Saturday Night Live: Season 11

Season overview

The eleventh season of Saturday Night Live aired on NBC between November 9, 1985, and May 24, 1986, consisting of 18 produced episodes. This season marked a significant transition in the program's leadership following the departure of producer Dick Ebersol. Ebersol exited the series after the network declined his proposal to suspend live broadcasts for six months in favor of a taped format. Although NBC briefly considered canceling the show entirely, programming head Brandon Tartikoff opted to continue the series by rehiring original producer Lorne Michaels. Michaels returned to a production environment that presented unique challenges, particularly as his recent project, The New Show, had failed to resonate with critics or audiences. Furthermore, he was tasked with following the 1984-1985 season, which had achieved both critical acclaim and strong ratings. To stabilize the production, Michaels brought back original writers Al Franken and Tom Davis as producers, while appointing Jim Downey as head writer. This infusion of original creative staff was viewed by many critics and fans as a return to the show's foundational roots, setting the stage for the program's ongoing evolution during this period of transition.