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SNL Season 4

post #1 of 30
5/25/08 at 9:07pm
Thread Starter 
Well might as well start this thread - This should be coming out at the end of the year.

I know I'm looking forward to the Margot Kidder show and "Fred Garvin: Male Prostitute"

Just finished season 3, and 4 will be the last year with this cast, since Aykroyd and Belushi leave before season 5. Is anyone thinking of skipping season 5? Personally I'm just hoping that 4 and 5 sell well enough and that they decide to continue on and do season 6.

I think the things that might get us Season 6 is because people are definitely curious about it, and since it's 13 shows then they can fit it on 5 discs and perhaps sell it for cheaper. Also there are good musical guests, and appearances from Bill Murray etc that might put it over the edge. They can also promote it as the first season for Eddie Murphy.

But if they do skip it, what will the release for Xmas 09 be? Season 7 and skip the Doumanian year? Season 9, the all-star cast? Season 10, Lorne's first year back, or Season 11, Lorne's first good year back?

And the burning question - what sketch will be on the cover of season 4's box??
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post #2 of 30
5/25/08 at 9:37pm

Re: SNL Season 4

I agree that Season 5 pales in comparison to the previous the previous 4 "classic" years. But the loss of so many male cast members gave the women more of a chance to shine.

With regard to the potential Season 6 cover art it will likely be Eddie & Joe. However, if they are interested in truth in advertising the cover art should more likely be a toilet. Or how about the face of a VERY disappointed viewer ?
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post #3 of 30
5/25/08 at 9:50pm
Thread Starter 

Re: SNL Season 4

I don't care what they put on the cover of 6 so long as they release it! Maybe a shot of Gilbert Gottfried in a coffin?

What classic stuff might they use for Season 4 though? I forget if they have more Blues Brothers appearances in S4, since they debuted in S3, but that would be pretty natural, and maybe they'll do the Nerds for S5?
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post #4 of 30
5/26/08 at 11:35am

Re: SNL Season 4

Blues Brothers would be a great choice for the cover--and it would give Dan Aykroyd the cover on every season he was in too.

I'm a completist and will likely pick up every release anyway, but there is one sketch in season 5 that I absolutely love and can't wait to get a chance to rewatch--from a Steve Martin episode, the "You've Got a Friend" sketch. If you've seen it, you know what I'm talking about; if not...it's a good one.
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post #5 of 30
5/26/08 at 12:40pm

Re: SNL Season 4

Season 5 still has Bill Murray so it's not unmarketable, not by a longshot.
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post #6 of 30
5/26/08 at 1:16pm

Re: SNL Season 4

I'm up for Season 5.
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post #7 of 30
5/26/08 at 6:20pm

Re: SNL Season 4

I'm definitely up for Seasons 4 and 5 and the Eddie Murphy years to come after that one. Actually, I want the Billy Crystal/Martin Short season as well.....I guess that covers most of the 80's.
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post #8 of 30
5/26/08 at 8:10pm

Re: SNL Season 4

This thread should probably be merged with the other existing SNL thread. That being said - I'll purchase every season. I own all the complilations and will support my favorite live action show.
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post #9 of 30
5/26/08 at 9:40pm

Re: SNL Season 4

A lot of casual fans will not realize that Season 5 is of lower quality than the previous four so I doubt that sales will be affected by that. But I think most people know about the "infamous" Season 6.
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post #10 of 30
5/27/08 at 4:37am

Re: SNL Season 4

Season 5 isn't as bad as some people claim it is- in fact, its final show (marking the end of the 'classic' years) featured the now-legendary "Lord Douchebag" skit with Buck Henry and Harry Shearer: "Give me a Sandwich and a Douchebag, and there is nothing I cannot do.". Season Six, however, was a disaster, and for curiousity's sake I'd like to see the Charlene Tilton episode when Charles Rocket (RIP) used the F-word.

The only good thing that came out of that season was the new team of Murphy and Piscopo- they would lead the show to a new age the way Belushi and Ayckroyd did a few years earlier. The great irony was that Eddie was only hired as a writer and a featured player, producer Jean Doumanian had more faith in the likes of Charles Rocket. Not only that, in choosing her cast, she passed over Jim Carrey, Cassandra "Elvira Peterson", John Goodman, and even future SNL star Dana Carvey. Believe me, the fifth year of SNL may not have Belushi and Aykroyd, but it was better than some later seasons. I am soooo looking forward to the Eddie Murphy era- don't forget, Julia Louis-Dreyfus was there, too!
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post #11 of 30
5/27/08 at 6:42am
Thread Starter 

Re: SNL Season 4

I don't think that there's any doubt that 4 and 5 will do just as well. From what I've read no matter what people say about 5 being a drop in quality, it was just as big in the ratings. It's 6 that we have to wonder about. I'd love to hear what BV and Universal have in mind, if in fact they have any plans at all.

