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The Best Episodes of Saturday Night Live Season 4

Every episode of Saturday Night Live Season 4 ranked from best to worst. Discover the Best Episodes of Saturday Night Live Season 4!

A late-night live television sketch comedy and variety show created by Lorne Michaels. The show's comedy sketches, which parody contemporary culture and politics, are performed...
Genres:ComedyNews
Network:NBC

Season 4 Ratings Summary

"The Rolling Stones" is the best rated episode of "Saturday Night Live" season 4. It scored 7.4/10 based on 145 votes. Directed by Dave Wilson and written by N/A, it aired on 10/7/1978. This episode is rated 0.3 points higher than the second-best, "Fred Willard/Devo".

  • The Rolling Stones
    7.4/10145 votes

    #1 - The Rolling Stones

    Season 4 Episode 1 - Aired 10/7/1978

    Live from New York, it's Dan Aykroyd! Sketches include "Garrett Morris and the National Broadcasting Orchestra," "Mayor Koch Honors John Belushi," the commercial parody "Autoscent," Tomorrow, "Nerds Meet the Norge Refrigerator Repairman," "Olympia Restaurant #4," Tom Schiller's Sushi By the Pool, "Paul McCartney and John Lennon Reunion," "Danger Probe."

    Director: Dave Wilson

    Writer: N/A

  • Fred Willard/Devo
    7.1/10135 votes

    #2 - Fred Willard/Devo

    Season 4 Episode 2 - Aired 10/14/1978

    Sketches include--"Honker in the Audience", "Two Guys Who Are Lawyers", "Aging Stuntman Cliff Preston", "One-Night-Stand vs. Phone Talk", "Mr. Bill Goes To N.Y.", "Bobbi Farber", "Crossroads", "Scotch Boutique", "Booji Boy"

    Director: Dave Wilson

    Writer: N/A

  • Frank Zappa
    6.3/10141 votes

    #3 - Frank Zappa

    Season 4 Episode 3 - Aired 10/21/1978

    Sketches include "Fred Silverman," "Coneheads," "Domestic Prison," "Night on Freak Mountain," "Woman to Woman," "The Al Franken and Tom Davis Show," "Mr. Bill"

    Director: Dave Wilson

    Writer: N/A

  • Steve Martin/Van Morrison
    7.9/10136 votes

    #4 - Steve Martin/Van Morrison

    Season 4 Episode 4 - Aired 11/4/1978

    Live from New York, it's...President Dan Aykroyd! Sketches include "A Message From the President of the United States", "Where's the Cracker, Steve?", "Elvis Presley's Coat", "What If?", "Theodoric of York, Medieval Judge", "Festrunk Brothers at a Fox Bar," "The Nerds at the Hospital", "Looks At Books", and "Annoying Waiter".

    Director: Dave Wilson

    Writer: N/A

  • Buck Henry/The Grateful Dead
    6.7/10119 votes

    #5 - Buck Henry/The Grateful Dead

    Season 4 Episode 5 - Aired 11/11/1978

    Sketches include--"Concession Speech,", "Rovco Chinch Canch" commercial parody, "Samurai Optometrist," "Uncle Roy #1," "The Death Of Rasputin," "Nick Sands, the Lounge Singer," More Flu To Worry About, and "St. Mickey's Knights of Columbus."

    Director: Dave Wilson

    Writer: N/A

  • Carrie Fisher/The Blues Brothers
    7.9/10177 votes

    #6 - Carrie Fisher/The Blues Brothers

    Season 4 Episode 6 - Aired 11/18/1978

    Live from New York, it's....Garrett Morris! The Blues Brothers open the show by performing Soul Man. Carrie comes out dressed as Princess Leia for her monologue, telling a joke that only the voice of Obi Won (Dan Aykroyd) likes. This leads into Beach Blanket Bimbo from Outer Space, "The Loud Family," Mercy Killers, the Blues Brothers' performance of Almost and B-Movie Boxcar Blues, "Mr. Bill's Fishing Trip," Tomorrow, "Bad Red Chinese Ballet," and the Schiller film Arrividerci Roman.

    Director: Dave Wilson

    Writer: N/A

  • Walter Matthau/Garrett Morris
    7.2/10115 votes

    #7 - Walter Matthau/Garrett Morris

    Season 4 Episode 7 - Aired 12/2/1978

    Sketches include--"Fred Silverman", "Super Epoxy-Dent", "The Bad News Bees", "Olympia Cafe", "Daughter's Old Room", "Nixon's Conspirator, "Woman to Woman", "Government Surplus Store", "Network Battle of the T's & A's", "Mr. Bill Is Late"

    Director: Dave Wilson

    Writer: N/A

  • Eric Idle/Kate Bush
    7.7/10178 votes

    #8 - Eric Idle/Kate Bush

    Season 4 Episode 8 - Aired 12/9/1978

    Sketches include "Telepsychic Ray," "Julia Child," "Madrigal," "The Woman He Loved," "What Do You?", "Candy Slice," "Consumer Probe," "Singing Dog Agent," and "Cochise at Oxford".

    Director: Dave Wilson

    Writer: N/A

  • Elliott Gould/Peter Tosh with Mick Jagger
    6.2/10115 votes

    #9 - Elliott Gould/Peter Tosh with Mick Jagger

    Season 4 Episode 9 - Aired 12/16/1978

    Sketches include "White House Lawn Special Event," "Rovco All-Flammable Christmas Tree," "The Widettes," "Mommie Dearest," "Scotch and Spirits," "Bob and Ray," "St. Mickey's Knights of Columbus," and "Honker Works the Christmas Lot".

