Classic SNL Review: February 27, 1988: Judge Reinhold / 10,000 Maniacs (S13E13)

Classic SNL Review: February 27, 1988: Judge Reinhold / 10,000 Maniacs (S13E13)

Sketches include “Pumping Up With Hans & Franz”, “Wilson Trap Doors”, “Church Chat”, “Airline”, “Jorge Garcia, Nice Guy Dictator”, “The Cop & The Prostitute”, “When Great Minds Meet” and “Pirates”. 10,000 Maniacs performs “Like The Weather” and “What’s The Matter Here”.

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Classic SNL Review: February 20, 1988: Tom Hanks / Randy Travis (S13E12)

Classic SNL Review: February 20, 1988: Tom Hanks / Randy Travis (S13E12)

Sketches include “Calgary 1988”, “Giant Businessman”, “The Bean Cafe”, “The Pat Stevens Show”, “Girl Watchers”, “Computer Panic”, “Casey Kasem Sings The Beatles”, “Delivery Room”, “Stand-Ups III”, and “The Pawn Shop”. Randy Travis performs “Forever And Ever, Amen” and “What’ll You Do About Me”.

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Classic SNL Review: February 13, 1988: Justine Bateman / Terence Trent D'Arby (S13E11)

Classic SNL Review: February 13, 1988: Justine Bateman / Terence Trent D'Arby (S13E11)

Sketches include “Republican Debate 88”, “Family Ties”, “Learning To Feel”, “Derek’s Comeback”, “St. Valentine’s Day Massacre”, “What Do Your Friends Think”, and “Friday Night Videos”. Terence Trent D’Arby performs “Wishing Well” and “Under My Thumb”.

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Classic SNL Review: January 30, 1988: Carl Weathers / Robbie Robertson (S13E10)

Classic SNL Review: January 30, 1988: Carl Weathers / Robbie Robertson (S13E10)

Sketches include “BushWhacked!”, “The NFL Today”, “Democratic Debate 88”, “Mother-In-Law II”, “Not An Actress”, “Master Thespian”, and “The Garden”. Robbie Robertson performs “Testimony” and “Somewhere Down The Crazy River” with Maria McKee and the BoDeans.

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Classic SNL Review: January 23, 1988: Robin Williams / James Taylor (S13E09)

Classic SNL Review: January 23, 1988: Robin Williams / James Taylor (S13E09)

Sketches include “Pumping Up With Hans & Franz”, “Proud Dad”, “Learning To Feel”, “Robin Jr.”, “The 8th Annual ACE Awards”, “Discover” and “I Wuv You”. James Taylor performs “Never Die Young”, “Sweet Potato Pie”, and “That Lonesome Road”.

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Classic SNL Review: December 19, 1987: Paul Simon / Linda Ronstadt with The Mariachi Vargas de Tecalitlán (S13E08)

Classic SNL Review: December 19, 1987: Paul Simon / Linda Ronstadt with The Mariachi Vargas de Tecalitlán (S13E08)

Sketches include “30th Birthday Party”, “Castaways”, “Master Thespian”, “Still Sweeneys”, “Subway”, “Pumping Up With Hans & Franz”, “Succinctly Speaking”, “Season’s Greetings”, “Texas Diner”, and “Speech To The Future”. Linda Ronstadt performs “Los Laureles” and “La Cigarra” with The Mariachi Vargas de Tecalitlán, and “Under African Skies” with Paul Simon.

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Classic SNL Review: December 12, 1987: Angie Dickinson / David Gilmour, Buster Poindexter (S13E07)

Classic SNL Review: December 12, 1987: Angie Dickinson / David Gilmour, Buster Poindexter (S13E07)

Sketches include “Translator”, “Stewardess”, “Donahue”, “Wedgie Fever!”, “Christmas Party”, “Police Women”, “The Assimilated Jew’s Hanukkah” and “Drunk Man”. Buster Poindexter performs “Hot Hot Hot” with The Banshees of Blue and the Uptown Horns. David Gilmour performs “Song For My Sara” with the SNL Band.

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Classic SNL Review: December 5, 1987: Danny DeVito / Bryan Ferry (S13E06)

Classic SNL Review: December 5, 1987: Danny DeVito / Bryan Ferry (S13E06)

Sketches include “Gorbachev/Reagan”, “Handi-Off”, “At The Movies”, “Church Chat”, “Jungle Room”, “Mona Lisa”, “Ann Landers Playhouse” and “Doorman”. Bryan Ferry performs “The Right Stuff” and “Kiss And Tell” with Johnny Marr.

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Classic SNL Review: November 21, 1987: Candice Bergen / Cher (S13E05)

Classic SNL Review: November 21, 1987: Candice Bergen / Cher (S13E05)

Sketches include “A Message From The Vice-President”, “Pumping Up With Hans & Franz”, “Anne Boleyn”, “Manufacturers of Machine Part Components United To Save Our Courts”, “Ching Change”, “Mayflower Madam”, “Country Through And Through”, “Thought Bubbles”, and “Peeping Tom”. Cher performs “We All Sleep Alone” and “I Found Someone” with Paul Shaffer & The World’s Most Dangerous Band.

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Classic SNL Review: November 14, 1987: Robert Mitchum / Simply Red (S13E04)

Classic SNL Review: November 14, 1987: Robert Mitchum / Simply Red (S13E04)

Sketches include “The Rolling Paper Chase”, “Compulsion”, “Death Be Not Deadly”, “The Mountain Man”, “Sweeney’s Comeback”, “Out Of Gas”, “Andre & Rex: Macho Hairstylists”, “BeautyBath”, and “Mysterious Old Man”. Simply Red performs “The Right Thing” and “Suffer”.

