The BEST Episodes of Saturday Night Live
Every episode ever - ranked by fan votes!
Last Updated: Apr 2, 2021
Network: NBC
"Saturday Night Live," NBC's Emmy Award-winning late-night comedy showcase, brings yet another year of laughs, surprises and great performances. Since its inception in 1975, "SNL" has launched the careers of many of the brightest comedy performers of their generation. As The New York Times noted on the occasion of the show's Emmy-winning 25th Anniversary special in 1999, "in defiance of both time and show business convention, 'SNL' is still the most pervasive influence on the art of comedy in contemporary culture." At the close of the century, "Saturday Night Live" placed seventh on Entertainment Weekly's list of the Top 100 Entertainers of the past fifty years.
#1 - Anthony Perkins/Betty Carter
Season 1 - Episode 16 - Aired Mar 13, 1976
Live from New York, It's...Chevy Chase Sketches include--'SNL is not ad-libbed' says Chevy Chase, A President's View on Marijuana, Dominatrix Cleaning Tips, "Norman Bates School of Hotel Management", Low-budget Movie Trailers, Sherry protest her B(ee), Policemen Dance Party, "Hello Dolly".
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#2 - Ron Nessen/Toni Basil, Patti Smith
Season 1 - Episode 17 - Aired Apr 17, 1976
Live from New York, It's...Gerald Ford Sketches include-- "The Dead String Quartet", Super Bass-O-Matic 76, An Oval Office, David Eisenhower is Anti-Nixon, Thomas Jefferson denies slavery, The New Stoner Volunteer Army, Catherine the Great, Disgusting Jam, Autumm Fizz--The Carbonated Douche, "Tomorrow With Tom Snyder".
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#3 - Raquel Welch/Phoebe Snow, John Sebastian
Season 1 - Episode 18 - Aired Apr 24, 1976
Live from New York, It's...Chevy Chase Sketches include-- "Get to the fall Chevy!", Purina Rat Chow, Joseph Franklin's 10-letter Metric Alphabet, "The Claudine Longet Ski Invitational", "One Flew Over The Hornest Nest", Chevy tries to convince Raquel to take off her shirt, Baba Wawa, Bisexual Moment, The Muppets are finished on SNL.
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#4 - Madeline Kahn/Carly Simon
Season 1 - Episode 19 - Aired May 8, 1976
Live from New York, it's Chevy Chase! Sketches are "Ronald Reagan's Jam Session," Not for Ladies Only, Wilderness Comedian, "Slumber Party," Bride of Frankenstein, "Fondue Pots for Namibia," "The Muppets Can Reunite the Beatles," New York's My Home (film), "Super Absordent Dry Hose," and "The Final Days." Carly Simon performs You're So Vain.
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#5 - Dyan Cannon/Leon Russell
Season 1 - Episode 20 - Aired May 15, 1976
Live from New York, It's...Chevy Chase Sketches include--Chevy has to do the fall again, "Hearing Test," "The Adulterer," "Vacationland Adventure", "Minister with Hiccups," "Dyan Cannon's Dream," "Orange Juice," "The Bathwater of The Stars", "Johnny Angel", "Cresk Toothpaste,"" and "The Hubcap Thief" (film). Leon Russell and Joe Cocker (Belushi) perform "Daylight".
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#6 - Buck Henry/Gordon Lightfoot
Season 1 - Episode 21 - Aired May 22, 1976
Live from New York, It's...Chevy Chase Sketches include--Emmy winner Chevy tries to get Laraine todo the fall, Samurai Tailor, "Talk Back!", "Dell Stator's Toad Ranch Resturaunt", "Looks at Books", The Crowd Audition, Peter Lemon Moodring, "Not For Ladies Only", Lorne Micheals offer to the Beatles.
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#7 - Elliott Gould/Leon Redbone
Season 1 - Episode 22 - Aired May 29, 1976
Sketches include "Wax Museum," "Phone Operator Academy," "European Poker Player," "Babs's Uvula," "The Last Voyage of the Starship Enterprise," "The Bee Honeymooners," "Shirley Temple Black," "Vibramatic," "Uncle Charlie's School," and "Show Us Your Guns." Leon Redbone performed "Shine On Harvest Moon."
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#8 - Louise Lasser/Preservation Hall Jazz Band
Season 1 - Episode 23 - Aired Jul 24, 1976
Live from New York, It's...Chevy Chase Sketches include--Belushi thinks Chevy has a big head, Louise Lasser locks herself dressing room, General "V.D" Amin, Sven and Inger, John Belushi tries to sell his clothes, Ode to Television, Louise apologizes to her dog, Jimmy Carter talks about the campagin.
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#9 - Kris Kristofferson/Rita Coolidge
Season 1 - Episode 24 - Aired Jul 31, 1976
Live from New York, It's...Chevy Chase Sketches include--Kristofferson signs "Help Me Make it Through The Night", new SNL employer Sherry, Samurai General Practitioner, the Great White Athelete, Gerald Ford dosent want to talk about local issues, "Talk Country", My Blind Date is My Gynocologist, Andrew Young is a Suckup, Police State, "Waiting For Don Pardo".
