Season 4, Episode 1;Hosts:The Rolling Stones, with Mayor Ed Koch

Aired October 7, 1978.

Cold opening:Garrett Morris:"I Love You (Three Little Tones)"
Sometime in the1930s in studio 8H of the NBC/RCA building, a radio announcer (Dan Aykroyd) introduces Howard Shore and the National Broadcasting Orchestra. The orchestra is fronted by vocalist Garrett Morris, he's backed by three singers (Jane Curtin, Laraine Newman and Gilda Radner). Garrett sings "I Love You (Three Little Tones)," a love song dedicated to the NBC chimes.

When Morris' song is over, the announcer walks up to the mic and says "And now, live from New York, it’s Saturday Night."

Monologue:"Certificate Of Merit"
New York Mayor Ed Koch walks onstage and announces that he's there to present a Certificate Of Merit to John Belushi. Since John's movie Animal House is breaking box office records and SNL is the highest rated late night series, Koch wants to thank him making New York "a vital, creative center."

Belushi walks out to accept the certificate and can't hide his anger and disappointment. He believes he deserves the Key to the City. 

Commercial:"Autoscent"
Autoscent is the perfume for your car's exhaust pipe.

Talk show:"Tomorrow show, with Tom Snyder"
Tom Snyder (Aykroyd) interviews Mick Jagger. When Snyder compliments Jagger's dance moves, Mick asks Tom show off his own dancing abilities. 

"Nerds Norge"
Written by Anne Beatts and Rosie Shuster.
When the Loopner's Norge refrigerator breaks, a repairman comes to work on it. Lisa (Radner) and Todd (Bill Murray) are very amused by the repairman's...pants.

During the sketch,Todd sings two songs that parody the song "Grease." It was recorded by Frankie Valli and written by Barry Gibb for the soundtrack of the film of the same title. "Grease" reached #1 on the Billboard chart in 1978. 

"Olympia Cafe"
Written by Don Novello.
The Olympia's owner Pete returns from a trip to Greece and finds a lot has changed in his cafe.

"Weekend Update"
Update anchor Jane Curtin opens the broadcast by welcoming her new co-anchor, Bill Murray.

In Point/Counterpoint, Bill and Jane debate the ratification of the Equal Rights Amendment.

Correspondent Roseanne Roseannadanna reports on her recent visit to New York's Studio 54 nightclub. Her "report" devolves into a commentary about blisters.

The Rolling Stones:"Beast Of Burden,""Respectable,""Shattered"
The Rolling Stones perform three songs from their recent album Some Girls, which was released on June 9, 1978. All three songs were written by Mick Jagger and Keith Richards. "Beast Of Burden" was released as single on August 28, 1978 and it peaked at #8 on the Billboard Hot 100.  

"Respectable" was issued as a single only in the UK, where it peaked at #23 on the singles chart.  

The Stones set closes with "Shattered," the fourth and final single released from Some Girls.  It reached #31 on the Pop chart.

Schiller's Reel:"Sushi By The  Pool"
Filmmaker Tom Schiller presents a Hollywood pool party where an actor (Desi Arnaz Jr.) conducts business while eating sushi. 

The party is going fine until Hal Holbrook runs down a nearby hill shouting "EARTHQUAKE!"

"Beatles reunion"
After bringing together Egypt and Israel to sign a peace treaty, Pres. Jimmy Carter says his next step will be reuniting John Lennon (Belushi) and Paul McCartney (Murray) to create a framework for the reunion of the Beatles.

Commercial:"Network Battle of the T’s & A’s."
This NBC ad promotes their upcoming "all-star celebrity sport spectacular: Network Battle of the T’s & A’s." It will feature a competition between "the biggest stars, with the biggest T’s, and the nicest A’s!"

"Dave Mable's Danger Probe"
Written by Dan Aykroyd.
"Danger Probe" host Dave Mable (Aykroyd) shows what happens when a Hari Krisna missionary (Belushi) and a mime (Radner) visit a brutal dictatorship. 

Goodnights:
Mayor Koch, surrounded by the Stones and the cast, appears onstage and says "Good night, and thank you."

Notes about this episode:

A sketch was cut from this episode because Keith Richards couldn't remember his lines. [1] Here's rehearsal footage of that sketch:

With this episode, Saturday Night Live dropped the "Not Ready For Prime Time Players" moniker for the cast. They were now just introduced as the stars of the show.

Mick Jagger would later appear on Saturday Night five more times, as a musical guest, host and in guest cameos. Keith Richards appeared during Season 14, fronting his side-band the X-Pensive Winos. However, this episode is the Rolling Stones only appearance on SNL to date.

