The Not Ready for Prime Time Project: An SNL Retrospective

An in-depth journey into the legacy of one of television's most iconic and influential shows - Saturday Night Live. Through deep dives into its most memorable eras, behind-the-scenes stories, and analysis of its evolution, we celebrate and debate all things SNL - the show that has become an institution, defining comedy for over 50 years.

All Episodes

The Not Ready for Prime Time Project: An SNL Retrospective

Deep Thoughts: The End of SNL?

March 17, 2026 • Two Pints Productions, Inc.

0:00 | 54:51

Why did Lorne Michaels leave SNL? How hard did NBC try to keep him? Did a future US senator really sabotage everything?

Saturday Night Live historians and authors Doug Hill & Jeff Weingrad join us once again to answer these questions (and more) as we look back on the end of SNL’s original era. Beginning with Season Four (which they would argue was the beginning of the end), we connect the dots as to what brought about the eventual end of Lorne Michaels’ original run of the show.

Doug and Jeff take us inside the negotiations between Lorne & the network, try to make sense of NBC’s decision to replace him with Jean Doumanian, and explain the outlook everyone had heading into Season Six. From exhaustion and failed prime time deals, to a bitter (and personal) contract negotiation and an infamous Weekend Update piece that just might have killed the whole deal, we examine all that went into one of the biggest turning points in Saturday Night Live history – one that was made behind the back of its creator, Lorne Michaels.

If for some reason you haven't gotten a copy of Doug & Jeff's book, Saturday Night: A Backstage History of Saturday Night Live you can get it HERE, or anywhere you buy books.

---------------------------------
Subscribe & Follow today!

And follow us on social media:

Twitter: @NR4PTProject

Instagram: @nr4ptproject

Bluesky: @nr4ptproject.bsky.social

Facebook: The Not Ready for Prime Time Project