What a crappy way to start a new season. Aside from the Fey/Poehler skit to kick off the show it was just another blah episode. I mean really... recycling a sketch from last season in your season opener? How about some originality?
Props to Phelps. For a guy that is an athlete, not an actor, he did okay.

I watched the first 40 minutes and never laughed once.

I also noted the absence of any Obama/Biden jokes. Odd, since Biden gave 'em the perfect set-up (asking a guy in a wheelchair to stand. SNL could have had The Messiah come in and get the guy to walk.)

Phelps may be a nice guy and the greatest swimmer ever...but he isn't cut out for sketch comedy.

catty and firthguy, I agree. I only fast forwarded through the episode on my DVR. They have the numbers now they just give us the show!
I agree with you Catty - Phelps is so blah. There a reason he's a swimmer and not an actor.

Really? I thought '04 - Ben Affleck and '05 - Steve Carell were way better.

cattyfan/Nads: I agree. He flubbed his lines big time, and one can obviously tell tell he definitely doesn't have the acting chops. It kinda makes sense since he had the least lines of any host that I've recently seen. I guess the writers and producers can still spot talent when they see it ;)

Nads: It's pretty pathetic that that is what SNL has become ie. "we get the audience, who cares about the content?" And recent-ish history shows they pull in viewers when it comes to the politics (race for President) but I would have expected fresh content, especially for a freakin' SEASON OPENER. That damn re-hash of the Peton Manning motivation was pathetic. Huge Pet peeve of mine.

I know firth! there used to be a time when SNL was the highlight of my weekend growing up. Everything they did I LOVED...I'd re-inact scenes w/ my friends, and it was real "comedy". Like the Gap girls saying "just cinch it!" or Mike Myers with "Simon" along w/ everything else he and that cast did. But even way before that...there were lines that they wrote and performed that would become part of normal conversation...it's just not there anymore. I don't know if it'll ever be frankly.

New season should be NEW ideas!

SNL seems to go in cycles, where it's bad for a few years, good for a few, bad, etc etc. But now it seems that it's been bad for a veeeery loooong time, ever since Will Ferrell left. I miss the days of the Janet Reno Dance Party and John Goodman as Linda Tripp!!

Saturday's intro - the Palin/ Clinton press conference- was hilarious, though. :)

OMG, Janet Reno dance party, blast from the past. lmao. That was brilliant!