Saturday Night Live: Season 17
The seventeenth season of Saturday Night Live aired on NBC during the 1991-1992 television season, consisting of twenty produced episodes that ran from September 28, 1991, to May 16, 1992. The season was marked by significant personnel shifts within the cast. Longtime Weekend Update anchor Dennis Miller departed the program after six seasons, leading to the promotion of Kevin Nealon to the anchor position. Other nota
Season 17 Lore Primer
Key plot threads, lore context, and character stakes you need to remember before diving into this season.
- Dennis Miller served as the anchor of the Weekend Update segment for six consecutive seasons prior to his departure.
- Victoria Jackson concluded her tenure as the longest-serving female cast member in the show's history up to that point, having completed six seasons.
- The cast structure distinguishes between repertory status and featured players, with several members receiving promotions to repertory status entering this season.
- The program is a long-running late-night live television sketch comedy and variety show created by Lorne Michaels.
Season overview
The seventeenth season of Saturday Night Live aired on NBC during the 1991-1992 television season, consisting of twenty produced episodes that ran from September 28, 1991, to May 16, 1992. The season was marked by significant personnel shifts within the cast. Longtime Weekend Update anchor Dennis Miller departed the program after six seasons, leading to the promotion of Kevin Nealon to the anchor position. Other notable departures included A. Whitney Brown and Jan Hooks. The season saw the arrival of new cast members Ellen Cleghorne, Siobhan Fallon, and writer Robert Smigel, with Beth Cahill and Melanie Hutsell joining later in the season. Additionally, Chris Farley, Chris Rock, and Julia Sweeney were elevated to repertory status, while Tim Meadows, Adam Sandler, Rob Schneider, and David Spade continued as featured players. This season served as the final tenure for Victoria Jackson, who concluded her six-season run as the longest-serving female cast member at that time, though she did not receive an on-screen farewell. Beth Cahill and Siobhan Fallon also concluded their time on the show after this single season. The production continued its format as a late-night live television sketch comedy and variety show created by Lorne Michaels.
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