Saturday Night Live aired its seventeenth season during the 1991-1992 television season on NBC. The seventeenth season started on September 28, 1991, and ended on May 16, 1992. Twenty episodes were produced.
Many changes happened before the start of the season. A. Whitney Brown and Jan Hooks both left the show, but the major blow was the departure of long time cast member Dennis Miller, who had been the anchor of Weekend Update for six seasons. Following Miller's departure, Kevin Nealon was promoted to anchor of the skit.
New cast members included Ellen Cleghorne, Siobhan Fallon and writer Robert Smigel. Beth Cahill and Melanie Hutsell also later joined the cast. Chris Farley, Chris Rock and Julia Sweeney were upgraded to repertory status. Tim Meadows, Adam Sandler, Rob Schneider and David Spade all stayed featured players.
This was the final season for Victoria Jackson, who receive no on-screen goodbye at the end of the season. At the time, Jackson became the longest serving female cast member, with a total six seasons under her belt. She was later topped by Molly Shannon in the 26th season. This would be Beth Cahill and Siobhan Fallon's only season on the show.
Sketches include ""Wayne's World,"" ""Schmitt's Gay Beer,"" ""The First Black Harlem Globetrotter,"" ""Superfans,"" ""The Dark Side With Nat X,"" ""Zoraida""
2: Jeff Daniels/Color Me Badd
Oct 5, 1991
""Johnny Carson's Tonight Show: The 29th and Final Anniversary"", ""Earthies, the Bountiful Diaper Commercial (From Dell Monty)"", ""The Richmeister Vs. The Name Singing Guy"", ""The Chris Farley Show"", ""Community College Bowl"", ""Apex Novelty Guy gets fired for designing bad quality rubber vomit""
3: Kirstie Alley/Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers
Oct 12, 1991
Sketches include ""Judge Clarence Thomas,"" ""Cantore,"" ""Coffee Talk with Linda Richman,"" ""It's Pat,"" and ""Look Who Else is Talking Also.""
4: Christian Slater/Bonnie Raitt
Oct 26, 1991
Sketches include: Coldcock Malt Liquor, Dysfunctional Family Feud, The Wolf Man's Curse, Pumping Up With Hans and Franz, Nich-Aid Hair Dryers, Super Fire-Hot Chicken Wings, and Club Banana.
5: Kiefer Sutherland/Skid Row
Nov 2, 1991
Sketches Include: Testifying for the Kennedys - The defense is picking members for the jury supporting Ted Kennedy. Campaign '92 - Democratic ""unhopefuls"" try not to become the candidate that loses to Bush. Daily Affirmation with Stuart Smalley - Stuart invites his cousin, Leon, to the show. Leon has a show which is much better than Stuart's, and Stuart is jealous, rendering an affirmation. Kiddie Metal - Guns 'n' Roses record a punk rock kids' song album. The Scottish Store - A small-town Scottish store owner is reunited with his estranged brother, and they fight on and off, while still kicking out people who don't ""think"" Scottish. Phone Illiteracy - A man who wants to talk to someone has his friend do it for him. Strange? The first man is phone illiterate. It's a dangerous thing...?
6: Linda Hamilton/Mariah Carey
Nov 16, 1991
Sketches include ""Weekend Update Special Report,"" ""Toonces, the Cat Who Can Drive a Car,"" ""It's Pat,"" ""Annoying Double Date,"" and ""The Chris Farley Show.""
7: Macaulay Culkin/Tin Machine
Nov 23, 1991
Sketches include ""Macaulay Culkin Gets Permission to Host,"" ""Superfans,"" ""Richmeister,"" and ""Unfrozen Caveman Lawyer.""
8: Hammer
Dec 7, 1991
Live from New York, it's ... Dana Carvey!
Sketches include "Bush's Gift Ideas," "Bad Haircut Support Group," "The Daily Star," "Tales From The Barbecue," "Johnny Letter," "Deep Thoughts," "Remembrances of Love," and "Dick Clark Productions."
Hammer performs "Too Legit To Quit," "Addams Groove," and "This is the Way We Roll."
9: Steve Martin/James Taylor
Dec 14, 1991
Sketches include ""Steve Martin Decides to Try,"" ""Theatre Stories,"" ""The Dark Side with Nat X,"" and ""Tarzan, Chris Farley, & Frankenstein.""
