For those who appreciate the somewhat offbeat and irreverent humor of the seminal seasons of SNL, this is a consistent hoot. Take the SNL set, band and staff of writers, include the three female components of the cast; then add two comic geniuses -- in the form of Bob & Ray -- and the results are simply incredible.
I was on a business trip in Dallas the night this first aired; TV was not what I would have considered to be prime Saturday evening entertainment when I was 23 years old, single and on the road. But circumstances being what they were, I settled back for what would become one of the most memorable hours in the history of the medium.
The ladies performed at their peak (it has been stated in another persons' pathetic evaluation that Gilda was 'grossly undertalented' -- one would have to be a senseless robot to make such a judgment) and took their cues and immaculate timing from the seasoned masters, Misters Elliott and Goulding. Having worked with the latter pair some during the 1970s, my elevated expectations for this event were more than exceeded.
All the sketches were of that deadpan-sarcastic take on the everyday world that had become a trademark for Bob & Ray; this, mixed with the fresh irreverence and downright sexiness of Gilda, Laraine and Jane, made for a sensory alchemy that had never been before, nor has been replicated since. Nuances such as brief cutaways to 'live promos' ("contestants are served unlimited quantities of toast") stick in my mind and clearly demonstrate that no stone was left unturned for an entire hour.
I don't know if this episode -- which was promoted and aired as a 'special' -- has been packaged for retail, but I'm ready to buy it as soon as I see it on a shelf.
