The second episode of SNL seems to show that the guys in charge weren't quite sure yet of what the program was all about. We start out with a Paul Simon song; then Chevy shows up briefly to fall down and say "Live from NY..." The bees arrive on stage at one point, only to be told by Paul that there's no time for their sketch. There is a brief Weekend Update with a couple of Gerald Ford jokes by Chevy; then it turns into about the only sustained funny piece of the evening: Marv Albert (!) serves as commentator for a one-on-one b'ball tournament between Paul Simon and an NBA player, which of course Simon wins. The other comedy segments (a weak commercial parody, a dreadful Muppet episode, and a sub-par Albert Brooks short) don't feature the regular cast at all. It's funny to see how nervous Simon looks when he's not singing, compared to his more "in control" attitude after he did the show a few times.
But here's what makes this one of the best first-season episodes: the music! Who could complain about this? Several Paul Simon solos, an extended duet segment with Garfunkel, SOLOS by Garfunkel, plus additional musical guests Randy Newman, Phoebe Snow, and the Jessy Dixon Singers. And the BAND! Richard Tee on keyboards, a very young David Sanborn (I'm pretty sure here) playing sax, Steve Gadd drumming, and on and on. And Howard ("Lord of the Rings") Shore directing the group.
Who cares if there weren't any sketches? This was an amazing night of 70s music, a conjunction of creative stars worth staying up late to see. And speaking of music, just read the list of musical guests for the entire first season of SNL and compare it to the weekly dose of musical garbage the show CURRENTLY airs. Almost all of the guests are still household words after over 30 years, unlike the forgettable parade of rappers, alternative whiners, etc. who clog the air today.
This was the first SNL episode I ever saw (the night it first aired) and it's an unforgettable one. A definite download for those who love the best of the 70s.