Classic SNL Review: January 23, 1988: Robin Williams / James Taylor (S13E09)

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

OPENING: PUMPING UP WITH HANS & FRANZ

  • Hans (Dana Carvey) & Franz (Kevin Nealon) are upset by Jimmy The Greek’s racist remarks because their thighs are much more pumped up than many black people’s.

  • Now officially popular recurring characters, Hans and Franz get their first of many cold openings only one episode after their last appearance. Fortunately, this still has a number of funny lines and a few subversions of the normal format.

  • Rerun alterations: None.

***

MONTAGE

  • Rerun alterations: Montage starts a half-second later in repeat. Applause louder at the beginning.

MONOLOGUE

  • Robin Williams does stand-up about sex in the time of AIDS, condoms, and porn actors.

  • Right away, Williams enters with a burst of energy, dancing around the stage while the SNL Band finishes up the theme song. SNL would later use this clip in tribute during a repeat following his death in 2014.

  • As expected, Williams does a solid monologue here, maybe even stronger than his previous one; he has a lot of great jokes about prophylactics, and the bit with the Shakespearean porno actor was a strong finish.

  • Written by Robin Williams.

  • Rerun alterations: The first second of the studio shot is edited.

**** 1/2

COMMERCIAL: COMPULSION (repeat of 11/14/87)

  • Rerun alterations: Longer fade out/fade in at beginning. Audience mixed quieter.

SKETCH: PROUD DAD

  • Hal (Robin Williams) and Cheryl (Victoria Jackson) tout filming childbirth with their home video of their first child’s delivery.

  • Robin Williams carries most of this, particularly his antics during the video, though the reveal that Jackson’s character is holding the camera was funny.

  • Written by Al Franken, Rosie Shuster, Christine Zander, and Andy Breckman.

  • Rerun alterations: Band shot after sketch removed.

*** 1/2

SHOW: LEARNING TO FEEL

  • Dr. Denise Venetti (Nora Dunn) helps her patients with the simple advice: “look at yourself”.

  • Deliberately one joke, but in a way where the humor comes from the repetition and the expectation, and executed very well, particularly Dunn’s rapid-fire “look at him, look at her” bit with Hooks and Hartman.

  • I like the touch of Lovitz’s character being unsteady on his feet due to his visions of falling.

  • Written by Christine Zander and Nora Dunn.

  • Rerun alterations: Victoria Jackson’s “thank you” after Denise welcomes her is mixed out. Bumper after sketch removed.

***

MUSICAL PERFORMANCE: “NEVER DIE YOUNG”

  • James Taylor returns to SNL for the first time since March 1980 to perform the title track of his new album; it’s a nice soft rocker, with some good lyrics and extra texture provided by vocalists Rosemary Butler and Arnold McCuller.

  • Butler and McCuller are no strangers to Studio 8H; Butler appeared with Jackson Browne in 1977, while McCuller sang backup on a number of music performances in 1976-77, including Brian Wilson, Jennifer Warnes, and Kenny Vance. As well, bass player Leland Sklar appeared with Taylor in 1976 and 1979, and with Browne as a member of The Section, while keyboard player Don Grolnick filled in for Paul Shaffer during his hiatus from the band in 1976-77 and appeared with Taylor in 1979.

  • Rounding out the band; Bobby Mann and Dan Dugmore on guitars, and Carlos Vega on drums.

  • Rerun alterations: Remixed.

WEEKEND UPDATE

  • Best jokes: Hart’s “no-frills” campaign, Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame

  • Opening music: “Oklahoma” by The Call

  • Dennis Miller has another decent week, leading off with a reference to the Jimmy The Greek controversy (“So what if their thighs are bigger? It’s the other thing that east at me.”) though a few jokes die later on (he gets a laugh by taking the blame for mangling the first one).

  • Then-Arizona governor Evan Mecham really sounds like he’d fit in perfectly with today’s GOP.

  • Al Franken debuts his One-Man Mobile Uplink Unit on the campaign trail in Iowa, where a waitress has a revelation about Gary Hart; much of the humour comes from the technical difficulties involved, as well as the increasing toll the equipment takes on Franken’s body. Not a bad debut for this segment.

  • Rerun alterations: None.

***

SKETCH: ROBIN JR.

  • 60-year-old Robin Williams gets a birthday visit from his son (Dana Carvey), who’s just like his pop in his younger days.

  • A little bittersweet to watch now that Williams is gone, but Carvey’s impression is very good, and there is a lot of fun back-and-forth between the two. Perfect ending line as well (“I haven’t got the heart to tell him he’s a foster child”)

  • Written by Dana Carvey, Robin Williams, Robert Smigel, and Bob Odenkirk.

  • Rerun alterations: The beginning (up to Carvey’s entrance) and the end (after Williams gets the rubber chicken out from the refrigerator) are replaced with dress rehearsal.

****

MUSICAL PERFORMANCE: “SWEET POTATO PIE”

  • Another track from Never Die Young; Taylor splits vocals with Butler and McCuller, and Bobby Mann has some solos on this upbeat tune.

  • Rerun alterations: Robin Williams saying “What dey say?” in a funny voice as the camera turns on is cut, though the audience’s laughter is left in. Remixed.

SHOW: THE 8TH ANNUAL ACE AWARDS

  • Dr. Gene Scott (Robin Williams) and Gallagher (Dana Carvey) fete the best in reruns, tickers, infomercials, and bad movies.

  • A bit of a period piece of a time when cable programming wasn’t particularly good; some of the jokes land better with that background, but SNL’s always had a mixed track-record with awards shows, and this one falls into the regular trap of being a little too show and long.

