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★ 8.0

Season 8 - Best Episodes Of Saturday Night Live

Overall Rating: ★ 8.0

Season 8 - Best Episodes Of Saturday Night Live

(Overall Rating: ★ 8.0)

Episode Ratings & Analysis

Explore season 8 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
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Overall Rating

★ 8.0
S8 E1
#1
★ 7.8

Chevy Chase/Queen

Sep 25, 1982

Sketches are ""Chevy Live from Burbank,"" ""Tyrone Green Art Gallery,"" ""Joe Piscopo In Love,"" ""John Hinckley for President,"" ""Mystery Theatre,"" ""Popeil Galactic Prophylactic,"" ""Late Night with David Letterman,"" and ""PTC Club."" Queen performs ""Crazy Little Thing Called Love"" and ""Under Pressure.""

S8 E9
#2
★ 7.7

Eddie Murphy/Lionel Richie

Dec 11, 1982

Sketches include ""A Message From Eddie,"" ""Merry Christmas, Dammit!,"" and ""April May June's Holiday Message.""

S8 E3
#3
★ 7.6

Ron Howard/The Clash

Oct 9, 1982

Sketches include "Opie's Back", "Whiners Want a Baby" and "Focus On Film". The Clash performs "Rock The Casbah".

S8 E17
#4
★ 7.6

Joan Rivers/Musical Youth

Apr 9, 1983

S8 E19
#5
★ 7.5

Stevie Wonder

Apr 16, 1983

Sketches include ""VD,"" ""Kannon AE-1,"" ""Stevie Wonder Impersonator,"" ""Hitler: The Secret Diaries,"" ""The Story of Stevie Wonder,"" ""Stevie at Dion's Salon,"" ""Cotton Land,"" and ""The Hunchback Busboy."" Wonder performs the songs ""Fingertips,"" ""Overjoyed,"" and ""Go Home.""

S8 E2
#6
★ 7.0

Louis Gossett Jr./George Thorogood and the Destroyers

Oct 2, 1982

Sketches include Mister Robinson's Neighborhood #4.

S8 E4
#7
★ 7.0

Howard Hesseman/Men at Work

Oct 23, 1982

S8 E7
#8
★ 7.0

Drew Barrymore/Squeeze

Nov 20, 1982

Sketches include ""Dressing Room Opening,"" ""Gertie Kills E.T.,"" ""The Whiners,"" ""Mr. Blunt,"" ""Tim Kazurinsky Babysits Drew,"" ""My Friend Zeus,"" ""Robin Duke's Biological Clock""

S8 E11
#9
★ 7.0

Rick Moranis, Dave Thomas/The Bus Boys

Jan 29, 1983

S8 E16
#10
★ 7.0

Robert Guillaume/Duran Duran

Mar 19, 1983

Tim Kazurinsky was attacked by the monkey during the dress rehearsal of ""I Married A Monkey."" Tim was able to escape, but the monkey (actually a male) ripped off the dress he was wearing and began pleasuring himself.

S8 E14
#1
★ 6.0

Beau Bridges, Jeff Bridges/Randy Newman

Feb 26, 1983

S8 E6
#2
★ 6.1

Robert Blake/Kenny Loggins

Nov 13, 1982

Sketches include ""The Merv Griffin Show,"" ""Shuttle Mission,"" ""PBS Promo,"" ""Talent Show,"" ""Little House on the Prairie,"" ""Masterful Theatre,"" ""Eddie Murphy,"" ""No More Andy Kaufman,"" ""DTV""

S8 E10
#3
★ 6.2

Lily Tomlin

Jan 22, 1983

Sketches include ""Lily Confronts Eddie,"" ""Geraldine,"" ""Irish-American Radio Hour,"" and ""Coffees of the World.""

S8 E12
#4
★ 6.3

Sid Caesar/Joe Cocker and Jennifer Warnes

Feb 5, 1983

S8 E5
#5
★ 6.5

Michael Keaton/The New Joe Jackson Band

Oct 30, 1982

S8 E15
#6
★ 6.6

Bruce Dern/Leon Redbone

Mar 12, 1983

S8 E8
#7
★ 6.7

The Smothers Brothers/Laura Branigan

Dec 4, 1982

S8 E18
#8
★ 6.7

Susan Saint James/Michael McDonald

Apr 16, 1983

S8 E13
#9
★ 6.9

Howard Hesseman/Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers

Feb 19, 1983

Sketches are ""Howard Works on his Monologue,"" ""Sleepy Boy 2000,"" ""Elvis Presley, Back and Black,"" ""The A-Team,"" and ""Dion and Margie's Dreams."" Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers perform ""Change of Heart"" and ""The Waiting.""

S8 E2
#10
★ 7.0

Louis Gossett Jr./George Thorogood and the Destroyers

Oct 2, 1982

Sketches include Mister Robinson's Neighborhood #4.

