Classic SNL Review: May 9, 1987: Mark Harmon / Suzanne Vega (S12E18)

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

OPENING: THE NEW CHARLIE’S ANGELS

  • Jessica Hahn (Jan Hooks), Fawn Hall (Victoria Jackson) and Donna Rice (Nora Dunn) are saboteurs working to take down potential presidential nominees.

  • An interesting way to work the Hart-Rice scandal into the show, and the reveal of “Charlie” sounding suspiciously like Ted Kennedy (Phil Hartman) worked well.

  • Some cheap laughs from Mark Harmon’s character being relieved to be taken off trying to sabotage Jack Kemp and working on both Bob and Liddy Dole (“Operation Pineapple”).

  • Rerun alterations: Audience noise mixed much quieter in opening narration until applause. One second cut before Harmon’s entrance.

*** 1/2

MONOLOGUE

  • Mark Harmon comments on how the sketches written this week had him wearing less clothing than everyone else.

  • Like William Shatner’s monologue, this is just a preamble to the next sketch, so I won’t assign a rating. This was harmless enough, and Harmon comes off as a good sport.

  • Rerun alterations: Camera switch removed when Harmon says “I began to fear I was just being used, y’know”.

SHOW: THE SEXIEST MAN ALIVE 1986

  • Peter Graves (Phil Hartman) and Pat Stevens (Nora Dunn) emcee the pageant, where finalists Mark Harmon and F. Murray Abraham (Jon Lovitz) compete.

  • Hartman’s Peter Graves is always welcome, and Pat Stevens fits into this premise pretty well. Aside from the two dumping on F. Murray Abraham’s looks, I got the biggest laughs from Dana Carvey’s John Travolta (who Graves says is “no longer sexy”) and Harmon’s over the top facial expressions upon learning he won.

  • Rerun alterations: Nora Dunn’s microphone issues are fixed. Small cut after the Travolta scene. Applause mixed down during Hartman’s song; the band and Hartman are clearer.

*** 1/2

SKETCH: VERY SMART THEATER

  • The young Atilla the Hun (Mark Harmon) is more interested in building mobiles than an empire.

  • Despite a few good gags in the wraparound with Jon Lovitz (the fake bookcase and the bust being a lighter), this sketch didn’t work for me. The idea of Attila the Hun wanting to make mobiles and singing a song that ends with the line “Where do the bluebirds play?” is kind of funny, but it didn’t really pay off in sketch form.

  • Written by Jack Handey.

  • Rerun alterations: Cricket and owl sound effects start earlier. Hartman’s entrance after Harmon’s song and the last scene with Lovitz are replaced with dress rehearsal, as is the band shot.

**

SKETCH: IRAN-CONTRA HEARINGS

  • Senators are more interested in Richard Secord’s (Phil Hartman) thoughts on the Hart-Rice scandal than his Iran-Contra testimony.

  • This was alright, if maybe a little too understated; there were some laughs from the senators questioning Secord’s judgement over finding Rice attractive, and I like the ending of them just letting him go without getting his statement.

  • Another Akira Yoshimura cameo, this time playing Sen. Daniel Inouye.

  • Written by Jim Downey and Robert Smigel.

  • Rerun alterations: Audience mixed quieter at beginning. Replaced with dress rehearsal from Hartman saying “I like her face” up to Yoshimura’s line, then again for Carvey and Hartman’s scene at the end.

***

COMMERCIAL: EINSTEIN EXPRESS

  • The time-travelling courier gets your packages to their destination a few days ago.

  • Great idea, and I love the whole over-the-top aspect of Phil Hartman’s scenes. The real scene-stealer is Kevin Nealon as the customer sending birth-control pills to his girlfriend.

  • Written by Andy Breckman; directed by James Signorelli.

  • Rerun alterations: Audio remixed.

****

MUSICAL PERFORMANCE: “LUKA”

  • Suzanne Vega performs her current single from the recently released Solitude Standing album with her band (guitarist Marc Shulman, synth player Anton Sanko, bass player Michael Visceglia and drummer Stephen Ferrera). This sounds pretty close to the recorded version aside from the lack of Shawn Colvin’s backup vocals.

