The WORST episodes of Saturday Night Live
Every episode ever - ranked by fan votes!
"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 - Roy Scheider/Billy Ocean
Season 10 - Episode 11 - Aired 1/19/1985
Sketches include "Reagan's Inaguration," "Ricky & Phil," "Super Bowl XIX Tickets Sale," a performance by Steven Wright, "Foldgers Crystals," "In Praise of Women," "Penny Lane," "Good Cop, Bad Cop," and "Mental Hospital." Billy Ocean performs "Carribean Queen" and "Loverboy."
#2 - Pamela Sue Martin/Power Station
Season 10 - Episode 14 - Aired 2/16/1985
Sketches include "Strategic Airborne Contraceptive" (rerun 11/10/84), "The Joe Franklin Show," "White Rappers," "Fernando at Radio City Music Hall," standup by Rich Hall, "Jim's Promise," "First Draft Theatre," "Linda & Joan: The Catfight Album," "Tom, Dick & Horny", and "Bullet Cartoon." The Power Station performed "Some Like It Hot" and "Bang a Gong (Get It On)."
#3 - Christopher Reeve/Santana
Season 10 - Episode 16 - Aired 4/6/1985
Sketches include ""A.D.13,"" ""Superman Auditions,"" ""Jackie Rogers Junior's $100,000 Jackpot Wad,"" ""Escaping the Germans,"" and ""Aging Superman.""
#4 - Howard Cosell/Greg Kihn
Season 10 - Episode 17 - Aired 4/13/1985
Sketches include ""Willie and Frankie In The Crew,"" ""Ed Grimley In The Hospital,"" ""Run and Throw Like a Girl Olympics,"" ""Sports Beat,"" and ""Good Sex."" Greg Kihn performs ""Lucky.""
#5 - Tom Hanks/Sade
Season 11 - Episode 5 - Aired 12/14/1985
Sketches include ""Entertainment Tonight,"" ""Trojans,"" ""Tommy and His Mother,"" ""Comedians,"" and ""Steve's Fantasy.""
#6 - Dudley Moore/Al Green
Season 11 - Episode 8 - Aired 1/25/1986
Sketches include ""Monks and Football,"" ""The Pat Stevens Show,"" ""Master Thespian"", ""The Limits of the Imagination"", ""Name That Tune,"" and ""Die Foriegner Die!"" Al Green performs ""Going Away.""
#7 - Ron Reagan/The Nelsons
Season 11 - Episode 9 - Aired 2/8/1986
Live From New York, it's...Ronald Reagon, Jr. Sketches include: White House Risky Business, You're Going To Hell: A Message From The Almighty (repeat from the Madonna/Simple Minds episode), The Pat Stevens Show, Dalkon Shield Trout Lure, Back To The Future, Penn And Teller Guest Performance, Limits of the Imagination, Shakespeare In The Slums With Flotilda Williams, and The Woody Allen Fan The Nelsons performs: Walk Away and Do You Know What I Mean
#8 - Tony Danza/Laurie Anderson
Season 11 - Episode 15 - Aired 4/19/1986
Live from New York, it's... Randy Quaid, Robert Downey Jr., and Anthony Michael Hall! Sketches include "Vietnam Horror Story," "Nancy Reagan's Workout," "Lyndon LaRouche Theatre," "The 30-Second Count," a guest performance by Penn & Teller, "Big Time Professional Golf," "My Unconditional Love," "Master Thespian," and "The Further Adventures Of Biff And Salena." Laurie Anderson performed "Baby Doll" and "Day The Devil."
#9 - Catherine Oxenberg & Paul Simon/Ladysmith Black Mambazo
Season 11 - Episode 16 - Aired 5/10/1986
Live from New York, it's... Paul Simon! Sketches include "Geraldo Rivera Opens The Tomb Of The Unknown Soldier," "Wall Shackles Prison," "The Late Show with Joan Rivers," "The Limits Of The Imagination," "Dirk Landers, CIA Operative," a guest performance by Penn & Teller, "Producer Tommy Flanagan," "Brim Decaffeinated," "A Mother's Day Message," and "Trojans." Paul Simon performed "You Can Call Me Al," "Homeless" with Ladysmith Black Mambazo, and "Graceland."