As someone that wasn't even born until the middle of season 5, I'm just loving seeing all this stuff, I remember when I was really young they used to have 30 minute sort of compilation packages and so I remember seeing a lot of this stuff then, but the first stuff I really saw personally when it was on was the Hartman-Lovitz-Carvey era.

I think considering all there is to put out they could go to 3 seasons a year, every 4 months. Starting that right now it would still take until 2022 (season 48) to catch up... So maybe 4 a year? (2017)

*sigh*
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post #12 of 30
5/27/08 at 9:12am

Re: SNL Season 4

It's anybody's guess whether the non-Lorne Michaels seasons will make it to boxed sets. He had nothing to do with those years creatively, but I notice he's certainly put out generous samplings of Eddie Murphy sketches on vhs and dvd in the past, so here's hoping. I think seasons 7-9 were terrific, and season 10 had its moments as well. Season 6? Ugh. Maybe they could release it two episodes at a time, piggy-backed onto other season sets. It's really awful, believe me!!
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post #13 of 30
5/27/08 at 11:25am

Re: SNL Season 4

I've seen bits and pieces of season 6--the Bill Murray episode isn't awful, but I can't say the same for the rest. IIRC, Eddie barely says a line until four or five episodes in.

Quote:
Season Six, however, was a disaster, and for curiousity's sake I'd like to see the Charlene Tilton episode when Charles Rocket (RIP) used the F-word.

I have a really lo-fi clip of the moment; if you're interested I could upload that somewhere.
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post #14 of 30
5/27/08 at 11:35am

Re: SNL Season 4

Count me in for season 4 and 5. After that, I'm done with SNL. I was never that big of a fan of the show after all of the originals left.

I did see the first episode of season 6 when it originally aired and it was awful. Poor Elliot Gould. The main stage set looked great with the elevator, but the rest of the show really stunk up the room.

So once I have season 5 in hand, that's it for me and SNL.
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post #15 of 30
5/27/08 at 11:40am

Re: SNL Season 4

Quote:
The only good thing that came out of that season was the new team of Murphy and Piscopo- they would lead the show to a new age the way Belushi and Ayckroyd did a few years earlier. The great irony was that Eddie was only hired as a writer and a featured player, producer Jean Doumanian had more faith in the likes of Charles Rocket. Not only that, in choosing her cast, she passed over Jim Carrey, Cassandra "Elvira Peterson", John Goodman, and even future SNL star Dana Carvey. Believe me, the fifth year of SNL may not have Belushi and Aykroyd, but it was better than some later seasons. I am soooo looking forward to the Eddie Murphy era- don't forget, Julia Louis-Dreyfus was there, too!

She passed over Paul Reubens too.
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post #16 of 30
5/27/08 at 9:42pm

Re: SNL Season 4

I think devoted SNL fans know all about Jean Doumanian and what she did to the show. I, too had heard that she passed over some much more interesting stars in favor of the ones that ended up in her season. Not that I'm defending her but Paul Reubens & Jim Carrey were doing more obscure and odd brands of comedy at the time and likely would not have translated well to SNL. I'd never heard about John Goodman being considered, though. And as much as I love Cassandra Peterson, I'm not sure there's much to her outside of the camp-tastic Elvira.
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post #17 of 30
5/28/08 at 3:13pm

Re: SNL Season 4

I was just looking over the musical guests for season 4 and if they manage to retain all of the music performances for seaon 4 it will be a miracle.

The same goes for season 5.

Since season 1 did contain the Louise Lasser episode, I'm sure we will get the Milton Berle episode even though it was pulled from syndication.
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post #18 of 30
5/28/08 at 4:11pm

Re: SNL Season 4

Quote:
Originally Posted by Brian Himes
I was just looking over the musical guests for season 4 and if they manage to retain all of the music performances for seaon 4 it will be a miracle.

The same goes for season 5.

Since season 1 did contain the Louise Lasser episode, I'm sure we will get the Milton Berle episode even though it was pulled from syndication.

You know, I keep reading how this or that episode was never allowed to be shown in reruns, or never syndicated, and you know, I watched the SNL reruns pretty religiously when WGN-Channel 9 ran the one-hour version in Chicago...and I know they showed the Louise Lasser episode. The only one I am almost certain was never repeated (until E! showed a one-hour cut-down version once, which I unfortunately missed) was the Milton Berle episode.

