The 20 Most Memorable Moments In Saturday Night Live's 40-Year History

Eddie Murphy And SNL ‘80s

The new era of Saturday Night Live (dubbed SNL ‘80s) got off to a rocky start when the show's new cast and writers received an abysmal response from both viewers and critics. One of the few bright spots of the sixth season was the addition of comedian Eddie Murphy as a featured player. By the end of the season, NBC brought on yet another executive producer, Dick Ebersol, who let the entire cast go aside from Murphy and Joe Piscopo. Ebersol tinkered with several format changes during the seventh season but eventually decided to bring Saturday Night Live back to its roots. By Season 8, Murphy had become a huge star and the first cast member to simultaneously act as host, which angered other cast members. During his opening monologue, he famously declared, “Live from New York, it's the Eddie Murphy Show!”