Some of my first memories of Saturday Night Live are of a sleepover party that I went to as a kid. My friend said there was a show that aired late that night and it was funny and we had to watch. He then told me it was going to be tough because it was on really late so we might get tired and that his parents would probably try and stop us from watching.

That was all I needed to hear.

I was around ten or eleven and I was hooked. Through the good times and the bad, I have watched SNL. I have seen some classic sketches and some that I am thankful for my Tivo. While I make fun of the show all the time, I still have it on my season pass and I still tune in, even if I am only fast forwarding through most  of it. Maybe one day I will stop watching, but this is the only show on television that I feel like I have watched my entire life. Cutting something out like that is not that easy. While I could go on and on about my history with the show, that is not the reason for this article.

Universal has finally announced that they will be releasing the first season of Saturday Night Live as a season box set. It is going to be eight discs and it will contain the original, unedited episodes for the very first time.

While a lot of the episodes have played on E! or other networks over the years, I do not think they have ever played in an unedited broadcast. As someone who has seen a lot of the episodes, I am really looking forward to revisiting them on my own terms on DVD. The other great thing about these discs is all of the classic musical acts.  That first season had Jimmy Cliff, Carly Simon, Patti Smith, Simon & Garfunkel and a ton of other great performers.

And that is the other reason why I love SNL, the musical guests. Unlike a lot of late night shows, SNL always had performers on who were about to break, and back in the 70’s and 80’s being on SNL was a really big deal. And while the show has lost some of its magic luster, being able to say I played on SNL is still, I think, a big thing for a lot of bands.

Obviously if these DVDs sell well you can expect further seasons to be released on DVD in the coming months and years. With thirty years of shows in the archive, and the popularity of television DVDs, this is probably as much as a sure thing as any bet you could make this year.

Here is the artwork which you can click on to enlarge. Below that is the press release from Universal. Season One of SNL hits on December 5^th. 

New Eight-DVD Set Includes All 24 Original, Unedited Season One Episodes

In their 90-Minute Format for the First Time Ever – Available December 5, 2006

The groundbreaking sketch comedy of the pioneering first season of NBC’s “Saturday Night Live” comes to DVD with digitally remastered picture and sound for the first time on December 5, 2006 from Universal Studios Home Entertainment.

The set includes unforgettable sketches such as Land Shark and the Killer Bees; musical performances include Simon & Garfunkel, Jimmy Cliff, Carly Simon and Patti Smith. “Saturday Night Live”: The Complete First Season guest hosts include Richard Pryor, Rob Reiner, Candice Bergen, Buck Henry and George Carlin.   Just in time for the holidays, the eight-disc set comes in specially designed gift packaging with a limited-edition collectible book, audition footage and cast interview that aired the day before the first show! The set is sure to delight any SNL fan. “Saturday Night Live”: the Complete First Season is priced at $69.98 SRP. In addition, all 24 individual episodes of Season One will also be available to download beginning December 5, 2006.

According to the New York Times, “Saturday Night Live” is “still the most pervasive influence on the art of comedy in contemporary culture.” Since its 1975 debut, SNL has been considered the gold standard for comedy on television, showcasing some of the brightest comedic lights of the past 30 years. The program has won 19 Emmy Awards and been nominated for scores more, as well as winning the prestigious George Foster Peabody Award.   With millions of viewers tuning in each week, the late-night comedy showcase has become an American institution and continues to be the highest rated show on late-night television.

Synopsis

For more than 30 years, “Saturday Night Live” has been America’s favorite late-night television program, showcasing the talent of a generation of outrageously funny comedy performers. Now, for the first time, the legendary debut season of the longest-running comedy series in television history is available on DVD.  All 24 Season One episodes, starring comedy revolutionaries John Belushi, Dan Aykroyd, Chevy Chase, Jane Curtin, Gilda Radner, Laraine Newman and Garrett Morris, are included in the original 90-minute format.  With hosts including Candice Bergen, Rob Reiner, Lily Tomlin, George Carlin and Richard Pryor, “Saturday Night Live”: The Complete First Season also features performances by musical superstars such as Jimmy Cliff, Simon & Garfunkel, Carly Simon, Patti Smith and more.  

TECHNICAL INFORMATION
DVD

Street Date: December 5, 2006
Copyright: 2006 Universal Studios. All Rights Reserved.
Price:  $69.98 SRP
Running Time: 26 Hours 33 Minutes
Layers: Dual
Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1
Rating: Not Rated
Technical Info: Dolby Digital 2.0; English SDH