Tom mentions they were able to get eight sketches in, so they can call it an official show; Dick tells him to read the cue cards. When Big Country are thanked, Brad Hall can be heard saying "Buy the album".

Don Pardo announces that (weather permitting), next week's guests are Flip Wilson and Stevie Nicks, or, in case of rain, Abbott & Costello Meet Frankenstein (a callback to the cold opening). "Either way, you can't lose!"

Dave Weckl and Bob Christianson fill in for Buddy Williams and Leon Pendarvis, respectively.

FINAL THOUGHTS:

This show was all over the place: on the positive side, there was an interesting break in the show's format (Rain Delay), an appearance by Eddie Murphy (Nightline), a funny commercial parody (Carvel) and another confident, if low-key, hosting turn by the Smothers Brothers. However, there were a higher number of weak sketches than usual, as well as the sense that Jim Belushi was being overextended (though his performance in Clark Street Garage Band makes up for it). Big Country also seems like a band that should have been better than they were tonight. A weaker show than normal for this season so far.

SHOW HIGHLIGHTS:

Carvel

Nightline

Rain Delay

SHOW LOWLIGHTS:

Autograph

DreamLand

Know Your Neighbor

Mentl

Some of the Dr. Jack puns

MVP:

Tom Smothers

CAST & GUEST BREAKDOWN

cast

Jim Belushi: 5 appearances [Rain Delay, Know Your Neighbor, Saturday Night News, Dream Land, Clark Street Garage Band]

Robin Duke: 3 appearances [Rain Delay, Nightline, DreamLand]

Mary Gross: 3 appearance [Rain Delay, DreamLand, Autograph]

Brad Hall: 4 appearances [Rain Delay, Nightline, Saturday Night News, Clark Street Garage Band]

Tim Kazurinsky: 4 appearances [Rain Delay, Carvel, Saturday Night News, Clark Street Garage Band]

Gary Kroeger: 6 appearance [Rain Delay, Nightline, Know Your Neighbor, Saturday Night News, Clark Street Garage Band, Autograph]

Julia Louis-Dreyfus: 4 appearances [Rain Delay, Nightline, Know Your Neighbor, DreamLand]

Eddie Murphy: 1 appearance [Nightline]

Joe Piscopo: 5 appearances [Rain Delay, Nightline, Carvel, Mentl, Saturday Night News]

crew and extras

Tom Barney: 1 appearance [Casino Quintet]

Nate Herman: 1 appearance [Autograph], 1 voiceover [Mentl]

Tom Malone: 1 appearance [Clark Street Garage Band]

Barry Nichols: 1 appearance [Clark Street Garage Band]

Dave Weckl: 1 appearance [Casino Quintet]

guests

Tom Smothers: 6 appearances [Rain Delay, Monologue, Nightline, Casino Quintet, The Point, Autograph]

Dick Smothers: 6 appearances [Rain Delay, Monologue, Casino Quintet, The Point, Clark Street Garage Band, Autograph]

Larry Holmes: 1 appearance [Saturday Night News]

Ron Luciano: 2 appearances [Rain Delay, Autograph]

Michael Preddy: 1 appearance [Casino Quintet]

Tom Seaver: 1 appearance [Rain Delay]

REBROADCAST HISTORY:

March 31, 1984

Known alterations:

Know Your Neighbor and Casino Quintet removed

Jazz Riffs (alternate take, recorded 09/21/83) added

Additional screen captures from this episode are available here.