There's a very detailed history of the show here (if you can fight through the ads) but I'd like to focus on the premiere. As you can imagine, there's a lot of reasons why those of us here like this show (largest being that it's funny) but you simply can't deny the energy of this show. I'd like to think the scenery has a lot to do with it, but it's just as much the audience. Early SNL still had a bit of a theater vibe to it...but this was clearly a TV show produced in a TV town with an audience ready to laugh. That helps, and is also pretty rare for a 1st episode.
But how do you address the elephant in the room? You're a live late night sketch comedy show with musical guests. Sure sounds a lot like SNL. Might as well get it right out of the way...
We first see the producers giving the actors a pep talk...only to cut to each cast member in an SNL's costume. As they continue to drill into the actors that they are NOT a clone of the show, they all nervously agree. Later, a crawl comes on the screen explaining why they did this, which in itself was something SNL did...and they address that too. They weren't going to ignore the inspiration, even if it wasn't admitted. Perhaps this was done just as much to put the audience at ease at well. There's no doubt it won them over, because most everything done in this episode was devoured.
The opening titles, unlike SNL, showed cast members around LA. We see a hot tub in the hills, the pier, Venice Beach, Flipper's Roller Boogie, and the Roxy. Lest we forget the two cast members who formed a relationship here on the show to pave their way for gold a decade later.
Larry David and Michael Richards aren't the same in terms of comedic delivery, but there's no doubt that, with Seinfeld, they compliment each other with the zest of a burrito and cheese sauce.
Kenny Loggins is the first musical guest, and in multiple analysis of this show I've heard that, due to the facilities, the sound on this show was excellent. Certainly beat 30 Rock for the go...but we're looking at a transfer of a show from 3 decades ago that looks like it was left in the sun. Plus, that picture on top actually shows the fade through sunset to the night. GOLD. On the bottom is Jack Burns, head writer and announcer for the show. While he wouldn't usually appear in sketches, he would start off the show and introduce any guests. And check out that Fridays satin jacket! I once bid on a Fridays jacket that wouldn't have fit me. But it didn't matter. I mean, look at that. That means L.A. business, right there.
Jack introduces Michael, who spends the first minute of his routine with false-starts and bizarre, nervous sounds. A joke or two is told. One of which, beginning with "knock knock" (and an enthusiastic "WHO'S THERE?!" from the crowd leads him to say "Oh, you've heard that one before?" The director gets on the horn and begs him to introduce the first sketch which is...
A couple nervously awaits their daughter's visit, and her guest, Ken. After the initial embrace, in comes Ken...a cross between the hunchback and Igor. "You didn't tell me you were dating a...uh...monster." says Dad, while Ken takes another opportunity to freshen up. "We're not dating! Ken's gay." (Which, 30 years ago, gets laughs and applause) Ken reminds the couple that he's just a regular guy and, after showing his mime routine, the family goes out to celebrate.
After the sketch ends, we see everyone go off-stage to change and rabble-rouse. In later episodes, they did this with the musical guests once they finished, and it was always fun to see the hangers on and deal-I mean, "friends" of the band in their lounge.
Furthering the thoughts of this being an L.A. version of SNL, is "Friday Edition" - their news update. The above piece shows a field story of the tragic annual "Muppet Hunt" in "Henson, CA" where they are killed for their pelt. And if there was any doubt of this process, they then go to Rodeo Dr. to see she latest Muppet fashion. "Once, they warmed our hearts. Now, they warm our bodies."
Following this, two old friends meet up at a bar for a drink...and while they have their conversation, each sip comes out of their mouths when they talk. Not exactly high comedy either way, but it was short and it got those initial laughs. Watching this likely reminded me of a double standard the SNL fans had in this brief moment (the start of the disastrous 6th season of SNL pretty much sent those people right to Fridays) would consider this cheap. Yet, SNL had just as tacky humor that is now viewed as "classic."
Kenny Loggins then performs his first song to an adoring crowd. Digging that "Hotel California" background, huh? Kenny finishes his second song, "This is It," by going right up to the crowd. His enthusiasm is rewarded with a standing ovation!
