Lorne must’ve developed a REALLY strong attachment to this stage. SNL would end up keeping it until 1995(!), and even then, they just shift this home base stage to the next section of the studio, using it as the musical guest stage for the next three seasons until 1998. Anyway, I’d better love it, because we’re going to be seeing this home base stage for a LONG time. The new home base stage has a very classy “fancy dining hall/ballroom” look, which I love. Host & Christopher Durang plan to sing tunes from a Brecht musical For the first time in SNL history, the host is the last person announced in an opening montage, which would go on to be a tradition that still continues to this day in 2019. That makes this one of only three episodes in SNL history that have no official musical guest the other two episodes being Rob Reiner from season 1 and Walter Matthau from season 4. Many SNL episode guides incorrectly list Buster Poindexter as the official musical guest of this episode, but he’s actually credited with the SNL Band in tonight’s opening montage.

The new additions to the cast tonight are Dana Carvey, Phil Hartman, Jan Hooks, Victoria Jackson, and featured player Kevin Nealon. I really like all the fast cuts and the various close-ups of feet running. A pretty fun new montage this season, and unique in how the typical shots of New York scenery are interspersed with silhouette-type shots of various cast members, most of them hurrying to get someplace. STARS: N/A (not sure this cold opening warrants a rating) Jokingly writing the previous season off as a dream is a good way for SNL to put the failure of that season behind them. Overall, an interesting and memorable way to kick off the new era. Classic moment here, with the statement Madonna reads about season 11 reading “It was all a dream… a horrible, horrible dream”, which receives a good amount of laughter and audience applause. Madonna reads a statement from NBC- “last season was all a dream” Segments are rated on a scale of 1-5 stars

Snl sigourney weaver buster poindexter