Saturday Night Live: Season 9
Saturday Night Live aired its ninth season during the 1983–1984 television season on NBC. The ninth season started on October 8, 1983 and ended on May 12, 1984. Before the start of the season the entire cast returned for another season. The only change was the hiring of Jim Belushi. The notable moment of season was when Eddie Murphy left the show mid-season. After 48 Hours, Murphy's star began to eclipse that of Jo
Season 9 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 8.
- 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 ninth season during the 1983–1984 television season on NBC. The ninth season started on October 8, 1983 and ended on May 12, 1984.
Before the start of the season the entire cast returned for another season. The only change was the hiring of Jim Belushi.
The notable moment of season was when Eddie Murphy left the show mid-season. After 48 Hours, Murphy's star began to eclipse that of Joe Piscopo's. From the start of season 7, Dick Ebersol made it clear that his strategy was to showcase Murphy and Piscopo as much as possible while all the other cast members would play mainly supporting roles and were treated with very little patience by the producers.
When Murphy's 48 Hours co-star Nick Nolte dropped out of hosting at the last minute, Ebersol offered Murphy the chance to host — a move that Piscopo would perceive as a major slight. Piscopo would later claim Ebersol used Murphy's success to divide the two erstwhile friends and play them against one another. Others countered that Piscopo was simply being a prima donna; said one writer, "Eddie Murphy's fame went to Joe Piscopo's head."
Episode Guide
Season 9 Progress Shield
Brandon Tartikoff/John Cougar
Oct 8, 1983 · 67 min
Sketches include ""In Brandon's Office,"" ""NBC Junket,"" ""Gumby's Rehearsal,"" ""Larry's Corner,"" and ""Whiner Show Ideas."" John Cougar Mellancamp performs ""Tumblin' Down"" a
Danny DeVito & Rhea Perlman/Eddy Grant
Oct 15, 1983 · 67 min
Sketches are ""Calvin Klein Cream Pies,"" ""Mister Robinson's Neighborhood,"" ""Crazy Edelman,"" ""Book Beat,"" ""What Would Frank Do?"" ""Amos n' Andy,"" and ""Spanish Class."" E
John Candy/Men at Work
Oct 22, 1983 · 67 min
Sketches include ""Jim and Mr. Mambo,"" ""Doc Edmund,"" ""Village of the Damned Little Rascals,"" ""Eddie Murphy in the Suburbs,"" ""Dr. Tongue's Offer,"" ""Candace's Fantasy Shack
Teri Garr/Mick Fleetwood's Zoo
Nov 12, 1983 · 67 min
Sketches include ""Cheerleader Practice,"" ""Mister Robinson's Neighborhood,"" ""History: The Real Story,"" ""School Assembly,"" and ""Caffiene Achievers."" The Zoo (featuring Lin
Father Guido Sarducci/Huey Lewis and the News
Jan 14, 1984 · 67 min
Sketches are ""National Phone-In Democratic Primary,"" ""Tasteless Choice,"" ""The Ghost of Buckwheat,"" ""Countdown '84: The Candidates,"" ""Nice Boys Don't Get Girls Pregnant,""
Michael Palin, Mary Palin/The Motels
Jan 21, 1984 · 67 min
Sketches include ""Donahue,"" ""Mr. Robinson's Neighborhood,"" and ""Powerful Living Snaps."" The Motels perform ""Suddenly Last Summer.""
Don Rickles/Billy Idol
Jan 28, 1984 · 67 min
Live From New York, it's... Joe Piscopo! Sketches include ""TV President,"" ""Kannon AE-1,"" ""I Married A Monkey,"" ""The Hamlisch Maneuver,"" ""Fascinating People And Their Frie
Robin Williams/Adam Ant
Feb 11, 1984 · 67 min
Sketches include ""Olympic Coverage,"" ""Rock & Roll ...and then some,"" ""Gandhi & The Bandit,"" ""Firing Line,"" and ""MTV News."" Adam Ant performs ""Strip.""
Jamie Lee Curtis/The Fixx
Feb 18, 1984 · 67 min
Sketches include ""Rappin' Jimmy B.,"" ""Semi-Competant Video Store Clerk,"" ""The Julia Show,"" ""Jimmy and Jamie Lee Rehearse,"" ""People Transit,"" and ""Texxon."" The Fixx per
Edwin Newman/Kool & the Gang
Feb 25, 1984 · 67 min
Sketches include ""SNL Hairdressers,"" ""Edwin Newman and James Brown,"" and ""Prose and Cons."" Kool & the Gang perform ""Celebrate.""
Billy Crystal/Al Jarreau
Mar 17, 1984 · 67 min
Sketches include ""St. Patrick's Day Party,"" ""Hung Like Me,"" ""Unexplained Questions of the Universe."" ""Family in the Attic,"" ""Bad Career Moves,"" ""Ronald Reagen and Sammy
Michael Douglas/Deniece Williams
Apr 7, 1984 · 67 min
Sketches include ""Lost Script,"" ""MTV News,"" ""Four Minutes to Live"" (film), ""TV's Foul-Ups, Bleeps, Blunders, Bloopers, Practical Jokes, And Political Debates,"" ""Sugar or P
George McGovern/Madness
Apr 14, 1984 · 67 min
Sketches include ""60 Minutes,"" ""Menage a Trois,"" ""Book Talk,"" and ""My Brother, The Loser.""
Barry Bostwick/Spinal Tap
May 5, 1984 · 67 min
Sketches are ""Simulated Cat Fight,"" ""Foldgers Crystals,"" ""Lie Detector Test,"" ""Spinal Tap Interview,"" ""Guest Performance: A. Whitney Brown,"" ""2 on the Town,"" and ""Texx
Billy Crystal, Ed Koch, Edwin Newman, Father Guido Sarducci, Betty Thomas/The Cars
May 12, 1984 · 67 min
Sketches include ""Frank & Sammy,"" ""Sarducci & Nelson,"" ""Nose Guard,"" ""Hello, Trudy!,"" ""Needleman the Dentist,"" and ""Stooges Self-Defense."" The Cars perform ""Drive.""