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★ 8.0

Season 14 - Best Episodes Of Saturday Night Live

Overall Rating: ★ 8.0

Season 14 - Best Episodes Of Saturday Night Live

(Overall Rating: ★ 8.0)

Episode Ratings & Analysis

Explore season 14 episodes of Saturday Night Live. Explore detailed ratings, episode summaries, and visualize how the show's quality evolved over time.

A late-night live television sketch comedy and variety show created by Lorne Michaels. The show's comedy sketches, which parody contemporary culture and politics, are performed by a large and varying cast of repertory and newer cast members. Each episode is hosted by a celebrity guest, who usually delivers an opening monologue and performs in sketches with the cast, and features performances by a musical guest.

A late-night live television sketch comedy and variety show created by Lorne Michaels. The show's comedy sketches, which parody contemporary culture and politics, are performed by a large and varying cast of repertory and newer cast members. Each episode is hosted by a celebrity guest, who usually delivers an opening monologue and performs in sketches with the cast, and features performances by a musical guest.

50 Seasons
988 Episodes
Returning Series
Comedy News
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Overall Rating

★ 8.0
S14 E20
#1
★ 7.1

Steve Martin/Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers

May 20, 1989

Sketches include ""George Bush,"" ""Pumping Up With Hans and Franz,"" ""Tammy Wynette Sings the Classics,"" ""Toonces, The Cat Who Could Drive a Car,"" ""An Ode to the Woman I Love,"" ""Sprockets,"" ""Get to Know Jon Lovitz,"" ""Tonto, Tarzan, and Frankenstein,"" ""Big Red"".

S14 E1
#2
★ 6.9

Tom Hanks/Keith Richards

Oct 8, 1988

Sketches include ""Pumping Up With Hans and Franz,"" ""ABC Presents Debate '88,"" ""Mr. Short Term Memory,"" ""Jew, Not a Jew,"" and ""The Pat Stevens Show."" ""First Citiwide Change Bank: Our business is making change"", ""Tom Hanks Bullying Kids: Never-Before-Seen Outtakes from the movie BIG"", ""Class of 1978 Ten Year Reunion: Two Sad Losers Want To Score With The Ladies"".

S14 E8
#3
★ 6.5

Kevin Kline/Bobby McFerrin

Dec 10, 1988

S14 E19
#4
★ 6.4

Wayne Gretzky/Fine Young Cannibals

May 13, 1989

Sketches include ""Carter in Panama,"" ""Fishing With the Anal-Retentive Sportsman,"" ""Wayne's World,"" ""This Week with David Brinkley,"" ""Stanley Cup Loss,"" ""Point Blank,"" and ""Waikiki Hockey"".

S14 E10
#5
★ 6.3

John Malkovich/Anita Baker

Jan 21, 1989

S14 E6
#6
★ 6.2

John Lithgow/Tracy Chapman

Nov 19, 1988

S14 E11
#7
★ 6.2

Tony Danza/John Hiatt

Jan 28, 1989

Sketches include ""Ted Bundy Lives,"" ""Come Back to Carbon Paper,"" ""War of Da Woilds,"" ""Frankie's Proposal,"" and ""What Are You Looking At?""

S14 E13
#8
★ 6.2

Leslie Nielsen/Cowboy Junkies

Feb 18, 1989

Sketches include ""The Pat Stevens Show,"" ""The 60's Movie,"" ""Subliminal Man and Friend,"" and ""Wayne's World.""

S14 E3
#9
★ 6.1

John Larroquette/Randy Newman & Mark Knopfler

Oct 22, 1988

S14 E7
#10
★ 6.1

Danny DeVito/The Bangles

Dec 3, 1988

S14 E18
#1
★ 5.6

Geena Davis/John Mellencamp

Apr 22, 1989

Sketches include ""George Bush,"" ""Bob Waltman Special,"" ""The Snow White Story,"" ""Attitudes,"" ""The Palmer Bunch,"" ""Suspended Animation,"" ""Game Show Models,"" and ""The Apocalypse"".

S14 E14
#2
★ 5.7

Glenn Close/Gipsy Kings

Feb 25, 1989

Sketches include ""Barnes & Noble Under Siege,"" ""Therapy Session,"" ""Pumping Up With Hans & Franz,"" ""The 49th Westminster Mad Dog Show,"" and ""Master Thespian."" The Gipsy Kings perform ""Bamboleo.""

S14 E2
#3
★ 5.8

Matthew Broderick/The Sugarcubes

Oct 15, 1988

S14 E5
#4
★ 5.8

Demi Moore/Johnny Clegg & Savuka

Nov 12, 1988

Sketches include ""Bush's Final Negative Campaign Ad"", ""Beauty and the Beast: The Double Date"", ""In a Camping Site at Night with Hans and Franz"", ""One Man's Demons"", and ""Neuburg's Bleu Cheese Cooler"".

