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

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

Sketches include “Pumping Up With Hans & Franz”, “Proud Dad”, “Learning To Feel”, “Robin Jr.”, “The 8th Annual ACE Awards”, “Discover” and “I Wuv You”. James Taylor performs “Never Die Young”, “Sweet Potato Pie”, and “That Lonesome Road”.

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SCTV Review: Rock Concert (2-17) / Fantasy Island (2-18)

SCTV Review: Rock Concert (2-17) / Fantasy Island (2-18)

“Rock Concert” sketches include “Cooking With Prickley”, “Tex and Edna Boil’s Organ Emporium”, “Promo: Masterpiece Theatre”, “Mind Games”, “SCTV News”, “PSA: Stop Smoking”, “Masterpiece Wigs”, “SCTV Mail Bag with Bob Clark”, and “Rock Concert”.

“Fantasy Island” features a show-length parody of the 1977-84 ABC-TV series, as well as a commercial for the “Ronco No-Sweat Sauna Air Conditioner”.

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Classic SNL Review: December 19, 1987: Paul Simon / Linda Ronstadt with The Mariachi Vargas de Tecalitlán (S13E08)

Classic SNL Review: December 19, 1987: Paul Simon / Linda Ronstadt with The Mariachi Vargas de Tecalitlán (S13E08)

Sketches include “30th Birthday Party”, “Castaways”, “Master Thespian”, “Still Sweeneys”, “Subway”, “Pumping Up With Hans & Franz”, “Succinctly Speaking”, “Season’s Greetings”, “Texas Diner”, and “Speech To The Future”. Linda Ronstadt performs “Los Laureles” and “La Cigarra” with The Mariachi Vargas de Tecalitlán, and “Under African Skies” with Paul Simon.

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SCTV Review: Fighting Air Dogs (2-15) / Death Takes No Holiday (2-16)

SCTV Review: Fighting Air Dogs (2-15) / Death Takes No Holiday (2-16)

“Fighting Air Dogs” sketches include “Promo: Undercover Policewoman”, “SCTV News”, “Daylea Yogurt”, “Promo: Masterpiece Theatre”, “Mike’s Mercenaries”, and “SCTV Movie Of The Week: Fighting Air Dogs Over The Pacific”.

“Death Takes No Holiday” sketches include “The Amazing Kretin”, “The Heys Of Our Lives”, “SCTV News”, “Phil’s Nails”, and “William Castle Presents: Agatha Christie’s Death Takes No Holiday”.

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Classic SNL Review: December 12, 1987: Angie Dickinson / David Gilmour, Buster Poindexter (S13E07)

Classic SNL Review: December 12, 1987: Angie Dickinson / David Gilmour, Buster Poindexter (S13E07)

Sketches include “Translator”, “Stewardess”, “Donahue”, “Wedgie Fever!”, “Christmas Party”, “Police Women”, “The Assimilated Jew’s Hanukkah” and “Drunk Man”. Buster Poindexter performs “Hot Hot Hot” with The Banshees of Blue and the Uptown Horns. David Gilmour performs “Song For My Sara” with the SNL Band.

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SCTV Review: Bad Acting in Hollywood (2-13) / Alfred Hitchcock Presents (2-14)

SCTV Review: Bad Acting in Hollywood (2-13) / Alfred Hitchcock Presents (2-14)

“Bad Acting In Hollywood” sketches include “Promo: Donohue In The Morning”, “Sid Dithers: Private Eye”, “Promo: U.F.O. Sharkey”, “Enough About Me”, “Promo: Fish Police”, “Biller Hi-Lite” and “Bad Acting In Hollywood with Tom Boslee”.

“Alfred Hitchcock Presents” sketches include “Only For Women”, “SCTV Movie Of The Week: Hats Of The West”, “Promo: Consumer Concern”, “Long Distance”, “SCTV Sports Special Presentation: Melonville Snooker Championships”, “Alfred Hitchcock Presents” and “The Devil’s Towering 10-G Upsidedown Inferno”.

