Last week, I presented the possibility that the SNL cast and writers would have used up all their energy on the Betty White show.This week seems to have confirmed that theory, with an episode not only underwhelming by Alec Baldwin's usually high standards but for a season finale in general.I don't know if they were expecting that Baldwin's presence alone could elevate mediocre material (to be fair, he did help somewhat) or if it was just exhaustion on everyone's part, but either way the finale was another letdown in a season full of them.

The Betty White show has to be one of the most hyped episodes in the series' 35 year history.But how was it?

Almost Live! was a half-hour sketch comedy show produced by Seattle NBC affiliate KING-TV between 1984 and 1999.The reruns still play in the post-SNL spot on KING. Despite being out of production for over a decade, it still holds a special place in many Seattleites' hearts and remains a link to something that had disappeared as the city changed in recent years.

The current SNL season is almost finished, and by and large it's been a dissapointment.It's not quite at the point it was in the infamously bad seasons (1980-81, 1994-95), but after coming off a particularly strong 2008-09 season (buoyed in part by Tina Fey's cameo appearances as Sarah Palin), the drop in quality is still noticable and that if things don't get fixed soon, it's going to get worse.For the most part this year has actually had at least one funny sketch per show.But the cracks are visible and unless something changes over the summer, next year could have the makings of another bad year on the level of 1994-95, when the show could no longer successfully navigate the line that divides the uninspired and the terrible.

A tribute to Bea Arthur.

Review of the live April 4 2009 SNL episode

Live review of the March 14, 2009 broadcast of Saturday Night Live