Is this the strongest start to the season in years?

A lot has been said about this season’s SNL being a “transitional” year, given the number of outgoing cast members. It seemed like Lorne was preparing us for a weak season in which the show would be trying to find itself, yet… two episodes in, I’m really surprised by the strength of the show and the hosts.

Are there still clunker sketches? Of course — even the best seasons in history had horrible ones. But this season feels super energized in the first time in years. It could be that flipping the cast makes things feel fresh, or that cast members aren’t relying on old tricks for laughs that became stale. Or maybe it’s the pressure of the transitional season itself that’s leading everyone to bring their A-game. But I am super excited to see how the season and show continues to develop.