Saturday Night Live (season 8)

Saturday Night Live (season 8)
The title card for the eighth season of Saturday Night Live.
Country of origin United States
No. of episodes 20
Release
Original network NBC
Original release September 25, 1982 (1982-09-25) – May 14, 1983 (1983-05-14)
Season chronology

The eighth season of Saturday Night Live, an American sketch comedy series, originally aired in the United States on NBC between September 25, 1982, and May 14, 1983.

Cast changes

Many changes happened before the start of the season. Brian Doyle-Murray, Christine Ebersole and Tony Rosato were dropped from the show to make room for new cast members. Hired in their places were Brad Hall, Julia Louis-Dreyfus (Hall's future wife and future Seinfeld cast member), and Gary Kroeger. All three had been members of Chicago's Practical Theatre Company along with Paul Barrosse, who was hired as a writer.

Format changes

Dick Ebersol brought back the show's cold openings that ended with "Live from New York, it's Saturday Night!" and the monologues by the host. Ebersol also changed Weekend Update's name for the second time, to Saturday Night News. Since Doyle-Murray and Ebersole had both been dropped, a new anchor was needed for the segment. Hall got the gig and became the new anchor.

Notable sketches

Notable moments of this season included Drew Barrymore hosting the show—the youngest ever person to host. During the episode, the audience at home was given the chance to vote on whether or not Andy Kaufman should be banned from the show. The vote was conducted by a 1-900 number. At the end of the show, Kaufman was banned from ever performing on SNL again.

Another notable moment was when Eddie Murphy hosted the show. Murphy substituted for his 48 Hours co-star Nick Nolte after Nolte fell ill (Nolte became hungover following a night of partying at Studio 54). Murphy became the only person to have hosted the show while still a cast member. He controversially announced "Live from New York, it's the Eddie Murphy Show!" Murphy's hosting gig angered most of the cast and crew, particularly Joe Piscopo.

Cast

Repertory cast members

bold denotes Weekend Update anchor

Writers

Main article: List of Saturday Night Live writers § Season 8

This season's writers were Paul Barrosse, Barry W. Blaustein, Robin Duke, Ellen L. Fogle, Nate Herman, Tim Kazurinsky, Andy Kurtzman, Eddie Murphy, Pamela Norris, Margaret Oberman, Joe Piscopo, David Sheffield, Andrew Smith, Bob Tischler, Tracy Tormé and Eliot Wald. The head writers were Bob Tischler and Andrew Smith.

Episodes

Main article: List of Saturday Night Live episodes
No.
overall		No. in
season		Host(s)Musical guest(s)Original air date
1401Chevy ChaseQueenSeptember 25, 1982

1412Louis Gossett, Jr.George Thorogood & the DestroyersOctober 2, 1982

1423Ron HowardThe ClashOctober 9, 1982

1434Howard HessemanMen at WorkOctober 23, 1982

1445Michael KeatonThe New Joe Jackson BandOctober 30, 1982

1456Robert BlakeKenny LogginsNovember 13, 1982

1467Drew BarrymoreSqueezeNovember 20, 1982

  • During this episode, the audience at home was given the chance to vote on whether or not Andy Kaufman, a regular guest on SNL, should be banned from the show. The vote was conducted by a 1-900 number. At the end of the night, the people had spoken, and Kaufman was banned from ever performing on SNL again.
  • Squeeze performed "Annie Get Your Gun" and "Pulling Mussels (from the Shell)."[1]
1478The Smothers BrothersLaura BraniganDecember 4, 1982

1489Eddie MurphyLionel RichieDecember 11, 1982

  • Eddie Murphy substituted for his 48 Hours co-star Nick Nolte after Nolte fell ill (Nolte became hung over following a night of partying at Studio 54)
  • During the cold opening, Murphy controversially announced "Live from New York, it's the Eddie Murphy Show!"
  • Steve Martin appeared near the end to chastise Eddie Murphy for being a second choice. This was the only appearance by Steve Martin in an SNL episode not produced by Lorne Michaels (seasons 6–10)
  • Guest appearance by Harry Anderson
  • Lionel Richie performed "You Are" and "Truly."[1]
14910Lily TomlinTomlin as Pervis HawkinsJanuary 22, 1983

  • Lily Tomlin acts as both host and musical guest for this episode
  • Tomlin opens the show by announcing "Live from New York, it's the Lily Tomlin Show!" in reference to Murphy's opening the previous week
  • Andy Kaufman makes a guest appearance in a pre-taped segment ostensibly as "bought commercial time" since this is the only way that he can still get to appear on SNL
  • Guest appearances by Bob and Doug McKenzie to promote the following week's show
15011Rick Moranis
Dave Thomas		The Bus BoysJanuary 29, 1983

  • The Bus Boys performed "The Boys Are Back in Town" and "New Shoes."[1]
15112Sid CaesarJoe Cocker
Jennifer Warnes		February 5, 1983

15213Howard HessemanTom Petty & The HeartbreakersFebruary 19, 1983

15314Beau Bridges
Jeff Bridges		Randy NewmanFebruary 26, 1983

15415Bruce DernLeon RedboneMarch 12, 1983

  • This show features the death of Buckwheat which would carry on to next week's episode.
  • Leon Redbone performed "Sweet Sue," "When You Wish Upon a Star," and "I Ain't Got Nobody."[1]
15516Robert GuillaumeDuran DuranMarch 19, 1983

15617Joan RiversMusical YouthApril 9, 1983

15718Susan Saint JamesMichael McDonaldApril 16, 1983

  • Guest appearance by Steven Wright.
  • Michael McDonald performed "If That's What It Takes" and "I Can't Let Go Now."[1]
15819Stevie WonderStevie WonderMay 7, 1983

15920Ed KochKevin Rowland
Dexys Midnight Runners		May 14, 1983

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 Saturday Night Live: The First Twenty Years. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. 1994. pp. 124–127. ISBN 0-395-70895-8.
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