Saturday Night Live: Season 23
The twenty-third season started September 27, 1997 and ended on May 9, 1998, with 20 episodes being produced. A few changes happened before the start of the season; Colin Quinn was promoted to repertory status and Mark McKinney left the show while Fred Wolf left in the start of the twenty-second season. This season was also notable for not having any featured players or any new cast members. This season was also the
Season 23 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 22.
- 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
The twenty-third season started September 27, 1997 and ended on May 9, 1998, with 20 episodes being produced. A few changes happened before the start of the season; Colin Quinn was promoted to repertory status and Mark McKinney left the show while Fred Wolf left in the start of the twenty-second season. This season was also notable for not having any featured players or any new cast members. This season was also the only season to have an opening sequence that didn't show any shots of New York City, being replaced by a 1950's-inspired design.
Episode Guide
Season 23 Progress Shield
Sylvester Stallone/Jamiroquai
Sep 27, 1997 · 67 min
Sketches include ""Oprah's Book Club,"" ""Rita Delvechio,"" ""Car Accident with Sylvester Stallone,"" ""Roxbury Guys,"" ""Janet Reno,"" ""Computer Store,"" ""Planet Hollywood,"" an
Matthew Perry/Oasis
Oct 4, 1997 · 67 min
Sketches include ""Spartan Cheerleaders,"" ""Celebrity Jeopardy,"" ""Sarcasm 101,"" ""The Ladies' Man,"" ""Space the Infinite Frontier with Harry Caray,"" ""Goat Boy,"" ""Friends,"
Brendan Fraser/Bjork
Oct 18, 1997 · 67 min
Sketches include ""Janet Reno,"" ""Xena: Warrior Princess,"" ""Issues,"" ""Delicious Dish,"" ""Crazy Lady Gets Prescription Filled,"" and ""Mango.""
Chris Farley/The Mighty Mighty Bosstones
Oct 25, 1997 · 67 min
Sketches include ""Farley Gets Permission to Host,"" ""Morning Latte,"" ""Mary Katherine Gallagher,"" ""Matt Foley: Motivational Speaker,"" ""Goth Talk,"" ""The Sally Show,"" ""Mon
Jon Lovitz/Jane's Addiction
Nov 8, 1997 · 67 min
Sketches include ""Rival Billionaires,"" ""Fred the Baker,"" ""Larry King's Wedding,"" ""Win a Year with Jewel,"" ""The Ladies' Man,"" ""The Late Show with David Letterman,"" and "
Claire Danes/Mariah Carey
Nov 15, 1997 · 67 min
Sketches include ""Bill and Hillary Clinton,"" ""Barry Scheck's Apartment,"" ""The View,"" ""The Culps,"" ""Peter Pan,"" ""Mr. Peepers,"" ""CEO Dreamboats Magazine,"" and ""The Lou
Rudy Giuliani/Sarah McLachlan
Nov 22, 1997 · 67 min
Sketches include ""Rudy Giuliani and Colin Quinn,"" ""Nightline with Saddam Hussein,"" ""Rita Delvechio,"" ""Mary Katherine Gallagher,"" ""The Joe Pesci Show,"" ""Friggin' Giuliani
Nathan Lane/Metallica
Dec 6, 1997 · 67 min
Sketches include ""Well Babies Tragedy,"" ""Spartan Cheerleaders,"" ""The Quiet Storm,"" ""Sister Wendy Beckett's Art Odyssey,"" ""The History of Vaudeville,"" ""Vance and Miss Mil
Helen Hunt/Hanson
Dec 19, 1997 · 67 min
Sketches include ""The Culps,"" ""Delicious Dish,"" ""The Ladies' Man,"" ""Baseball Wish,"" ""Roxbury Guys,"" ""Joan Rivers,"" ""Burt Renolds Christmas,"" ""ChristmaSoft with Bill
Samuel L. Jackson/Ben Folds Five
Jan 10, 1998 · 67 min
Live From New York, it's...Darrell Hammond Sketches include: The Clinton Movie, Lemon Glow, Publisher's Clearing House Go To The Ghetto, Quentin Tarantino's ""Pulp Fiction"" Audit
Sarah Michelle Gellar/Portishead
Jan 17, 1998 · 67 min
Sketches include ""Ted Kazinsky,"" ""The View,"" ""John Gray's Inspirational Tapes,"" ""Dysfunctional Family Argues Over Dinner,"" ""CBS World of Sports,"" ""Goth Talk,"" ""The Rob
John Goodman/Paula Cole
Feb 7, 1998 · 67 min
Sketches include ""Linda Tripp and Monica Lewinsky,"" ""Morning Latte,"" ""The Ten Commandments with Bill Clinton,"" ""CBS Olympics,"" ""Emeril Live,"" ""Judge Judy,"" ""Martha Ste
Roma Downey/Missy Elliot
Feb 14, 1998 · 67 min
Sketches include ""Nightline,"" ""The Culps,"" ""Press Conference with Catherine II,"" ""Martha Stewart Living,"" ""CBS Olympics,"" ""Riding My Donkey: Political Talk Show,"" ""Fra
Garth Brooks
Feb 28, 1998 · 67 min
Sketches include ""Larry King Live,"" ""Mary Katherine Gallagher,"" ""The Celine Dion Show,"" ""Party of Five,"" ""Re-Enactment Awards,"" ""Spartan Cheerleaders,"" ""Issues,"" and
Scott Wolf/Natalie Imbruglia
Mar 7, 1998 · 67 min
Sketches include ""Titanic,"" ""Delicious Dish,"" ""The Ladies' Man,"" ""Barbara Walters,"" ""TV Funhouse: Conspiracy Theory Rock"", ""Pretty Living,"" ""Terrence Maddox in Art Cla
Julianne Moore/Backstreet Boys
Mar 14, 1998 · 67 min
Sketches include ""Viewers Choose Clinton Coverage,"" ""Alice in Wonderland,"" ""Morning Latte,"" ""Goth Talk,"" ""Stuff We Made,"" ""Judge Judy,"" ""Job Interviews,"" and ""I Took
Steve Buscemi/Third Eye Blind
Apr 4, 1998 · 67 min
Sketches include ""Martha Stewart,"" ""Name That Dog!,"" ""The Culps,"" ""Restaurant,"" ""House of Dogs,"" ""Nightline,"" ""Pirate Ship,"" and ""The Robin Byrd Show.""
Greg Kinnear/All Saints
Apr 11, 1998 · 67 min
Sketches include ""The Ladies' Man,"" ""The View,"" ""The Zimmermans,"" ""Pretty Living,"" ""The Celine Dion Show,"" ""Prime Minister's Questions,"" ""Limousine Rides,"" and ""Comi
Matthew Broderick/Natalie Merchant
May 2, 1998 · 67 min
Sketches include ""Janet Reno,"" ""Spartan Cheerleaders,"" ""Celebrity Jeopardy,"" ""Mango,"" ""Oprah Meets Goat Boy,"" and ""To the Moon and Back.""
David Duchovny/Puff Daddy & Jimmy Page
May 9, 1998 · 67 min
Sketches include ""Janet Reno,"" ""Spartan Cheerleaders,"" ""Celebrity Jeopardy,"" ""Mango,"" ""Oprah Meets Goat Boy,"" and ""To the Moon and Back.""