Saturday Night Live - SNL - Complete Season 16 (1990-1991) Saturday Night Live’s 16th season, which aired from September 29, 1990, to May 18, 1991, stands as one of the most pivotal "bridge" periods in the show's 50-year history. Following the departures of longtime staples like Nora Dunn and Jon Lovitz, executive producer Lorne Michaels introduced a "middle group" of cast members that would eventually define 1990s comedy. Cast Evolution: The Birth of the "Bad Boys"
The signature sketches of Season 16 are defined by this chaos. Dana Carvey’s with the Church Lady (a holdover from Season 15) reached its zenith, with hosts like Tom Hanks and Patrick Swayze gamely squirming in her judgmental glare. Phil Hartman’s Bill Clinton impression was still a novelty, but more importantly, his Frank Sinatra and Ed McMahon set the gold standard for impersonation. However, the season truly belongs to the new wave. Chris Farley’s “Matt Foley: Motivational Speaker” did not debut until Season 17, but the groundwork was laid in Season 16 with his aggressive, sweating, pants-dropping fervor. Meanwhile, a pre-“Wayne’s World” Mike Myers—technically a featured player who joined mid-season—began experimenting with the quirky, suburban Canadian archetypes that would define his career. Saturday Night Live - SNL - Complete Seasons 16...
The most defining characteristic of Season 16 is the seismic shift in its cast. The season began with what is often referred to as a “transitional” or “bridge” cast, skillfully designed by executive producer to avoid the mistakes of past, full-scale reboots. While some of the 1980s mainstays remained, this was the season that saw both the departure of key players and the arrival of a new generation. Saturday Night Live - SNL - Complete Season