I've read in various places on line that the Season 3 show with Mary Kay Place was not shown in syndication, but I know I saw it -- or at least I remember the "cold opening" segment, which may have been on an NBC airing of "The Best Of Saturday Night Live" during the 1979-1980 season. (So I might be wrong on that one, but I don't think so.)

Eric Idle (Season 4) also has been named by at least one online source as not having been syndicated...but I know for a fact WGN ran that one. (I am sure about this one.)

So I think the actual figure may differ depending on what rerun package we're talking about...

"Saturday Night" (syndicated one-hour version released in 1981, released through Broadway Video and Filmways) (WGN ran this in Chicago between 1981 and 1983, and WWOR ran it in the late 1980s)

"The Best Of Saturday Night" (syndicated 30-minute version, released through Broadway Video and Orion Pictures -- I saw this listed in an NATPE guide in Broadcasting magazine, saying it had 102 episodes, so there would have been four missing) (Actually, the above four mentioned episodes would account for that!)

E! one-hour reruns (some of which were different edits than the 1981 package)

NBC All Night reruns

(There are 106 total, not counting Mardi Gras)

Can anyone help me with this jigsaw puzzle? For instance, "Pre-Chew Charlie" was edited out of the one-hour 1981 syndicated version of the Season 5 episode hosted by Chevy Chase, but it was included in the half-hour "Best Of Saturday Night" version. (Actually, this is kind of a moot point now that they're doing season sets.)
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post #19 of 30
5/28/08 at 7:13pm

Re: SNL Season 4

I want S4 just for the episode with the Stones...
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post #20 of 30
5/28/08 at 9:12pm

Re: SNL Season 4

Quote:
Originally Posted by Mark Y
You know, I keep reading how this or that episode was never allowed to be shown in reruns, or never syndicated, and you know, I watched the SNL reruns pretty religiously when WGN-Channel 9 ran the one-hour version in Chicago...and I know they showed the Louise Lasser episode. The only one I am almost certain was never repeated (until E! showed a one-hour cut-down version once, which I unfortunately missed) was the Milton Berle episode.

I think the whole story about the Lasser show being banned from syndication is pretty much SNL urban legend. I know it aired many, many times on Nick-At-Nite and Comedy Central as part of the "Best Of Saturday Night." I even remember which sketches were included: the cold opening; the monologue; the Bergman spoof; and the bit where Belushi tries to sell his clothes.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Mark Y
I've read in various places on line that the Season 3 show with Mary Kay Place was not shown in syndication, but I know I saw it -- or at least I remember the "cold opening" segment, which may have been on an NBC airing of "The Best Of Saturday Night Live" during the 1979-1980 season. (So I might be wrong on that one, but I don't think so.)

This also aired as a "Best Of SN" - it's on a tape I have of a Nick-At-Nite SNL marathon from around the time of SNL's 15th anniversary. I think some people are simply confusing Place with Lasser since they both appeared on "Mary Hartman."

Quote:
Originally Posted by Mark Y
Eric Idle (Season 4) also has been named by at least one online source as not having been syndicated...but I know for a fact WGN ran that one. (I am sure about this one.)

I've never heard this. It would be pretty hard to leave out since it includes the famous "Julia Child" sketch. Again, I know it was on "Best Of SN."

Quote:
Originally Posted by Mark Y
"The Best Of Saturday Night" (syndicated 30-minute version, released through Broadway Video and Orion Pictures -- I saw this listed in an NATPE guide in Broadcasting magazine, saying it had 102 episodes, so there would have been four missing) (Actually, the above four mentioned episodes would account for that!)

Are you sure it wasn't 103? The only ones I don't ever remember seeing were Berle, Dyan Cannon and Kris Kristofferson. There were a few Halloween and Christmas-themed episodes that didn't air much beyond the holidays, but they did air.
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post #21 of 30
5/29/08 at 3:32am

Re: SNL Season 4

The Comedy Network in Canada ran ever episode from the first five seasons in full length (occasionally showing a rerun version). After that they then continued onward and ran through every season chronologically still in full length (but still sometimes showing a rerun version) until the mid nineties. Some episodes however were omitted and of those they were shown in 60 minute form.
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post #22 of 30
5/29/08 at 4:06am

Re: SNL Season 4

I have heard that Lorne Michaels wasn't happy with the Berle episode (apparently Uncle Miltie felt likewise- the stories of how he tried to upstage the SNL cast onscreen have become legendary), so it wasn't part of the syndication package. Anyone remember Miskel Spillman, the little old lady who won the "Anyone Can Host" contest? I wonder if Lorne will try that stunt again.
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post #23 of 30
5/29/08 at 5:46am

Re: SNL Season 4

We all have hindsight. Charles Rocket probably looked like another Chase at the time. Murphy was young and maybe even a little shy. He's always had that "little kid acting goofy to entertain his family" vibe like Billy Crystal has. The producer certainly considered that. Jim Carrey must have been awfully young and green at the time. I'll bet Rocket never held back a thing, for better or for worse. An in-your-face arrogant type that might have reminded one of John Belushi or something. YOu just never know.