  • I will say that there are a number of good impressions throughout, including Nora Dunn as Shelly Duvall and Phil Hartman as Robert Vaughn.

  • Another observation: the song titles in the music video clips are fake, but they’re playing real music: I’m not sure what plays as “Caught Without Love” by Scorpions, but the song that plays as “Wrap You Up” by Kid Creole is Elton John’s “Wrap Her Up”, and the one identified as “I Like It That Way” by Morris Day is Smokey Robinson and the Miracles’ “I Like It Like That”.

  • Written by A. Whitney Brown and Robert Smigel.

  • Rerun alterations: An earlier camera switch to Robin Williams at one point. Several small edits, mostly of the pretaped footage. Sound effects added to ticker clips. Dr. Scott’s introduction to Shelly Duvall up to Robert Vaughn’s reaction is replaced with dress rehearsal. Bumper after sketch removed.

** 1/2

MUSICAL PERFORMANCE: “THAT LONESOME ROAD”

  • An older song, from Taylor’s 1981 album Dad Loves His Work, featuring Taylor, Butler, and McCuller singing acapella.

  • Taylor performed this song with his siblings at John Belushi’s funeral; this performance aired at 12:40 am on January 24, Belushi’s birthday.

SHOW: DISCOVER

  • Peter Graves (Phil Hartman) makes contact with the spirit world through transchanneler Ralph Kebins (Robin Williams).

  • Mostly an excuse for Williams to do some voices; it’s funny enough, but it feels like a waste of Hartman’s Peter Graves impression, and this also has a bit of a rushed feeling to it.

  • Written by Phil Hartman and Robin Williams.

  • Rerun alterations: Bumper after sketch removed.

***

SKETCH: I WUV YOU

  • Ben’s (Robin Williams) difficulty in sincerely telling his girlfriend (Jan Hooks) “I love you” endangers their relationship.

  • Another showcase for Williams to do a number of voices, though in a more slice-of-life setting. Unfortunately, Williams and Hooks are rushing through the sketch because the show ran long that night (enough so that the normal hotel promo didn’t air), which hurts things a bit, and overall the sketch is nothing special.

  • Written by Christine Zander and Bonnie & Terry Turner.

  • Rerun alterations: Whole sketch replaced with dress rehearsal.

** for live, ** 1/2 for dress

GOODNIGHTS

  • Robin Williams bellows “Goodnight everybody, thank you all!” before pretending to faint on James Taylor.

  • Gregory Daniels and Conan O’Brien, recently of the very short-lived Wilton-North Report, are credited with additional sketches.

  • Rerun alterations: Williams’ remarks are cut, and the segment begins right before Lorne Michaels’ credit. There is also a noticeable edit when the credit roll reaches the SNL Band.

Final thoughts: This show has its moments, but aside from Robin Williams’ monologue and the Robin Jr. sketch, it was a disappointingly average night. Williams still brought something to everything he was in, but not a whole lot really stood out, and there were some weaker-than-usual sketches this week. James Taylor was a pleasant musical guest, though; nothing particularly revelatory, but “That Lonesome Road” was moving.

SHOW HIGHLIGHTS:

  • Monologue

  • Robin Jr.

  • Proud Dad

SHOW LOWLIGHTS:

  • I Wuv You (live version)

  • parts of The 8th Annual ACE Awards

MVP:

  • Robin Williams

CAST & GUEST BREAKDOWN:

cast

  • Dana Carvey: 4 appearances [Pumping Up With Hans & Franz, Proud Dad, Robin Jr., The 8th Annual ACE Awards]

  • Nora Dunn: 2 appearances [Learning To Feel, The 8th Annual ACE Awards]

  • Phil Hartman: 4 appearances [Proud Dad, Learning To Feel, The 8th Annual ACE Awards, Discover]; 1 voiceover [Robin Jr.]

  • Jan Hooks: 4 appearances [Proud Dad, Learning To Feel, The 8th Annual ACE Awards, I Wuv You]

  • Victoria Jackson: 3 appearances [Proud Dad, Learning To Feel, The 8th Annual ACE Awards]

  • Jon Lovitz: 2 appearances [Learning To Feel, The 8th Annual ACE Awards]

  • Dennis Miller: 2 appearances [Weekend Update, I Wuv You]

  • Kevin Nealon: 2 appearances [Pumping Up With Hans & Franz, The 8th Annual ACE Awards]; 1 voiceover [Learning To Feel]

unbilled crew, extras, and bit players

  • Al Franken: 1 appearance [Weekend Update]

  • Ritchie Gold: 1 appearance [The 8th Annual ACE Awards]

guests

  • Robin Williams: 6 appearances [Monologue, Proud Dad, Robin Jr., The 8th Annual ACE Awards, Discover, I Wuv You]

  • James Taylor: 3 appearances [“Never Die Young”, “Sweet Potato Pie”, “That Lonesome Road”]

REBROADCAST HISTORY:

  • June 18, 1988

  • September 23, 1989

Known alterations:

  • One band shot and several post-sketch bumpers removed

  • Edits: Monologue, “Sweet Potato Pie” intro, The 8th Annual ACE Awards, Goodnights

  • Dress substitutions: Robin Jr. (part), The 8th Annual ACE Awards (part), I Wuv You (full)

  • Audio remixing: Montage, Compulsion, Learning To Feel, “Never Die Young”, “Sweet Potato Pie”, The 8th Annual ACE Awards

Additional screen captures from this episode are available here.