Saturday Night Live: Season 4 (1978-1979)

Season 4 is the last hurrah for John Belushi and Dan Aykroyd as members of the Not Ready for Prime Time Players (which also consist of Jane Curtin, Garrett Morris, Bill Murray, Laraine Newman and Gilda Radner) as they dish out more over-the-top comedy, joined by musical acts and such hosts as usual suspects Buck Henry and Steve Martin and vintage stars Milton Berle and Maureen Stapleton. The season gets under way with Ed Koch, New York's bombastic mayor, honoring Belushi with a "City of New York Certificate of Merit" for the success of Belushi's classic comedy film "Animal House." The same episode includes a spirited set by the Rolling Stones, who also appear in a few skits, and introduces new "Weekend Update" coanchor Murray alongside Curtin. Season 4's memorable bits include a "China Syndrome" parody; Princess Leia (Carrie Fisher) dropping in on Frankie Avalon (Murray) and Annette Funicello (Radner) at the beach; a "Twilight Zone" takeoff with Rick Nelson; Julia Child (Aykroyd) bleeding to death; and Richard Nixon (Aykroyd) trying to convince his family that the Watergate tapes were meant as a joke; plus the ongoing "Mr. Bill" films and visits from "Vatican correspondent" Father Guido Sarducci (Don Novello). In addition to Berle, Fisher, Henry, Martin, Nelson and Stapleton, hosts include Monty Python's Eric Idle and Michael Palin; Frank Zappa (who does double duty as musical guest); Gary Busey; Elliott Gould; Kate Jackson; Margot Kidder; Walter Matthau; Cicely Tyson; and Fred Willard. Other musical acts include jazz legend Eubie Blake; the Blues Brothers; Kate Bush; Judy Collins; Devo; the Doobie Brothers; the Grateful Dead; Rickie Lee Jones; Bette Midler; Van Morrison; Linda Ronstadt and Phoebe Snow; Talking Heads; James Taylor; and Peter Tosh.