BEST SNL era?
 

Seems a logical corollary to Scorcho's question. My personal fave is the period between 1986-87 and when Hartman left in @ '92. Hartman, Carvey, Lovitz, Hooks. These were brilliant people. I looked forward eagely to each new show. Miller's Weekend Update was unparalelled in it's quality. When Meyers came on board, it just kicked up a notch. He brought a new energy and vitality to the show. The moment it all crashed was @ 11 minutes after the film version of Wayne's World premiered. It's been all downhill since then.

Farely, Sandler, Myers, Hartman, Meadows, Carvey

Don't forget Chris Rock

Here's another vote for the best years:

1991-1993

Dana Carvey
Chris Farley
Phil Hartman
Chris Rock
Mike Myers
Kevin Nealon
David Spade
Adam Sandler
Tim Meadows
Julia Sweeney
Victoria Jackson
Sioban Fallon
Beth Cahill
Melanie Hutsell


THE BEST HOST/SHOW: Jerry Seinfeld, Annie Lennox

I'll agree with the early to mid 90s being the best era. Probably the best collection of funny cast members during that time, with some of my all-time favorite SNLers in the cast during that period.

The episodes I find the most entertaining are the 91-96 years. Essentially, the years with Spade, Hartman, Nealon, Farley, Sandler, Schneider, and Tim Meadows...up to the first years of the cast that is essentially all but gone now - Ferrell, Macdonald, Kattan, Shannon, Oteri.

80s stuff is mostly unwatchable to me, as is the 70s stuff, even though that was what got the show launched and I normally love Bill Murray and Dan Aykroyd.

The Best:
1. 1986 - 1995
2. 1975 - 1979
3. 1980 - 1984
4. 1997 - 2000

The Worst:
1. 1985 - 1986
2. 1995 - 1996
3. 2000 - present day

This may help you:

1975-1976
Dan Aykroyd, John Belushi Chevy Chase, Jane Curtin, Garrett Morris, Laraine Newman, Gilda Radner

1976-1977
Dan Aykroyd, John Belushi, Chevy Chase, Jane Curtin, Garrett Morris, Bill Murray, Laraine Newman, Gilda Radner

1977-1978
Dan Aykroyd, John Belushi, Jane Curtin, Garrett Morris, Bill Murray, Laraine Newman, Gilda Radner

1978-1979
Dan Aykroyd, John Belushi, Jane Curtin, Garrett Morris, Bill Murray, Laraine Newman, Gilda Radner

1979-1980
Jane Curtin, Garrett Morris, Bill Murray, Laraine Newman, Gilda Radner, Harry Shearer
Featuring: Peter Aykroyd, Tom Davis, Jim Downey, Al Franken, Brian Doyle-Murray, Don Novello, Paul Shaffer

1980-1981
Denny Dillon, Gilbert Gottfried, Gail Matthius, Eddie Murphy, Joe Piscopo, Ann Risley, Charles Rocket
Featuring: Yvonne Hudson, Matthew Laurence, Patrick Weathers

1981-1982
Robin Duke, Christine Ebersole, Mary Gross, Tim Kazurinsky, Eddie Murphy, Joe Piscopo, Tony Rosato
Featuring: Brian Doyle-Murray

1982-1983
Robin Duke, Mary Gross, Brad Hall, Tim Kazurinsky, Gary Kroeger, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Eddie Murphy, Joe Piscopo

1983-1984
Jim Belushi, Robin Duke, Mary Gross, Brad Hall, Tim Kazurinsky, Gary Kroeger, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Eddie Murphy, Joe Piscopo

1984-1985
Jim Belushi, Billy Crystal, Mary Gross, Christopher Guest, Rich Hall, Gary Kroeger, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Harry Shearer, Martin Short, Pamela Stepheson

1985-1986
Joan Cusack, Robert Downey, Jr., Nora Dunn, Anthony Michael Hall, Jon Lovitz, Dennis Miller, Randy Quaid, Terry Sweeney, Danitra Vance
Featuring: A. Whitney Brown, Al Franken, Dan Vitale, Damon Wayans

1986-1987
Dana Carvey, Nora Dunn Phil Hartman, Jan Hooks, Victoria Jackson, Jon Lovitz, Dennis Miller
Featuring: A. Whitney Brown, Al Franken, Kevin Nealon

1987-1988
Dana Carvey, Nora Dunn, Phil Hartman, Jan Hooks, Victoria Jackson, Jon Lovitz, Dennis Miller, Kevin Nealon
Featuring: A. Whitney Brown, Al Franken

1988-1989
Dana Carvey, Nora Dunn, Phil Hartman, Jan Hooks, Victoria Jackson, Jon Lovitz, Dennis Miller, Kevin Nealon
Featuring: A. Whitney Brown, Al Franken, Mike Myers, Ben Stiller

