The BEST episodes of Saturday Night Live season 3
Every episode of Saturday Night Live season 3, ranked from best to worst by thousands of votes from fans of the show. The best episodes of Saturday Night Live season 3!
Each week, a famous guest host appears in sketches and parodies alongside a roster of up-and-coming comedians. A popular musical guest, short films, and Weekend Update - a recurring satirical newscast - form the backbone of one of the most influential and culturally significant TV shows in history.
#1 - Michael Sarrazin/Keith Jarrett
Season 3 - Episode 17 - Aired 4/15/1978
Live From New York, It's...Laraine Newman Sketches include--"A Message From the President of the United States", "Angora Bouquet", "Judy Miller", "E. Buzz Miller's Exercise World", "La Dolce Gilda", "Abraham Lincoln in the Audience", "Archaeologicus"
#2 - Michael Palin/Eugene Record
Season 3 - Episode 16 - Aired 4/8/1978
Live From New York, It's...Dan Aykroyd Sketches include--"Oscar Awards", "Little Chocolate Donuts", "Tax Deductions", "H&L Brock", "Great Escape", "Nerds Piano Lesson", "The Case of the Scarlet Membrane", "Good Time At Party", "Mr. Bill Pays His Taxes", "Danger Probe"
#3 - Christopher Lee/Meat Loaf
Season 3 - Episode 15 - Aired 3/25/1978
Live From New York, It's...John Belushi Sketches include--"Kevin Scott", "Movie Trailers", "My Fair Lady", "Mr. Death", "Anwar Sadat", "Cold As Ice", "Dell Stator's Rabbit Hut", "Vampire Hunters", "Richard Belzer", "Mr. Bill Goes To The Circus""
#4 - Steve Martin/The Blues Brothers
Season 3 - Episode 18 - Aired 4/22/1978
*Nominated for an Emmy Award* Live From New York, It's...Paul Shaffer Sketches include--"Don Kirshner's Rock Concert", "Hey You!", "Wild & Crazy Guys", "Theodoric of York", "Dancing In The Dark", "Extramarital Foreplay", "Swan Lake", "Troff 'n' Brew", "Nerds Science Fair", "Next Week In Review".
#5 - Richard Dreyfuss/Jimmy Buffett
Season 3 - Episode 19 - Aired 5/13/1978
Live From New York, It's...Bill Murray Sketches include--"Paraquat", "Cone Encounters of the Third Kind", "Sex Test", "Nick 'Springs'", "Annoying Lovers' Traits", "The David Susskind Show", "Father Guido Sarducci",
#6 - Ray Charles/Franklyn Ajaye
Season 3 - Episode 5 - Aired 11/12/1977
Live From New York, It's...John Belushi Sketches include-- "Don Corleone", "A Message From the President of the United States", "Mamorex", "Howdy Doody's Widow", "Tomorrow", "The Young Caucasians", "Ray Charles Medley", "Franklyn Ajaye", "Evelyn Woodski Slow Reading Course", "Blackout Burglary", "Buck Henry Announcement".
#7 - Steve Martin/Jackson Browne
Season 3 - Episode 1 - Aired 9/24/1977
Live From New York, It's...Dan Aykroyd Sketches include--"Bert Lance National Express Card", "Kromega III", "Wild & Crazy Guys", "Mike McMack, Defense Lawyer", "Trinity 3000 Computer", "Great Moments In Rock & Roll", "Mr. U.S.A. Pageant", "Royal Deluxe II"
#8 - Buck Henry/Leon Redbone
Season 3 - Episode 6 - Aired 11/19/1977
Live From New York, It's...Anyone Can Host Contest Finalists Sketches include--"The 'Anyone Can Host' Contest Finalists", "Little Chocolate Donuts", "Samurai Psychiatrist", "Stunt Babies", "Motel Sanitation Items", "Tomorrow", "Yesterday-Today-Tomorrow", "The Rickey Rat Club", "The History of Franken & Davis", "Jackie Onassis", "'Anyone Can Host' Contest Film ", "Life After Death"
#9 - Miskel Spillman/Elvis Costello
Season 3 - Episode 8 - Aired 12/17/1977
Live From New York, It's...John Belushi Sketches include ""America's Oldest Living Doper," "Meat Wagon Toy Ambulance," "Dating the Self-Conscious & Extremely Obnoxious," "Gift of the Magi," "Starsky and Hutch," "The Al Franken and Tom Davis Show," "E. Buzz Miller's Art Classics," "College Students Home For Christmas," "Drunken Santa," "Madame Butterfly"
#10 - Robert Klein/Bonnie Raitt
Season 3 - Episode 10 - Aired 1/28/1978
Live From New York, It's...Paul Shaffer Sketches include--"Mr. Mike & Tina Turner Review", "Olympia Cafe", "The X-Police", "Nick Winters", "Nerds Album", "Frogs Look At Film ", "Giant Lobster Attack Warning", "Rhonda Weiss", "Attack Of The Giant Lobsters", "Lobsters Wreck The Studio""
#11 - Steve Martin/The Nitty Gritty Dirty Band
Season 3 - Episode 9 - Aired 1/21/1978
Live From New York, It's...Dan Aykroyd Sketches include--"State of the Union Address", "Swill", "Searching For Bigfoot", "Wild & Crazy Guys", "Body Floss", "The Coneheads On 'Family Feud'", "'Close Personal Friends' Film", "What If?"
