SNL Kicks Off 36th Season with Amy Poehler

Image from Pop Culture Feministas

I've been a regular viewer of Saturday Night Live since (literally) the very beginning. But I'll admit, it's had its strong years and bad years, and lately it's been more bad than good.  It has always been rare for any show to be funny all the way through. If the "cold open," the monologue and Weekend Update are funny (or 2 out of 3), then it was a good show.  The musical guest, and anything after WU are given a pass if those other elements are good.  Last season, they sometimes weren't even hitting 2 out of 3.

If last night's show is any indication, they've done something to fix things.  Traditionally, the first show of the year is a disappointment, considering how much has happened over the summer, and how much material they have to work with. This year broke that streak with the strongest debut I can remember since the triumphant beginning of the Dana Carvey/Phil Hartman/Jon Lovitz/Jan Hooks/Dennis Miller era in 1986. That show--with guest host Sigourney Weaver--is one of the few examples of an SNL that was good all the way through.  On Saturday, guest host Amy Poehler helped pull off the same feat.

This is a clip from the cold open, with an excellent use of a topic that popped up while the show was on break. Kudos to the writers, and Kristin Wiig, who did a great job as CO'D.