The 34th (!) season of “Saturday Night Live” debuted last night, an event that normally would not be cause for much buzz. Let’s face it: The once great sketch comedy show that launched countless careers and several mediocre films jumped the shark about a decade ago. I hadn’t even considered watching, even after I found out that everyone’s favorite Olympian (and possible d-bag) Michael Phelps would be hosting. There was also talk of an appearance by Barack Obama, and that wasn’t enough to sway me either. The last time I’d actually spent an hour-and-a-half watching the show, I’d felt embarrassed for a legitimately talented cast, who surely deserved better than the material they were given, and annoyed that I was wasting my time with bad puns and dick jokes.

Then I read a fairly compelling article highlighting the show’s reputable history of political satire. I mean, yeah, we have Jon Stewart now; “Weekend Update” can hardly compare. But there’s still something to be said for a quality impersonation—and with that in mind, I decided to give “Saturday Night Live” (and Michael Phelps) another chance.

Bad move on my part.

Here’s what last night’s “SNL” had going for it: a brilliant opening sketch featuring Tina Fey as a perfect Sarah Palin and Amy Poehler as a, well, adequate Hillary Clinton. For a full rundown of the skit, which had me laughing out loud at this show for the first time in years, check out Elizabeth Snead’s post at The Dish Rag. Though Fey is not a regular cast member and may not be returning to the show—remember, she has “30 Rock” duties to attend to—her performance almost makes a TiVo Season Pass worth it. Almost.

See, everything that came after those first couple minutes was ludicrously unfunny. Even “Weekend Update,” which let the show venture into political territory again, was a disappointment. Way to make otherwise legitimate complaints about both Sarah Palin and the media look completely ridiculous. All in all, Michael Phelps was awkward, the jokes were predictable and the rumored Obama cameo was non-existent. I’m not sorry I watched; I just hope I’ve learned my lesson. There’s no doubt I’ll need laughter to get me through this election season, but for now, I’m sticking to “The Daily Show.”

Image Source: Associated Press
‘SNL’ returns with spotlight on prez impersonators [Yahoo! News]
Sarah Palin and Hillary Clinton cross party lines to battle sexism ‘Live, from New York’ [The Dish Rag]