Due to my current contract employment coming to an end, Classic SNL Reviews will be on hiatus indefinitely while I focus on looking for (paid) work. To keep this blog updated, I've decided to hold another poll. 

Sketches include "Donahue", "Boy George Burns: The Man and His Music", "Mister Robinson's Neighborhood", "Powerful Living Snaps", "Man On A Chain", "Mick Pitwhistle Does It All", "That's Okay", "Shoplifter", "Would You Believe It (3 parts)", "House Of Mutton", "Save Lots of Plankton", and "A Boy's Life on the Mississippi". The Motels perform "Suddenly Last Summer" and "Remember The Nights".

Sketches include "Tasteless Choice", "What's New", "Buckwheat's Ghost", "The Man Who Loved Swimmin'", "Michael's Message", and "Airport". "Countdown '84", a phone-in Democratic primary, appears throughout the show. Huey Lewis and the News perform "Heart and Soul" and "I Want A New Drug". Steven Wright also appears.

Sketches include "Dion's", "Unrequited Sex", "Airplane Restroom", "Unanswered Questions of the Universe", "Hello, Trudy!", "Older Sisters of the Young", "Pudge & Solomon", "Reverend Leroy", "Crazy Weinstein", "Shoe Tier", and "Subterraneans". Stevie Nicks performs "Stand Back" and "Nightbird". Joel Hodgson also appears.

Sketches include: "Rain Delay", "Nightline", "Know Your Neighbor", "Carvel", "Mentl", "Casino Quintet", "Dreamland", "Clark Street Garage Band", and "Autograph". Big Country performs "In A Big Country" and "Fields of Fire".

Sketches include: "Cheer Squad", "Mister Robinson's Neighborhood", "Thirsty Guy", "History: The Real Story", "Dion's", "Coronet Man", "Dopeball", "Caffeine Achievers", "Kennedy: The Man Behind The Woman!", "Sarcastic Mother Superior", "Help Me - She's A Witch", and "Man On The Street". Mick Fleetwood's Zoo performs "Tonight" and "Way Down". Joel Hodgson also appears.

Sketches include: "Backstage", "Old Country Ski Lodge", "Village Of The Damned Little Rascals", "Eddie in New Jersey", "Phone Booth Confession", "Movie Contract", "Backstage with Ronald McDonald", "Poly-Rock", "Brothel Sprouts", and "Men Behind Bars". Men At Work performs "Doctor Heckyll and Mister Jive" and "It's A Mistake".

Sketches include "Calvin Klein Cream Pies", "Mister Robinson's Neighborhood", "Crazy Edelman", "What Would Frank Do?", "Small World", "Mom Was Right", "Spanish Class", "Autograph Hounds", "Book Beat", "The Amos 'N Andy Show", "Masterpiece Humor", and "Body Guard". Eddy Grant performs "I Don't Wanna Dance", "Electric Avenue" and "Living On The Frontline".

Sketches include "Brandon's Office", "Calvin Klein Cream Pies", "James Watt", "Jazz Riffs", "Feln's Discount Food & Clothing Warehouse", "Show Ideas", "Gumby & Pokey", "Man On The Street", "Larry's Corner", "Rent-A-Gun", "NBC: Be There", and "Terrible Day". John Cougar performs "Pink Houses" and "Crumblin' Down". Gene Siskel and Roger Ebert review tonight's show in progress.

After Brooks Wheelan, Noel Wells and John Milhiser were fired from Saturday Night Live last July, I wrote a particularly visceral piece blasting Lorne Michaels and company for only making cosmetic changes to the show's makeup instead of trying to fix SNL's deep-seated problems in the writing department. The 2013-2014 season was not very good; and was the first year where I was deliberately skipping episodes. Of course, my curiosity got the better of me after checking out the fan reaction on the SNL message boards (which, admittedly, are not the kindest to the cast and writers either), but there were very few shows that felt worth the time investment of watching live. Despite talk from producers that this year would reflect some lessons learned, the big issues with last year weren't resolved at all: the show's problems only seemed to entrench themselves further. 

This has always been an "in-the-middle" season for me; it has some good shows, some weaker shows, but none of the peaks or valleys of 1981-82, nor does it have that oddball feel the previous season had.

Sketches include "What's The Most Disgusting Thing You've Seen In New York", "Mister Robinson's Neighborhood", "Ledge", "Bald No More", "Vietnam Whiner", "Late Night with David Letterman" and "Birthday A Go-Go". Kevin Rowland & Dexy's Midnight Runners perform "Come On Eileen" and "The Celtic Soul Brothers". Harry Anderson also appears.

Sketches include "V.D.", "Kannon AE-1", "Stevie Experience", "Hitler: The Secret Diaries", "The Story of Stevie", "Dion's", "Cotton Land" and "Busboy". Stevie Wonder performs "Fingertips", "Overjoyed" and "Go Home". Michael Davis also appears.

Sketches include "Taking Care Of Business", "Sit On It!", "The Ladies Room", "The Exercises Of Love", "Our Generation", "Tootsie Cosmetics", "Magic Fish" and "Dung In The Oval Office". Michael McDonald performs "If That's What It Takes" (with Edgar Winter) and "I Can Let Go Now". Steven Wright also appears.

Sketches include "The Whiners", "The David Susskind Show", "The Enquirer", "Joan vs. Joan", "Oscars", "Calvin Klein Jeans", "Old Age Home", "Club Doolittle", and "Caribbean Gyno". Musical Youth perform "Pass The Dutchie" and "Never Gonna Give You Up".

Sketches include: "Buckwheat Dead", "Motown Upon The Swanee River", "Heil Hits", "The Mrs. T. Birthday Special", "I Married A Monkey", "Oil Is Us", "Pudge and Solomon", and "Wrong Number". Duran Duran performs "Hungry Like The Wolf" and "Girls On Film".

Sketches include: "The Scheme", "Funeral In A Cab", "Hospital Whiners", "Hotel", "Crime and Self-Punishment" and "A Few Minutes With Andy Rooney".  Joe Cocker performs "Up Where We Belong" (with Jennifer Warnes) and "Seven Days".  Harry Anderson also appears.