SNL’s 32nd season has officially reached the halfway point. Despite some weaker episodes from Ludacris and Matthew Fox, the current season should still be viewed as an improvement over last year. Jamie Pressly and Alec Baldwin delivered undisputed home runs, while Samberg and Timberlake’s “D**k in a Box” digital short became the popular topic of many email forwards and parties over holiday break (much like “Lazy Sunday” did at the same time one year earlier) . As usual, SNL is still far from perfect, but creatively, this season has been more unpredictable and exciting than what we’ve seen over the past few years.

Hosting this weekend is Academy Award nominee Jake Gyllenhaal. Every so often, SNL seems to throw out these episodes with twenty something male hosts + a current buzz band. In 2005 we had Topher Grace and The Killers. In 2003, it was Elijah Wood and Jet. Surprisingly, both of those shows were snoozers so hopefully Gyllenhaal can break the pattern. At just 26 years old, he has racked up an extremely diverse list of film roles: haunted teenager, savior of NYC, bubble boy and even a U.S. Marine. I’m really hoping SNL exploits this range by throwing him into things other than a sketch about Poehler gushing over the latest heartthrob host or some lame “Brokeback Mountain” parody.

Much like Death Cab for Cutie did as the first musical guest of 2006, I’m sure James Mercer and The Shins will bring two fun performances. I haven’t heard anything from their upcoming “Wincing the Night Away” album yet, but like most of the US, I did enjoy “Chutes Too Narrow” back in 2003.