SNL 1984-85: Final thoughts

SNL 1984-85: Final thoughts

Dick Ebersol’s “Steinbrenner season” gambit, where he loaded the SNL cast with established comedy writer-performers, paid off for the most part. Compared to the preceding seasons, the show was more consistently funny, and even the weakest show of the year wasn’t truly bad. The professionalism that the ringers brought to the show and increased use of prerecorded material gave this year an increased slickness; in a way, this may have given the show a bit more of a blandness than in previous seasons, but only insofar that the risk of failure wasn’t as big a factor as it had been before. Indeed, there were a number of enduring classics that came out of this season, and even though the big stars dominated every week, the returning cast and writers contributed some of their best work.

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Classic SNL (sorta-)Review: May 4, 1985: The Best of Saturday Night Live

Classic SNL (sorta-)Review: May 4, 1985: The Best of Saturday Night Live

A compilation of highlights from the 1984-85 season, including “I Am Also The World”, “Rescue Mission”, “Black History Minute”, “Jackie Rogers Jr.’s $100,000 Jackpot Wad”, “60 Minutes”, “Saturday Night News: Eddie Murphy on dolls”, “Wheel of Fortune Interview”, “Superman Auditions”, “Fernando’s Hideaway”, “The Question is Moot!”, “Do You Know What I Hate? (II)” and “Houses of Shame.

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Classic SNL Review: April 13, 1985: Howard Cosell / Greg Kihn (S10E17)

Classic SNL Review: April 13, 1985: Howard Cosell / Greg Kihn (S10E17)

Sketches include “Do You Know What I Hate? (VI)”, “Hospital”, “Inside Out”, “Run, Throw & Catch Like A Girl Olympics”, “Bar Mitzvah”, “Sports Beat”, “Fernando’s Hideaway”, “Red Guys Rap” and “Good Sex with Dr. Ruth Westheimer”. Greg Kihn performs “Boys Won’t (Leave The Girls Alone)” and “Lucky”.

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Classic SNL Review: April 6, 1985: Christopher Reeve / Santana (S10E16)

Classic SNL Review: April 6, 1985: Christopher Reeve / Santana (S10E16)

Sketches include “A.D. 13: Part V: A New Beginning”, “Superman Auditions”, “Jackie Rogers Jr’s $100,000 Jackpot Wad”, “Escaping the Germans”, “Palisades Nursing Home” and “Talk Back”. Santana performs “Say It Again” and “Right Now”. Steven Wright also performs.

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Classic SNL Review: March 30, 1985: Mr. T & Hulk Hogan / The Commodores (S10E15)

Classic SNL Review: March 30, 1985: Mr. T & Hulk Hogan / The Commodores (S10E15)

Sketches include “I Am Also The World”, “Toxic Waste”, “Camp Crystal Lake”, “Fernando’s Hideaway”, “Houses of Shame”, “Substitute Teacher”, “Ohio Savings & Loan”, “The Joe Franklin Show”, “Trash Talk” and “Affair”. The Commodores perform “Nightshift” and “Animal Instinct”. Comedian Steve Landesberg also performs.

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Classic SNL (sorta-)Review: March 2, 1985: SNL Film Festival

Classic SNL (sorta-)Review: March 2, 1985: SNL Film Festival

Billy Crystal hosts a selection of SNL’s filmed segments from the past few seasons; Siskel & Ebert are on hand to give their reviews. Films include “Synchronized Swimming”, “Kannon AE-1”, “Walking After Midnight”, “Buddweiser Light”, “Lifestyles of the Relatives of the Rich & Famous”, “Needleman”, “Prose and Cons”, “Hitchhiker”, “Video Victims”, “Ballplayers” and “White Like Eddie”.

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Classic SNL Review: February 16, 1985: Pamela Sue Martin / The Power Station (S10E14)

Classic SNL Review: February 16, 1985: Pamela Sue Martin / The Power Station (S10E14)

Sketches include “The Joe Franklin Show”, “That White Guy & His Wife”, “Night of 100 Stars”, “Plexiglass Stand-up”, “Called Shot”, “Do You Know What I Hate (V)”, “First Draft Theatre”, “Dynasty’s Greatest Fights”, “Tom, Dick, & Horny”, and “Shootout at the Zepplin Chorale”. The Power Station performs “Some Like It Hot” and “Get It On (Bang A Gong)”.

