Synopsis
Saturday Night Live aired its thirteenth season during the 1987–1988 television season on NBC. Season 13 started on October 17, 1987 and ended on February 27, 1988. Before the start of the season few changes happened. Kevin Nealon was promoted to repertory status and Al Franken returned to the cast. Although the changes to the cast were minimal there were, however, major events that impeded the show's production. During production of the season premiere, a fire broke out near Studio 8H during dress rehearsal. Despite plans to cancel the show for the week, Steve Martin pushed the cast to perform, making the Steve Martin/Sting episode the only episode without a dress rehearsal. On March 7, 1988, the Writers Guild of America went on strike, cancelling many planned episodes, including one originally planned to be hosted by former "Not Ready for Primetime" player Gilda Radner. Radner, however, would never get the chance to host due to her death from ovarian cancer the following year. The host for the March 12, 1988 broadcast was never confirmed.
Season 13 aired between 17 Oct 1987 and 27 Feb 1988, 13 episodes.
Episodes
E01
Steve Martin/Sting
17 Oct 1987
E02
Sean Penn/L.L. Cool J., Michael Penn & the Pull
24 Oct 1987
E03
Dabney Coleman/The Cars
31 Oct 1987
E04
Robert Mitchum/Simply Red
14 Nov 1987
E05
Candice Bergen/Cher
21 Nov 1987
E06
Danny DeVito/Bryan Ferry
05 Dec 1987
E07
Angie Dickinson/Buster Poindexter & David Gilmour
12 Dec 1987
E08
Paul Simon/Linda Ronstadt & the Mariachi Vargas
19 Dec 1987
E09
Robin Williams/James Taylor
23 Jan 1988
E10
Carl Weathers/Robbie Robertson
30 Jan 1988
E11
Justine Bateman/Terrance Trent D'Arby
13 Feb 1988
E12
Tom Hanks/Randy Travis
20 Feb 1988
E13
Judge Reinhold/10,000 Maniacs
27 Feb 1988