1989-1990
Dana Carvey, Nora Dunn, Phil Hartman, Jan Hooks, Victoria Jackson, Jon Lovitz, Dennis Miller, Mike Myers, Kevin Nealon
Featuring: A. Whitney Brown, Al Franken

1990-1991
Dana Carvey, Phil Hartman, Jan Hooks, Victoria Jackson, Dennis Miller, Mike Myers, Kevin Nealon
Featuring: A. Whitney Brown, Chris Farley, Al Franken, Tim Meadows, Chris Rock, Adam Sandler, Rob Schneider, David Spade, Julia Sweeney

1991-1992
Dana Carvey, Chris Farley, Phil Hartman, Victoria Jackson, Mike Myers, Kevin Nealon, Chris Rock, Julia Sweeney
Featuring: Beth Cahill, Ellen Cleghorne, Siobhan Fallon, Al Franken, Melanie Hutsell, Tim Meadows, Adam Sandler, Rob Schneider, David Spade

1992-1993
Dana Carvey, Chris Farley, Phil Hartman, Mike Myers, Kevin Nealon, Rob Schneider, Julia Sweeney
Featuring: Ellen Cleghorne, Al Franken, Melanie Hutsell, Tim Meadows, Adam Sandler, Rob Smigel, David Spade

1993-1994
Ellen Cleghorne, Chris Farley, Phil Hartman, Melanie Hutsell, Michael McKean, Tim Meadows, Mike Myers, Kevin Nealon, Adam Sandler, Rob Schneider, David Spade, Julia Sweeney
Featuring: Al Franken, Norm MacDonald, Jay Mohr, Sarah Silverman

1994-1995
Morwenna Banks, Ellen Cleghorne, Chris Elliot, Chris Farley, Janene Garofalo, Norm MacDonald, Michael McKean, Mark McKinney, Tim Meadows, Mike Myers, Kevin Nealon, Adam Sandler, David Spade
Featuring: Al Franken, Laura Kightlinger, Jay Mohr, Molly Shannon

1995-1996
Jim Breuer, Will Ferrell, Darrell Hammond, David Koechner, Norm MacDonald, Mark McKinney, Tim Meadows, Cheri Oteri, Molly Shannon, David Spade, Nancy Walls
Featuring: Chris Kattan, Colin Quinn, Fred Wolf

1996-1997
Jim Breuer, Will Ferrell, Ana Gasteyer, Darrell Hammond, Chris Kattan, Norm MacDonald, Mark McKinney, Tim Meadows, Tracy Morgan, Cheri Oteri, Molly Shannon
Featuring: Colin Quinn

1997-1998
Jim Breuer, Will Ferrell, Ana Gasteyer, Darrell Hammond, Chris Kattan, Norm MacDonald, Tim Meadows, Tracy Morgan, Cheri Oteri, Colin Quinn, Molly Shannon

1998-1999
Will Ferrell, Ana Gasteyer, Darrell Hammond, Chris Kattan, Tim Meadows, Tracy Morgan, Cheri Oteri, Colin Quinn, Molly Shannon
Featuring: Jimmy Fallon, Chris Parnell, Horatio Sanz

1999-2000
Jimmy Fallon, Will Ferrell, Ana Gasteyer, Darrell Hammond, Chris Kattan, Tim Meadows, Tracy Morgan, Cheri Oteri, Colin Quinn, Horatio Sanz, Molly Shannon
Featuring: Rachel Dratch, Maya Rudolph

2000-2001
Jimmy Fallon, Will Ferrell, Ana Gasteyer, Darrell Hammond, Chris Kattan, Tracy Morgan, Chris Parnell, Horatio Sanz, Molly Shannon
Featuring: Rachel Dratch, Tina Fey, Jerry Minor, Maya Rudolph

2001-2002
Rachel Dratch, Jimmy Fallon, Will Ferrell, Tina Fey, Ana Gasteyer, Darrell Hammond, Chris Kattan, Tracy Morgan, Chris Parnell, Amy Poehler, Maya Rudolph, Horatio Sanz
Featuring: Dean Edwards, Seth Meyers, Jeff Richards

2002-2003
Rachel Dratch, Jimmy Fallon, Tina Fey, Darrell Hammond, Chris Kattan, Tracy MorganChris Parnell, Amy Poehler, Maya Rudolph, Horatio Sanz
Featuring: Fred Armisen, Dean Edwards, Will Forte, Seth Meyers, Jeff Richards

This is the best as far as I'm concerned.

86-93 imo

I'll take 89/90 as well. Right when Mike Meyers showed up and before Chris Farley and Adam Sandler.

Those two had their moments, but I saw Sandler himself recently talk about when he left SNL to do movies something like, "how long could people watch me do this" and he made a goofy expressions. He said he just about had his mind made up to leave when Farley came up to him and said "We just got fired"

I'd say the Bill Murray years come in a close second.