How many seasons was Lorne Michaels away from "SNL"?

For the first five years, Lorne Michaels lived and breathed the show, wrangling everything from cocaine-fueled writers to demanding network executives. When NBC refused to put the show on ice, Michaels walked away and the network replaced him. He stayed away from "SNL" for five seasons, from seasons 6 through 10. NBC handed the keys to associate producer Jean Doumanian, who assembled an entirely new cast and writing staff. Doumanian was fired after a mere twelve episodes, and Dick Ebersol took over and managed to keep the show alive largely thanks to breakout star Eddie Murphy. Those five missing seasons proved that while SNL could survive without Michaels, it couldn't thrive without him. When he returned in 1985, he brought the show back to its former glory and has remained the executive producer ever since.