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Classic SNL Review: December 5, 1987: Danny DeVito / Bryan Ferry (S13E06)

Classic SNL Review: December 5, 1987: Danny DeVito / Bryan Ferry (S13E06)

Sketches include “Gorbachev/Reagan”, “Handi-Off”, “At The Movies”, “Church Chat”, “Jungle Room”, “Mona Lisa”, “Ann Landers Playhouse” and “Doorman”. Bryan Ferry performs “The Right Stuff” and “Kiss And Tell” with Johnny Marr.

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SCTV Review: SCTV 30th Anniversary Show (2-11) / The Occult (2-12)

SCTV Review: SCTV 30th Anniversary Show (2-11) / The Occult (2-12)

“SCTV 30th Anniversary Show” features station personalities in a show-length special, with clips of the HUAC hearings, westerns, and the panel show “What’s My Shoesize?”.

“The Occult” sketches include “Mr. Science with Johnny LaRue”, “SCTV News”, “Fireside Chat with Mayor Tommy Shanks”, “4th Degree”, “Monster Chiller Horror Theatre: Whispers Of The Wolf”, and “Words To Live By: Mulciber Arimaspians”.

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Classic SNL Review: November 21, 1987: Candice Bergen / Cher (S13E05)

Classic SNL Review: November 21, 1987: Candice Bergen / Cher (S13E05)

Sketches include “A Message From The Vice-President”, “Pumping Up With Hans & Franz”, “Anne Boleyn”, “Manufacturers of Machine Part Components United To Save Our Courts”, “Ching Change”, “Mayflower Madam”, “Country Through And Through”, “Thought Bubbles”, and “Peeping Tom”. Cher performs “We All Sleep Alone” and “I Found Someone” with Paul Shaffer & The World’s Most Dangerous Band.

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SCTV Review: Undersea World (2-9) / Edith Prickley: Station Manager (2-10)

SCTV Review: Undersea World (2-9) / Edith Prickley: Station Manager (2-10)

“Undersea World” sketches include “Me and You and Yoga and Me”, “High Q”, “LaRue Towers”, “Marriage Counsellor”, “Botch and Lamb Soft Contact Lenses” and “Jacques Cousteau’s Undersea World”.

“Edith Prickley: Station Manager” sketches include “Shoot At The Stars”, “SCTV News”, “Message From Guy: Edith Prickley”, “Jaws 23 Part 1”, “Sunrise Semester: Town Pride”, “Promo: Sore Losers”, and “Words To Live By: Edith Prickley”.

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Classic SNL Review: November 14, 1987: Robert Mitchum / Simply Red (S13E04)

Classic SNL Review: November 14, 1987: Robert Mitchum / Simply Red (S13E04)

Sketches include “The Rolling Paper Chase”, “Compulsion”, “Death Be Not Deadly”, “The Mountain Man”, “Sweeney’s Comeback”, “Out Of Gas”, “Andre & Rex: Macho Hairstylists”, “BeautyBath”, and “Mysterious Old Man”. Simply Red performs “The Right Thing” and “Suffer”.

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SCTV Review: Arabs (2-7) / Happy Endings (2-8)

SCTV Review: Arabs (2-7) / Happy Endings (2-8)

“Arabs” sketches include “Message From Guy”, “Farm Film Report”, “The Millionaire”, “Falcons and Oysters”, “Speaking Of Talk with Lou Jaffee”, “Grease from LaRue Enterprises”, and “How The Middle East Was Won”.

“Happy Endings” sketches include “The Mirthmakers with Orsan Welles”, “SCTV News”, “Modular Shoe Kit from K-Tel”, “Chinese Fairy Tales with Lin Ye Tang”, “Triple Feature Movie” and “Pit Stop Deodorant”.

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Classic SNL Review: October 31. 1987: Dabney Coleman / The Cars (S13E03)

Classic SNL Review: October 31. 1987: Dabney Coleman / The Cars (S13E03)

Sketches include “Lifestyles of the Rich, Famous and Scary”, “Fiber”, “The Winning Spirit”, “Don’t Go Down To The Basement”, “Scoutmaster”, “Marriage Counselor”, “Count Dracula, Self-Taught Auto Mechanic”, “The Pat Stevens Show”, “Mascots”, and “Stockbroker”. The Cars perform “Strap Me In” and “Double Trouble”. Special guest appearance by Elvira, Mistress of the Dark (Cassandra Peterson).

