Saturday Night Live: Season 17
Saturday Night Live aired its seventeenth season during the 1991-1992 television season on NBC. The seventeenth season started on September 28, 1991, and ended on May 16, 1992. Twenty episodes were produced. Many changes happened before the start of the season. A. Whitney Brown and Jan Hooks both left the show, but the major blow was the departure of long time cast member Dennis Miller, who had been the anchor of We
Season 17 Lore Primer
Key plot threads, lore context, and character stakes you need to remember before diving into this season.
- Directly follows the overarching narrative developments of Saturday Night Live Season 16.
- Faction dynamics and core character alliances shift under escalating external stakes.
- Crucial mysteries introduced previously reach key turning points and narrative reckonings.
- Sets up serialized story arcs that build directly toward the climactic season finale.
Season overview
Saturday Night Live aired its seventeenth season during the 1991-1992 television season on NBC. The seventeenth season started on September 28, 1991, and ended on May 16, 1992. Twenty episodes were produced.
Many changes happened before the start of the season. A. Whitney Brown and Jan Hooks both left the show, but the major blow was the departure of long time cast member Dennis Miller, who had been the anchor of Weekend Update for six seasons. Following Miller's departure, Kevin Nealon was promoted to anchor of the skit.
New cast members included Ellen Cleghorne, Siobhan Fallon and writer Robert Smigel. Beth Cahill and Melanie Hutsell also later joined the cast. Chris Farley, Chris Rock and Julia Sweeney were upgraded to repertory status. Tim Meadows, Adam Sandler, Rob Schneider and David Spade all stayed featured players.
This was the final season for Victoria Jackson, who receive no on-screen goodbye at the end of the season. At the time, Jackson became the longest serving female cast member, with a total six seasons under her belt. She was later topped by Molly Shannon in the 26th season. This would be Beth Cahill and Siobhan Fallon's only season on the show.
Episode Guide
Season 17 Progress Shield
Michael Jordan/Public Enemy
Sep 28, 1991 · 67 min
Sketches include ""Wayne's World,"" ""Schmitt's Gay Beer,"" ""The First Black Harlem Globetrotter,"" ""Superfans,"" ""The Dark Side With Nat X,"" ""Zoraida""
Jeff Daniels/Color Me Badd
Oct 5, 1991 · 67 min
""Johnny Carson's Tonight Show: The 29th and Final Anniversary"", ""Earthies, the Bountiful Diaper Commercial (From Dell Monty)"", ""The Richmeister Vs. The Name Singing Guy"", ""
Kirstie Alley/Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers
Oct 12, 1991 · 67 min
Sketches include ""Judge Clarence Thomas,"" ""Cantore,"" ""Coffee Talk with Linda Richman,"" ""It's Pat,"" and ""Look Who Else is Talking Also.""
Christian Slater/Bonnie Raitt
Oct 26, 1991 · 67 min
Sketches include: Coldcock Malt Liquor, Dysfunctional Family Feud, The Wolf Man's Curse, Pumping Up With Hans and Franz, Nich-Aid Hair Dryers, Super Fire-Hot Chicken Wings, and Clu
Kiefer Sutherland/Skid Row
Nov 2, 1991 · 67 min
Sketches Include: Testifying for the Kennedys - The defense is picking members for the jury supporting Ted Kennedy. Campaign '92 - Democratic ""unhopefuls"" try not to become t
Linda Hamilton/Mariah Carey
Nov 16, 1991 · 67 min
Sketches include ""Weekend Update Special Report,"" ""Toonces, the Cat Who Can Drive a Car,"" ""It's Pat,"" ""Annoying Double Date,"" and ""The Chris Farley Show.""
Macaulay Culkin/Tin Machine
Nov 23, 1991 · 67 min
Sketches include ""Macaulay Culkin Gets Permission to Host,"" ""Superfans,"" ""Richmeister,"" and ""Unfrozen Caveman Lawyer.""