S14 E9
#5
★ 5.8

Melanie Griffith/Little Feat

Dec 17, 1988

S14 E12
#6
★ 5.8

Ted Danson/Luther Vandross

Jan 28, 1989

Sketches include ""Cheers,"" ""Iranian People's Court,"" ""Plug Away,"" ""Kevin's First Love,"" and ""The Long Goodbye.""

S14 E16
#7
★ 5.8

Mel Gibson/Living Color

Apr 1, 1989

Sketches include "Raymond the Bookie", "Tales of Ribaldry", "Mel Gibson, Dream Gynecologist", "Cooking with the Anal Retentive Chef", "Josh Acid" and "Tonto, Tarzan, & Frankenstein".

S14 E4
#8
★ 6.0

Matthew Modine/Edie Brickell and the New Bohemians

Nov 5, 1988

Sketches include ""Nicknames,"" ""The Republican Party,"" ""The Liberal,"" ""Dukakis After Dark,"" and ""Church Chat."" The New Bohemians perform ""Little Miss S.""

S14 E15
#9
★ 6.0

Mary Tyler Moore/Elvis Costello

Mar 25, 1989

S14 E3
#10
★ 6.1

John Larroquette/Randy Newman & Mark Knopfler

Oct 22, 1988

S14 E1
★ 6.9

Tom Hanks/Keith Richards

Oct 8, 1988

Sketches include ""Pumping Up With Hans and Franz,"" ""ABC Presents Debate '88,"" ""Mr. Short Term Memory,"" ""Jew, Not a Jew,"" and ""The Pat Stevens Show."" ""First Citiwide Change Bank: Our business is making change"", ""Tom Hanks Bullying Kids: Never-Before-Seen Outtakes from the movie BIG"", ""Class of 1978 Ten Year Reunion: Two Sad Losers Want To Score With The Ladies"".

S14 E2
★ 5.8

Matthew Broderick/The Sugarcubes

Oct 15, 1988

S14 E3
★ 6.1

John Larroquette/Randy Newman & Mark Knopfler

Oct 22, 1988

S14 E4
★ 6.0

Matthew Modine/Edie Brickell and the New Bohemians

Nov 5, 1988

Sketches include ""Nicknames,"" ""The Republican Party,"" ""The Liberal,"" ""Dukakis After Dark,"" and ""Church Chat."" The New Bohemians perform ""Little Miss S.""

S14 E5
★ 5.8

Demi Moore/Johnny Clegg & Savuka

Nov 12, 1988

Sketches include ""Bush's Final Negative Campaign Ad"", ""Beauty and the Beast: The Double Date"", ""In a Camping Site at Night with Hans and Franz"", ""One Man's Demons"", and ""Neuburg's Bleu Cheese Cooler"".

S14 E6
★ 6.2

John Lithgow/Tracy Chapman

Nov 19, 1988

S14 E7
★ 6.1

Danny DeVito/The Bangles

Dec 3, 1988

S14 E8
★ 6.5

Kevin Kline/Bobby McFerrin

Dec 10, 1988

S14 E9
★ 5.8

Melanie Griffith/Little Feat

Dec 17, 1988

S14 E10
★ 6.3

John Malkovich/Anita Baker

Jan 21, 1989

S14 E11
★ 6.2

Tony Danza/John Hiatt

Jan 28, 1989

Sketches include ""Ted Bundy Lives,"" ""Come Back to Carbon Paper,"" ""War of Da Woilds,"" ""Frankie's Proposal,"" and ""What Are You Looking At?""

S14 E12
★ 5.8

Ted Danson/Luther Vandross

Jan 28, 1989

Sketches include ""Cheers,"" ""Iranian People's Court,"" ""Plug Away,"" ""Kevin's First Love,"" and ""The Long Goodbye.""

S14 E13
★ 6.2

Leslie Nielsen/Cowboy Junkies

Feb 18, 1989

Sketches include ""The Pat Stevens Show,"" ""The 60's Movie,"" ""Subliminal Man and Friend,"" and ""Wayne's World.""

S14 E14
★ 5.7

Glenn Close/Gipsy Kings

Feb 25, 1989

Sketches include ""Barnes & Noble Under Siege,"" ""Therapy Session,"" ""Pumping Up With Hans & Franz,"" ""The 49th Westminster Mad Dog Show,"" and ""Master Thespian."" The Gipsy Kings perform ""Bamboleo.""

