by Coleman saying “That’s really dumb”. Apparently, “super winners” came from George Meyer’s childhood.

  • Good ending with the different team names (Flaming Envelopes, Unskilled Laborers, Sex Machines, and Disoriented Nude Women).

  • Written by Jack Handey and George Meyer.

  • Rerun alterations: Alternate camera angles used briefly twice. A small cut before one of Jan Hooks’s lines. The football footage is edited differently in repeats.

****

MUSICAL PERFORMANCE: “DOUBLE TROUBLE”

  • Benjamin Orr takes lead vocals on this song, which features a repetitive guitar riff and use of a smoke machine. A better performance than the first number, even if the song isn’t particularly great.

  • Rerun alterations: Remixed

SKETCH: STOCKBROKER

  • Bob Hudnut (Dabney Coleman) tries to sweet-talk his way out of a confrontation by a client (Jon Lovitz) that lost $78,000 on Black Monday.

  • I’m not sure what to think of this; the performances are good, particularly Coleman’s, but this is so long and wordy that it’s very easy to tune out.

  • Al Franken seems to like using the name Bob Hudnut, because that name shows up again twice in 1994-95: Chris Elliott’s unsuccessful political candidate in the Sarah Jessica Parker episode, and Bob Newhart’s bipolar sportscaster character.

  • Written by Al Franken and Tom Davis.

  • Rerun alterations: None

**

GOODNIGHTS

  • Dabney Coleman hurriedly says thank you to “everybody up here” and Happy Halloween. Jan Hooks looks excited to see Elvira.

Final thoughts: Kind of a mixed bag this week, though what’s good is really good (particularly The Winning Spirit and Mascot Ideas), the Halloween theme was fun, and Dabney Coleman was an excellent host. Unfortunately, it does feel like they were a little exhausted that week, with a weaker Update and some relatively dull sketches in the back half. The Cars also underwhelmed tonight.

SHOW HIGHLIGHTS:

  • The Winning Spirit

  • Mascot Ideas

  • Fiber

  • Marriage Counselor

  • Scoutmaster

SHOW LOWLIGHTS:

  • Stockbroker

  • The Pat Stevens Show

MVP:

  • Dabney Coleman

CAST & GUEST BREAKDOWN:

cast

  • Dana Carvey: 6 appearances [Lifestyles of the Rich, Famous and Scary, Fiber, Don’t Go Down To The Basement, Scoutmaster, Count Dracula, Self-Taught Auto Mechanic, Mascots]

  • Nora Dunn: 4 appearances [Fiber, Don’t Go Down To The Basement, Marriage Counselor, The Pat Stevens Show]

  • Phil Hartman: 2 appearances [Fiber, Don’t Go Down To The Basement]; 1 voiceover [Fiber]

  • Jan Hooks: 3 appearances [The Winning Spirit, Count Dracula, Self-Taught Auto Mechanic, Mascots]

  • Victoria Jackson: 3 appearances [Don’t Go Down To The Basement, Mascots, Stockbroker]

  • Jon Lovitz: 6 appearances [Fiber, Don’t Go Down To The Basement, Scoutmaster, Count Dracula, Self-Taught Auto Mechanic, Mascots, Stockbroker]

  • Dennis Miller: 1 appearance [Weekend Update]

  • Kevin Nealon: 3 appearances [Fiber, Don’t Go Down To The Basement, Marriage Counselor]

unbilled crew, extras, and bit players

  • Al Franken: 1 appearance [Don’t Go Down To The Basement]

  • Don Pardo: 1 voiceover [Weekend Update]

guests

  • Dabney Coleman: 7 appearances [Monologue, The Winning Spirit, Scoutmaster, Marriage Counselor, The Pat Stevens Show, Mascots, Stockbroker]

  • The Cars: 2 appearances [“Strap Me In”, “Double Trouble”]

  • Ric Ocasek: 1 appearance [Lifestyles of the Rich, Famous And Scary]

  • Elvira (Cassandra Peterson): 2 appearances [Lifestyles of the Rich, Famous and Scary, Weekend Update]

  • Mick Fleetwood: 1 appearance [Ed’s Secret Life (repeat only)]

  • Heather Locklear: 1 appearance [Ed’s Secret Life (repeat only)]

  • William Schallert: 1 appearance [Ed’s Secret Life (repeat only)]

REBROADCAST HISTORY:

  • March 5, 1988

Known alterations:

  • Ed’s Secret Life added

  • Edits: Lifestyles of the Rich, Famous and Scary, The Winning Spirit, Don’t Go Down To The Basement, Scoutmaster, Weekend Update, Count Dracula, Self-Taught Auto Mechanic, Mascot Ideas, “Double Trouble”.

  • Dress substitutions: The Winning Spirit (part), Scoutmaster (band shot added) Count Dracula, Self-Taught Auto Mechanic (part).

  • Audio remixing: Monologue, The Winning Spirit, “Strap Me In”, Count Dracula, Self-Taught Auto Mechanic, The Pat Stevens Show, “Double Trouble”

Repeat-only content:

FILM: “ED’S SECRET LIFE” - MICHAEL LEHMANN

  • Mister Ed’s fall from glory and sordid later years are documented.

  • Not especially noteworthy, but this does have a few good jokes (Mr. Ed predating Tom Snyder as a talking animal on TV, his ongoing hatred of Francis the Talking Mule).

  • Who plays the host?

  • Director Michael Lehmann went on to directed Heathers, Hudson Hawk, Airheads, The Truth About Cats & Dogs, My Giant, as well as episodes of many television series.

***

Additional screen captures from this episode are available here.