Hammer
Dec 7, 1991 · 67 min
Live from New York, it's ... Dana Carvey! Sketches include "Bush's Gift Ideas," "Bad Haircut Support Group," "The Daily Star," "Tales From The Barbecue," "Johnny Letter," "Deep Th
Steve Martin/James Taylor
Dec 14, 1991 · 67 min
Sketches include ""Steve Martin Decides to Try,"" ""Theatre Stories,"" ""The Dark Side with Nat X,"" and ""Tarzan, Chris Farley, & Frankenstein.""
Rob Morrow/Nirvana
Jan 11, 1992 · 67 min
Sketches include ""Oliver Stone,"" ""It's Pat,"" ""Delta Delta Delta Girls,"" ""Chris Rock's Guide to Surviving the Apollo,"" and ""Awkward Conversation.""
Chevy Chase/Robbie Robertson & Bruce Hornsby
Jan 18, 1992 · 67 min
Live from New York, it's Mike Myers and Dana Carvey! Sketches include "Wayne's World's Top Ten Reasons We're Bummed Communism Fell," "Love Toilet," "Adopt-a-Pet," "Bob Swerski's
Susan Dey/C+C Music Factory
Feb 8, 1992 · 67 min
Sketches include ""Richmeister on L.A. Law,"" ""Mike Tyson Trial,"" ""Partridge Family vs. Brady Bunch,"" ""The Sensitive Naked Man,"" and ""Janitor/Executive Irony"".
Jason Priestley/Teenage Fan Club
Feb 15, 1992 · 67 min
Sketches include ""Olympic Skating,"" ""The Life and Times of Johnny Hildo,"" ""Sprockets,"" ""The Arsenio Hall Show,"" and ""Beverly Hills 90210"".
Roseanne Arnold & Tom Arnold/Red Hot Chili Peppers
Feb 22, 1992 · 67 min
Sketches include ""Message To Bush,"" ""Coffee Talk,"" ""A Star Is Born '92,"" ""Daily Affirmation,"" ""New Triple-Delta Sister,"" ""Dick Clark's Snotty Receptionist"", ""Tall Tale
John Goodman/Garth Brooks
Mar 14, 1992 · 67 min
Sketches include "The McLaughlin Group" and "Lisa Pograsic, Very Pregnant Undercover Cop".
Mary Stuart Masterson/En Vogue
Mar 21, 1992 · 67 min
Live from New York, it's... Mike Myers and Dana Carvey! Sketches include "Wayne's World," "Jiffy Pop Airbag," "Hitting on a Women," "Sex Games," "Flippy, The Flipping Chihuahua,"
Sharon Stone/Pearl Jam
Apr 11, 1992 · 67 min
Live from New York, it's Al Franken! Sketches include "Bill Clinton and Jerry Brown," "Stand Up and Win," and "Make You Think," "Lank Thompson's I'm a Handsome Black Man," and "S
Jerry Seinfeld/Annie Lennox
Apr 18, 1992 · 67 min
Sketches include ""Ross Perot,"" ""Sabra Price is Right,"" ""The Guy Who Plays Mr. Belvedere Fan Club,"" ""Deep Thoughts by Jack Handey,"" and ""She Turned Into Her Mother""
Tom Hanks/Bruce Springsteen
May 9, 1992 · 67 min
Sketches include ""Johnny Carson's Last Episode,"" ""Action Cats,"" ""Take Off Your Shirt,"" ""Jon Lovitz's Dangerous Mother,"" ""Deep Thoughts,"" ""Frank Gannon: Politically Incor
Woody Harrelson/Vanessa Williams
May 16, 1992 · 67 min
Sketches include ""Johnny Carson's Last Episode,"" ""Action Cats,"" ""Take Off Your Shirt,"" ""Jon Lovitz's Dangerous Mother,"" ""Deep Thoughts,"" ""Frank Gannon: Politically Incor