10: Rob Morrow/Nirvana
Jan 11, 1992
Sketches include ""Oliver Stone,"" ""It's Pat,"" ""Delta Delta Delta Girls,"" ""Chris Rock's Guide to Surviving the Apollo,"" and ""Awkward Conversation.""
11: Chevy Chase/Robbie Robertson & Bruce Hornsby
Jan 18, 1992
Live from New York, it's Mike Myers and Dana Carvey! Sketches include "Wayne's World's Top Ten Reasons We're Bummed Communism Fell," "Love Toilet," "Adopt-a-Pet," "Bob Swerski's Quiz Masters," "Van Morrison Concert," and "Are You All Right?" Robbie Robertson sings Go Back To Your Woods and The Weight.
12: Susan Dey/C+C Music Factory
Feb 8, 1992
Sketches include ""Richmeister on L.A. Law,"" ""Mike Tyson Trial,"" ""Partridge Family vs. Brady Bunch,"" ""The Sensitive Naked Man,"" and ""Janitor/Executive Irony"".
13: Jason Priestley/Teenage Fan Club
Feb 15, 1992
Sketches include ""Olympic Skating,"" ""The Life and Times of Johnny Hildo,"" ""Sprockets,"" ""The Arsenio Hall Show,"" and ""Beverly Hills 90210"".
14: Roseanne Arnold & Tom Arnold/Red Hot Chili Peppers
Feb 22, 1992
Sketches include ""Message To Bush,"" ""Coffee Talk,"" ""A Star Is Born '92,"" ""Daily Affirmation,"" ""New Triple-Delta Sister,"" ""Dick Clark's Snotty Receptionist"", ""Tall Tales of the Recession: The Fast-Firing CEO"". The Peppers perform ""Stone Cold Bush.""
15: John Goodman/Garth Brooks
Mar 14, 1992
Sketches include "The McLaughlin Group" and "Lisa Pograsic, Very Pregnant Undercover Cop".
16: Mary Stuart Masterson/En Vogue
Mar 21, 1992
Live from New York, it's... Mike Myers and Dana Carvey!
Sketches include "Wayne's World," "Jiffy Pop Airbag," "Hitting on a Women," "Sex Games," "Flippy, The Flipping Chihuahua," "Lung Brush," "Pat's Interrogation," "Airport Security Check," "Ernie's," "Tayster's Choice Spermicidal Jelly," "Phil Hartman Creations," and "Pornographic Romance."
Pearl Jam performed "Alive" and "Porch."
17: Sharon Stone/Pearl Jam
Apr 11, 1992
Live from New York, it's Al Franken! Sketches include "Bill Clinton and Jerry Brown," "Stand Up and Win," and "Make You Think," "Lank Thompson's I'm a Handsome Black Man," and "Superman on Talk Radio."
18: Jerry Seinfeld/Annie Lennox
Apr 18, 1992
Sketches include ""Ross Perot,"" ""Sabra Price is Right,"" ""The Guy Who Plays Mr. Belvedere Fan Club,"" ""Deep Thoughts by Jack Handey,"" and ""She Turned Into Her Mother""
19: Tom Hanks/Bruce Springsteen
May 9, 1992
Sketches include ""Johnny Carson's Last Episode,"" ""Action Cats,"" ""Take Off Your Shirt,"" ""Jon Lovitz's Dangerous Mother,"" ""Deep Thoughts,"" ""Frank Gannon: Politically Incorrect Police Investigator,"" ""Triple-Delta Girls,"" ""Cowboy Song,"" and ""The Sensitive Naked Man."" Vanessa Williams performs ""Save The Best For Last.""
20: Woody Harrelson/Vanessa Williams
May 16, 1992
Sketches include ""Johnny Carson's Last Episode,"" ""Action Cats,"" ""Take Off Your Shirt,"" ""Jon Lovitz's Dangerous Mother,"" ""Deep Thoughts,"" ""Frank Gannon: Politically Incorrect Police Investigator,"" ""Triple-Delta Girls,"" ""Cowboy Song,"" and ""The Sensitive Naked Man."" Vanessa Williams performs ""Save The Best For Last.""