For those too young to remember him, Ed Koch served three terms as mayor of New York from 1978 to 1990. He would later host Saturday Night during Seasons 8 and 9 and made an additional cameo in the 9th season. Koch passed away in 2013 at age 88. 

What stands out:
Cold Opening:"I Love You (Three Little Tones)"-I always enjoy when the show lets Garrett Morris sing. It's a great way to open Season 4.

Dan Aykroyd-He's all over this episode, from Tom Snyder to "Nerds Norge," to Jimmy Carter, to "Dangerprobe," Aykroyd practically carries the show.

"Nerds Norge"-In addition to the aforementioned Aykroyd, Gilda Radner, Jane Curtin and Bill Murray are equally funny as Lisa, Enid and Todd, respectively. 

Roseanne Roseannadanna's report-Another great "Update" appearance of this character. It's made funnier by the fact that, for once, Curtin does not freak out at Roseanne. 

What doesn't work:
The Rolling Stones-Their performance is lackluster, especially Mick Jagger. His voice is a whispered croak and it cracks more than once. The Stones don't make much of an impressions in sketches either.

Garrett Morris in drag-He plays a waitress in the "Olympia Cafe" sketch and it's an empty role. Morris played women way too often in Seasons 2 and 3, this is not a great start for the fourth season. This sketch was Morris' only appearance after the cold opening. He deserved better from the writers.

J.A. Morris' rating:
The cast (especially Aykroyd) is in fine form this episode and Season 4 gets off to a good start. However, the Rolling Stones mediocre presence prevents me from giving it my highest rating.

3 and a half stars.

Intermission #3:Wrapping up Season 3, putting Season 4 into context.

I have long considered Season 3 of SNL to be its best season ever. After rewatching it for this project, I still feel that way. I also believe it was the last season where the entire cast gave a damn and saw it as their primary creative outlet.

Saturday Night Live became part of the mainstream of American popular culture in Season 3. Between the third and fourth seasons, the movie Animal House was released. It was a huge box office success, making $141 million and becoming the biggest comedy movie of all time. John Belushi played Brother Bluto in the film and he became a bona fide movie star. It also led to Belushi appearing on the August 10, 1978 cover of Rolling Stone. The cover said it all:"From Samurai Night Live To Matinee Idol."

Shortly after the 4th season premiere, he was featured on the cover of Newsweek.

The cast (drawn by Jack Davis) appeared on the July 29 cover of TV Guide, which was mainstream as it got in 1978.

That issue featured a profile of Gilda Radner.

All of this media exposure meant there would be more viewers tuning in to SNL in Season 4. During the 1978-79 season, Saturday Night averaged 17 million viewers and some episodes were watched by as many as 19 million. [1]

Three weeks prior to the premiere of Season 4, the 30th annual Primetime Emmy Awards were presented on September 17. For the third year in a row, Saturday Night Live was nominated in multiple categories:

Outstanding Comedy-Variety or Music Series

Outstanding Continuing or Single Performance by a Supporting Actor in Variety or Music:
Dan Aykroyd
John Belushi

Outstanding Continuing or Single Performance by a Supporting Actress in Variety or Music:
Jane Curtin
Gilda Radner

Outstanding Directing in a Comedy-Variety or Music Series:
Dave Wilson-Episode 18, with Steve Martin and the Blues Brothers

Outstanding Writing in a Comedy-Variety or Music Series:
Episode 18, with Steve Martin and the Blues Brothers

Radner would win the only award for SNL that night. Still, winning Emmys in each of its three seasons was impressive by any metric.

Gilda Radner shows off her Emmy award.

Between Seasons 3 and 4, Belushi and Dan Aykroyd, as the Blues Brothers, served as Steve Martin's opening act for several concerts. Recordings of those concerts would be released on November 28 as Briefcase Full Of Blues. It would sell two million copies and reach #1 on Billboard's album chart. Like SNL, the Blues Brothers became a national phenomenon and Aykroyd and Belushi became full-fledged rock stars.

They were not the only members of the cast who were busy entertaining outside offers. Bill Murray filmed Meatballs in the summer and fall of '78. NBC wanted to build a variety series around Gilda Radner.

In other words, Saturday Night Live's days of being a countercultural, underdog show were long gone. How would this impact the content of the show? Check back tomorrow when I began posting annotated reviews of Season 4.

Source:
[1]Hill, Doug, Weingrad, Jeff; Saturday Night. Vintage, 1985, p.225

Season 3, episode 20;Host:Buck Henry, with Sun Ra

 Aired May 20, 1978.

Network disclaimer:"The Boy In The Plastic Pantsuit"
Don Pardo announces that "The Boy In The Plastic Pantsuit will not be seen tonight, so that NBC may bring you following special program."