I can't wait to see each and every season again. I hope they will give me that opportunity by not skipping any seasons. Maybe they could double up some of the lesser seasons if that's possible. Regardless, I'll be buying each one they release if they are done like the ones so far, uncut as much as possible. I haven't seen much of this stuff since it originally aired. Among other things (Monty Python, MST3K) this shaped the kind of person I am today. Very important to me personally that these get released so I can buy them.
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post #24 of 30
5/31/08 at 9:07pm

Re: SNL Season 4

Quote:
Season Six, however, was a disaster, and for curiousity's sake I'd like to see the Charlene Tilton episode when Charles Rocket (RIP) used the F-word.

This is on the recently-released "Lost and Found In the '80s" special. Censored, unfortunately.

Of course, assuming season 5 comes out, we'll have the sketch where Paul Shaffer said the f-word. By accident.

Quote:
Eric Idle (Season 4) also has been named by at least one online source as not having been syndicated...but I know for a fact WGN ran that one. (I am sure about this one.)

The Eric Idle show from the fourth season was one show that Warner Home Video released in the 80s on VHS, so not much rare about that show. It was a double-show tape paired with Idle's show from the fifth season. Which featured Bob Dylan, but the musical guests on the double-show tapes were edited out . . .

The best thing about season four will be seeing the Berle episode intact. While I've never seen any of it, I'm sure any one-hour rerun eliminated his torch song at the end, which I'm dying to see.

I'm surprised there isn't more grousing here about lack of extras on these sets. But maybe people are like me and are just happy to have season sets of a show most of us never thought we'd have season sets of. But the history of this show is so rich and the stories so numerous that the lack of at least a "Inside Look" a la Seinfeld for most shows is a real shame.
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post #25 of 30
5/31/08 at 9:33pm

Re: SNL Season 4

Considering the high costs of the music licensing, perhaps there just isn't money in the budget to produce extras and pay people to participate.
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post #26 of 30
6/1/08 at 6:23am

Re: SNL Season 4

I wouldn't mind having season 6 for one episode only...the final episode of the season, which was supposed to be the first of several produced by Dick Ebersol. It was hosted by Chevy Chase and still suffered from fairly weak writing...and Chevy was clearly ill at ease resuming his spot as host of Weekend Update.

That Weekend Update, though, featured a biting commentary by Al Franken, who insisted that "the show is going to be a ***little*** better...no English speaking person can do a worse job than Jean." He maintained, though, that it was "time to put this tired old format to bed," and urged viewers to deluge NBC with "Put SNL to Sleep" postcards.

Al Franken was to be the guest host of the following week's episode, but a writer's stike put an abrupt halt to those plans. He encouraged viewers to watch that next episode...but not to watch after that.
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post #27 of 30
6/1/08 at 6:42pm

Re: SNL Season 4

Quote:
Originally Posted by texboil
I'm surprised there isn't more grousing here about lack of extras on these sets. But maybe people are like me and are just happy to have season sets of a show most of us never thought we'd have season sets of. But the history of this show is so rich and the stories so numerous that the lack of at least a "Inside Look" a la Seinfeld for most shows is a real shame.

I kind of feel the single-disc specials (The First Five Years, Lost & Found) fill this void. Would be nice if they came with the sets, but they do give a decent overview of how the show was evolving behind the scenes.
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post #28 of 30
6/1/08 at 9:03pm

Re: SNL Season 4

I think marketed as "SNL : The Lost Season" Season 6 might just do well on DVD!
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post #29 of 30
7/21/08 at 9:36am

Re: SNL Season 4

Well, there is a rumor that season 4 will be out in December. Here's the story:

Saturday Night Live DVD news: Season 4 DVD Rumors | TVShowsOnDVD.com

If true, this will make me a VERY happy camper.
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post #30 of 30
7/22/08 at 4:01am

Re: SNL Season 4

*does sloppy cartwheel across the thread*
*crashes into side of thread spilling smilies all over the floor*

Live! From Home Theater Forum! It's...

Very happy about this news, official or no.
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