SNL's Format Breaks

Airdate: February 20, 1977

Season: 2

The massive success ofSaturday Night LiveSeason 1 created a natural urge within NBC: expand the brand with specials and spinoffs. NBC did this often now, with Weekend Update specials and clip shows. But the first time the network tried to extend SNL, this happened.SNLSNL's reach across its schedule included the now-infamous Mardi Gras special.Mardi Gras specialNBC sent the Not Ready for Prime Time Players to New Orleans. They put on a live sketch-comedy show amid the famous festival's chaos. This proved as much a failure as it sounded.

It wasSNLcreator Lorne Michaels pitched a remotely produced episode to NBC executives. In 2019, he told Vulture he "had a theory, since disproven, that you could do our kind of work against real architecture - so that, in a sense, the city became the sets."

Running a live comedy show in a city—especially one during a drunken rager—was a logistical nightmare. Crews needed power in shooting areas, so locations had to be set before sketches were written. Police security was requested, but officers attending rehearsals dropped off. Writers struggled to find material for the strange surroundings. Camera gear constantly broke, stopping producers from getting a show time estimate. Everything was failing.

The show night arrived. If technical issues struck, Michaels relied on Buck Henry and Jane Curtain's commentary on the Bacchus Parade. This part was easiest because the location was fixed and the environment stable. However, the crew got a last-minute call from the mayor's office. The parade stopped after a float hit a pedestrian.

Without the parade, the backup segment fell apart. This meant any technical problem had no safety net. Difficulties existed, including a hostile, rowdy crowd that threw things, screamed, and physically harassed cast members like Gilda Radner during sketches.SNLSNL would never try such an ambitious remote special again.

Airdate: December 17, 1977

Season: 3

One core element of the Saturday Night Live format is the guest host. Early on, the host's star power drew as much as, or more than, the cast. By Season 3, the show became a cultural event. Who the guest was mattered less. People watched regardless. Lorne Michaels tested this with the "Anyone Can Host" contest in season three.Saturday Night LiveThe format uses a guest host. Early on, the host's star power was as much as, if not more than, the cast. By Season 3, the show became a cultural phenomenon. People watched regardless of the guest. Lorne Michaels tested this with the "Anyone Can Host" contest in season three.

Entry required a postcard with your hosting reason, under 25 words. Over 150,000 people entered. Elderly Miskel Spillman of New Orleans, LA won. This followed the disastrous Mardi Gras special a year prior. Spillman did a monologue, appeared in sketches, and hosted well despite her amateur status.

This episode is remembered for different reasons. Elvis Costello angered Lorne Michaels. Costello played "Radio, Radio," an unreleased track criticizing the broadcasting industry instead of "Less Than Zero." For this, Costello faced a ban.SNL's 'Anyone Can Host' Contest.Costello was banned for almost 12 years. He was not slated to be the musical guest that night. The Sex Pistols could not get to the United States for their scheduled performance.

Airdate: March 15, 1980

Season: 5

For the occasion ofSNLThe 100th episode had no host announced. Ray Charles, The Rolling Stones, and Desi Arnaz were already combo hosts/musical guests. Episode 3 of season 1 also had no musical guest, though it featured John Belushi performing Joe Cocker's "With a Little Help From My Friends". This Season 5 episode was the first with no announced host. For this milestone, Lorne Michaels booked three musical guests: Paul Simon, James Taylor, and David Sanborn, plus cameos from John Belushi and Michael O'Donoghue. The cold open showed the original cast members around a crystal ball, trying to summon the "memories" of departed cast members. Former head writer O'Donoghue said, "Since I left, the show really sucks rubber donkey lungs."

Airdate: February 21, 1981

Season: 6

Despite early views as dangerous and subversive, SNL remained a traditional sketch/variety show, mixing comedy and music like predecessor series such asSNLorThe Ed Sullivan Show. The variety format meant segments often lacked connection. Musical performances, sketches, and filmed pieces mixed without clear links. This changed for a significant episode ofSNLin its turbulent sixth season. Lorne Michaels left, citing burnout, and the whole cast and writing team departed with him. NBC, unwilling to lose its late-night hit, agreed to continue withoutSNLThe show ran in its sixth season. Lorne Michaels left, citing burnout, and the whole cast and writing team left with him. NBC, not wanting to lose its late-night money maker, promised to keep it going.SNLThey hired Jean Doumanian, the show's former talent coordinator, to produce the show. Doumanian took charge, and new actors replaced the original Not Ready for Prime Time Players.SNLThe show sought to reinvent itself.

This meant changing an aging format. This was one of the most bold attempts to reboot.SNLThat season featured the "Who Shot C.R.?" parody. This ran through the episode, gently mocking the "Who Shot J.R.?" cliffhanger from the prime time TV soap opera.DallasThe episode hosted Charlene Tilton with musical guests Todd Rundgren and Prince.DallasCharlene Tilton shared the stage with musical guests Todd Rundgren and Prince. Charles Rocket, a new cast member, flirted with Tilton. This drew jealousy from other ensemble members. Rocket took a shot late in the episode but returned for goodnights. Tilton asked Rocket how he felt after being shot. He replied, "Oh man, it's the first time I've ever been shot in my life. I'd like to know who the f*ck did it."

