I've previously published my "want list" for SNL on my blog; I have access to pretty much the show's complete run, but because of the discrepancies between live and rerun versions, the copies of the shows currently circulating may not have all the segments that aired in the live show, or else may use dress rehearsal takes. I have plans for future reviews once I'm finished 1982-83, but am looking for the live airings of many of these shows. Original commercials would be a bonus, but I'm aware how expensive blank tapes were back then, so it's not as big a deal. Comedy Central ran a few original versions back in the early 90s, but most have some additional editing (mostly bumpers and the Don Pardo closing voiceovers); many of the missing segments are also available through streaming sites, but I prefer to have a copy of the complete airing.
Revised: January 30, 2016
SNL-Primary want list (missing content, unconfirmed live run orders, and dress rehearsal substitutions):
- Bill Murray / The Spinners, Yale Whiffenpoofs (12/12/81): Original airing with NBC news bulletin about martial law in Poland and complete goodnights with Bill Murray mentioning the incident (repeat goodnights are edited).
- Robert Blake / Kenny Loggins (11/13/82): Original airing with "Best Little Whorehouse On The Prairie", "Blue Lagoon", unedited "that's a mouthful" ad-lib in Dr. Jack Badofsky segment, and Dick Ebersol's Andy Kaufman announcement.
- Eddie Murphy / Lionel Richie (12/11/82): Original airing with "A Special Christmas Message".
- Flip Wilson / Stevie Nicks (12/10/83): Original airing with complete monologue and "Older Sisters Of The Young"
- Father Guido Sarducci / Huey Lewis & The News (01/14/84): Original airing with uncut cold opening (rerun removes mention of Andy Kaufman) and unedited "Countdown 84" segment.
- Don Rickles / Billy Idol (01/28/84): Original airing with "David Letterman 2nd Anniversary Promo" intact
- Chevy Chase / Sheila E. (11/16/85): Original airing.
- Pee-Wee Herman / Queen Ida & The Bon Temps Zydeco Band (11/23/85): Original airing. (I have a copy with the music paused out; seeking a complete copy).
- Ron Reagan / The Nelsons (02/08/86): Original airing.
- George Wendt & Francis Ford Coppola / Philip Glass & The Philip Glass Ensemble (03/22/86): Original airing.
- Tony Danza / Laurie Anderson (04/19/86): Original airing with "Cliff Robertson For AT&T".
- Jimmy Breslin / Level 42, E.G. Daily (05/17/86): Original airing.
- Danny DeVito / Bryan Ferry (12/05/87): Original airing.
- Angie Dickinson / Buster Poindexter, David Gilmour (12/12/87): Original airing.
- Carl Weathers / Robbie Robertson (01/30/88): Original airing.
- Justine Bateman / Terence Trent D'arby (02/13/88): Original airing.
- Wayne Gretzky / Fine Yong Cannibals (05/13/89): Original airing
- Steve Martin / Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers (05/20/89): Original airing.
- Kathleen Turner / Billy Joel (10/21/89): Original airing.
- Alec Baldwin / Whitney Houston (02/23/91): Complete original airing (I have the first 57 minutes of the original broadcast with ads)
SNL - Secondary want list (Ebersol-era with minor missing segments or small edits, plus upgrades over repeats/Comedy Central).
- Lauren Hutton / Rick James & The Stone City Band (11/07/81): Original airing.
- Tim Curry / Meat Loaf (12/05/81): Original airing with next week promo.
- Robert Conrad / The Allman Brothers Band (01/23/82): Original airing with next week promo.
- Howard Hesseman / Men At Work (10/23/82): Original airing.
- Teri Garr / Mick Fleetwood's Zoo (11/12/83): Original airing with next week promo.
- Edwin Newman / Kool & The Gang (02/25/84): Original airing.
- Barry Bostwick / Spinal Tap (05/05/84): Original airing with next week promo.
- Mr. T. & Hulk Hogan / The Commodores (03/30/85): Original airing.
- Howard Cosell / Greg Kihn (04/13/85): Original airing.
SNL - Tertiary want list (Quality/completeness upgrades; these I prefer to have in good quality with commercials)
- Kiefer Sutherland / Skid Row (11/02/91): Original airing.
- Macaulay Culkin / Tin Machine (11/23/91): Original airing.
- Mary Stuart Masterson / En Vogue (03/21/92): Original airing.
- Woody Harrelson / Vanessa Williams (05/16/92): Original airing.
- Nicolas Cage / Bobby Brown (09/26/92): Original airing.
- Joe Pesci / Spin Doctors (10/10/92): Original airing.
- Christopher Walken / Arrested Development (10/24/92): Original airing.
- Tom Arnold / Neil Young (12/05/92): Original airing with uncut "Wayne's World".
- Glenn Close / The Black Crowes (12/12/92): Original airing.
- Danny DeVito / Bon Jovi (01/09/93): Original airing.
- Harvey Keitel / Madonna (01/16/93): Original airing.
- Luke Perry / Mick Jagger (02/06/93): Original airing.
- Bill Murray / Sting (02/20/93): Original airing.
- John Goodman / Mary J. Blige (03/13/93): Original airing.
- Miranda Richardson / Soul Asylum (03/20/93): Original airing.
- Jason Alexander / Peter Gabriel (04/10/93): Original airing.
