1 9 8 4 (USA)
9 x 60 minute episodes
This hour of offbeat comedy sketches from NBC was produced by Lorne Michaels, the man who created Saturday Night Live.
The humour was often topical as a cast of regulars and guests presented sketches such as the regular “Weekend Tonight” mock newscast and film clips of world leaders with new dialogue dubbed in.
Other skits generally emphasised teen-oriented humour. One show opened at the “Restaurant of Revulsion,” where a waiter (guest Raul Julia) ceremoniously unveiled for his customers the Catch of the Day, “Tête du Jour” – a severed head on a platter that exclaimed, “(Groan) . . . it’s The New Show!“
Among the guests making multiple appearances were John Candy and Catherine O’Hara, both alumni of SCTV, and actress Candice Bergen.
A musical spot each week featured acts such as The Pretenders, Cyndi Lauper and John Mellencamp.
The New Show failed to capture the novelty or the breakthrough talent of Saturday Night Live and was soon cancelled.
Buck Henry
Valri Bromfield
Dave Thomas
Maggie Jakobson
Maura Moynihan