History of Saturday Night Live (1990–1995)

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History of Saturday Night Live
1975–1980
seasons 1, 2, 3, 4, 5
1980–1985
seasons 6, 7, 8, 9, 10
1985–1990
seasons 11, 12, 13, 14, 15
1990–1995
seasons 16, 17, 18, 19, 20
1995–2000
seasons 21, 22, 23, 24, 25
2000–2005
seasons 26, 27, 28, 29, 30
2005–2010
seasons 31, 32, 33, 34, 35
2010–2015
seasons 36, 37, 38, 39, 40
2015–2020
seasons 41, 42, 43, 44, 45
2020–present
seasons 46, 47, 48, 49
Weekend Update

Saturday Night Live (SNL) is an American sketch comedy series that was co-created by Dick Ebersol and Lorne Michaels, with Michaels also serving as the producer.[1] The series premiered on the American broadcast television network NBC on October 11, 1975.

The 1990–91 season marked a significant period of transition for the series, introducing major cast changes for the first time in four years. Notable additions to the cast included Chris Farley and David Spade.

Following the departure of most of the original cast, the 1994–95 season saw Lorne Michaels attempt to rejuvenate the show with a blend of existing cast members (Kevin Nealon, Mike Myers) and new talent (Janeane Garofalo, Michael McKean). However, this season, along with the 1980–81 and 1985–86 seasons is often cited as among the least successful in the show's history.[2] In response to the criticism, Michaels overhauled the cast once again for the 1995–96 season.

Transition in progress (1990–1991)[edit]

Main article: Saturday Night Live (season 16)

In what has been described as a transitional year, Jon Lovitz and Nora Dunn left the show after the previous season (the latter in a cloud of controversy). Lorne Michaels introduced a number of players who quickly became stars on the show: Chris Farley, Tim Meadows, Chris Rock, Adam Sandler, Rob Schneider, David Spade, and Julia Sweeney.

During this period, the new cast members introduced memorable characters such as Sweeney's "Pat," Sandler's "Opera Man" and "Canteen Boy," Farley's "Matt Foley," Schneider's office geek "The Copy Guy," and Rock's talk-show host "Nat X." Spade's caustic commentary piece "Hollywood Minute" also became a hit. The popularity of these new cast members helped to offset the departure of several popular long-time players over the first two seasons of this era, including Jan Hooks and "Weekend Update" anchor Dennis Miller, as well as Victoria Jackson after the following season.

Sandler, Farley, Schneider, Spade, and Rock would come to be known as the "Bad Boys of SNL" for their more outrageous, "frat boy" style of comedy.[3][4] They remained fairly close in the years after they left the show, often appearing in each other's movies.

Of the new cast members, Chris Farley often used his size and physicality in sketches.[3] In the sketch "Chippendales Audition," he played a shirtless dancer opposite the trim and muscular Dirty Dancing star Patrick Swayze as they competed in an audition for a position with the Chippendales male dance troupe. Sandler and Farley also did a song called "Lunch Lady Land" with Farley dancing while dressed up as a lunch lady. Another recurring Farley character was the manic, thrice-divorced motivational speaker Matt Foley, whose schtick consisted mainly of yelling at and whining to his clients about having to live "in a van down by the river" and hurling himself around the room demolishing everything in sight. Farley was fired from the show in 1995 but later went on to star in successful movies like Tommy Boy, Black Sheep (both with David Spade), and Beverly Hills Ninja (with Chris Rock).[3]

The already established cast members (Dana Carvey, Phil Hartman, Mike Myers, and Kevin Nealon) remained popular with audiences. Nealon succeeded Miller as the anchor of "Weekend Update." For the remainder of his tenure, Nealon often played the straight man during "Update" and other sketches, particularly against the newer cast members. His participation in that role increased after Carvey, Hartman, and Myers left the show. Myers introduced many popular new characters during this period, including Linda Richman, host of the fictional talk show "Coffee Talk."

Meanwhile, Hartman, who had impersonated President Ronald Reagan on the show, began appearing regularly with his impression of Democratic candidate and soon-to-be President Bill Clinton.[5] Carvey continued to perform his impersonation of President George H. W. Bush while also developing an impression of independent presidential candidate Ross Perot.

In the period leading up to the 1992 presidential election, Carvey and Hartman dominated the show with their impressions, creating mock debates. The Myers and Carvey characters Wayne Campbell and Garth Algar from the "Wayne's World" sketch would become household names during the early 1990s following the release of the successful feature film Wayne's World.

1991–1992 season[edit]

Main article: Saturday Night Live (season 17)

1992–1993 season[edit]

Main article: Saturday Night Live (season 18)

On October 3, at the end of her second song, a cover of Bob Marley's song "War," musical guest Sinéad O'Connor created controversy by holding up a picture of Pope John Paul II exclaiming, "Fight the real enemy," and tearing the picture to pieces. According to the book Live From New York, this was unrehearsed.[6] The act was condemned by the SNL crew, who refused to light the applause sign after O'Connor's performance; likewise, guest host Tim Robbins, who was raised Catholic,[7] did not thank O'Connor during the closing.

