Saturday Night Live (season 5)

Saturday Night Live (season 5)
Show	Saturday Night Live
Bgcolour	#000000
Country	United States
Num episodes	20
Network	NBC
First aired	October 13, 1979
Last aired	May 24, 1980

Saturday Night Live (season 5)

The fifth season of Saturday Night Live aired on NBC from October 1979 to May 1980 and continued the series' mix of topical sketch comedy and musical performances. The season featured a cast shakeup, high-profile hosts and musical guests, and sketches that intersected with the careers of performers on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson, SNL, National Lampoon, and the broader American late-night television landscape. It occurred against the backdrop of cultural moments such as the presidency of Jimmy Carter, the 1980 United States presidential election, and the rise of comedy figures who later worked on Saturday Night Live Weekend Update Thursday and other television sketch comedy projects.

Background and production

Season 5 followed the success of the first four seasons created by Lorne Michaels and produced by NBC's SNL unit, but it unfolded amid contract negotiations involving Michaels, cast members, and the network. The season's production intersected with the careers of writers and performers from National Lampoon, Second City, and UCB Theatre alumni, and it adapted to pressures from executives at NBCUniversal and personalities such as Dick Ebersol. Episodes were taped at Studio 8H in 30 Rockefeller Plaza with musical acts drawn from labels including Warner Bros. Records and Columbia Records. The writing staff included contributors connected to The Harvard Lampoon, The Groundlings, and stand-up circuits featuring appearances on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson and Late Night with David Letterman.

Cast and crew

The repertory cast combined holdovers and newcomers who later associated with projects at ABC, CBS, and film studios like Universal Pictures and Paramount Pictures. Principal performers included veterans tied to The Blues Brothers and National Lampoon's Lemmings as well as future stars who moved between Saturday Night Live 40th Anniversary Special reunions and cinematic roles at 20th Century Fox and Columbia Pictures. The season's guest hosts ranged across entertainers from Steve Martin to actors appearing in productions by MGM and United Artists, while musical guests spanned genres represented by Motown Records and Island Records artists. Directors and producers for the season had credits on programs such as SNL Digital Shorts and specials for Emmy Awards ceremonies.

Episodes

The twenty-episode season featured a sequence of host and musical guest pairings that reflected contemporary pop culture: comedians who later headlined Saturday Night Live Weekend Update Thursday and film actors who went on to careers at Warner Bros. and Miramax appeared as hosts. Episodes incorporated political satire tied to figures in the 1980 United States presidential election, sketches referencing personalities from The Rolling Stones and The Beatles legacies, and parodies of television series distributed by CBS Television Distribution and 20th Television. Air dates tracked NBC's seasonal schedule and competed with programs on ABC and CBS for Nielsen ratings.

Notable sketches and recurring characters

Recurring characters and sketches from the season included parodies that trafficked in impressions of celebrities who had appeared on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson, or who were subjects in profiles by Rolling Stone and Time (magazine). Characters drew on archetypes familiar to audiences of Second City and The Groundlings, and sketches referenced films produced by Paramount Pictures and Universal Pictures as well as television properties from CBS and ABC. The season featured recurring bits that later influenced sketch comedy on MADtv and In Living Color, and characters that the cast developed for appearances on Saturday Night Live 40th Anniversary Special retrospectives and archival releases from Shout! Factory.

Reception and ratings

Critical reaction mixed trade notices in outlets such as The New York Times, Variety, and The Hollywood Reporter. Reviews noted the show's engagement with political figures like Jimmy Carter and commentators who would later appear on MSNBC and Fox News Channel, while some critics compared the season's energy to earlier years when performers had connections to National Lampoon and Second City. Nielsen ratings placed the season in competition with variety and sitcom offerings on ABC and CBS, and the season's performance informed network decisions involving executives at NBCUniversal and producers who worked on later revivals like Saturday Night Live Weekend Update specials.

Home media and legacy

Highlights from the season have appeared on compilation releases distributed by companies such as Shout! Factory and in streaming windows negotiated by NBCUniversal with platforms that include services owned by Comcast and partners like Peacock (streaming service). The season's influence is visible in the careers of alumni who moved into film with studios like Warner Bros. Pictures and 20th Century Studios, television series on ABC and CBS, and comedy institutions such as The Groundlings and Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre. Retrospectives in publications including Rolling Stone, Entertainment Weekly, and Vulture (website) have examined the season's role in shaping late‑20th‑century American sketch comedy.

Category:Saturday Night Live seasons