Cold opening:"Nixon's memoirs"
Former President Richard Nixon (Dan Aykroyd) addresses the nation about his new book of memoirs. He says the book isn't selling well because Americans are still angry over his Watergate scandal.

Nixon mentions the time he said “You won’t have Dick Nixon to kick around anymore!” In this spirit, he suggests people buy the book so they can kick it. The ex-Pres. then asks one of his Marine Honor Guards (Garrett Morris) to kick the book like a football. 

When the book has been kicked, Nixon looks into the camera and says "Live, from New York, it's Saturday Night!" 

Monologue:"Why is Buck hosting"
Host Buck Henry supposes the audience is wondering why he hosts so often. He says it's because SNL gains "a sense of class" from him. Buck then talks about writing and directing a new film with Warren Beatty and Julie Christie. 

While Henry talks, text scrolls onscreen, telling viewers that Buck doesn't know Beatty and Christie and his career is over and that he's only hosting because Saturday Night feels sorry for Henry.

"Nerds prom"
Written by Anne Beatts and Rosie Shuster.
Before attending prom, Lisa Loopner's (Gilda Radner) mother Enid (Jane Curtin) gives her daughter a talk about "the birds and the bees."

Her prom date Todd (Bill Murray) then arrives, and gives Lisa "prom noogies!"

"Samurai TV Repairman" 
Written by Alan Zweibel and John Belushi.
Mr. Dantley (Henry) brings his broken TV to a repairman (John Belushi) who happens to be a samurai. 

Everything is going okay until the samurai learns that the defective television was inspected in Japan by his mother.

"Sodom Chamber Of Commerce"
In the ancient city of Sodom, it's mayor (Henry) hires a man named Noab (Murray) to improve the city's image.

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

Stargazer Bill Murray reviews the new film The Greek Tycoon.

In Point/Counter-Point, Dan and Jane debate the merits of jogging.

"Olympia Cafe"
When a neighboring business is robbed, Olympia owner Pete (Belushi) plans to rent a Doberman to provide after-hours security for the cafe.

"Mr. Mike's Least-Loved Music"
Written by Michael O'Donoghue and Howard Shore.
Mr. Mike (Michael O'Donoghue) performs "Baby Ghouls." The song tells a tale of dead little girls who come out of their graves to feed on the living.

Talk show:"More Insects To Worry About"
Joan Face (Curtin) interviews entomologist Russell Bedanza. He discusses dangerous insects such as the Mucus-Flinging Lawn Maggot and Common Crotch Wasp.

"Stunt Puppy"
Written by Al Franken and Tom Davis.
During production of a movie about animal abuse, a stunt puppy is brought in to be hurled around the room during the violent scenes. 

"Bad Conceptual Art"
Written by Tom Schiller.
Host Leonard Pinth-Garnell (Aykroyd) introduces an excerpt of "Pavlov Video Chicken 1," a performance piece that features a woman (Radner) dancing like a chicken for 378 consecutive hours.

The Franken and Davis Show:
Al Franken and Tom Davis appear onstage wearing sumo wrestling outfits. Before performing, they introduce Al's wife and son and "the girl Tom lives with." 

However, Tom says he can't live a lie anymore and announces that he and Franken are "homosexual lovers." Al is furious, says his life is ruined and that he will make Davis regret this revelation. 

Sun Ra and his Arkestra:"Space Is The Place, "Space-Loneliness"
Sun Ra and his Arkestra perform the title track of their 1973 album Space Is The Place. 

After that, the Arkestra plays "Space Loneliness." It was released as a single in1960.

Goodnights:
Buck, the cast and the Arkestra appear onstage and the host says "goodnight folks, they'll all be back in the fall, or not. See you then!"

Notes about this episode:

This is Buck Henry's then-record sixth time hosting. 

Here's a promo Henry recorded for this episode:

What stands out:
"Nerds prom"-This is a great sketch and Buck Henry as Todd's father is perfect casting. Italso features what today would be called "world building", with details revealed about Lisa's deceased father.

"Samurai TV Repairman"-This isn't very different from previous Buck/Samurai pairings, but it's always fun to see Belushi and Henry play off each other. 

Sun Ra and his Arkestra-What a great way to end Season 3! Sun Ra & company give one of the best musical performances in SNL history. I can't believe a major network booked the Arkestra in 1978.

What doesn't work:
"More Insects To Worry About"-This isn't a bad sketch, but it's basically the same as the previous installment, the only difference being that Henry plays the bug expert instead of Belushi.

J.A. Morris' rating:
This is a very enjoyable episode that features several recurring characters and an amazing musical performance. Season 3 ends on a high note.

4 stars!