Elliott Gould introduces each individual cast member by their first name, and says "We're gonna be around forever..."

Mama Coconut (Lori Eastside?) puts her hula hoop over Elliott's head.

The credits cut off early in the original broadcast for an NBC promo advertising the season premiere of The Facts Of Life. What I find funny about the promo is that the network still emphasizes the show being a spinoff of Diff'rent Strokes ("This week: Arnold visits the girls!") when the episode that's being advertised was the first one of the retooled format that added Jo to the cast.

FINAL THOUGHTS:

A mixed bag for the opening show of the season. Rule number one of SNL's season premieres is that they're not necessarily the best show of the season but should still set the tone for the year. There are several things to be impressed with, but a lot of the best material came from outside contributions (the "Short Shots", former SNL writer Walter Williams' education film). The cast still seems to be finding their way (which would be rougher going once the attack dogs went out) but show signs of promise. The writing has a tendency towards thin premises stretched too far and good ideas that are underdeveloped, but the only things that really don't work are the ethnic jokes and general raunchiness, which seem to be awkwardly shoehorned in at times for the sake of competing with Fridays. The negative response to the first show was a bit much, though. The season didn't seem to deteriorate until later on, when the backstage atmosphere started to sour and it seemed to permeate the sketches.

EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS:

Foot Fetish

The Rocket Report segment on WU.

Highway Education

At One With

What's It All About

EPISODE LOWLIGHTS:

Monologue

Most of the Weekend Update jokes

The Date

White House

MVP:

(tie) Denny Dillon / Joe Piscopo

CAST & GUEST BREAKDOWN:

cast

Denny Dillon : 6 appearances [Glory Days, Monologue, White House, What's It All About, Weekend Update, Speed Listening]

: 6 appearances [Glory Days, Monologue, White House, What's It All About, Weekend Update, Speed Listening] Gilbert Gottfried : 5 appearances [Glory Days, What's It All About, Weekend Update, SNL Sports, The Accordion Killer]

: 5 appearances [Glory Days, What's It All About, Weekend Update, SNL Sports, The Accordion Killer] Gail Matthius : 5 appearances [Glory Days, American Cancer Society, Weekend Update, The Date, The Accordion Killer]

: 5 appearances [Glory Days, American Cancer Society, Weekend Update, The Date, The Accordion Killer] Joe Piscopo : 5 appearances [Glory Days, White House, Weekend Update, At One With, SNL Sports], 1 voiceover [Speed Listening]

: 5 appearances [Glory Days, White House, Weekend Update, At One With, SNL Sports], 1 voiceover [Speed Listening] Ann Risley : 5 appearances [Glory Days, White House, Billy-Gram, The Date, The Accordion Killer]

: 5 appearances [Glory Days, White House, Billy-Gram, The Date, The Accordion Killer] Charles Rocket: 6 appearances [Glory Days, Billy-Gram, Weekend Update, At One With, SNL Sports, The Accordion Killer]

crew and extras

Mary Pat Kelly : 1 appearance [Weekend Update]

: 1 appearance [Weekend Update] Mitchell Kriegman : 1 appearance [Heart To Heart]

: 1 appearance [Heart To Heart] Neil Levy : 2 appearances [Weekend Update, SNL Sports]

: 2 appearances [Weekend Update, SNL Sports] Andy Murphy : 2 appearances [Weekend Update, SNL Sports]

: 2 appearances [Weekend Update, SNL Sports] Kenny Vance : 1 appearance [Weekend Update]

: 1 appearance [Weekend Update] Liz Welch: 1 appearance [Weekend Update]

guests:

Elliott Gould : 8 appearances [Glory Days, Monologue, Billy-Gram, What's It All About, At One With, SNL Sports, The Date, The Accordian Killer]

: 8 appearances [Glory Days, Monologue, Billy-Gram, What's It All About, At One With, SNL Sports, The Date, The Accordian Killer] Kid Creole & The Coconuts: 2 appearances ["Mister Softee", "There But For The Grace Of God Go I"]

REBROADCAST HISTORY:

January 3, 1981

Additional screen captures from this episode are available here.