#10 - Jimmy Breslin & Marvin Hagler/Level 42, E.G. Daily
Season 11 - Episode 17 - Aired 5/17/1986
Sketches are ""Mike 'The Menace' Hall,"" ""Kill Kaddafi?"" ""Tornadoville,"" ""Marvin's Knockout Tips,"" ""Lone Wolf McCord,"" ""The Pat Stevens,"" ""Cabrini Green's Assembly,"" ""Jody Hagler,"" ""Midday with Jennifer Hicks: Bond's Supervillains"", ""Weekend Update with Dennis Miller"", ""Sam Kinison's standup act"". Level 42 performs ""Something About You"" and EG Daily performs ""Say It, Say It"" with Jon Lovitz.
#11 - Anjelica Huston & Billy Martin/George Clinton & Parliament-Funkadelic
Season 11 - Episode 18 - Aired 5/24/1986
Live from New York, it's...Randy Quaid Sketches include: Hands Across America, Moments of Doubt, Glamorous Drinking, National Council of Liquor and Spirits, Actors on Film, Hallmark Cards, Lesbian Pick-Ups, Bocce Ball My Way, Tempting Billy, The People's Second Choice Award, Book Minute, LaBelles At The Movies, My Friend, and Backstage SNL: Lorne Kills The Cast (except for Jon Lovitz, Nora Dunn, and Dennis Miller) George Clinton and Parliament Funkadelic perform: ""Let's Take It To The Stage"" and ""Do Fries Go With That Shake""
#12 - Malcolm-Jamal Warner/Run DMC
Season 12 - Episode 2 - Aired 10/18/1986
Sketches include "Bartles & Jaymes," "Xynex," "Donahue," "The Crosby Show," "Instant Coffee," "Parent-Teen Drunk Driving Contract," Sam Kinison performs stand-up, "Chalk Factory," and "Johnny's Finished." Run DMC performs "Walk This Way" and "Hit It, Run"; Buster Poindexter performs "Hit The Road Jack."
#13 - Sam Kinison/Lou Reed
Season 12 - Episode 4 - Aired 11/15/1986
Sketches include: Church Lady protest Sam Kinison hosting SNL, Obnoxious School Teacher, Superman--Krypton dosent explode, ""Love Connection"", Chick Hazard, ""Adobe Car Commercial: Made out of clay"", ""New York, 1943 (B/W)"", ""Ching Chang's Pet Chicken Shop"", ""Lord Sketch-Me-or-You-Die"".
#14 - Chevy Chase, Steve Martin, & Martin Short/Randy Newman
Season 12 - Episode 6 - Aired 12/6/1986
Sketches include ""Stumblebums,"" ""I'm Me! (And You're Not...)"" (musical number), ""Ronald Reagan,"" ""Under the Couch Cushion,"" ""The Eggshell Family,"" ""The Pat Stevens Show,"" ""Halsey & Roarke British Customs,"" ""Ed Meets the Devil,"" ""Church Lady,"" ""Steve Martin's Holiday Wishes,"" and ""The Amazing Alexander, The World's Greatest Hypnotist"". Randy Newman performed ""Longest Night"" and ""Roll With The Punches.""
#15 - Steve Guttenberg/The Pretenders & Buster Poindexter
Season 12 - Episode 7 - Aired 12/13/1986
Live from New York, it's... Jon Lovitz! Sketches include "Iranian National Assembly," "McSooshi," "Derek Stevens' Marketing Expert," "Seducing a Blind Man," "Sideshow Of The Stars," "Movie Talk," a performance by Penn & Teller, "The Back Page," "Ditzy Actress," "Bob Roberts" (film), and "Al-Anon." The Pretenders perform and "How Much Did You Pay For Your Soul?" and "Don't Get Me Wrong." Buster Poindexter performs "Rockin' Good Soul."
#16 - Joe Montana/Debbie Harry
Season 12 - Episode 9 - Aired 1/24/1987
Sketches include: ""NFL Video Countdown,"" ""Leslie and Stu,"" ""Pathological Liar,"" ""Church Chat,"" ""The NFL Today,"" ""Michael Jackson Workout,"" ""Chick Hazard: Private Investigator,"" ""Adobe Car Commercial: It's Made out of Clay"", ""A man and his dumb kidnapper"", ""Weekend Update with Dennis Miller"", ""Super Bowl Gambling Memories"", ""The Most Honest Guy in the World"".