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Classic SNL Review: October 31. 1987: Dabney Coleman / The Cars (S13E03)

Classic SNL Review: October 31. 1987: Dabney Coleman / The Cars (S13E03)

Sketches include “Lifestyles of the Rich, Famous and Scary”, “Fiber”, “The Winning Spirit”, “Don’t Go Down To The Basement”, “Scoutmaster”, “Marriage Counselor”, “Count Dracula, Self-Taught Auto Mechanic”, “The Pat Stevens Show”, “Mascots”, and “Stockbroker”. The Cars perform “Strap Me In” and “Double Trouble”. Special guest appearance by Elvira, Mistress of the Dark (Cassandra Peterson).

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Classic SNL Review: October 24, 1987: Sean Penn / LL Cool J, The Pull (S13E02)

Classic SNL Review: October 24, 1987: Sean Penn / LL Cool J, The Pull (S13E02)

Sketches include “Fatal Attraction II”, “Wall Street Week”, “Church Chat”, “Pitman And Bullock”, “Teeny Cafe”, “After The Date”, “Discover”, “Joey Comes Home”, and “Cat Dentist”. LL Cool J performs “Go Cut Creator Go”. The Pull performs “This & That”.

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Classic SNL Review: October 17, 1987: Steve Martin / Sting (S13E01)

Classic SNL Review: October 17, 1987: Steve Martin / Sting (S13E01)

Sketches include “White House Dinner”, “Gary Hart”, “Common Knowledge”, “The NFL Today”, “Slide Whistles”, “Bullets Aren’t Cheap”, “Free Speaking”, “Adventures In The Lost Realm”, and “Pumping Up with Hans & Franz”. Sting performs “We’ll Be Together” and “Little Wing”.

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SNL Up Close: 1987-88

SNL Up Close: 1987-88

By the summer of 1987, Saturday Night Live had survived leadership changes, cast and writer turnover, and the threat of cancellation several times over; for the first time in years, the show was in a period of stability. New performers such as Dana Carvey, Jan Hooks and Phil Hartman quickly made their mark with characters such as the Church Lady and the Sweeney Sisters, and the writing had noticeably improved, with a renewed emphasis on political satire. It would make sense that the new season would look very similar to the last.

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Classic SNL Review: May 23, 1987: Dennis Hopper / Roy Orbison (S12E20)

Classic SNL Review: May 23, 1987: Dennis Hopper / Roy Orbison (S12E20)

Sketches include “Easy Rider”, “Church Chat”, “Frank Booth’s ‘What’s That Smell?’”, “Problem Drinkers From Outer Space”, “This Week with David Brinkley”, “Cannibalism Interview”, “Last Chance”, and “Sweeney Sisters”. Roy Orbison performs “Crying”, “Oh, Pretty Woman”, and “In Dreams”.

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Classic SNL Review: May 16, 1987: Garry Shandling / Los Lobos (S12E19)

Classic SNL Review: May 16, 1987: Garry Shandling / Los Lobos (S12E19)

Sketches include “Iran-Contra Hearings”, “Returning A Sweater”, “The Puppy”, “Support Group”, “Teeny Cafe”, “Redneck Airline”, “Hollywood Mom”, and “Happy Couple”. Los Lobos performs “Is This All There Is?” and “One Time, One Night”.

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Classic SNL Review: May 9, 1987: Mark Harmon / Suzanne Vega (S12E18)

Classic SNL Review: May 9, 1987: Mark Harmon / Suzanne Vega (S12E18)

Sketches include “The New Charlie’s Angels”, “The Sexiest Man Alive 1986”, “Very Smart Theater”, “Iran-Contra Hearings”, “Einstein Express”, “Salmon Spawning”, “Dave’s Party”, “He’s The One”, “Pet Chicken Shop”, “Myowling Bible”, and “Portrait Artist”. Suzanne Vega performs “Luka” and “Marlene On The Wall”.

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Classic SNL Review: April 18, 1987: John Larroquette / Timbuk 3 (S12E17)

Classic SNL Review: April 18, 1987: John Larroquette / Timbuk 3 (S12E17)

Sketches include “Pagan Easter Special”, “Sold Out Gold”, “Mother-In-Law”, “Collecting Evidence”, “Instant Coffee”, “Heaven”, “ICM” and “Enigma”. Timbuk 3 perform “Just Another Movie” and “Hairstyles and Attitudes”. The cast also presents a tribute to retiring cameraman Al Camoin.

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Classic SNL Review: April 11, 1987: John Lithgow / Anita Baker (S12E16)

Classic SNL Review: April 11, 1987: John Lithgow / Anita Baker (S12E16)

Sketches include “U.S. Embassy”, “Laramie Vice”, “Reverend Dwight Henderson, World’s Meanest Methodist Minister”, “The Pat Stevens Show”, “Master Thespian”, “Discover”, “Cross Country” and “The Fighter”. Anita Baker performs “Sweet Love” and “Same Ole Love”

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Classic SNL Review: March 28, 1987: Charlton Heston / Wynton Marsalis (S12E15)

Classic SNL Review: March 28, 1987: Charlton Heston / Wynton Marsalis (S12E15)

Sketches include “Oral Roberts University”, “The Fruiting”, “The New Paper Chase”, “The President Has Mustard On His Chin”, “Brookfield Zoo Banquet”, “The Hustler of Money”, “The Slave Drivers” and “UNLV”. Wynton Marsalis performs “J Mood” and “Juan (E. Mustaad)”.

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