  • Shulman’s guitar solo makes it sound a lot like he’s playing a mandolin.

  • Rerun alterations: Vega’s first line was inaudible during live; this is fixed in reruns.

WEEKEND UPDATE

  • Best jokes: Gary Hart run, Phil Collins, Ringo Starr

  • Opening music: “Get It On (Bang A Gong)” by The Power Station

  • Unsurprisingly, Dennis Miller has a field day with the Hart-Rice scandal, starting tonight’s Update with a very strong run of jokes, though there’s a real groaner at the end with the “E.T. Fawn Hall” joke.

  • A. Whitney Brown has a message for new immigrants about the American Dream; this was pretty solid throughout, culminating with Brown doing an extended lead-up to mentioning “el foto grande”.

  • Rerun alterations: None.

*** 1/2

SKETCH: SALMON SPAWNING

  • Salmon (Mark Harmon) chats up another fish (Victoria Jackson) to get her to spawn with him.

  • This has a bit too much of a cutesy/corny vibe for my liking, but it’s a decent sketch. I do find Victoria Jackson’s delivery a little too annoying here.

  • Written by Jack Handey, with a contribution by George Meyer (the “not being afraid to look stupid” line).

  • Rerun alterations: Replaced with dress rehearsal from bear scene to end. Band shot is from live but with introductory noodling removed.

** 1/2

FILM: DAVE’S PARTY - RICHARD GOLDSTONE

  • Young children at a party have adult problems with relationships and finances.

  • An interesting one-off; Phil Hartman’s voice casting is perfect here, but again this is a little bit cutesier than what SNL normally has on.

  • I’m curious who the other voice talent is here, and whether any of the child actors have any other credits.

  • Rerun alterations: Audo remixed; audience mixed much quieter.

** 1/2

COMMERCIAL: HE’S THE ONE

  • Mark Harmon explains that it’s his presence as a spokesman that really sells Coors beer.

  • Obviously a spoof of Harmon’s beer commercials (here’s one example), and probably the best use of him all night.

  • This was removed from reruns and replaced by last season’s Ad Council commercial.

***

SKETCH: PET CHICKEN SHOP

  • Ching Change (Dana Carvey) battles his sister Loose’s (Nora Dunn) boyfriend Wang Wu (Mark Harmon), leader of the Golden Dragon gang.

  • Something different for a Ching Change sketch: there’s still the uncomfortable ethnic stereotyping (“You ready, Roose?”) but there’s a bit more happening here, including some actually funny jokes (I love Kevin Nealon getting off the floor after Ching rips his heart out).

  • The set is different for tonight’s sketch; I’m guessing it was a staging/blocking decision.

  • Written by Dana Carvey and Robert Smigel.

  • Rerun alterations: Audience occasionally mixed quieter. Earlier camera switch after Harmon goes through window to remove him turning around. Different camera angle used for part where the guys get up off the floor.

** 1/2

MUSICAL PERFORMANCE: “MARLENE ON THE WALL”

  • Suzanne Vega performs a song from her two year old self-titled debut album; I like this one a lot, particularly the harsher edge she gets in her voice during the chorus.

  • Rerun alterations: None.

COMMERCIAL: MYOWLING BIBLE

  • The Bible that lets you share the word of God with your feline friends.

  • I’m a sucker for cats, but there really isn’t enough to this commercial for it to go past mere cuteness.

  • Written by Tom Davis.

  • Rerun alterations: A few seconds of dead air removed from beginning. Audience mixed quieter. Fades straight to band shot in rerun instead of fading to black first.

**

SKETCH: PORTRAIT ARTIST

  • First time sketch artist (Kevin Nealon) overestimates his abilities when drawing a customer (Victoria Jackson).

  • Another one of Kevin Nealon’s confidently inept characters, and the caricature he draws is hilariously bad.

  • This is one of Nealon’s trunk bits from his stand-up; he performed it on Evening at the Improv in 1982, as well as on Late Night with Conan O’Brien in 2006.

