What's one way to turn things around after a rocky start to Season 5? Bring in one of the greatest SNL hosts of all time to right the ship. That's right—Buck's back! Buck Henry returns for his ninth (and penultimate) hosting appearance, and this time he brings along a little-known rock 'n' roll band on the rise: Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers.

For the first time this season, things seem to be okay. In the capable hands of one of the best hosts to ever do it, the cast and writers feel freed from any specters hanging over them and start to find their new identity. With a mix of old favorites (recurring characters, live commercial parodies, a faux disrespect for Buck) and new elements (very long sketches, actors you've never seen before leading sketches, Buck with a beard), Saturday Night Live finally gives the audience a taste of what they've been looking for all season.

As we like to do every season, we're joined once again by The Saturday Night Network's Jon Schneider. We talk toads, Loopner love, and reveal some very private personal habits while driving. Things are looking up!

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The professional athlete well is tapped once again as Hall of Fame NBA player (and coach!) Bill Russell hosts this outing of SNL. Chicago, in all their funky glory, let it all hang out as the musical guest. And yet...

The cast tries their best, but the host - who looks genuinely excited to be there - just doesn't have the range or chops to help lift this one up. We do get a couple of familiar elements (recurring characters, Garrett in drag), some pretty solid impressions (courtesy of Jane), and that new guy doing a commercial pitch. We also learn that there is only ONE ball used in basketball and are witness to the start of a new trend—a VERY long sketch after the monologue. Sadly, no Buck cameo this week. It's no surprise even Mr. Bill wanted to stay home.

To help us dig through this episode of Saturday Night Live, we're joined by noted Chicago historian Thomas Sena. Taking a break from his own podcast (the name of which escapes us), he helps tell the story of the band, defends the stiffness of the host, and joins us on one last trip to the mall.

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SNL continues to roll out the heavy hitters for Season 5, bringing two absolute legends to Studio 8H as Eric Idle returns for his fourth (and sadly final) hosting stint joined by the unequaled Bob Dylan as musical guest. If that wasn’t enough, Andy Kaufman is back on the show as well!

Can a lineup like this help Saturday Night Live get back on track? Well…Idle was very sick (true story), Dylan sings songs from his new Christian album (also true), and Kaufman wrestles a woman on live television. None of these things helped.

Despite a 100+ fever, our host soldiers through with admirable determination, giving everything he's got to salvage the show. But still, the absence of two cast members remains sorely missed (and another still looks annoyed to still be there). And yet, there are a few bright spots as the show gets meta, one of the all-time great hosts cameos again (two weeks in a row!), and there is some wonderfully silly absurdness you can only get when a member of Monty Python hosts the show.

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SNL returns with Steve Martin making history as the first host to kick off a second season premiere! Saturday Night Live holds nothing back as they kick off Season 5 with not only one of the biggest comedy stars on the planet but one of the hottest (and hippest) musical acts in Blondie.

Despite being Martin's 7th time hosting, this episode struggles to find its footing. The show is finding it difficult to establish a new identity without the presence of two of its biggest stars and those cast members still there have started to spread themselves thin with outside projects. New writers are searching to find their place and as well as compete for newly available screentime with themselves and someone who may or may not be a new cast member.

The S5 premiere may raise more questions than it answers but one thing is clear - the show is back and taking big swings. It is a pivotal moment in the show’s evolution and only time will tell how well they pay off.

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Well, we finally made it—Season 5 of Saturday Night Live is here!

Join us as we look ahead to the final season of The Early Years of SNL. The end of the original era is marked by seismic changes, both in front of the camera and behind it. Lorne Michaels faces the daunting task of replacing stars Dan Aykroyd AND John Belushi, while simultaneously breathing new life into an exhausted writing staff with fresh voices and perspectives.

Worlds removed from its scrappy beginnings just a few years earlier, SNL is now bigger than ever—yet paradoxically struggles to remain relevant and cutting-edge. Cast members are juggling movie deals, writers are plotting their exit strategies, and for the first time in the show's history, it faces competition from rival programming.

The magic and chaos that defined the beginnings of SNL has reached its crescendo and we’re here to see it fight to cross the finish line. As we bring The Early Years to its close, we'll unpack the creative tensions, behind-the-scenes drama, and cultural shifts that make Season 5 not only a vital part of the original era's story but the legacy of Saturday Night Live as a whole.

It's been quite a ride. The time has come wrap it up. Here we go...

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We're going back to Season 1 of SNL to revisit a sorely underrated outing with Anthony Perkins, of Psycho fame. But he is far more talented than many remember because in addition to his dual roles in Psycho, he was also one of the stars of a 1975 film Brad and Gary discuss and let's not forget that in the late 50's he was a teen idol!

It's really fun to go back to this episode when the show was starting to gain its footing and really come into its own. And that's just Saturday Night Live.

The podcast is also hitting its stride at this point as Brad turns over a new leaf and can't wait to share his new attitude with the world! We'll leave it to the listeners to decide if he has maintained this attitude all these years later.

Hope you enjoy the show.

Be sure to come back next week for our Season 5 Preview show!

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Don Roy King stands as one of live television's most decorated directors, with a remarkable 45-year career that earned him 11 Prime Time Emmys and 8 Director's Guild of America Awards. In 2006, he became only the fourth director in Saturday Night Live's storied legacy, launching a fifteen-year tenure that would see him helm over 300 episodes—making him the second longest-serving director in the show's history. From navigating SNL's post-9/11 comeback to keeping the show going during the COVID pandemic, and shepherding the epic landmark SNL 40th Anniversary celebration he has navigated the show through some of its most challenging, transformative, and celebrated moments.

In this revealing and open conversation, Don takes us behind the scenes of Studio 8H, sharing stories from his "baptism by fire" early days and breaking down the intricate role of directing live comedy television. He offers insider perspectives on the legendary casts, A-list hosts, and chart-topping musical guests who graced his stage, while reflecting on the seismic shifts he witnessed during his tenure—from the explosive growth of cast sizes to the evolution of musical performances and the rising prominence of pre-taped segments.

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We're back with a re-release of Part 2 of our episode covering the legendary Season 3 Saturday Night Live outing hosted by Steve Martin with musical guests The Blues Brothers.

We've got TWO special guests this time as we are joined by SNL writer Marilyn Suzanne Miller, who discusses her iconic sketch "Dancing in the Dark," and musician Lou "Blue Lou" Marini, a member of the original SNL house band (and The Blues Brothers) who played a pivotal role in the iconic "King Tut" performance.

Please enjoy Part 2 of this VINTAGE episode from The Early Years of SNL.

This episode was originally released on September 18, 2024.

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