Next, a PSA on helping the inner city residents. This man used to be a part of this group of people until now...he's spending his time in Beverly Hills, "helping" people. Or, "affluent honkies" as the acronym for this program mentions the joy of serving food poolside, or watching your just-cleaned Mercedes leave with a happy teen and his friends peeling out the driveway. This is living, as the program helps blacks to help whites, "the way God wanted it to be." This kind of satire was done in a slightly more muted tone on SNL. I would guess that Garrett Morris would be game for such a sketch, but by this time writers there had him actually dressed as a monkey in a Wizard of Oz sketch.
Next is the first bomb of the night: office workers demand "it." They want "it." A doctor then comes in, strips to the above outfit, and does some version of a tribal dance. This satisfies Larry's character. End of sketch. Um...yeah.
Michael Nesmith and William Dear, who would in the following year deliver their own sketch comedy program, made the above commercial parody. It sneaks up on you, that camera angle.
The winning streak returns when a man who claims to be consistently ignored arrives at a plastic surgeon's office because he's read this doctor can make you look like celebrities. His desired celebrity? Howdy Doody. "Can you handle the responsibility?" The doctor refuses to do the surgery ("I won't have this doody on my conscious"), but the man will pay in cash, so...the transformation is above and a complete success!
Being a famous celebrity (or looking like one) has its advantages. You can score tables at fancy restaurants. You can hold your breath in punch bowls. Ah, Mr. Doody! Hello, Mr. Doody! Sadly, this is a "no ending" sketch as we just see Howdy walk down the street, accepting accolades while the v/o of his doctor continues to ramble. There's no way you'd know how far they would take this sketch...it was used in many episodes randomly in the future. We'd see someone complaining to the police of lewd conduct...but then who walks down the street? "Well, hello Mr. Doody! Have a good day Mr. Doody!" It's an interesting idea...it plans on you already knowing the first sketch, yet if you DON'T know it, makes you not want to be an outsider. Or maybe I'm reading too much into it. I had a boss once who used to greet me this way. Inside jokes are the best.
Next is a sketch of the first day of class of the Los Angeles school for doormen. As we know, Larry has a comedic soft spot for doormen. You can imagine how long the class (and sketch) lasts. But, it gets the laugh and moves on.
The final sketch of the night is one that's placed here in the show for a reason (as you'll see). It's poker night, with their wives at a movie. As each guy boasts of how other women want them, the doorbell rings. What a surprise, it's well-dressed women...whores! "Hi, we're whores. We came by to talk to you about our product." After handing out menus, the guys immediately begin to have second thoughts. "Are you really whores?" "Well, they prefer us to use 'genital engineers' but whatever is fine with me." Things seem to be out of their price range, so they suggest a "group plan." One by one we see each guy's face with their final thought: "What if I'm gay?" (Again, more laughs) "Wait, our wives!" Oh, well, then you won't be needing us. Back everyone goes. Yet another sketch I can't see anyone at SNL doing...or probably getting to air.
Cast member MaryEdith Burrell says goodbye for the cast and highlights their musical guests in the upcoming weeks. Planned or otherwise, she left out The Clash, who would be on in a few weeks. That video is around the internets...I highly recommend it. For the credits of each episode, you see a Polaroid picture of whoever's name scrolls by. Really cool idea, and gave them another chance to sneak in something.
Critically, the response was to hold this up to the current SNL and claim it nothing more than the sham that, in development, it might have been. SNL producer Lorne Michaels had the same agent as the producers of this show (and MC Jack Burns as well). The fact that this agent represented everyone was not lost on ABC, and therefore taken as a personal hit by Michaels. He didn't watch the show. As for the viewers, with new episodes running through to the summer, it cultivated its fan base to the point where its ratings were higher than SNL. Again, that link at the start of this article gives detail on the rise and fall of this show.
It was a brief run - 2 calendar years. It likely wouldn't be nearly as remembered had not Larry and Michael gone on to larger fame. But when it comes to gold, specifically that from California, there are few shows that combined the two so well. Wait...I can think of more...I'd better stop.
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