Season 13

1987 · 13 episodes · 14h 31m in all · 8.7/10

Saturday Night Live aired its thirteenth season during the 1987–1988 television season on NBC. Season 13 started on October 17, 1987 and ended on February 27, 1988. Before the start of the season few changes happened. Kevin Nealon was promoted to repertory status and Al Franken returned to the cast. Although the changes to the cast were minimal there were, however, major events that impeded the show's production. During production of the season premiere, a fire broke out near Studio 8H during dress rehearsal. Despite plans to cancel the show for the week, Steve Martin pushed the cast to perform, making the Steve Martin/Sting episode the only episode without a dress rehearsal. On March 7, 1988, the Writers Guild of America went on strike, cancelling many planned episodes, including one originally planned to be hosted by former "Not Ready for Primetime" player Gilda Radner. Radner, however, would never get the chance to host due to her death from ovarian cancer the following year. The host for the March 12, 1988 broadcast was never confirmed.

1. Steve Martin/Sting
17 Oct 1987 · 67 min · 8.5/10
Sketches include ""Ronald Reagan and George Bush,"" ""Gary Hart Ad,"" ""Common Knowledge,"" ""NFL Today,"" ""Slide Whistle Sound Effects,"" ""Bullets Aren't Cheap,"" ""Permission to Speak Freely,"" ""Adventures in the Lost Realm,"" and ""Pumping Up With Hans and Franz"".
2. Sean Penn/L.L. Cool J., Michael Penn & the Pull
24 Oct 1987 · 67 min · 8.5/10
Live from New York, it's... Sean Penn! Sketches include "Fatal Attraction 2," "Wall Street Week," "Church Chat," "Pitman & Bullock," "The Teeny Cafe," "Keister Family Talk," "Discover," "The Spimozo Brothers," and "Cat Dentist" (film). LL Cool J performs "Go Cut Creator Go." Michael Penn and The Pull performs "This & That."
3. Dabney Coleman/The Cars
31 Oct 1987 · 67 min
Live from New York, it's... Dana Carvey! Sketches include "Lifestyles of the Rich, Famous, and Scary," "Nature's Broom," "The Winning Spirit," "Don't Go Down To The Basement," "Scary Campfire Stories," "Marriage Counselor," "Count Dracula, Self-Taught Auto Mechanic," "The Pat Stevens Show," "New High School Mascot," and "Lambert & Fitch Securites." The Cars performs "Strap Me In" and "Double Trouble."
4. Robert Mitchum/Simply Red
14 Nov 1987 · 67 min
5. Candice Bergen/Cher
21 Nov 1987 · 67 min
Sketches include ""George Bush,"" ""Pumping Up with Hans & Franz,"" ""Anne Boleyn,"" ""The First Thanksgiving,"" and ""Having Sex by an Open Window."" ""PITMAN and BULLOCK: Put the Power of the PIT BULL to Work for You"".
6. Danny DeVito/Bryan Ferry
5 Dec 1987 · 67 min
ive from New York, it's... Danny Devito! Sketches include: "Gorbachev-Reagan," "Siskel & Ebert," "Church Chat," "Eddie Spimozo's Jungle Room," "White Trash Appraiser," "Ann Landers' Playhouse," and "Reminiscing with Doorman." Bryan Ferry performs "The Right Stuff" and "Kiss and Tell."
7. Angie Dickinson/Buster Poindexter & David Gilmour
12 Dec 1987 · 67 min
Live From New York, it's...Kevin Nealon Sketches include: Amateur Translator, Docu-Fresh, Who Can Land The Plane?, Donahue, Wedgie Fever, Traumatic Memories Party, Police Women, The Assimilated Jew's Hannukah, and Drunk Man Buster Poindexter performs: ""Hot, Hot, Hot"" David Gilmour performs: ""Ah, Robertson, It's You""
8. Paul Simon/Linda Ronstadt & the Mariachi Vargas
19 Dec 1987 · 67 min
Live From New York, it's...Jan Hooks Sketches include: Jesus's Surprise Party, Gary Hart Ad, Pumping Up With Hans and Franz, Christmas on a Desert Island, Master Thespian, The Sweeney Sisters, Subway Beggar, Succinctly Speaking, Seasons Greetings From Tonto, Frankenstein, and Tarzan, Educated Anita, and A Message To Future Viewers Linda Ronstadt and the Mariachi Vargas perform: ""Los Laureles, La Cigarra"" and ""Under African Skies""
9. Robin Williams/James Taylor
23 Jan 1988 · 67 min
Sketches include ""Pumping Up with Hans and Franz,"" ""Compulsion,"" ""Birthing Video,"" ""Cable ACE Awards,"" ""Hard to Say I Love You,"" ""Discover,"" and ""Robin's 60th Birthday.""
10. Carl Weathers/Robbie Robertson
30 Jan 1988 · 67 min
Sketches include ""Bush-Whacked,"" ""The NFL Today,"" ""Handi-Off,"" ""Democratic Debate '88,"" ""Helen and Cheri,"" ""TV Actress,"" ""Master Thespian,"" and ""The Garden"" (film). Robbie Robertson performed ""Testimony"" and ""Somewhere Down the Crazy River.""
11. Justine Bateman/Terrance Trent D'Arby
13 Feb 1988 · 67 min
""53rd. Debate of the 1988 Republican Presidential Candidates"", ""Learning to Feel with Denise Venetti, Ph.D."", ""Family Ties: If These Old Walls Could Talk (Flashback-Flashback Episode)"", ""Blocked songwriter Derek Stevens loses his Muse"", ""An older man, the bimbo girlfriend Linda and his Judgemental Friends"".
12. Tom Hanks/Randy Travis
20 Feb 1988 · 67 min · 9.0/10
""A male figure skater's flawed perfomance in tight pants"", ""The Pat Stevens Show with Mrs. Bush and Mrs. Dole"", ""The Bean Cafe: We only serve beans"", ""On 49th and First: Two sad guys want to score with the ladies"", ""This is a stick up!, yelled the Psychotic Vietnam Vet with great acting skills"", ""Can't come up with an ending for a bad sketch"", ""Casey Kasem sings The Beatles"", ""Compulsion by Calveen Kleen: The World's Most Indulgent Disinfectant"", ""A Pawnshop That Pays Full Sentimental Value"".
13. Judge Reinhold/10,000 Maniacs
27 Feb 1988 · 67 min
Sketches include ""Pumping Up With Hans & Franz,"" ""Church Chat,"" ""Friendly Dictator,"" and ""Big Bird Pirates.""