Maya Rudolph makes her debut as Kamala Harris in Saturday Night Live return

The 50th season of Saturday Night Live kicked off with a cold open that debuted stars Maya Rudolph , Jim Gaffigan, Andy Samberg, Bowen Yang and James Austin Johnson as the candidates and their partners in the 2024 presidential election.

"Well, well, well, look who fell out of that coconut tree," Rudolph, playing Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris , began. "Your fun aunt has returned."

She added: "I am so happy to be campaigning in whatever swing state I'm in, which I will just refer to as Wisconsin-Pennsylv-Georgia because I am going to protect your Va-Georgia."

Harris's campaign, she explained, is like the Sabrina Carpenter song "Espresso"... "The lyrics are vague, but the vibe slaps."

"Now this election is about moving forward," she continued. "You see, Donald Trump is stuck in the past, but it's like I say to my husband Doug when he leaves his phone at the Chili's... 'We are not going back!'"

Gaffigan's Tim Walz then bounced onto the stage: "I haven't been this excited since I got a 10 per cent rebate on a leaf-blower for Menards," he said. "Can I say, I got that BDE... Big Dad Energy. You see what I did there?"

"I got it. I didn't want it, but I got it," Rudolph's Harris responded, later pointing out: "Time is not the only white dude for Harris here today."

She then brought out Samberg as her husband Doug Emhoff, "second gentlemensch", who hit back at Republicans mocking him for supporting his wife: "I've heard what the right says about me... 'Oh he's a beta, a wife guy, a trad husband, a little spoon.'

"You know what, if helping Kamala (who we call Mamala in my family) become president means being a little spoon, then you can kiss my little butt."

Samberg's Doug also expressed his excitement at decorating the White House for Christmas: "The theme will be Hanukkah."

SNL castmembers James Austin Johnson and Bowen Yang played Donald Trump and JD Vance , respectively.

Yang recently made headlines after he was asked to reveal the worst SNL host behaviour he'd ever witnessed. "This man – this person, this host – made multiple cast members cry on Wednesday before the table read because he hated the ideas," he responded.

The opening episode of SNL's 50th season was hosted by Golden Globe award-winning actor Jean Smart, who was joined by the show's musical guest, singer Jelly Roll.

"I remember watching the very first episode of SNL and thinking, 'Someday, I'm gonna host that show,'" the Mare of Easttown and Fargo star recalled. "And this is the first Saturday that worked with my schedule."

Smart then began a musical skit detailing the things she loves most about New York, despite not being a New Yorker: "I like the sight and the sound and even the stink of it."

She started her career in New York "around the same time Saturday Night Live started", she told the audience. "I didn't really believe it was live. Seriously, I thought SNL stood for 'Saturday Night Laughs', and then I watched the show and thought... well that can't be right."

Saturday Night Live's 50th season continues each week on NBC.