The show was a well-oiled machine evidenced by the few mistakes that happened. Don Pardo calls the cast "The Not For Ready Prime Time Players" on the first episode. John Sebastian gets a lot of feedback and laughs through the opening of "Welcome Back." Rather than do a jig, he restarted the song. Chase was supposed to be hit in the face with a pie during an opening, so they repeated the gag at the close of the show.
Of course, with the passage of time and the cuts needed for syndication, the lesser bits have probably been forgotten by most, but they had their weak, end-of-the-show sketches that didn't work just like every other cast. There was some sort of running promotion with Polaroid camera, which must have been a sponsor. Throughout the season, they repeated a lot of filmed sketches and even a live sketch. However, the season had many more positives than negatives.
The video looks goods, except for the rare occasions spots when the lights overpowered the cameras and caused minor disruptions in the picture. The audio is Dolby Digital 2.0 and is available only in English. For viewers who are hard of hearing, there is closed captioning instead of Garrett Morris shouting throughout all 24 episodes.
Special Features include original screen tests and a 1975 interview with Michaels and the cast on The Tomorrow Show two weeks before the show aired. Unfortunately, what's lacking is insight or background on the show from its participants. While there's plenty of books and a documentary about the show's early days, it would have been nice if there had been a commentary track or brief documentary include with the set. However, it doesn't detract from this amazing set and what is sure to be a hot seller.
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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.