#12 - Jill Clayburgh/Eddie Money
Season 3 - Episode 14 - Aired 3/18/1978
Live From New York, It's...Garrett Morris Sketches include--"Garrett Morris sings 'Danny Boy'", "Royal Deluxe II", "Olympia Cafe", "Sybil III", "Bad One-Man Theater", "Nutrifix", "Myopia", "Shower Mike", "The Coneheads On Earth", "Celebrity Crack-Up"
#13 - O.J. Simpson/Ashford and Simpson
Season 3 - Episode 12 - Aired 2/25/1978
Live From New York, It's...Gilda Radner Sketches include--"Gilda Answers Audience Questions", "Samurai Night Fever", "Great Moments In Sports", "The Mohawk Master", "The Raid On Nicosia", "Voodoo", "The Franken & Davis Show", "Mandingo II", "E. Buzz Miller's Animal Kingdom", "Hertz Ad", "Celebrity Battle of the Sexes"
#14 - Art Garfunkel/Stephen Bishop
Season 3 - Episode 13 - Aired 3/11/1978
Live From New York, It's...Gilda Radner Sketches include--"Modern Crimes", "Kromega III", "Tomorrow", "Miracle In Chicago", "Stage Door Guard", "Looks At Books", "Don't Look Back In Anger", "Looking For Mr. Goodbar Playset""
#15 - Buck Henry/Sun Ra
Season 3 - Episode 20 - Aired 5/20/1978
Live From New York, It's...Dan Aykroyd Sketches include-- "Nixon Kicks His Book Around", "Nerds Go To The Prom", "Samurai TV Repairman", "Sodom Chamber of Commerce", "Olympia Cafe", "Mr. Mike's Least Loved Music", "More Insects To Worry About", "Stunt Puppy", "Bad Conceptual Art", "The Franken & Davis Show".
#16 - Chevy Chase/Billy Joel
Season 3 - Episode 11 - Aired 2/18/1978
Live From New York, It's...Chevy Chase Sketches include--"A Former President Speaks to the Nation", "The Moth Masher", "Post-Sex Discussion", "King", "Customs Trainee", "Bad Day Soundtrack Film", "Sermonette", "World War II GI Quiz", "Sketch With No Ending"
#17 - Mary Kay Place/Willie Nelson
Season 3 - Episode 7 - Aired 12/10/1977
Live From New York, It's...Laraine Newman, Garrett Morris, Bill Murray, Mary Kay Place, Dan Aykroyd, Gilda Radner, John Belushi, & Jane Curtin Sketches include--"Peppiest Show Ever", "Hey, You!", "More Insects To Worry About", "Total Womanhood", "Married In A Minute!", "Bad Musical", "Hanukkah Explanation".
#18 - Charles Grodin/Paul Simon
Season 3 - Episode 4 - Aired 10/29/1977
Live From New York, It's...John Belushi Sketches include--"Grodin Misses Dress Rehearsal", "Weekend Update Ad", "The Coneheads", "Long-Winded Set-Up", "Consumer Probe", "The 'Anyone Can Host' Contest", "Samurai Dry Cleaners", "Trick-or-Treating Killer Bees", "Judy Miller"", "The Professional School of Football", "Incompetents"
#19 - Hugh Hefner/Libby Titus
Season 3 - Episode 3 - Aired 10/15/1977
Live From New York, It's...Laraine Newman Sketches include--"Playboy Bunny", "Angora Bouquet", "Planet Of The Men Vs. Planet Of The Women", "The 'Anyone Can Host' Contest", "The X-Police", "Circular Bed Sex Research", "Listening To Great Music", "Sex In Cinema", "3 R's", "The Story Of H", "Funeral Magician", "The Farbers at the Playboy Club"
#20 - Madeline Kahn/Taj Mahal
Season 3 - Episode 2 - Aired 10/8/1977
Live From New York, It's...Bill Murray Sketches include--"Lee Harry Oswald", "Swill", "Bad Opera", "The 'Anyone Can Host' Contest", "Bianca Jagger Talks with Close Personal Friends", "The Acid Generation - Where Are They Now?", "Blind African-American", "Autumn In New York", "Ultra-Personal Feminine Product", "Dubbing Hercules", "Dame Edna Everage", "Pocket Pal", "Phone Secrets""