1993–1994 season[edit]

Main article: Saturday Night Live (season 19)

After the end of the 1993-94 season, having already lost cast member Dana Carvey, who left midway through the previous season, SNL's 1994 post-season saw more departures. Julia Sweeney left due to frustration and burnout.[8] Another departure was that of Phil Hartman, whose final moment on the show was at the end of a musical number with the entire cast singing a parody of the song "So Long, Farewell" from The Sound of Music.[9] After all the cast had left the stage, Farley, appearing as his Matt Foley character, was left sitting on the stage with Phil walking back on stage, cuddling next to Farley to sing goodbye and waving at the audience.

Producer Lorne Michaels hired Michael McKean midway through the 1993–1994 season.

1994–1995 season[edit]

Main article: Saturday Night Live (season 20)

Similar to his decision in the mid-1980s to bring in established actors Randy Quaid, Joan Cusack, and Robert Downey Jr., Michaels added Janeane Garofalo and Chris Elliott to the cast.[10]

Other acquisitions were sketch veteran Mark McKinney of the recently wrapped, Michaels-produced Canadian sketch comedy show The Kids in the Hall.[10] Garofalo left in mid-season and was replaced by Molly Shannon. Mike Myers also left in mid-season, as would Nealon after the season's end. Nealon's replacement on Weekend Update was Norm Macdonald. Longtime featured player Jay Mohr left as well and Al Franken, who had worked on the show as a writer and featured player on and off since 1975, also departed later that season. British actress Morwenna Banks joined the cast for the last four episodes of the season as a full cast member.

Much like season 6 (or, to a lesser extent, season 11), season 20 is considered one of SNL's worst-received seasons.[11][12][13] The season was home to many cast turnovers and much dissension. Longtime feature player Al Franken quit; Ellen Cleghorne, Kevin Nealon, Chris Elliott, and Michael McKean quit the show as well. Featured player Laura Kightlinger left to join Roseanne Barr's ill-fated FOX comedy series Saturday Night Special. Morwenna Banks, Chris Farley, Jay Mohr, and Adam Sandler were fired. Banks was hired as a contract player for the last four episodes of the season but did not return for Season 21.[14]

Towards the end of the 1994-95 season, SNL was in a state of turmoil,[15][12] with the show enacting the highest turnover rate going into the next season.[16] The 1994-95 season had a total of 14 cast members; only five remained for the 1995-96 season: Molly Shannon, Mark McKinney, Norm Macdonald, David Spade, and Tim Meadows.

References[edit]

  1. ^ "Saturday Night Live (SNL) | History, Cast Members, & Facts | Britannica". www.britannica.com. January 11, 2024. Retrieved January 14, 2024.
  2. ^ "Saturday Night Live (1975-) ratings". Rating Graph. Retrieved January 14, 2024.
  3. ^ a b c Siegel, Alan (September 11, 2019). "Comedy in the '90s, Part 3: The Bad Boys of 'Saturday Night Live'". The Ringer. Retrieved April 30, 2024.
  4. ^ "SNL - Bad Boys Of Saturday Night Live". Amazon. Retrieved April 30, 2024.
  5. ^ Adalian, Josef (June 2, 2017). "How Each Era of SNL Has Ridiculed American Presidents". Vulture. Retrieved April 30, 2024.
  6. ^ Shales et al. 2002, pp. 369–372.
  7. ^ Rose, Charlie (February 8, 1996). "Tim Robbins Interview". PBS. Archived from the original on February 15, 2011. Retrieved May 9, 2010.
  8. ^ Weintraub, Joanne (July 30, 1994). "Julia Sweeney leaves; has future down Pat". Milwaukee Journal. p. B8. Retrieved April 30, 2024 – via The Vindicator.
  9. ^ "So Long, Farewell". SNL Transcripts. Retrieved April 30, 2024.
  10. ^ a b Gay, Verne (September 23, 1994). "'Saturday Night Live' hoping new changes will give show new life". Newsday. p. D6. Retrieved April 30, 2024 – via The Daily Gazette.
  11. ^ Moore, Frazier (September 25, 1995). "'Saturday Night Live': It's back…and then?". The Associated Press. p. D4. Retrieved April 29, 2024 – via The Free Lance-Star.
  12. ^ a b Shales & Miller 2002, pp. 416–418.
  13. ^ Smith, Chris (June 5, 2008). "How 'Saturday Night Live' Became a Grim Joke". New York Magazine. Retrieved April 30, 2024.
  14. ^ Wright, Megh (July 29, 2014). "Saturday Night's Children: Morwenna Banks (1995)". Vulture. Retrieved April 30, 2024.
  15. ^ Hall, Jane (July 4, 1995). "NBC Looks to Restore the Shine on 'SNL'". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on August 3, 2022. Retrieved April 30, 2024.
  16. ^ Evans, Bradford (September 27, 2013). "The 8 Biggest Transitional Seasons in 'SNL' History". Vulture. Retrieved April 30, 2024.

Works cited[edit]

  • Shales, Tom; Miller, James Andrew (2002). Live from New York: An Uncensored History of Saturday Night Live. Little, Brown. ISBN 978-0316781466.
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