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Saturday Night Live aired its 11th season during the 1985-1986 television season on NBC. The season started on November 9, 1985 and ended on May 24, 1986, 18 episodes were produced.
Dick Ebersol left the show after the 1984-85 season, when the network refused his request to shut the program down entirely for six months and shift much of the material onto tape, not live broadcast. Once again, NBC briefly considered cancelling the show, but programming head Brandon Tartikoff decided to continue the show and re-hire erstwhile producer Lorne Michaels.
In some ways the job Michaels returned to was more challenging than the one he took on in 1975. For starters, Michaels' "golden boy" reputation was somewhat tarnished. His most recent effort, the previous season's The New Show confused critics and was ignored by audiences. Also, the 1984-1985 season had been a critical and ratings hit, generating memorable characters and stand-out performers. However, Michaels would not be the only member of the old guard to return: original writers Al Franken and Tom Davis would return as producers, and Jim Downey would be head writer. Fans and critics welcomed Michaels and many of the original producers and writers back, calling it a return to the show's roots.
Release Date
Nov 9, 1985
Episodes
18 episodes
CAST
![](https://image.tmdb.org/t/p/w92/59UIeHZFYrKyP20lXqijtfTXglO.jpg)
Joan Cusack
Self - Various Characters
![](https://image.tmdb.org/t/p/w92/x9NAUBciKKxDaYRcntc4vKjqilG.jpg)
Nora Dunn
Self - Various Characters
![](https://image.tmdb.org/t/p/w92/nLthzoCuNxxd3KteIrnnMg1066G.jpg)
Anthony Michael Hall
Self - Various Characters
![](https://image.tmdb.org/t/p/w92/AdO5Dm8xyuYvXIQEuzpBi6nG9QF.jpg)
Dennis Miller
Self - Various Characters
EPISODES
1
Madonna/Simple Minds
Nov 9, 1985
2
Chevy Chase/Sheila E.
Nov 16, 1985
3
Pee Wee Herman/Queen Ida & The Bon Temps Zydeco Band
Nov 23, 1985
4
John Lithgow/Mr. Mister
Dec 7, 1985
5
Tom Hanks/Sade
Dec 14, 1985
6
Teri Garr/Dream Academy, The Cult
Dec 21, 1985
7
Harry Dean Stanton/The Replacements
Jan 18, 1986
8
Dudley Moore/Al Green
Jan 25, 1986
9
Ron Reagan/The Nelsons
Feb 8, 1986
10
Jerry Hall/Stevie Ray Vaughan & Double Trouble
Feb 15, 1986
11
Jay Leno/The Neville Brothers
Feb 22, 1986
12
Griffin Dunne/Rosanne Cash
Mar 15, 1986
13
George Wendt/Philip Glass
Mar 22, 1986
14
Oprah Winfrey/Joe Jackson
Apr 12, 1986
15
Tony Danza/Laurie Anderson
Apr 19, 1986
16
Catherine Oxenberg & Paul Simon/Ladysmith Black Mambazo
May 10, 1986
17
Jimmy Breslin & Marvin Hagler/Level 42, E.G. Daily
May 17, 1986
18
Anjelica Huston & Billy Martin/George Clinton & Parliament-Funkadelic
May 24, 1986
Details
Language
English
Country
Production
Network
Metadata
TMDB ID
59598