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SCTV Review: Writer Strike (2-5) / Municipal Election (2-6)

SCTV Review: Writer Strike (2-5) / Municipal Election (2-6)

“Writer Strike” sketches include “Restless Doctors”, “SCTV News Bulletin”, “Master Ralph Roister Doister”, “Palmoval”, “SCTV News”, “LaRue By Night”, “Harlett Romances”, and “Ernest Kirsch, SCTV Writer”.

“Municipal Election” sketches include “Johnny LaRue for City Council”, “SCTV Election Central”, “Promo: One Is Enough” and “Career Home Study”.

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Classic SNL Review: October 24, 1987: Sean Penn / LL Cool J, The Pull (S13E02)

Classic SNL Review: October 24, 1987: Sean Penn / LL Cool J, The Pull (S13E02)

Sketches include “Fatal Attraction II”, “Wall Street Week”, “Church Chat”, “Pitman And Bullock”, “Teeny Cafe”, “After The Date”, “Discover”, “Joey Comes Home”, and “Cat Dentist”. LL Cool J performs “Go Cut Creator Go”. The Pull performs “This & That”.

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SCTV Review: The Kidnapping of Moe Green (2-3) / SCTV Solid Gold Telethon (2-4)

SCTV Review: The Kidnapping of Moe Green (2-3) / SCTV Solid Gold Telethon (2-4)

“The Kidnapping of Moe Green” sketches include “SCTV Editorial”, “Donna”, “Promo: Master Sergeant Chef”, “SCTV News”, “Cup ‘N Soup”, “Petty Claims Court”, “Linkin Mercurry: Dali Edition”, “K-Tel Dali Car Stash Wax”, “SCTV Movie Of The Week: Nice Kids From Hell”, and “SCTV News Bulletin”.

“SCTV Solid Gold Telethon” features a show-length telethon hosted by Sammy Maudlin (Joe Flaherty), Bobby Bittman (Eugene Levy), and Johnny LaRue (John Candy), with commercials for “Beef and Booze Restaurant” and “Max Lax”.

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Classic SNL Review: October 17, 1987: Steve Martin / Sting (S13E01)

Classic SNL Review: October 17, 1987: Steve Martin / Sting (S13E01)

Sketches include “White House Dinner”, “Gary Hart”, “Common Knowledge”, “The NFL Today”, “Slide Whistles”, “Bullets Aren’t Cheap”, “Free Speaking”, “Adventures In The Lost Realm”, and “Pumping Up with Hans & Franz”. Sting performs “We’ll Be Together” and “Little Wing”.

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SCTV Review: Premiere (2-1) / Bob Hope Desert Classic (2-2)

SCTV Review: Premiere (2-1) / Bob Hope Desert Classic (2-2)

“Premiere” sketches include “SCTV Editorial”, “Ernest Kirsch, SCTV Writer”, “Promo: Lola Heatherton in Concert”, “Promo: The Love Craft”, “Waterspray from Pocketpic”, “SCTV News”, “Words To Live By: Rev. Ernest Kirsch”, “The Incredible Bulk”, “Moxwell House Decaffeinated Coffee”, and “Feedback”.

“Bob Hope Desert Classic” sketches include “Promo: Monster Chiller Horror Theatre: The House of Cats”, “SCTV Sports Central”, “Delay”, “Betty Bain: Professional Juror”, “Masterpiece Theatre: Naughty Chambermaids”, and “Bob Hope Desert Classic”.

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SNL Up Close: 1987-88

SNL Up Close: 1987-88

By the summer of 1987, Saturday Night Live had survived leadership changes, cast and writer turnover, and the threat of cancellation several times over; for the first time in years, the show was in a period of stability. New performers such as Dana Carvey, Jan Hooks and Phil Hartman quickly made their mark with characters such as the Church Lady and the Sweeney Sisters, and the writing had noticeably improved, with a renewed emphasis on political satire. It would make sense that the new season would look very similar to the last.

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SNL 1986-87: Final thoughts

SNL 1986-87: Final thoughts

After barely getting renewed following the 1985-86 season, the next year was a make-or-break year for Saturday Night Live. Fortunately for Lorne Michaels, the show, and NBC, this reprieve paid off with the strongest season since the original cast’s heyday in the late 70’s.

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