Live from New York...

Ask anyone when they think Saturday Night Live "jumped the shark" and I'm sure you'll get a variety of answers. Generally, the answer will depend on which cast the person grew up watching. And for a show that's been on television since 1975, that's a lot of ground to cover and a lot of cast members to consider. In fact, I think that SNL has jumped the shark so many times, the shark doesn't even show up anymore.
The reason I'm writing about the show is because the first season is set to come out on DVD in December; unedited, complete with musical guests. It's been years since I've seen an entire show from that era and it will be interesting to see how the episodes have stood the test of time.
The basic format of the show hasn't changed much over the years. The show opens with a sketch, usually something topical, followed by a monologue by the host, then maybe a commercial parody and a few more sketches. A musical performance is usually after about 4 or 5 sketches, followed by Weekend Update. After that point, the laughs drop off considerably, although some characters have grown from those late program sketches. And while the format stays the same, it's the eclectic aspect of the program that's changed, not necessarily for the better.
Argue all you want about which cast is the best, but I prefer the early years and not just for the cast. Back in the late 70's, there was nothing like this on television. Variety shows were basically safe and family-friendly, from Carol Burnett to Donny & Marie. SNL offered the only real alternative, a slap-to-the-face of network programming. It was also event television, something people talked about Monday morning. Occasionally SNL will inspire that kind of conservation now, but not like the early days. And the eclectic choice of hosts and music provided a spark. Unlike today, when the host is someone usually plugging a movie, television program or record, the hosts in the early days seemed to people the cast wanted the opportunity to work with. Such comedians as George Carlin, Richard Pryor, Lily Tomlin and Robert Klein wound up as hosts in the first season, while Steve Martin would host the show five times in season two and three. In fact, the first show, which was hosted by Carlin, contains a lot of his stand-up as well as an odd performance by Andy Kaufman.
The musical guests in the early years were generally an odd mix, consisting of folk/singer-songwriter types, with appearances by Paul Simon, Gordon Lightfoot and Leon Redbone, but also unlikely groups like ABBA and the Preservation Hall Jazz Band. SNL, though did tap into the new-wave music trend in seasons three and four, boasting appearances by Elvis Costello, Talking Heads, DEVO and Kate Bush. Occasionally SNL will still book a group considered "cutting edge", but they generally venture into the commercially-safe territory.
I know I'm looking forward to this boxed-set. Not just as a reminder of this television institution got started, but also as a way to remember my youth. When staying up late was cool and you couldn't wait until Monday to recite the sketches to your classmates. Also, the only shark the show had to worry about was a landshark.