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#10 - Candice Bergen/Frank Zappa
Season 2 - Episode 10 - Aired Dec 11, 1976
Live from New York, it's... Gilda Radner! Sketches include: "Patty Hearst At Home," "Jimmy Carter Can't Keep His Promises," "Santi-Wrap," Consumer Probe, Fern and Friend in PSA for The Right to Extreme Stupidity League, FX-70 Cheese Slicer, The Killer Trees trailer, "Adopt John Belushi For Christmas," "Radioactive Fallout Report," and "Let's Kill Gary Gilmore For Christmas."
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#11 - Fran Tarkenton/Leo Sayer
Season 2 - Episode 13 - Aired Jan 29, 1977
Sketches include-- Locker Room Pep Talk, Swiss Army Gun, Amputated Football Player, Black Perspective, "Grand Stand", Rhonda Weiss, Community Appeal, Anabolic Steroids Cereal, Amy Carter and the Secret Service, The Hotel Room.
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#12 - Julian Bond/Brick/Tom Waits
Season 2 - Episode 18 - Aired Apr 9, 1977
Live From New York, It's...Gilda Radner Sketches include-- Emily Litella's New Love, Lowell Brock, Black Perspective, "Dr.X, Family Counselor", Right On Afro Lustre, Great Moments In Motown, Creeley's Soup, Bad Cinema, George Wallace, Julian and Andrew Young Talk With President Carter.
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#13 - Shelley Duvall/Joan Armatrading
Season 2 - Episode 21 - Aired May 14, 1977
Live From New York, It's...John Belushi Sketches include-- Bee Sketch Is Pre-Empted by Norton-Bobick Fight, Video Vixens, Badly Disguised Bank Robber, Viva Las Vegas II, "Baba Wawa At Large", Feuding Couple, "Bad Ballet", "Night of The Moonies", Audience Member Chevy.
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#14 - Ray Charles/Franklyn Ajaye
Season 3 - Episode 5 - Aired Nov 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".
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#15 - Buck Henry/Leon Redbone
Season 3 - Episode 6 - Aired Nov 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"
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#16 - Chevy Chase/Billy Joel
Season 3 - Episode 11 - Aired Feb 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"
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#17 - O.J. Simpson/Ashford and Simpson
Season 3 - Episode 12 - Aired Feb 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"
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#18 - Michael Palin/Eugene Record
Season 3 - Episode 16 - Aired Apr 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"
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#19 - Richard Benjamin/Rickie Lee Jones
Season 4 - Episode 16 - Aired Apr 7, 1979
Sketches include "The Pepsi Syndrome," "The Nerds In Love," and "Scottish Restaurant." Jones performs his hit "Chuck E's In Love."
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#20 - Steve Martin/Blondie
Season 5 - Episode 1 - Aired Oct 13, 1979
Sketches include "The Pope's Doorman", "Craig's Travellers' Checks", "Free Spanish Lesson", "Juvenile Delinquent Vandal", "Rise", "Carole King", "The David Susskind Show", "Bolshoi Ballet", "The All-New Mr. Bill Show", "What the Hell is That"?
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#21 - Bill Russell/Chicago
Season 5 - Episode 3 - Aired Nov 3, 1979
Sketches include ""Kennedy in '80,"" ""Banshee,"" ""The Black Shadow,"" ""The Landers Files,"" ""Mr. Bill at Home,"" ""Nick in the Arctic,"" ""Eleanor Roosevelt,"" ""Sports Hot Line,"" and ""Big n' Tall That's All."" Chicago performs their 1970 hit ""I'm a Man"" and their then-current single ""Street Player.""
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#22 - Donald Pleasence/Fear
Season 7 - Episode 4 - Aired Oct 31, 1981
Sketches include ""Vomiting for Luck,"" ""Jogger Motel,"" ""Profiles in British Courage,"" ""Last Night I Killed My Husband"" (musical number), ""Sugar Breakfast"" and ""Andy Warhol's TV."" Fear performed ""I Don't Care About You"" and medley of ""Beef Bologna,"" ""New York's Alright If You Like Saxophones,"" and ""Let's Have A War.""
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#23 - Drew Barrymore/Squeeze
Season 8 - Episode 7 - Aired Nov 20, 1982
Sketches include ""Dressing Room Opening,"" ""Gertie Kills E.T.,"" ""The Whiners,"" ""Mr. Blunt,"" ""Tim Kazurinsky Babysits Drew,"" ""My Friend Zeus,"" ""Robin Duke's Biological Clock""
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#24 - Danny DeVito & Rhea Perlman/Eddy Grant
Season 9 - Episode 2 - Aired Oct 15, 1983
Sketches are ""Calvin Klein Cream Pies,"" ""Mister Robinson's Neighborhood,"" ""Crazy Edelman,"" ""Book Beat,"" ""What Would Frank Do?"" ""Amos n' Andy,"" and ""Spanish Class."" Eddy Grant performs ""I Don't Wanna Dance,"" ""Electric Avenue,"" and ""Living on the Front Line.""
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#25 - Sigourney Weaver/Buster Poindexter
Season 12 - Episode 1 - Aired Oct 11, 1986
Live From New York, it's...Madonna Sketches Include: A Message From Madonna, ""General Dynamics,"" ""Tommy Flanagan,"" ""Quiz Masters,"" ""The Amazing Alexander,"" ""Church Chat,"" ""Bows and Smith Advertising,"" ""Alienses,"" ""Ten Weeks In Jail,"" ""Baby It's Cold Outside"" (musical number), ""Derek Stevens Auditions,"" and ""The Brecht Opera."" Buster Poindexter performed ""Smack Dab in the Middle"" and ""Fool For You.""
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