S8 E1
★ 7.8

Chevy Chase/Queen

Sep 25, 1982

Sketches are ""Chevy Live from Burbank,"" ""Tyrone Green Art Gallery,"" ""Joe Piscopo In Love,"" ""John Hinckley for President,"" ""Mystery Theatre,"" ""Popeil Galactic Prophylactic,"" ""Late Night with David Letterman,"" and ""PTC Club."" Queen performs ""Crazy Little Thing Called Love"" and ""Under Pressure.""

S8 E2
★ 7.0

Louis Gossett Jr./George Thorogood and the Destroyers

Oct 2, 1982

Sketches include Mister Robinson's Neighborhood #4.

S8 E3
★ 7.6

Ron Howard/The Clash

Oct 9, 1982

Sketches include "Opie's Back", "Whiners Want a Baby" and "Focus On Film". The Clash performs "Rock The Casbah".

S8 E4
★ 7.0

Howard Hesseman/Men at Work

Oct 23, 1982

S8 E5
★ 6.5

Michael Keaton/The New Joe Jackson Band

Oct 30, 1982

S8 E6
★ 6.1

Robert Blake/Kenny Loggins

Nov 13, 1982

Sketches include ""The Merv Griffin Show,"" ""Shuttle Mission,"" ""PBS Promo,"" ""Talent Show,"" ""Little House on the Prairie,"" ""Masterful Theatre,"" ""Eddie Murphy,"" ""No More Andy Kaufman,"" ""DTV""

S8 E7
★ 7.0

Drew Barrymore/Squeeze

Nov 20, 1982

Sketches include ""Dressing Room Opening,"" ""Gertie Kills E.T.,"" ""The Whiners,"" ""Mr. Blunt,"" ""Tim Kazurinsky Babysits Drew,"" ""My Friend Zeus,"" ""Robin Duke's Biological Clock""

S8 E8
★ 6.7

The Smothers Brothers/Laura Branigan

Dec 4, 1982

S8 E9
★ 7.7

Eddie Murphy/Lionel Richie

Dec 11, 1982

Sketches include ""A Message From Eddie,"" ""Merry Christmas, Dammit!,"" and ""April May June's Holiday Message.""

S8 E10
★ 6.2

Lily Tomlin

Jan 22, 1983

Sketches include ""Lily Confronts Eddie,"" ""Geraldine,"" ""Irish-American Radio Hour,"" and ""Coffees of the World.""

S8 E11
★ 7.0

Rick Moranis, Dave Thomas/The Bus Boys

Jan 29, 1983

S8 E12
★ 6.3

Sid Caesar/Joe Cocker and Jennifer Warnes

Feb 5, 1983

S8 E13
★ 6.9

Howard Hesseman/Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers

Feb 19, 1983

Sketches are ""Howard Works on his Monologue,"" ""Sleepy Boy 2000,"" ""Elvis Presley, Back and Black,"" ""The A-Team,"" and ""Dion and Margie's Dreams."" Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers perform ""Change of Heart"" and ""The Waiting.""

S8 E14
★ 6.0

Beau Bridges, Jeff Bridges/Randy Newman

Feb 26, 1983

S8 E15
★ 6.6

Bruce Dern/Leon Redbone

Mar 12, 1983

S8 E16
★ 7.0

Robert Guillaume/Duran Duran

Mar 19, 1983

Tim Kazurinsky was attacked by the monkey during the dress rehearsal of ""I Married A Monkey."" Tim was able to escape, but the monkey (actually a male) ripped off the dress he was wearing and began pleasuring himself.

S8 E17
★ 7.6

Joan Rivers/Musical Youth

Apr 9, 1983

S8 E18
★ 6.7

Susan Saint James/Michael McDonald

Apr 16, 1983

S8 E19
★ 7.5

Stevie Wonder

Apr 16, 1983

Sketches include ""VD,"" ""Kannon AE-1,"" ""Stevie Wonder Impersonator,"" ""Hitler: The Secret Diaries,"" ""The Story of Stevie Wonder,"" ""Stevie at Dion's Salon,"" ""Cotton Land,"" and ""The Hunchback Busboy."" Wonder performs the songs ""Fingertips,"" ""Overjoyed,"" and ""Go Home.""

S8 E20
★ 7.0

Ed Koch/Dexys Midnight Runners

May 14, 1983

Sketches include ""What's the most disgusting thing you've seen in New York?"" ""Mr. Robinson's Neighborhood,"" ""Crowded Ledge,"" ""The Enquirer,"" ""Late Night with David Letterman,"" and ""Woman's Auxillery Meeting."" Dexy's Midnight Runners perform ""Come On, Eileen,"" while Kevin Rowland performs ""The Celtic Soul Brothers.""

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

Self - Various Characters

Andrew Dismukes

Self - Various Characters

Chloe Fineman

Self - Various Characters

Heidi Gardner

Self - Various Characters

James Austin Johnson

Self - Various Characters