Saturday Night Live — Season 7
The 1981-82 television season saw *Saturday Night Live* embark on its seventh year, airing from October 3, 1981, to May 22, 1982, across a total of twenty episodes. The season began amidst significant upheaval: after producer Jean Doumanian and much of her cast departed, the show was temporarily halted by the onset of the 1981 Writers Guild of America strike. Program developer Dick Ebersol stepped in as the new producer, ushering in a fresh era for *SNL*. The revamped lineup largely mirrored the cast he’d assembled for a pre-strike episode earlier that year – featuring Eddie Murphy and Joe Piscopo as holdovers from the previous regime, alongside Robin Duke, Tim Kazurinsky, and Tony Rosato. Sadly, Denny Dillon and Gail Matthius weren't invited back after April 1981, and Laurie Metcalf and uncredited cast member Emily Prager also didn’t return. To fill those spots, Ebersol brought in Mary Gross and Christine Ebersole, both joining the *SNL* family for the first time. Ebersol aimed to signal a clear break from the show's earlier years, notably ditching the iconic opening line "Live from New York, It’s Saturday Night!" from the cold openings – sometimes even foregoing them altogether, and often skipping monologues as well. Though these changes felt drastic at the time, they proved temporary, with Ebersol ultimately restoring those beloved traditions for the following season.
The collection features pieces such as "Our Age is Showing," "The Little Richard Simmons Show," the film "The Clams," "Nuns on the Beach," "A Few Minutes With Andy Rooney," the film "Prose and Cons," "The Khaddaffi Look," "Ruth Deals With R…
The collection features several short works, including "McDonald & Wife," "The Bizarro World," "Buckwheat Sings," "Skanky Fiancee," "Cheap Laffs," and "The Alan Alda Guide to Sensitivity." The Kinks perform "Destroyer," and Christine Eberso…
The collection features the following pieces: "To Tell the Truth Gone Awry," "Mister Robinson's Neighborhood #2," "Velvet Jones #1," and "Harry Anderson's Grappler Tricks."
The collection features "Vomiting for Luck," "Jogger Motel," "Profiles in British Courage," "Last Night I Killed My Husband" (a musical number), "Sugar Breakfast," and "Andy Warhol's TV." Fear performed "I Don't Care About You" and a med…
The collection features the following pieces: "Here's 'Cos," "Dressing Room," "Hail To The Chief," "Transeastern," "Whisper," "Cheap Laffs," "Harlequin Romances," "Reach Out," "Velvet Jones School of Technology," "Big Baser," "William Burro…
The collection features stories such as "The Phone Company," "Tales of the Unlikely," "Washed-Up Tom Snyder," "MX-5 Tampons," and "The Economics of Christmas." The Spinners perform "I'll Be Around."
The collection features pieces titled "He's No Burt Reynolds," "Paul Harvey Radio News," "Golden Age Obedience School," and "Koala Bear Embryo." Mink De Ville contributed a performance of "Maybe Tomorrow."
The collection features pieces titled "Lorne Greene," "The New Celibacy," "20/20," "The Uncle Tom Show," "Senior Spring Fling '82," "Meet the People," and "Help Out Blythe Danner." Rickie Lee Jones performed "Pirates" and "Lush Life."
The collection features pieces such as "Save Larry the Lobster," "Whiners' Anniversary," "Hill Street Blues," "Too Many Ethel Mermans," and "Career Corner." John Cougar Mellencamp performed "Hurts So Good."
Elton John delivered his rendition of the John Lennon tribute, "Empty Garden." The performance also featured segments of "Velvet Jones" and "Shadows."
The collection features "Louis DePalma's Revenge," "The Executive Test," "The Whiners on an Airplane," "Solomon and Pudge," "Enzo," and "Looks at Books." Sparks performs "Mickey Mouse." Additionally, Brian Doyle-Murray interviews the recent…
The program features selections such as "Ebony & Ivory," "I Married a Monkey," Grease, "Hitler In Heaven," and "Ballpark Organ Favorites." Instead of the customary opening monologue, ONJ will perform his rendition of the popular song "Physi…
