Saturday Night Live Season 7 Episode 1 (no host)/Rod Stewart, Tina Turner
- Not Rated
- October 3, 1981
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6.3 (93)
In the first episode of the seventh season of Saturday Night Live, the show opens with a cold open sketch featuring news anchor Jane Curtin reporting on a recent crime wave. The sketch takes a satirical approach to the issue, with Curtin framing the situation as a result of the city being "too damn liberal." Curtin is joined by regular cast members Bill Murray and Brian Doyle-Murray, who contribute their own off-the-wall commentary to the segment.
Following the opening, the episode transitions into a series of sketches interspersed with musical performances by Rod Stewart and Tina Turner. One sketch finds cast member Tim Kazurinsky playing a clueless salesman hired to sell yachts, while another features Murray and Doyle-Murray as a pair of bumbling brothers running a gas station.
In one of the more memorable sketches from the episode, cast members Joe Piscopo and Eddie Murphy assume the roles of Frank Sinatra and Stevie Wonder, respectively, in a mock "duet." The sketch is a comedic take on the unlikely pairing of two musical legends and features Piscopo and Murphy belting out a number of classic songs in an exaggerated falsetto.
Overall, the first episode of the seventh season of Saturday Night Live is a strong start to the new season. With a mix of satire, sketch comedy, and musical performances, the show continues to be one of the most beloved and iconic programs on television.