Episode guide
Saturday Night Live: Season 5
20 episodes · premiered Oct 13, 1979
Saturday Night Live aired its fifth season during the 1979–1980 television season on NBC, and also the final season with the original cast. This fifth season started on October 13, 1979 and ended on May 24, 1980. SNL's fifth season was released on DVD on December 1, 2009. John Belushi and Dan Aykroyd left the show at the end of the fourth season, leaving a void in the cast that most fans thought would be the beginning of the end of the late-night sketch show. To keep the show going, Lorne Michaels upgraded many of the show's writers to cast member status: Peter Aykroyd, Jim Downey, Brian Doyle-Murray, Don Novello, Tom Schiller and Alan Zweibel. Band leader Paul Shaffer also joined the cast, becoming the first person from the SNL band to become a cast member. Harry Shearer joined the show as a featured cast member and was promoted to repertory status during the season. This would be the final season for everyone in the cast. Tom Davis and Downey would return to the show in future seasons as writers. Al Franken, Doyle-Murray, Novello, and Shearer would rejoin the cast in future seasons.
- Episode 1: Steve Martin/Blondie Oct 13, 1979 · 1h 7m Sketches include ""The Pope's Doorman,"" ""Craig's Travellers' Checks,"" ""Free Spanish Lesson,"" ""Juvenile Delinquent Vandal,"" ""Rise,"" ""Carole King,"" ""The David Susskind Show,""…
- Episode 2: Eric Idle/Bob Dylan Oct 20, 1979 · 1h 7m Sketches include ""Eric's Sick,"" ""Hotel-Motel Art Fair,"" ""Mr. Howard's Shoe Store,"" ""Prince Charles Tells You How To Pick Up Girls!,"" ""Hardcore II,"" ""Heavy Sarcasm,"" and ""Ask…
- Episode 3: Bill Russell/Chicago Nov 3, 1979 · 1h 7m Sketches include ""Kennedy in '80,"" ""Banshee,"" ""The Black Shadow,"" ""The Landers Files,"" ""Mr. Bill at Home,"" ""Nick in the Arctic,"" ""Eleanor Roosevelt,"" ""Sports Hot Line,"" and…
- Episode 4: Buck Henry/Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers Nov 10, 1979 · 1h 7m Sketches include ""Rush Home to the Bathroom,"" ""Find the Popes in the Pizza Contest drawing,"" ""Nerds #12,"" ""Harley's Bristol Cream"" and ""Banshee"" commercial parodies, and one of…
- Episode 5: Bea Arthur/The Roches Nov 17, 1979 · 1h 7m Sketches include ""Sex Change,"" ""The Backers' Audition,"" and ""First, He Cries.""
- Episode 6: Howard Hesseman/Randy Newman Dec 8, 1979 · 1h 7m Sketches include the ""Steve Marvin Radio Show"" and the debut of ""The Al Franken Decade.""
- Episode 7: Martin Sheen/David Bowie Dec 15, 1979 · 1h 7m Sketches include ""Quick Sex Change Operation,"" ""Le Shoe,"" ""Afraid of the Dark,"" ""Striking Teachers,"" ""Apocolypse Now,"" ""First Love, Part 2,"" ""Foreveready,"" ""Criminals,""…
- Episode 8: Ted Knight/Desmond Child and Rouge Dec 22, 1979 · 1h 7m Sketches include A Christmas Gift from The Shah, Nerds Nativity, and Java Junkie.
- Episode 9: Teri Garr/The B-52's Jan 26, 1980 · 1h 7m Sketches include ""Paul McCartney in Japan: Day 11,"" ""Craig's,"" ""Somewhere Near Mason City, Iowa,"" ""Debs Behind Bars,"" ""Anchovy Council of America,"" ""Bad Playhouse,"" ""Baby…
- Episode 10: Chevy Chase/Marianne Faithfull Feb 9, 1980 · 1h 7m Live from New York, it's…Chevy Chase! Sketches include ""Henry Kissinger and Gerald Ford,"" ""Pre-Chewed Charlies,"" The Bel Airabs, ""You Can't Win,"" Speaking of Fashion, ""Linden…
- Episode 11: Elliott Gould/Gary Numan Feb 16, 1980 · 1h 7m Sketches include ""Kramer vs. Godzilla,"" ""The Incredible Man,"" Andy Aaron's film ""Get Rid of That Building,"" and ""All-Time Radio.""
- Episode 12: Kirk Douglas/Sam and Dave Feb 23, 1980 · 1h 7m Sketches include ""Kirk's Greatest Kirks,"" ""What If?,"" ""Arlene Meets Kirk Douglas,"" ""Greg's Bar Mitzvah,"" ""Prime Time Saturday,"" and ""Mask of Fear""
- Episode 13: Rodney Dangerfield/J. Geils Band Mar 8, 1980 · 1h 7m Sketches include-- Dressing Room opening, Dr. Shockley's House of Sperm, Niggerands, Manhasset, The Subsitute Judge, Celebrity Corner: Bill Murray talks with Jerry Mathers and Tony Dow.
- Episode 14: Paul Simon/James Taylor Mar 15, 1980 · 1h 7m Sketches include ""Anniversary Seance,"" ""Todd's Campaign,"" ""The Biggest Leprechaun,"" ""The Flogging Musicians,"" ""Talk or Die,"" and ""The David Susskind Show."" Paul Simon and James…
- Episode 15: Richard Benjamin, Paula Prentiss/The Grateful Dead Apr 5, 1980 · 1h 7m Sketches include ""Women Empowerment"" and ""Hotel Room/Smell You.""
- Episode 16: Burt Reynolds/Anne Murray Apr 12, 1980 · 1h 7m Sketches include ""Burt's Not Angry,"" ""Vomitorium,"" ""The Burt Book,"" ""Be a Pepper,"" and ""Baba Wawa at Large."" Anne Murray performs ""Lucky Me.""
- Episode 17: Strother Martin/The Specials Apr 19, 1980 · 1h 7m The host for the episode is Strother Martin, and the musical guest is The Specials. The skits for this episode are as follows: Rosalyn Carter talks about sections of the 1980 census…
- Episode 18: Bob Newhart/The Amazing Rhythm Aces, Bruce Cockburn May 10, 1980 · 1h 7m Sketches include ""Mysteries of the Universe,"" ""The Dating Zone,"" ""Writing Home,"" and ""Mr. Bill."" The Amazing Rhythm Aces (featuring Bill Murray) perform ""Third-Rate Romance.""
- Episode 19: Steve Martin/Paul and Linda McCartney May 17, 1980 · 1h 7m Sketches include: ""Father Guido Sarducci, Live from London,"" ""Real Incredible People,"" ""Stretch Marks Record Offer,"" ""Reagan's Dinner,"" and ""The Hominids."" 3-D performed…
- Episode 20: Buck Henry/Andrew Gold May 24, 1980 · 1h 7m Live from New York, it's Harry Shearer! Sketches include "Election '80: Almost Halfway Over," "The SNL Stars of the Future" monologue, "Lord and Lady Douchebag," "Uncle Roy," and "Nick at…