Simon expanded the role of the host by appearing in a taped bit about playing one-on-one against Connie Hawkins and informing the cast that The Bee sketch had been cut. During the third show, host Rob Reiner performed in sketches with them. As their comedic talents became evident, they rose to the forefront and the other acts took a backseat. It must have been a great working experience as Candice Bergen, Buck Henry, and Elliot Gould all returned as hosts this season.
The humor had different sensibilities, topical and timeless, silly and dark. A lot of the Weekend Update jokes dealt with President Ford and world events that may not hold up without knowing the particulars of the era. The movie parodies of The Exorcist with Richard Pryor and Jaws with the Land Shark still remain funny with every viewing.
There is also a lot of metahumor in the show. Chase discussed his pratfalls and opening the show. Michaels offered The Beatles $3,000, to split as they wished, even if they wanted to give Ringo less, to re-form on the show and play three songs. There's even material that crossed over. The Bees and The Muppets appeared within self-contained sketches, but also sketches that dealt with their role in the show. The Muppets were particularly at their funniest when they interacted with the cast.
John Belushi's Samurai and Gilda Radner's Emily Litella, who debuted in a sketch as a children's book author and didn't suffer from her well-known malapropism, are the show's first recurring characters. An early version of The Blues Brothers can be seen as Belushi sings Slim Harpo's "I'm a King Bee" with Howard Shore and his All-Bee Band. There are also first appearances of Dan Aykroyd's Tom Snyder, Radner's Barbara Walters, and Mr. Bill from a viewer's home movie.
While it became a launching pad for most of the cast, there were many other talented people behind the scenes. Michael O'Donoghue went from cast member to head writer and continued as a featured player with bizarre bits, such as his imitations of famous people having steel needles plunged into their eyes. Director Penelope Spheeris was a film segment producer. Band leader Shore went on to become an Oscar-winning composer. Band members Paul Shaffer and the horn section would go onto to play with The Blues Brothers.
Article comments
1 - Victor Lana
As I suffer through this tepid season of SNL, it's nice to know I can go back and revisit the experience on DVD. I was there from the very first episode, a young kid watching on a small B&W TV in my room. I was hooked from the start.
It's sometimes fortunate to be in on something like SNL from the very beginning (I feel the same about "24" which I watched from the first season- first episode). People who start watching later on become fascinated, but they never have that fresh experience and the feeling of being in on something that's going to get much bigger.
2 - El Bicho
I agree, Victor. It's always tough to go back view influential things and realize how groundbreaking they were for the time.
Although I couldn't make it through 24's first season. It got a tad too ridiculous for a drama.