Tonight's second installment of SNL Update Thursday has so much fodder to work with, it's a shame the show can only clock in at 30 minutes (well, 22 including commercials). Another debate! Another Great Depression! Joe the Plumber! Palin, Palin, Palin!

Tonight's ep has a tough act to follow as last week's foray was pretty darn good. Fred Armisen and Darrell Hammond opened the show with a chuckle-worthy skewering of last week's prez debates (though if you ask me, it was Chris Parnell channeling Tom Brokaw who made the skit sing). They'll have the same luxury this week as Obama and McCain met again last night for their last -- thank God -- debate, held at Hofstra University.

I can picture Will Forte as Joe the Plumber, coming out in the middle of the mock debate wearing nothing but a tool belt.

Prez debate aside, I'm thinking Tina Fey might pop up again as Lady Palin -- Lorne Michaels can hardly deny himself another ratings bonanza -- and if she does, it may be one of her last. Fey tells TV Guide in its October 20th issue, "If she wins, I'm done. I can't do that for four years. And by 'I'm done,' I mean I'm leaving earth."

People: I'm not going to tell you how to vote, but please consider that Tina's future presence on the planet depends on you!

Otherwise, I'm guessing Amy and Seth will resort to their (now) usual cache of jokes about the economy (hilarious!) and invite almost-funny cast members like Kenan Thompson back for some bits (his "Fix it!" skit last week was actually one of the few of his I've ever cracked a smile at). And perhaps a celeb or two will pop in? Seeing Bill Murray show up last week as a fake audience member warmed my heart, even if having to see him in HD was a rather harsh exposition on the cruelties of aging.

All said, these Thursday-night shows cannot and will not ever be as funny as The Daily Show or The Colbert Report. And that's fine. Both serve vastly different purposes: SNL as lighthearted roaster of political and social gaffes, The Daily Show and Colbert as watchdogs and protectors of our sanity. All three shows are noble pursuits, especially in a time of great need such as ours.

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