    Director: Dave Wilson

    Writer: N/A

  • Michael Palin/The Doobie Brothers
    7.1/10111 votes

    #10 - Michael Palin/The Doobie Brothers

    Season 4 Episode 10 - Aired 1/27/1979

    Sketches include "State of the Union Address: Preparation I," "Palin's Socks Monologue," "Mr. Brighton Returns to the Nerds," "Miles Cowperthwaite, Part One," "What If Superman Grew Up in Germany?" and "Name the Bats." Weekend Update features "Chico Escuela's Super Bowl Recap" and "Father Guido Sarducci's Bill for The Last Brunch."

    Director: Dave Wilson

    Writer: N/A

  • Cicely Tyson/Talking Heads
    7.0/10114 votes

    #11 - Cicely Tyson/Talking Heads

    Season 4 Episode 11 - Aired 2/10/1979

    Sketches include "Cicely Confronts Garrett Monologue," "Nick Rails, the Train Lounge Singer," and "The Widettes."

    Director: Dave Wilson

    Writer: N/A

  • Rick Nelson/Judy Collins
    7.2/10130 votes

    #12 - Rick Nelson/Judy Collins

    Season 4 Episode 12 - Aired 2/17/1979

    Live from New York, it's...John Belushi! Sketches include "WGN Morning Show," "The Twilight Zone," "Helium," "¿Quien Es Mas Macho?," and "Rock Against Yeast '79." Judy Collins performed "Hard Times for Lovers."

    Director: Dave Wilson

    Writer: N/A

  • Kate Jackson/Delbert McClinton
    6.4/10113 votes

    #13 - Kate Jackson/Delbert McClinton

    Season 4 Episode 13 - Aired 2/24/1979

    Sketches include "Charlie's Angels," "Nerds," "Fred Silverman," "Child Psychiatrist," "Andy Kaufman," "Kate Jackson and Fred Silverman," "Bad Cabaret For Children," "Coneheads"

    Director: Dave Wilson

    Writer: N/A

  • Gary Busey/Gary Busey with Rick Danko and Paul Butterfield, Eubie Blake
    7.0/10108 votes

    #14 - Gary Busey/Gary Busey with Rick Danko and Paul Butterfield, Eubie Blake

    Season 4 Episode 14 - Aired 3/10/1979

    Live from New York, it's...John Belushi! Sketches include: "Breaking the Ice with Belushi" "Billy Carter" "Women's Problems" "The Unsung Heroes of Rock n Roll" "The Slopjockey" "Bill Murray Talks With Mrs. Ed." Gregory Hines joins Eubie Blake in singing Low-down Blues, I'm Just Simply Full Of Jazz and I'm Just Wild About Harry. Busey and Paul Butterfield perform Stay All Night.

    Director: Dave Wilson

    Writer: N/A

  • Margot Kidder/The Chieftains
    7.0/10113 votes

    #15 - Margot Kidder/The Chieftains

    Season 4 Episode 15 - Aired 3/17/1979

    Live from New York, it's...John Belushi! Sketches include "WGN Radio Live at Doyle's Tavern," "The Navy," "Fred Garvin: Male Prostitute," "St. Mickey's Knights of Columbus," "Superhero Party," The Franken and Davis Show, "Men's Problems," and The Mr. Bill Show. The Chieftains perform If I Had Maggie In The Woods and Morning Dew.

    Director: Dave Wilson

    Writer: N/A

  • Richard Benjamin/Rickie Lee Jones
    7.3/10113 votes

    #16 - Richard Benjamin/Rickie Lee Jones

    Season 4 Episode 16 - Aired 4/7/1979

    Sketches include "The Pepsi Syndrome," "The Nerds In Love," and "Scottish Restaurant." Jones performs his hit "Chuck E's In Love."

    Director: Dave Wilson

    Writer: N/A

  • Milton Berle/Ornette Coleman
    6.0/10117 votes

    #17 - Milton Berle/Ornette Coleman

    Season 4 Episode 17 - Aired 4/14/1979

    Sketches include "Texaco Star Theater Intro," "The Widettes," "On The Spot," and "Milton's Writers." Ornette Coleman played "Times Square."

    Director: Dave Wilson

    Writer: N/A

  • Michael Palin/James Taylor
    7.2/10110 votes

    #18 - Michael Palin/James Taylor

    Season 4 Episode 18 - Aired 5/12/1979

    Sketches include "Mother's Day Monologue," "Miles Cowperthwaite, Part Two: I Am Nailed to the Hull," and "Black-Market Gasoline." Weekend Update includes "Margaret Thathcer Interview."

    Director: N/A

    Writer: N/A

  • Maureen Stapleton/Linda Ronstadt, Phoebe Snow
    6.9/10102 votes

    #19 - Maureen Stapleton/Linda Ronstadt, Phoebe Snow

    Season 4 Episode 19 - Aired 5/19/1979

    Live from New York, it's... Dan Aykroyd! Sketches include "Telepsychic Ray," "Nick Wings, the Airport VIP Lounge Singer," and "Idi Amin Holes Out."

    Director: Dave Wilson

    Writer: N/A

  • Buck Henry/Bette Midler
    7.8/10129 votes

    #20 - Buck Henry/Bette Midler

    Season 4 Episode 20 - Aired 5/26/1979

    Sketches include "Mr. Bill at SNL," "Disco Roller Fishing Park," "Samurai Bakery," "Uncle Roy," "Watergate Was a Joke," and "Olympia Cafe." Bette Midler performs a medley of standards.

    Director: Dave Wilson

    Writer: N/A