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Classic SNL Review: February 9, 1985: Harry Anderson / Bryan Adams (S10E13)

Classic SNL Review: February 9, 1985: Harry Anderson / Bryan Adams (S10E13)

Sketches include “Congress”, “The Kate & Ali Valentine’s Day Special”, “American Profiles”, “While You Were Gone” “Ronald Reagan Jeans”, “Oscar Talk”, “Salem Witch Trials”, “Hats” and “Small Time Agency”. Bryan Adams performs “Somebody” and “Run To You”.

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Classic SNL Review: February 2, 1985: Alex Karras / Tina Turner (S10E12)

Classic SNL Review: February 2, 1985: Alex Karras / Tina Turner (S10E12)

Sketches include “Backstage”, “Ed Grimley and Miss Malone”, “Time”, “A Couple of White Guys”, “Kelly Cola”, “Power From Giving”, “New York on Five Dollars a Day”, “Fritz’s Bait & Tackle”, “Tuesday Night Titans” and “New Auctioneer”. Tina Turner performs “What’s Love Got To Do With It”, “Better Be Good To Me”, and “Private Dancer”.

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Classic SNL Review: January 19, 1985: Roy Scheider / Billy Ocean (S10E11)

Classic SNL Review: January 19, 1985: Roy Scheider / Billy Ocean (S10E11)

Sketches include “Inauguration”, “Super Sunday”, “Scalper”, “In Praise of Women”, “The Flaming Parrot”, “Good Cop, Bad Cop” and “Mental Hospital. Billy Ocean performs “Caribbean Queen” and “Loverboy”. Steven Wright also performs.

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Classic SNL Review: January 12, 1985: Kathleen Turner / John Waite (S10E10)

Classic SNL Review: January 12, 1985: Kathleen Turner / John Waite (S10E10)

Sketches include “Green Room”, “MacDouglass-Drummond”, “Do You Know What I Hate (IV)”, “Nose Hair Trimmer”, “Safeco”, “Fire Dance”, “Predictions”, “The Joe Franklin Show”, “Boxer”, “Scary Lady” and “Strictly From Blackwell”. John Waite performs “Saturday Night”.

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Classic SNL Review: December 15, 1984: Eddie Murphy / Robert Plant & The Honeydrippers (S10E09)

Classic SNL Review: December 15, 1984: Eddie Murphy / Robert Plant & The Honeydrippers (S10E09)

Sketches include “Buckwheat Lives!”, “White Like Eddie”, “Mister Robinson’s Neighborhood”, “Milestones”, “Lifestyles of the Relatives of the Rich & Famous”, “The End of Buckwheat”, “Broadway Gumby Rose”, “Newsmakers”, “Black History Minute”, and “Climbing the Stairs.” Robert Plant & The Honeydrippers perform “Rockin’ At Midnight” and “Santa Claus is Back in Town”.

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Classic SNL Review: December 8, 1984: Ringo Starr / Herbie Hancock (S10E08)

Classic SNL Review: December 8, 1984: Ringo Starr / Herbie Hancock (S10E08)

Sketches include “Beatles Auction”, “Unlucky Man”, “Do You Know What I Hate?”, “Ringo’s Buyers”, “Strictly From Blackwell”, “Massacre on 34th Street”, “Reverse Psychology”, “Fernando’s Hideaway” and “Draft Dodger”. Herbie Hancock & The Rockit Band perform “Junku” and “Rockit”.

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Classic SNL Review: December 1, 1984: Ed Begley, Jr. / Billy Squier (S10E07)

Classic SNL Review: December 1, 1984: Ed Begley, Jr. / Billy Squier (S10E07)

Sketches include “Adopted Son”, “Kate & Ali”, “Book Beat”, “Seventh Wedge”, “Let’s Watch T.V.”, “Marty”, “Vaudeville Funeral”, “Eyeball to Eyeball”, and “Elevator Stool”. Billy Squier performs “Rock Me Tonite” and “All Night Long”.

