The BEST episodes of Saturday Night Live season 4
Every episode of Saturday Night Live season 4, ranked from best to worst by thousands of votes from fans of the show. The best episodes of Saturday Night Live season 4!
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 - Richard Benjamin/Rickie Lee Jones
Season 4 - Episode 16 - Aired 4/7/1979
Sketches include "The Pepsi Syndrome," "The Nerds In Love," and "Scottish Restaurant." Jones performs his hit "Chuck E's In Love."
#2 - The Rolling Stones
Season 4 - Episode 1 - Aired 10/7/1978
Live from New York, it's Dan Aykroyd! Sketches include "Garrett Morris and the National Broadcasting Orchestra," "Mayor Koch Honors John Belushi," the commercial parody "Autoscent," Tomorrow, "Nerds Meet the Norge Refrigerator Repairman," "Olympia Restaurant #4," Tom Schiller's Sushi By the Pool, "Paul McCartney and John Lennon Reunion," "Danger Probe."
#3 - Margot Kidder/The Chieftains
Season 4 - Episode 15 - Aired 3/17/1979
Live from New York, it's...John Belushi! Sketches include "WGN Radio Live at Doyle's Tavern," "The Navy," "Fred Garvin: Male Prostitute," "St. Mickey's Knights of Columbus," "Superhero Party," The Franken and Davis Show, "Men's Problems," and The Mr. Bill Show. The Chieftains perform If I Had Maggie In The Woods and Morning Dew.
#4 - Elliott Gould/Peter Tosh with Mick Jagger
Season 4 - Episode 9 - Aired 12/16/1978
Sketches include "White House Lawn Special Event," "Rovco All-Flammable Christmas Tree," "The Widettes," "Mommie Dearest," "Scotch and Spirits," "Bob and Ray," "St. Mickey's Knights of Columbus," and "Honker Works the Christmas Lot".
#5 - Rick Nelson/Judy Collins
Season 4 - Episode 12 - Aired 2/17/1979
Live from New York, it's...John Belushi! Sketches include "WGN Morning Show," "The Twilight Zone," "Helium," "¿Quien Es Mas Macho?," and "Rock Against Yeast '79." Judy Collins performed "Hard Times for Lovers."
#6 - Eric Idle/Kate Bush
Season 4 - Episode 8 - Aired 12/9/1978
Sketches include "Telepsychic Ray," "Julia Child," "Madrigal," "The Woman He Loved," "What Do You?", "Candy Slice," "Consumer Probe," "Singing Dog Agent," and "Cochise at Oxford".
#7 - Carrie Fisher/The Blues Brothers
Season 4 - Episode 6 - Aired 11/18/1978
Live from New York, it's....Garrett Morris! The Blues Brothers open the show by performing Soul Man. Carrie comes out dressed as Princess Leia for her monologue, telling a joke that only the voice of Obi Won (Dan Aykroyd) likes. This leads into Beach Blanket Bimbo from Outer Space, "The Loud Family," Mercy Killers, the Blues Brothers' performance of Almost and B-Movie Boxcar Blues, "Mr. Bill's Fishing Trip," Tomorrow, "Bad Red Chinese Ballet," and the Schiller film Arrividerci Roman.
#8 - Fred Willard/Devo
Season 4 - Episode 2 - Aired 10/14/1978
Sketches include--"Honker in the Audience", "Two Guys Who Are Lawyers", "Aging Stuntman Cliff Preston", "One-Night-Stand vs. Phone Talk", "Mr. Bill Goes To N.Y.", "Bobbi Farber", "Crossroads", "Scotch Boutique", "Booji Boy"
#9 - Maureen Stapleton/Linda Ronstadt, Phoebe Snow
Season 4 - Episode 19 - Aired 5/19/1979
Live from New York, it's... Dan Aykroyd! Sketches include "Telepsychic Ray," "Nick Wings, the Airport VIP Lounge Singer," and "Idi Amin Holes Out."
