SNL Season 3, Episode 20: Buck Henry

Buck Henry hosting for the fourth time this season—a record—was a testament to his reliability and perfect fit with the show. This episode, which was held in New Orleans during Mardi Gras, had a chaotic, celebratory feel. Sketches were performed on floats and in the streets, which was ambitious but didn’t always work perfectly. The sound was often poor and the logistics seemed difficult. However, a “Point/Counterpoint” segment about the city was fantastic. The true highlight was avant-garde jazz legend Sun Ra and his Arkestra, whose bizarre, futuristic performance was one of the most wonderfully strange musical moments in the show’s history. An ambitious, messy, but ultimately fascinating episode.