Season 9
Saturday Night Live aired its ninth season during the 1983–1984 television season on NBC. The ninth season started on October 8, 1983 and ended on May 12, 1984. Before the start of the season the entire cast returned for another season. The only change was the hiring of Jim Belushi. The notable moment of season was when Eddie Murphy left the show mid-season. After 48 Hours, Murphy's star began to eclipse that of Joe Piscopo's. From the start of season 7, Dick Ebersol made it clear that his strategy was to showcase Murphy and Piscopo as much as possible while all the other cast members would play mainly supporting roles and were treated with very little patience by the producers. When Murphy's 48 Hours co-star Nick Nolte dropped out of hosting at the last minute, Ebersol offered Murphy the chance to host — a move that Piscopo would perceive as a major slight. Piscopo would later claim Ebersol used Murphy's success to divide the two erstwhile friends and play them against one another. Others countered that Piscopo was simply being a prima donna; said one writer, "Eddie Murphy's fame went to Joe Piscopo's head."
Episodes
1. Brandon Tartikoff/John Cougar
Sketches include ""In Brandon's Office,"" ""NBC Junket,"" ""Gumby's Rehearsal,"" ""Larry's Corner,"" and ""Whiner Show Ideas."" John Cougar Mellancamp performs ""Tumblin' Down"" and ""Pink Houses.""
2. Danny DeVito & Rhea Perlman/Eddy Grant
Sketches are ""Calvin Klein Cream Pies,"" ""Mister Robinson's Neighborhood,"" ""Crazy Edelman,"" ""Book Beat,"" ""What Would Frank Do?"" ""Amos n' Andy,"" and ""Spanish Class."" Eddy Grant performs ""I Don't Wanna Dance,"" ""Electric Avenue,"" and ""Living on the Front Line.""
3. John Candy/Men at Work
Sketches include ""Jim and Mr. Mambo,"" ""Doc Edmund,"" ""Village of the Damned Little Rascals,"" ""Eddie Murphy in the Suburbs,"" ""Dr. Tongue's Offer,"" ""Candace's Fantasy Shack,"" and ""Prison for the Winter."" Men at Work perform ""Dr. Heckyl and Mr. Jive.""
4. Betty Thomas/Stray Cats
No overview available.
5. Teri Garr/Mick Fleetwood's Zoo
Sketches include ""Cheerleader Practice,"" ""Mister Robinson's Neighborhood,"" ""History: The Real Story,"" ""School Assembly,"" and ""Caffiene Achievers."" The Zoo (featuring Lindsey Buckingham) performs ""Tonight.""
6. Jerry Lewis/Loverboy
No overview available.
7. The Smothers Brothers/Big Country
No overview available.
8. Flip Wilson/Stevie Nicks
No overview available.
9. Father Guido Sarducci/Huey Lewis and the News
Sketches are ""National Phone-In Democratic Primary,"" ""Tasteless Choice,"" ""The Ghost of Buckwheat,"" ""Countdown '84: The Candidates,"" ""Nice Boys Don't Get Girls Pregnant,"" and ""Phone-In Results."" The News perform ""Heart & Soul"" and ""I Want a New Drug.""
10. Michael Palin, Mary Palin/The Motels
Sketches include ""Donahue,"" ""Mr. Robinson's Neighborhood,"" and ""Powerful Living Snaps."" The Motels perform ""Suddenly Last Summer.""
11. Don Rickles/Billy Idol
Live From New York, it's... Joe Piscopo! Sketches include ""TV President,"" ""Kannon AE-1,"" ""I Married A Monkey,"" ""The Hamlisch Maneuver,"" ""Fascinating People And Their Friends,"" ""Witness Protection,"" ""Romeo and Juilet,"" ""El Dorko and Becky,"" and ""This Is Your Afterlife."" Billy Idol performed ""White Wedding"" and ""Rebel Yell.""
12. Robin Williams/Adam Ant
Sketches include ""Olympic Coverage,"" ""Rock & Roll ...and then some,"" ""Gandhi & The Bandit,"" ""Firing Line,"" and ""MTV News."" Adam Ant performs ""Strip.""
13. Jamie Lee Curtis/The Fixx
Sketches include ""Rappin' Jimmy B.,"" ""Semi-Competant Video Store Clerk,"" ""The Julia Show,"" ""Jimmy and Jamie Lee Rehearse,"" ""People Transit,"" and ""Texxon."" The Fixx performs ""One Thing Leads to Another.""
14. Edwin Newman/Kool & the Gang
Sketches include ""SNL Hairdressers,"" ""Edwin Newman and James Brown,"" and ""Prose and Cons."" Kool & the Gang perform ""Celebrate.""
15. Billy Crystal/Al Jarreau
Sketches include ""St. Patrick's Day Party,"" ""Hung Like Me,"" ""Unexplained Questions of the Universe."" ""Family in the Attic,"" ""Bad Career Moves,"" ""Ronald Reagen and Sammy Davis, Jr.,"" ""God's Place,"" ""The Womb,"" and ""SNL's First Episode."" Al Jarreau sang ""Mornin'"" and ""Trouble In Paradise.""
16. Michael Douglas/Deniece Williams
Sketches include ""Lost Script,"" ""MTV News,"" ""Four Minutes to Live"" (film), ""TV's Foul-Ups, Bleeps, Blunders, Bloopers, Practical Jokes, And Political Debates,"" ""Sugar or Plain"" (film), and ""Footless."" Deniece Williams performs ""Let's Hear It for the Boy.""
17. George McGovern/Madness
Sketches include ""60 Minutes,"" ""Menage a Trois,"" ""Book Talk,"" and ""My Brother, The Loser.""
18. Barry Bostwick/Spinal Tap
Sketches are ""Simulated Cat Fight,"" ""Foldgers Crystals,"" ""Lie Detector Test,"" ""Spinal Tap Interview,"" ""Guest Performance: A. Whitney Brown,"" ""2 on the Town,"" and ""Texxon."" Spinal Tap perform ""Christmas with the Devil"" and ""Big Bottom.""
19. Billy Crystal, Ed Koch, Edwin Newman, Father Guido Sarducci, Betty Thomas/The Cars
Sketches include ""Frank & Sammy,"" ""Sarducci & Nelson,"" ""Nose Guard,"" ""Hello, Trudy!,"" ""Needleman the Dentist,"" and ""Stooges Self-Defense."" The Cars perform ""Drive.""