S02E01 Lily Tomlin/James Taylor (September 18, 1976)

Explicit content warning

10/03/23 • 74 min

2 Listeners

The Not Ready for Prime Time Project: An SNL Retrospective

Saturday Night is back!! Lily Tomlin returns as host to kick off the second season with James Taylor as the musical guest. The show comes out swinging with the classic Debate '76 sketch, an appearance by Emily Litella, and an amazing sketch featuring Lily & Garrett Morris you probably don't remember (which is a sin as it is one of the season's best). We also get one of the best episode endings of all time with Lily (and band, and the cast, and the studio audience) teaching us The Antler Dance.
And, if all that wasn't enough....somehow The Muppets show up?!
To do it all justice, Brad & Gary are joined by Dennis Perrin (author, "Mr. Mike: The Life and Work of Michael O'Donoghue") who recounts what it was like watching the show live back in '76 & shares stories of Michael O'Donoghue, Chevy Chase, and Taylor Mead (!!).
Its a great way to kick off the new season!

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Season 2 Preview

Season 2 is almost here (man does time fly by). Brad & Gary discuss all that is in store for Saturday Night's second season. They reveal what hosts and musical guests they are most excited about seeing as well as what they are looking forward to from the show as it covers its first presidential election, takes the show out of Manhattan (twice!), Chevy leaving, and some key additions that will have profound effects on the show's future. And a name change. All this and more as we get a sneak peak into season 2 - which returns NEXT WEEK!

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S02E02 Norman Lear/Boz Scaggs (September 25, 1976)

It's 1976 and there's no hotter television producer than Norman Lear! So, it makes perfect sense for him to host NBC's Saturday Night. Right?
Chevy Chase is noticeably absent from the show as he was in the hospital recovering from an injury and yet his presence is still felt all over the show.
There's a great song by Gilda, Jane and Laraine, live snakes(!), and a couple of songs by Boz Scaggs.
Is the show able to pull it together and make a great episode? A good episode? Decent? Brad and Gary sort through it all to come up with an answer.