Because Tina Fey is almost always funny and brings so much goodwill to every project she's involved with (even the lamentable Date Night, which she hosted SNL to promote), it's easy to develop unreasonably high expectations when she comes back to host Saturday Night Live. That, coupled with the fact that her very presence reminds us all of a better period on the show, gave Fey a lot to live up to this week.

I'm happy to say that, for the most part, she did not disappoint. I couldn't say how much direct involvement she had in shaping the sketches this week, but it felt like either a) she absolutely had a lot of say (particularly the commercial parody, which I would swear she wrote herself) or b) everyone brought their "A" game and wanted to impress the old boss. Whichever the case, Fey's guest hosting gig provided for one of the season's better episodes -- if for no other reason than that other than a short Kristen Wiig "Weekend Update" appearance, there were no repeat sketches this week. I'll take an unfunny sketch over an unoriginal one any day, and luckily I didn't really have to make that choice this week. There might not have been any stand-alone breakout sketches, but just about every one was good for a few laughs. Way to go, Saturday Night Live. Way to go, Tina Fey. You really are the thinking man's Tina Fey.

Watch the complete Saturday Night Live Tina Fey/Justin Bieber episode

Sketch Highlights

• "Cold Open: Obama Census" - There's not much to say about another Obama cold open. At least this one had an ok concept -- that the census form asks a series of insanely personal and inappropriate questions -- but had no idea how to build any momentum. Like a lot of SNL skits, this one just ends instead of creating an actual punchline. Because that's how comedy works. (Watch the "Cold Open: Obama Census" video)

• "Brownie Husband" - A pretty decent commercial parody that felt a whole lot like the kind of stuff SNL did back when Tina Fey was head writer. There are really no new jokes here, but the central idea is strong and Fey really commits to the bit. Plus, it's a reminder of the show back when it was -- I'm sorry to say -- funnier. (Watch the "Brownie Husband" video)
• "Masters" - On the one hand, this sketch felt like a tired piling-on of Tiger Woods sex jokes that feel like they're about two months too late. On another level -- one that's smarter and better -- the sketch is about the way that the sport of professional golf will forever be affected (or for a while, at least) by the sex scandal of its biggest star, and how the PGA's acceptance of Woods back into the fold means lying in the same bed he's in. It's heady stuff for a sketch that mostly just carries raunchy-one liners (a few of which were pretty funny), but on that level I liked it. (Watch the "Masters" video)
• "Sarah Palin Network" - The sketch everyone was waiting for once Tina Fey was announced as host of the show. Having Fey play Palin again doesn't really feel relevant anymore, and the sketch seemed mostly to coast on a "Hey, remember when...?" vibe. There were a few decent jabs, but the central concept was kind of clumsy and -- even for a joke carrier -- it went on too long. It's like the writers fell in love with every joke and couldn't bear to cut any of them; either that, or the show recognized that since this was what people were tuning in for, they better deliver a bunch of it. To me, it felt like they should have left the Palin impression back in 2008. (Watch the "Sarah Palin Network" video)
• "Teacher" - An odd sketch that would have been pretty distasteful with the roles reversed (and possibly still distasteful as is, considering how many stories we've heard about this kind of thing actually happening), but the songs were cleverly constructed. Plus, it was a smart move to get musical guest Justin Bieber involved, even though he can't read off a cue card to save a goddamn. The sketch also provided fairly rare instance of Tina Fey mugging, which was jarring to see. I still love you, Tina Fey. Let's never fight again. (Watch the "Teacher" video)
• "Ruff, Rugger and Roker" - I have no idea what to say about this. It's another sketch that has a funny idea behind it -- that just before he does the Today Show weather forecasts, Al Roker is throwing a party drenched in debauchery -- but Kenan Thompson's Roker is terrible and shoehorning in Tina Fey as Dina Lohan just didn't work. Still, when this is the worst sketch of the evening, I guess I have to admit the episode is doing something right. (Watch the "Ruff, Rugger and Roker" video)
• "Update: Women's News" - If you needed a reminder of the voice that was lost when Tina Fey left SNL, here it is. Though maybe not as quotably iconic as her last "Bitch is the new black" piece, there were a lot of really good jokes in this short piece -- mostly because it had a point of view and some genuine anger behind it. "Update" was strong in general this week (minus the other "special guests"), mostly for the same reasons, but Fey's bit was the best. (Watch the "Update: Women's News" video)
• "School Dance" - I've been hard on Nasim Pedrad because she has yet to create a character I care for much, but this week's nerdy teenager is her best effort yet. It's not a great sketch and we've mostly seen it before (I'm not going to be looking for her to reprise it every week), but a few of Pedrad's lines made me laugh (none more so than describing one of her mom's good qualities as "She's not always 'on'"). (Watch the "School Dance" video)
• "Lolene" - Another piece I didn't love, mostly because it's not funny, but it's odd enough to have won me over. The show did its job this week: a few good sketches and no terrible ones. (Watch the "Lolene" video)