#10 - Steve Martin/Van Morrison
Season 4 - Episode 4 - Aired 11/4/1978
Live from New York, it's...President Dan Aykroyd! Sketches include "A Message From the President of the United States," "Where's the Cracker, Steve?" "Elvis Presley's Coat, "What If?, "Theodoric of York, Medieval Judge," "Festrunk Brothers at a Fox Bar," "The Nerds at the Hospital, "Looks At Books", and "Annoying Waiter."
#11 - Michael Palin/The Doobie Brothers
Season 4 - Episode 10 - Aired 1/27/1979
Sketches include "State of the Union Address: Preparation I," "Palin's Socks Monologue," "Mr. Brighton Returns to the Nerds," "Miles Cowperthwaite, Part One," "What If Superman Grew Up in Germany?" and "Name the Bats." Weekend Update features "Chico Escuela's Super Bowl Recap" and "Father Guido Sarducci's Bill for The Last Brunch."
#12 - Frank Zappa
Season 4 - Episode 3 - Aired 10/21/1978
Sketches include "Fred Silverman," "Coneheads," "Domestic Prison," "Night on Freak Mountain," "Woman to Woman," "The Al Franken and Tom Davis Show," "Mr. Bill"
#13 - Walter Matthau/Garrett Morris
Season 4 - Episode 7 - Aired 12/2/1978
Sketches include--"Fred Silverman", "Super Epoxy-Dent", "The Bad News Bees", "Olympia Cafe", "Daughter's Old Room", "Nixon's Conspirator, "Woman to Woman", "Government Surplus Store", "Network Battle of the T's & A's", "Mr. Bill Is Late"
#14 - Kate Jackson/Delbert McClinton
Season 4 - Episode 13 - Aired 2/24/1979
Sketches include "Charlie's Angels," "Nerds," "Fred Silverman," "Child Psychiatrist," "Andy Kaufman," "Kate Jackson and Fred Silverman," "Bad Cabaret For Children," "Coneheads"
#15 - Milton Berle/Ornette Coleman
Season 4 - Episode 17 - Aired 4/14/1979
Sketches include "Texaco Star Theater Intro," "The Widettes," "On The Spot," and "Milton's Writers." Ornette Coleman played "Times Square."
#16 - Buck Henry/The Grateful Dead
Season 4 - Episode 5 - Aired 11/11/1978
Sketches include--"Concession Speech,", "Rovco Chinch Canch" commercial parody, "Samurai Optometrist," "Uncle Roy #1," "The Death Of Rasputin," "Nick Sands, the Lounge Singer," More Flu To Worry About, and "St. Mickey's Knights of Columbus."
#17 - Michael Palin/James Taylor
Season 4 - Episode 18 - Aired 5/12/1979
Sketches include "Mother's Day Monologue," "Miles Cowperthwaite, Part Two: I Am Nailed to the Hull," and "Black-Market Gasoline." Weekend Update includes "Margaret Thathcer Interview."
#18 - Gary Busey with Rick Danko and Paul Butterfield, Eubie Blake
Season 4 - Episode 14 - Aired 3/10/1979
Live from New York, it's...John Belushi! Sketches include: "Breaking the Ice with Belushi" "Billy Carter" "Women's Problems" "The Unsung Heroes of Rock n Roll" "The Slopjockey" "Bill Murray Talks With Mrs. Ed." Gregory Hines joins Eubie Blake in singing Low-down Blues, I'm Just Simply Full Of Jazz and I'm Just Wild About Harry. Busey and Paul Butterfield perform Stay All Night.
#19 - Cicely Tyson/Talking Heads
Season 4 - Episode 11 - Aired 2/10/1979
Sketches include "Cicely Confronts Garrett Monologue," "Nick Rails, the Train Lounge Singer," and "The Widettes."
#20 - Buck Henry/Bette Midler
Season 4 - Episode 20 - Aired 5/26/1979
Sketches include "Mr. Bill at SNL," "Disco Roller Fishing Park," "Samurai Bakery," "Uncle Roy," "Watergate Was a Joke," and "Olympia Cafe." Bette Midler performs a medley of standards.