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Classic SNL Review: November 17, 1984: Ed Asner / The Kinks (S10E06)

Classic SNL Review: November 17, 1984: Ed Asner / The Kinks (S10E06)

Sketches include “Rescue Mission”, “Walking After Midnight (Wing Tips)”, “Thanksgiving”, “60 Minutes”, “Me and Julio”, “Bowling”, “Tippi Turtle”, “You Can’t Put Too Much”, “Public Service Announcement”, and “Peter Pan”. The Kinks perform “Do It Again” and “Word of Mouth”.

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Classic SNL Review: November 10, 1984: George Carlin / Frankie Goes To Hollywood (S10E05)

Classic SNL Review: November 10, 1984: George Carlin / Frankie Goes To Hollywood (S10E05)

Sketches include “Mondale Impression”, “Do You Know What I Hate? (II)”, “Profiles in Sports”, “The Joe Franklin Show”, “Rich Hall’s Election Report”, “Strategic Airborne Contraceptive”, “Ye Olde Comedy Shoppe”, “The Ghostbuster Show”, “Ted’s Book of World Records”, “Alan Thicke’s In Thickeness and In Health”, “International Star Health”, and “Not A Cop”. Frankie Goes To Hollywood performs “Two Tribes” and “Born To Run”.

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Classic SNL Review: November 3, 1984: Michael McKean / Chaka Khan (S10E04)

Classic SNL Review: November 3, 1984: Michael McKean / Chaka Khan (S10E04)

Sketches include “Gerry and the Mon-Dells”, “The Chosen Pray”, “Baby Double”, “Fernando’s Hideaway”, “The Folksmen”, “Buddy Young Jr. is Back!”, “First Draft Theatre”, “Madonna Navel Accessories”, “PBS Pledgebration”, “Rabbi”, “Mondale Headquarters” and “SNL Fashion Report”. Chaka Khan performs “I Feel For You” and “This Is My Night”.

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Classic SNL Review: October 20, 1984: Rev. Jesse Jackson / Andrae Crouch, Wintley Phipps (S10E03)

Classic SNL Review: October 20, 1984: Rev. Jesse Jackson / Andrae Crouch, Wintley Phipps (S10E03)

Sketches include "Advice", "Do You Know What I Hate?", "The Question Is Moot!", "Refrigerator Magnet Safety Advisory Board", "Just Kidding", "First Class", "Tippi Turtle", "Wrong Voice, Right Face", "Funny Black People", "Jeane", "Rich Hall's Election Report", "Fashion Report" and "Rainbow Coalition". Andrae Crouch performs "Right Now" and Wintley Phipps performs "Tell Me Again".

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Classic SNL Review: October 13, 1984: Bob Uecker / Peter Wolf (S10E02)

Classic SNL Review: October 13, 1984: Bob Uecker / Peter Wolf (S10E02)

Sketches include "Password", "Snap, Crackle & Pop", "An American Portrait", "Little League Trade", "Brokaw's Complaint", "The Mamie Eisenhower Center for the Dull", "7x4", "Ballplayers", "Lost & Found", "Tippi Turtle", "SNL Mailbag", "Fresh Squeezed", and "NBC Sports Update". Peter Wolf and the House of Hits All-Stars perform "Lights Out" and "I Need You Tonight".

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Classic SNL Review: October 6, 1984: (no host) / Thompson Twins (S10E01)

Classic SNL Review: October 6, 1984: (no host) / Thompson Twins (S10E01)

Sketches include: "Lifestyles of the Relatives of the Rich & Famous", "Return of the Torch", "Rich Hall's Election Report", "Wheel of Fortune Interview", "Grandpa Howard", "Synchronized Swimming", "Mondale & Ferraro", "The Bulge", "First Draft Theater", and "Book Beat". Thompson Twins perform "Hold Me Now" and "The Gap".

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