Somber Pete Davidson welcomes back 'SNL' with indelible nod to Middle East 'suffering'

After a somber cold open from host Pete Davidson, 'SNL' returned to TV, and business as usual, with Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce cameos and a 'Barbie' riff.

Sketch comedy juggernaut 'Saturday Night Live' may have changed the course of television when it premiered in 1975, but TV and small-screen satire have morphed, it's struggled to retain its relevance and its sharp sense of humor. But the cold open of Season 49 leaned into a strength the show has always had — knowing when to drop the jokes and appeal to a difficult, emotional moment.

The show's daring parodies of pop culture and American politics didn't always work, but when they did, they were gold: John Belushi as the Saturday Night Samurai; Tina Fey as Sarah Palin; Kate McKinnon as Hilary Clinton after she lost the 2016 election, singing Leonard Cohen's 'Hallelujah.' And the show has given us a who's who of American comedy greats, from Steve Martin to Kate McKinnon to Chris Rock.

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