The sad thing is, this is the best season since Will Ferrell left.
TThe cast members are all talented, but don't have that "Go-To Guy":
the '70s cast had about 5 of them: Dan Aykroyd, John Belushi, Bill Murray, Gilda Radner and even perennial host-but-never-a-cast-member Steve Martin
The absymal early '80s had Eddie Murphy and to a lesser extent Joe Piscopo (you know, before he started injecting Ivan Drago-sized steroids into his body)
The late '80s had a great cast anchored by Phil Hartman.
The early '90s had Mike Myers and gradually Chris Farley.
The '94-'95 season was by far the worst SNL season ever since the '80-'81 disaster, try and watch that shit again and laughing.
The mid-late '90s cast almost fell under that same format of a "Go-To Guy"-less cast, then Will Ferrell emerged as one of the funniest cast members ever.
Look at the cast since Ferrell left and tell me there's a guy like him. There just isn't, and until they find a guy like that. I like Andy Samberg, but he's like the 21st Century Adam Sandler (Instead of Weekend Update bits, he does Digital Shorts, same difference.)
Also, SNL needs to find a group of hosts that will host maybe around 10-15 times in the next 6 years, soon. Alec Baldwin, John Goodman, and Steve Martin aren't getting any younger. Justin Timberlake might become another 5-Timer soon, he's hilarious.
And Mike's right, sometimes MadTV is actually funnier than SNL. Watch Keegan Michael Key as Coach Hines or Bobby Lee in anything, they're absolutely hilarious.