  • Music: “On The Boardwalk In Atlantic City” by Frank Fontaine.

  • Rerun alterations: Small bit of footage cut from fade-in to remove extra waiting for cue.

*** 1/2

GOODNIGHTS

  • Mark Harmon speaks for everyone to thank the audience. Phil Hartman tugs his right ear Carol Burnett-style, and Dennis Miller is earing a hideously loud jacket.

  • Don Pardo announces next week’s Garry Shandling / Los Lobos show and wishes everyone a Happy Mother’s Day and goodnight.

  • Rerun alterations: Audience noise and Pardo removed from closing theme.

Final thoughts: A disappointing (though not terrible) show. Nothing tonight was particularly awful, and Mark Harmon was an affable enough host, but after a string of good-to-great shows, it was inevitable that the hot streak would end sometime. I did enjoy Suzanne Vega, though.

SHOW HIGHLIGHTS:

  • Einstein Express

  • The Sexiest Man Alive 1986

  • Weekend Update

  • Portrait Artist

  • The New Charlie’s Angels

SHOW LOWLIGHTS:

  • Very Smart Theatre

  • Myowling Bible

MVP:

  • Phil Hartman

CAST & GUEST BREAKDOWN:

cast

  • Dana Carvey: 3 appearances [The Sexiest Man Alive 1986, Iran-Contra Hearings, Pet Chicken Shop]

  • Nora Dunn: 3 appearances [The New Charlie’s Angels, The Sexiest Man Alive 1986, Pet Chicken Shop]

  • Phil Hartman: 6 appearances [The New Charlie’s Angels, The Sexiest Man Alive 1986, Very Smart Theater, Iran-Contra Hearings, Einstein Express, Myowling Bible]; 2 voiceovers [The New Charlie’s Angels, Dave’s Party]

  • Jan Hooks: 2 appearances [The New Charlie’s Angels, Einstein Express]

  • Victoria Jackson: 3 appearances [The New Charlie’s Angels, Salmon Spawning, Portrait Artist]

  • Jon Lovitz: 6 appearances [The New Charlie’s Angels, The Sexiest Man Alive 1986, Very Smart Theater, Iran-Contra Hearings, Einstein Express, Pet Chicken Shop]

  • Dennis Miller: 2 appearances [Iran-Contra Hearings, Weekend Update]

featured players

  • A. Whitney Brown: 2 appearances [Iran-Contra Hearings, Weekend Update]

  • Kevin Nealon: 5 appearances [Iran-Contra Hearings, Einstein Express, Salmon Spawning, Pet Chicken Shop, Portrait Artist]

unbilled crew, extras, and bit players

  • Tom Davis: 2 appearances [Very Smart Theater, Iran-Contra Hearings]; 1 voiceover [Myowling Bible]

  • John Henry Kurtz: 1 voiceover [Einstein Express]

  • Don Pardo: 3 voiceovers [The Sexiest Man Alive 1986, Weekend Update, Salmon Spawning]

  • Akira Yoshimura: 1 appearance [Iran-Contra Hearings]

guests

  • Mark Harmon: 7 appearances [The New Charlie’s Angels, Monologue, The Sexiest Man Alive 1986, Very Smart Theater, Salmon Spawning, He’s The One, Pet Chicken Shop]

  • Suzanne Vega: 2 appearances [“Luka”, “Marlene On The Wall”]

REBROADCAST HISTORY:

  • August 8, 1987

  • July 9, 1988

Known alterations:

  • He’s The One removed

  • Ad Council (from 12/07/85) added

  • Edits: The New Charlie’s Angels, The Sexiest Man Alive 1986, Myowling Bible, Portrait Artist.

  • Dress substitutions: Very Smart Theater (part), Iran-Contra Hearings (part), Salmon Spawning (part).

  • Audio remixing: The New Charlie’s Angels, The Sexiest Man Alive 1986, Iran-Contra Hearings, Einstein Express, Dave’s Party, Pet Chicken Shop, Myowling Bible.

  • Directorial changes: Monologue, Pet Chicken Shop.

Additional screen captures from this episode are available here.