Former cast member Amy Poehler came back for her second solo host gig, and third time hosting overall. The episode aired on the 50th anniversary of the very first episode of SNL in Season 1.
The best sketch was “Psychic Talk Show,” featuring Poehler was an eccentric psychic rushing through her readings in a studio filled with confused participants. Another funny bit was a pretape titled “Non-Alcoholic Beer” that featured Andrew Dismukes. Unfortunately, much of the material in the Poehler episode was either not very funny or rehashed ideas. A sketch titled “The Rudemans” was either a direct ripoff or an homage to “family show” ideas like “The Whiners,” which debuted in Season 7, and “The Loud Family” from Season 4.
Former cast member and Poehler gal pal Tina Fey made a guest appearance in the show’s cold open.
Amy Poehler SNL Season 51 Cold Open
Pam Bondi Hearing: Attorney General Pam Bondi (Amy Poehler) testifies before the Senate Judiciary Committee (Mikey Day, James Austin Johnson, Andrew Dismukes, Ashley Padilla, Jeremy Culhane, Tommy Brennan). Tina Fey guests stars.
