Season 3, episode 18;Host:Steve Martin, with The Blues Brothers

Aired April 22, 1978.

Cold opening:"Don Kirshner's Rock Concert"
Don Kirshner (Paul Shaffer), host of Rock Concert, introduces the Blues Brothers, Elwood (Dan Aykroyd) and Joliet Jake Blues (John Belushi). Kirshner says "they are no longer an authentic blues act, but have managed to become a viable commercial product." 

The Blues Brothers then perform "Hey Bartender." "Hey Bartender" was written by Dossie Terry and first recorded by Floyd Dixon in 1955. The Blues Brothers recording of the song appeared on their live album Briefcase Full Of Blues, which was released on November 28, 1978.

When the song is over, Kirshner reappears onscreen and announces "Live, from New York, it's Saturday Night!"

Monologue:"Typecast and magic"
Host Steve Martin says that because he performs comedy monologues and releases comedy albums, he has become typecast as a comedian. 

Martin then performs some magic tricks on a volunteer (Bill Murray) from the audience.

Commercial:"Hey You"
Repeat from Season 3, episode 7.

Festrunk Brothers:
Written by Dan Aykroyd, Marilyn Suzanne Miller and Steve Martin.
Czechoslavakian immigrant brothers Georg (Martin) and Yortuk Festrunk (Aykroyd) are waiting for two women they met at a party to come to their "swinging bachelor pad."  Their neighbor Cliff (Garrett Morris) tells the brothers that the women won't show up, which dampens the Festrunks' spirits.

"Theodoric Of York, Medieval Barber"
Written by Al Franken, Tom Davis, Jim Downey, with research by Emily Prager.
In 1303, a barber named Theodoric provides primitive medical treatment to local peasants.  With the help of his assistant Brungilda (Gilda Radner), he treats ailments using torturous techniques like bloodletting and leaching.

"Dancing In The Dark"
Conceived by Marilyn Suzanne Miller, Choreographed by Pat Burch.
In a disco nightclub, a man (Martin) locks eyes with a woman (Radner) sitting at a nearby table.  They get up and dance together, dancing wildly and acrobatically all over the SNL studio.

The music they dance to is "Dancing In The Dark." This tune was written by Arthur Schwartz and Howard Dietz for the 1931 musical revue The Band Wagon.

"Weekend Update"
Anchors Jane Curtin and Dan Aykroyd report on the day's top news stories.

Correspondent Garrett Morris brings marijuana to the Update desk to test it for paraquat. 

Plus, Dan and Jane have a Point/Counterpoint debate about federal funding of abortions.

Steve Martin with the Saturday Night Live Band:"King Tut"
The host performs "King Tut," which was written by Martin and released as a single on April 28, 1978.

The song reached #17 on Billboard's Hot 100 and it was also included on Martin's 1978 album A Wild and Crazy Guy.

"Betty and Harold":
Betty (Curtin) and her husband Harold (Belushi) tell each other about their extramarital affairs.

Film by Gary Weis:"Swan Lake"
Toni Basil choreographs a performance of Swan Lake that combines traditional ballet with street dancing. 

"Troff & Brew"
Written by Tom Davis and Dan Aykroyd.
During a business lunch, diners eat chili from feeding troughs and drink beer from a basin. 

"Nerds Science Fair"
Written by Anne Beatts and Rosie Shuster.
Lisa Loopner (Radner) and her friend Todd (Murray) compete in a science fair against Charles "Chaz The Spaz" Knerlman (Martin), who has built a plutonium bomb.  

The Blues Brothers"I Don't Know"
Jake and Ellwood perform "I Don't Know," which was written and recorded by Willie Mabon in 1952. The Blues Brothers recording of "I Don't Know" appeared on Briefcase Full Of Blues.

"Next Week In Review"
Maxine Universe (Laraine Newman) and a panel of her fellow psychics predict what will happen in the week ahead.

"Goodnights"
Martin says it's been a great show and praises the cast. 

The Not Ready For Prime Time Players then surround Steve and the credits roll. 

Notes about this episode:

This has been called one the greatest episodes in SNL history. Steve Martin said of the episode "it was like the peak of Saturday Night. It was the peak of me." 1

This was the episode that Saturday Night Live submitted to Emmy Awards voters. It lost to an episode of The Carol Burnett Show that also featured Steve Martin.

This was the third time Martin hosted during Season 3. No one else else has hosted that many times in a single season. 

Classic moment:
The debut of the Blues Brothers. "Jake and Ellwood" had served as Saturday Night's warmup act, but this was their first national exposure. Of course they would go on to record a #1 album and appear in their own movie. 

What stands out:
Pretty much everything. From the Blues Brothers opening, to the Festrunks to "Next Week In Review," this episode features one hit after another. My favorite sketch was "Theodoric Of York." 

What doesn't work:
Just a bit too much music-When you include the "Swan Lake" film, this episode contains five musical segments. A minor quibble in an otherwise great episode.

J.A. Morris' rating:
While I don't think this is the greatest episode ever (I prefer Steve Martin's January '78 episode), it's a great episode. It's strongly recommended and it gets my highest rating.

4 stars!

Source:
1Saturday Night, p.224:by Doug Hill and Jeff Weingrad

Season 3, episode 17;Host:Michael Sarrazin, with Keith Jarrett and Gravity

Aired April 15, 1978.