- Kirstie Alley / Lenny Kravitz (04/17/93): Original airing.
- Christina Applegate / Midnight Oil (05/08/93): Original airing.
- Kevin Kline / Paul Simon & Willie Nelson (05/15/93): Original airing.
- Charles Barkley / Nirvana (09/25/93): Original airing.
- Shannen Doherty / Cypress Hill (10/02/93): Original airing.
- Jeff Goldblum / Aerosmith (10/09/93): Original airing.
- John Malkovich / Billy Joel (10/23/93): Original airing with complete "Mac Post-Its" commercial.
- Christian Slater / Smashing Pumpkins (10/30/93): Original airing.
- Rosie O'Donnell / James Taylor (11/13/93): Original airing.
- Nicole Kidman / Stone Temple Pilots (11/20/93): Original airing.
- Charlton Heston / Paul Westerberg (12/04/93): Original airing with unedited "Hollywood Minute" (John Candy joke cut from rerun).
- Sally Field / Tony! Toni! Tone! (12/11/93): Original airing.
- Jason Patric / Blind Melon (01/08/94): Original airing.
- Sara Gilbert / Counting Crows (01/15/94): Original airing.
- Alec Baldwin and Kim Basinger / UB40 (02/12/94): Original airing.
- Sarah Jessica Parker / R.E.M. (11/12/94): Original airing.
- John Turturro / Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers (11/19/94): Original airing.
- George Foreman / Hole (12/17/94): Original airing.
- Deion Sanders / Bon Jovi (02/18/95): Original airing.
- Madeline Kahn / Bush (12/16/95): Original airing.
- Tom Arnold / Tupac Shakur (02/17/96): Original airing.
- Elle MacPherson / Sting (02/24/96): Original airing.
- John Goodman / Everclear (03/16/96): Original airing.
- Phil Hartman / Gin Blossoms (03/23/96): Original airing.
- Teri Hatcher / Dave Matthews Band (04/20/96): Original airing.
- Christine Baranski / The Cure (05/11/96): Original airing.
- Tom Hanks / Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers (09/28/96): Original airing.
- Lisa Kudrow / Sheryl Crow (10/05/96): Original airing.
- Bill Pullman / New Edition (10/19/96): Original airing.
- Dana Carvey / Dr. Dre (10/26/96): Original airing.
- Rosie O'Donnell / Whitney Houston (12/14/96): Original airing.
- Kevin Spacey / Beck (01/11/97): Original airing.
- David Alan Grier / Snoop Doggy Dogg (01/18/97): Original airing.
- Neve Campbell / David Bowie (02/08/97): Original airing.
- Chevy Chase / Live (02/15/97): Original airing.
- Sting / Veruca Salt (03/15/97): Original airing.
- Mike Myers / Aerosmith (03/22/97): Original airing.
- Rob Lowe / Spice Girls (04/12/97): Original airing.
- Pamela Lee / Rollins Band (04/19/97): Original airing.
SCTV - Primary Want List
Any pre-1984 airings of season 1-3 episodes with the original opening credits sequences and bumpers are appreciated (I have a handful), but I'm looking for some rare sketches and compilation episodes.
- Season 1, episode 8 "Shock Theatre" with Al-Pro Dog Food intact.
- Season 2, episode 22 "Consumer Action Line" with Family Crisis intact.
- Season 2, episode 25 "Best Of 1".
- Season 2, episode 26 "Best Of 2".
- Season 3, episode 26 "Best Of".
Fridays - Primary Want List
- Warren Zevon (05/09/80)
- Boz Scaggs (05/16/80)
- Ian Hunter (05/30/80)
- Kim Carnes (09/12/80)
- Ted Nugent (10/24/80)
- Jamie Lee Curtis / Garland Jeffreys (11/13/81)
- Peter Fonda / King Crimson (12/04/81)
- Bob Balaban / The Blasters (02/05/82)
Fridays - Secondary Want List (completeness/quality upgrades)
Looking for full 70-minute (53 without ads) 1980-81 or 90-minute (66 without ads) 1981-82 airings. Preferably single source live airings (not edited from several recordings)
- Father Guido Sarducci / Jefferson Starship (04/03/81)
- Tony Geary & Genie Francis / Devo (10/09/81)
- Karen Allen / The Stray Cats (10/16/81)
- Shelly Duvall / Al Jarreau (11/20/81)
- Valerie Harper / The Cars (01/08/82)
- Tab Hunter / KISS (01/15/82)
- Howard Rollins / Quarterflash (01/22/82)
- Valerie Bertinelli / Bill Champlin (02/12/82)
- Victoria Principal / Chubby Checker (02/19/82)
- Lynn Redgrave / Huey Lewis & The News (03/05/82)
- Gregory Hines / Bonnie Raitt (03/12/82)
- Marilu Henner / Sister Sledge (03/19/82)
The New Show
- Any complete airings with music performances intact; commercials preferred.
Almost Live!
- Any airings from the first five seasons (1984-89), before the show changed format to a half-hour sketch comedy show.
There’s a podcast called The Loudest Girl In The World, hosted by Lauren Ober. The show concerns Ober’s autism diagnosis at 42, as well as her experience dealing with this information and opening up to others about it. When I listened to it last summer, I related pretty heavily to what she was talking about. I’ve also started to make peace with how my own brain works in the last few years. It’s been a rough road, though.