S14 E15
★ 6.0

Mary Tyler Moore/Elvis Costello

Mar 25, 1989

S14 E16
★ 5.8

Mel Gibson/Living Color

Apr 1, 1989

Sketches include "Raymond the Bookie", "Tales of Ribaldry", "Mel Gibson, Dream Gynecologist", "Cooking with the Anal Retentive Chef", "Josh Acid" and "Tonto, Tarzan, & Frankenstein".

S14 E17
★ 6.1

Dolly Parton

Apr 15, 1989

Sketches include ""Rock Cleaners,"" ""Celebrity Restaurant,"" ""Planet of the Enormous Hooters,"" ""Sprockets,"" ""The Stories of Dolly Parton's Mom,"" ""Broadway Story,"" and ""Lothar of the Hill People.""

S14 E18
★ 5.6

Geena Davis/John Mellencamp

Apr 22, 1989

Sketches include ""George Bush,"" ""Bob Waltman Special,"" ""The Snow White Story,"" ""Attitudes,"" ""The Palmer Bunch,"" ""Suspended Animation,"" ""Game Show Models,"" and ""The Apocalypse"".

S14 E19
★ 6.4

Wayne Gretzky/Fine Young Cannibals

May 13, 1989

Sketches include ""Carter in Panama,"" ""Fishing With the Anal-Retentive Sportsman,"" ""Wayne's World,"" ""This Week with David Brinkley,"" ""Stanley Cup Loss,"" ""Point Blank,"" and ""Waikiki Hockey"".

S14 E20
★ 7.1

Steve Martin/Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers

May 20, 1989

Sketches include ""George Bush,"" ""Pumping Up With Hans and Franz,"" ""Tammy Wynette Sings the Classics,"" ""Toonces, The Cat Who Could Drive a Car,"" ""An Ode to the Woman I Love,"" ""Sprockets,"" ""Get to Know Jon Lovitz,"" ""Tonto, Tarzan, and Frankenstein,"" ""Big Red"".