Cold opening:"The President's Message On Inflation"
Pres. Jimmy Carter addresses the nation about the inflation crisis. Carter says the best way to fight inflation is for citizens to burn 8% of their cash. 

He explains that "if all of us burn 8% of our money, less money will be in circulation, and in no time at all, prices will hopefully go down." The President says that if he's asking Americans to sacrifice needs to start in his family. He calls on his daughter Amy (Laraine Newman) to bring her savings and then he burns her money.

At the end of Carter's address, he and Amy discuss who will get to "say it." Amy begs the President, so he tells her to say it. Amy then announces "live, from New York, it's Saturday Night."

Monolgue:"Boothday"
Host Michael Sarrazin talks about how April 15 is Boothday, the anniversary of Pres. Lincoln's death after he was shot by John Wilkes Booth, an actor. Boothday will be a bad luck day for actors until a President shoots an actor. 

Sarrazin says he's keeping his fingers crossed so that nothing bad will happen to he and the cast during Saturday Night.

Commercial:"Angora Bouquet"
Repeat from Season 3, episode 3.

"Josh Ramsey:V.D. Caseworker"
When Susie (Newman) worries that she has venereal disease, she seeks help from Josh Ramsey (Sarrazin) a VD Caseworker. Susie worries that her boyfriend Johnny (Bill Murray) will hate her when he learns she had sex with someone else.

Keith Jarrett:"Country"
Jazz pianist Keith Jarrett performs "Country." This piece appeared on Jarrett's album My Song, which was released in June of 1978.

"Judy Miller's 'Hate Jennifer Show'"
Written by Marilyn Suzanne Miller.
When Judy Miller's sister Jennifer hits her, Judy imagines she hosts a show in her living room called "The Hate Jennifer Show." Judy dances and jumps are over the room.

"Weekend Update"
Anchors Jane Curtin and Dan Aykroyd report on the top news stories of the day.

Stargazer Bill Murray reviews the movie American Hot Wax and interviews one of the stars of the movie, Laraine Newman.

Jane and Dan engage in a Point/Counter-Point debate about the use of the Neutron Bomb. 

Correspondent Roseanne Roseannadanna reports on springtime depression. Roseanne talks about feeling depressed in the past, but eventually segues into talking about people spitting in drinking fountains.

"Penalty Box"
Two Quebecois hockey players (Aykroyd and Sarrazin) from opposing teams converse while sitting in the penalty box.

"E. Buzz Miller's Exercise World"
Written by Dan Aykroyd and Tom Davis.
E. Buzz Miller looks on while his girlfriend Christy Christina strikes sexually explicit poses while she exercises.

Keith Jarrett:"My Song"
Jarrett performs the title track of his 1978 album.

Schiller's Reel:"La Dolce Gilda"
Filmmaker Tom Schiller's camera follows Gilda Radner while she attends an SNL after party. Gilda is constantly surrounded and everyone demands her time.

Archaeologicus:"The Treasures of Morton Kamen"
Written by Tom Schiller.
Tina Gemini hosts Archaeologicus and explores “The Treasures of Morton Kamen.” Archeologists of the future find the room of an ordinary man named Morton Kamen and his wife Shirley, they were perfectly preserved by air conditioning in their Palm Springs home.

Howard Johnson & Gravity:"Tuba City Gitback"
Gravity, who are fronted by the SNL band's tubist Howard Johnson, perform "Tuba City Gitback."

Goodnights:
Sarrazin says "Well that’s it for this evening. It wasn’t such a bad Booth Day, was it? I’d like to thank Mr. Keith Jarrett! Howard Johnson and the group Gravity! Alright!" 

The host then thanks "the people who helped me through all this, the Not Ready For Prime Time Players! Come on in, guys!" The cast and musical guests surround Michael and the credits roll. 

Notes about this episode:

Michael Sarrazin's name may be unfamiliar to younger readers of this site. He was an actor and appeared in dozens of films and TV episodes between 1965 and his death in 2011. 

In "Penalty Box," Bill Murray plays a hockey player named "Novello." This is no doubt a reference to SNL writer Don Novello, who broke his hip during rehearsals of this sketch.

"La Dolce Gilda" is a parody of and homage to Federico Fellinni's La Dolce Vita.

What stands out:
Gilda Radner-This episode is a showcase for Radner's talents. She's great as Judy Miller, Roseanne Roseannadanna and in La Dolce Gilda. She even has a great line in the "Josh Ramsey" sketch.

Howard Johnson & Gravity-I applaud Saturday Night for booking a jazz band that features six tubists. "Tuba City Gitback" is a great way to close the episode. 

What doesn't work:

Michael Sarrazin-He comes across as a nice guy during the monologue, but he doesn't really bring anything to this episode. After the monologue, he only appears in two sketches. Maybe some of his sketches were cut during dress rehearsal?

Amy Carter-During the cold opening, Jimmy Carter calls Amy "four eyes." Amy Carter was 10 years old when this aired, so this feels like punching down on a child. 

J.A. Morris' rating:
This episode isn't as good as the two that preceded it. However, in spite of a lackluster host, Gilda Radner's brilliance lifts this episode and makes it well-worth watching.

3 stars.