Rocket's expletive on live TV sparked national controversy. This also caused the firing of Doumanian, Rocket, Gilbert Gottfried, and Ann Risley. Former NBC Sports producer Dick Ebersol took over.SNLNot long after, the show changed course again.

Airdate: December 11, 1982

Season: 8

Eddie Murphy began rising in show business in 1982. He made a big splash in his first major studio film, the action comedy "48 Hours."48 HoursHis co-star, Nick Nolte, was scheduled to host.48 Hours co-star, Nick Nolte, was scheduled to hostSNLBut Nolte became ill the night of the show.Nolte took ill the night of the show.In his place, SNL producer Dick Ebersol tapped Murphy. Murphy was the most popular cast member then. This was the first and only time a cast member hosted during their time at Studio 8H.SNL Producer Dick Ebersol hired Eddie Murphy. Murphy was the most popular cast member then. He substituted. This was the first and only time a cast member hosted at Studio 8H.

Airdate: March 22, 1986

Season: 11

Once again, Saturday Night Live entered a period of renewal.Saturday Night LiveDick Ebersol left. He was replaced by returning SNL creator Lorne Michaels.SNLCreator Lorne Michaels bypassed his usual method of filling the cast with unknown comedians. Michaels hired young Hollywood stars already famous from feature films. This group included Anthony Michael Hall, Randy Quaid, and a Robert Downey Jr.And like when Doumanian produced "Who Shot C.R.?", SNL would try to shake up its format in a drastic way.

Doumanian produced "Who Shot C.R.?".SNLThis time, Saturday Night Live would create an ongoing story for an episode hosted by Cheers star George Wendt.Saturday Night LiveSNL would create an ongoing story for an episode hosted by George Wendt.Cheersstar George Wendt. The episode featured interstitial segments. Coppola directed scenes in his classic style. The show also included Coppola-themed sketches and visual effects not found in normal episodes. The Charles Rocket shooting was not the problem, but since then, "directed" by Francis Ford Coppola., complete with interstitial segments with Coppola directing scenes in the style of his classic films. The show also featured Coppola-themed sketches and cinematic visual flourishes that are absent on standard episodes of the show. It wasn't the disaster that the Charles Rocket bit was, but since then, SNLSNL has not attempted anything nearly as ambitious or surreal since the Charles Rocket bit.

Airdate: October 17, 1987

Season: 13

A fire near Studio 8H destroyed the traditional home for SNL.SNLSeason 13 premiere aired at NBC's 30 Rockefeller Plaza headquarters. This episode was the first and only one ever aired without a dress rehearsal. The oral history book details this.Live from New York.Tom Schales and James Andrew Miller wrote this. The cast first wanted to cancel. A speech by host Steve Martin rallied them to go live. This episode also showed the first appearances of recurring characters Hans and Franz, the musclebound pair.

Airdate: September 29, 2001

Season: 27

This episode fits well as one of the TV shows most tied to New York City.Saturday Night LiveThe episode faced a heavy load when it aired just sixteen days after the World Trade Center attack. Reese Witherspoon hosted the show, skipping the usual cold open.SNLSNL started with a tribute to New York. Mayor Rudy Giuliani and FDNY firefighters appeared. Paul Simon played "The Boxer."FamouslyLorne Michaels asked Giuliani if joking was okay after that month's tragedy. Giuliani quickly replied, "Why start now?"

Airdate: November 17, 2007

Season: 33

This was not a proper episode ofSNLThis edition of SNL was done live without cameras. It took place at the Upright Citizens Brigade Theater in New York City during the 2007 Writers Guild of America strike.

Writers could not work during the labor dispute.SNLSNL stopped production after the November 3, 2007 episode hosted by NBC news anchor Brian Williams. The cast performed the UCB show instead, with everyone present except Maya Rudolph. The "episode" featured Michael Cera hosting.hosted by Michael Ceraand featured musical guest Yo La Tengo. This show reached an audience of less than 200 people.The audience for this show was under 200 people.For this audience, the SNL cast performed something close to a traditional episode, despite lacking big TV budgets.SNLthe cast performed something close to a traditional episode without huge TV budgets.

Because the COVID-19 crisis in 2020 forced social distancing, production for Saturday Night Live's 45th season stopped. Cast and crew scattered. A plan formed to film sketches remotely, letting SNL cast and writers make special episodes called Saturday Night Live From Home, mocking quarantine life. The first episode used Tom Hanks, who had just recovered from COVID-19, as the special guest host. The second edition stood out forThe first episode of this new format featured Tom Hanks, who had just recovered from COVID-19 himself, as the special guest host. The second edition showed Brad Pitt's impression of Dr. Anthony Fauci.the White House Coronavirus Taskforce.