#17 - Paul Shaffer/Bruce Hornsby & the Range
Season 12 - Episode 10 - Aired 1/31/1987
Sketches include ""Paul's Dressing Room,"" ""What's My Addiction?"" ""The Grenada Experience,"" ""The Pat Stevens Show,"" and ""Sweeney Sisters' Far East Medley."" The Range perform ""That's Just the Way It Is,"" and Paul Shaffer sings ""It Was a Very Good Year.""
#18 - Valerie Bertinelli/Eddie Van Halen, Robert Cray
Season 12 - Episode 13 - Aired 2/28/1987
Live from New York, it's... Phil Hartman! Sketches include "Reagan-Regan Affair," "McSooshi," "Hard News Cafe," "Discover," "Dinner At The Van Halen's," "Ching Chang In Love," "Washington Center Professionals," "Let's Go To The Movies," "On Broadway," and "Opera Singer Doctor." Eddie Van Halen performed "Stompin' 8H." Robert Cray Band performed "Smoking Gun" and "Right Next Door."
#19 - Charlton Heston/Wynton Marsalis
Season 12 - Episode 15 - Aired 3/28/1987
Live from New York, it's... Charlton Heston! Sketches include "God's Money," "The New Paper Chase," "Church Chat," "Sweeney Sisters," "Slave Drivers," and "A Message About UNLV." Wynton Marsalis performs "J Mood" and "One Mustaad."
#20 - John Lithgow/Anita Baker
Season 12 - Episode 16 - Aired 4/11/1987
Live from New York, it's... John Lithgow! Sketches include "Embassy Spies," "Laramie Vice," "The Pat Stevens Show," "World's Meanest Methodist Minister," "Master Thespian," "Discover," "Cab Ride," and "The Fighter." Anita Baker performs "Sweet Love" and "Same Ole Love."
#21 - John Larroquette/Timbuk 3
Season 12 - Episode 17 - Aired 4/18/1987
Live from New York, it's... Dana Carvey! Sketches include "Pagan Easter Special," "Sold-Out Gold," "Collecting Evidence," "Heaven Has The Answers," "Instant Coffee," "ICM Meeting," and "Grab Bag Store." Timbuk 3 performs "Just Another Movie" and "Hairstyles & Attitudes."
#22 - Mark Harmon/Suzanne Vega
Season 12 - Episode 18 - Aired 5/9/1987
""The New Charlie's Angels"", ""People Magazine's Sexiest Man Alive 1986"", ""Grown-up Babies in Modern America"", ""Very Smart Theater presents Attila the Hun: The Early Years"", ""The Myowling Bible Commercial"", ""Einstein Express Commercial: When it has to be there the day before yerterday"", ""A Salmon's Reproductive Tale"", ""Ad Council: Wasting your time in various ways for no good reason"".
#23 - John Larroquette/Randy Newman & Mark Knopfler
Season 14 - Episode 3 - Aired 10/22/1988
Sketches include: Alien Dukakis, Carbon Paper, Dan Quayle: President, Portrait Of The Artist, The Crests And Troughs Of Vernon Hawley Jr., Bush, Pete's Fountain, Musical Performance "It's Money That Matters", Weekend Update, Sex Life, Musical Performance "Dixie Flyer", This Old House, Gay Communist Gun Club
#24 - Matthew Modine/Edie Brickell and the New Bohemians
Season 14 - Episode 4 - Aired 11/5/1988
Sketches include "Nicknames", "The Republican Party", "The Liberal", "Dukakis After Dark" and "Church Chat". The New Bohemians perform "Little Miss S".
#25 - Demi Moore/Johnny Clegg & Savuka
Season 14 - Episode 5 - Aired 11/12/1988
Sketches include "Bush's Final Negative Campaign Ad", "Beauty and the Beast: The Double Date", "In a Camping Site at Night with Hans and Franz", "One Man's Demons" and "Neuburg's Bleu Cheese Cooler".