Season Average Rating Episodes Best Episode Worst Episode Rating Range
3 ★ 7.2 20
★ 8.8 Steve Martin/The Blues Brothers
★ 6.2 Hugh Hefner/Libby Titus
4 ★ 7.1 20
★ 7.9 Steve Martin/Van Morrison
★ 6.0 Milton Berle/Ornette Coleman
17 ★ 7.1 20
★ 7.7 Linda Hamilton/Mariah Carey
★ 5.1 Hammer
39 ★ 7.1 21
★ 8.7 Jimmy Fallon with Justin Timberlake
★ 6.0 Jim Parsons with Beck
33 ★ 7.1 12
★ 7.6 Tina Fey/Carrie Underwood
★ 6.6 LeBron James/Kanye West
37 ★ 7.0 22
★ 8.3 Jimmy Fallon with Michael Bublé
★ 5.8 Charles Barkley with Kelly Clarkson
2 ★ 7.0 22
★ 7.7 Eric Idle/Joe Cocker and Stuff
★ 6.3 Karen Black/John Prine
1 ★ 7.0 24
★ 8.3 Richard Pryor with Gil Scott-Heron
★ 5.2 Louise Lasser with the Preservation Hall Jazz Band
42 ★ 6.9 21
★ 8.3 Dave Chappelle with A Tribe Called Quest
★ 5.4 Felicity Jones with Sturgill Simpson
32 ★ 6.9 20
★ 8.6 Justin Timberlake
★ 5.5 Jaime Pressly/Corinne Bailey Rae
8 ★ 6.9 20
★ 7.8 Chevy Chase/Queen
★ 6.0 Beau Bridges, Jeff Bridges/Randy Newman
38 ★ 6.9 21
★ 8.4 Justin Timberlake
★ 4.5 Justin Bieber
34 ★ 6.9 22
★ 8.2 Justin Timberlake/Ciara
★ 5.7 Michael Phelps/Lil Wayne
50 ★ 6.9 12
★ 7.8 December 21 - Martin Short
★ 6.0 November 9 - Bill Burr
45 ★ 6.9 18
★ 8.8 Eddie Murphy and Lizzo
★ 5.9 Kristen Stewart and Coldplay
36 ★ 6.9 22
★ 8.4 Justin Timberlake with Lady Gaga
★ 6.1 Robert De Niro with Diddy-Dirty Money
43 ★ 6.9 21
★ 8.1 Bill Hader and Arcade Fire
★ 5.5 Amy Schumer and Kacey Musgraves
40 ★ 6.8 21
★ 8.0 Bill Hader with Hozier
★ 5.7 Blake Shelton
20 ★ 6.8 20
★ 7.7 John Travolta/Seal
★ 5.7 George Foreman/Hole
18 ★ 6.7 20
★ 7.7 Christina Applegate/Midnight Oil
★ 5.6 Sinbad/Sade
44 ★ 6.7 21
★ 8.3 Adam Sandler and Shawn Mendes
★ 5.3 Awkwafina and Travis Scott
41 ★ 6.7 21
★ 8.1 Larry David with The 1975
★ 3.1 Donald Trump with Sia
35 ★ 6.7 22
★ 8.9 Betty White/Jay-Z
★ 4.8 January Jones / Black Eyed Peas
47 ★ 6.7 21
★ 7.5 Jason Sudeikis with Brandi Carlile
★ 5.4 Kim Kardashian West with Halsey
5 ★ 6.6 20
★ 7.7 Steve Martin/Paul and Linda McCartney
★ 5.7 Burt Reynolds/Anne Murray
49 ★ 6.6 20
★ 8.6 April 13 - Ryan Gosling
★ 5.3 October 21 - Bad Bunny
48 ★ 6.5 18
★ 8.4 February 4 - Pedro Pascal
★ 4.9 October 15 - Megan Thee Stallion
21 ★ 6.5 20
★ 8.4 Jim Carrey/Soundgarden
★ 5.5 Steve Forbes/Rage Against the Machine
46 ★ 6.5 20
★ 7.8 Anya Taylor-Joy with Lil Nas X
★ 4.7 Elon Musk with Miley Cyrus
25 ★ 6.4 20
★ 8.1 Christopher Walken/Christina Aguilera
★ 5.8 Jackie Chan/Kid Rock
12 ★ 6.4 20
★ 7.9 William Shatner/Lone Justice
★ 5.4 Bronson Pinchot/Paul Young
16 ★ 6.4 20
★ 7.9 Patrick Swayze/Mariah Carey
★ 5.4 Steven Seagal/Michael Bolton
10 ★ 6.3 17
★ 7.2 George Carlin/Frankie Goes to Hollywood
★ 5.5 Ed Begley, Jr./Billy Squier
19 ★ 6.3 20
★ 7.4 Charles Barkley/Nirvana
★ 4.9 Rosie O'Donnell/James Taylor
31 ★ 6.3 19
★ 7.5 Natalie Portman/Fall Out Boy
★ 4.9 Lance Armstrong/Sheryl Crow
7 ★ 6.2 20
★ 7.2 Johnny Cash/Elton John
★ 5.6 Bruce Dern/Luther Vandross
13 ★ 6.2 13
★ 7.1 Steve Martin/Sting
★ 5.6 Angie Dickinson/Buster Poindexter & David Gilmour
9 ★ 6.2 19
★ 7.7 Don Rickles/Billy Idol
★ 5.5 The Smothers Brothers/Big Country
15 ★ 6.2 20
★ 7.0 Tom Hanks/Aerosmith
★ 5.3 Candice Bergen/Notting Hillbillies
14 ★ 6.1 20
★ 7.1 Steve Martin/Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers
★ 5.6 Geena Davis/John Mellencamp
24 ★ 6.1 19
★ 7.3 Lucy Lawless/Elliott Smith
★ 4.5 Cuba Gooding Jr./Ricky Martin
23 ★ 6.1 20
★ 7.2 Sylvester Stallone/Jamiroquai
★ 5.0 Scott Wolf/Natalie Imbruglia
6 ★ 6.0 13
★ 7.2 Bill Murray/Delbert McClinton
★ 5.2 Malcolm McDowell/Captain Beefheart and the Magic Band
27 ★ 6.0 20
★ 7.0 Ian McKellen/Kylie Minogue
★ 4.7 Jonny Moseley/Outkast
26 ★ 5.9 20
★ 7.4 Conan O'Brien/Don Henley
★ 4.8 Calista Flockhart/Ricky Martin
22 ★ 5.9 20
★ 6.9 Kevin Spacey/Beck
★ 4.7 Pamela Lee/Rollins Band
11 ★ 5.9 18
★ 6.7 George Wendt/Philip Glass
★ 4.8 Tony Danza/Laurie Anderson
30 ★ 5.8 20
★ 7.1 Jason Bateman/Kelly Clarkson
★ 4.2 Paris Hilton/Keane
29 ★ 5.7 20
★ 7.6 Lindsay Lohan/Usher
★ 3.7 Al Sharpton/Pink
28 ★ 5.5 20
★ 6.5 Christopher Walken/Foo Fighters
★ 4.4 Ashton Kutcher/50 Cent
Cast

Michael Che

Self - Various Characters

Mikey Day

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Andrew Dismukes

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Chloe Fineman

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Heidi Gardner

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James Austin Johnson

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