The question of who would play Tim Walz and Doug Emhoff on “Saturday Night Live” was immediately answered Saturday night as the sketch comedy series kicked off its 50th season.

Jim Gaffigan joined Maya Rudolph in the season premiere’s cold open as the affable governor of Minnesota and vice president of Harris, while Andy Samberg appeared as the second gentleman. Dana Carvey also debuted his Joe Biden impression on “SNL.”

“SNL” actor James Austin Johnson returned as Donald Trump and Bowen Yang stepped in as his running mate JD Vance. Andrew Dismukes played journalist David Muir and joked that the ABC News debate was “biased against the Democrats, who…well.”

In the sketch, Rudolph brought back America’s “Fun Aunt,” also known as “Funt.” “The funt has been restarted,” said Rudolph. “2 Funt, 2 Furious.” As Walz, Gaffigan quipped, “There’s a saying in Minnesota: ‘Mind your damn business.’ There is also another saying in Minnesota: “My nuts are frozen to the park bench.”

As Emhoff, Samberg described himself as a “second gentleman” and joked about the White House’s Christmas decorations: “The theme is Hanukkah.”

Playing a stuttering, confused Biden, Carvey quipped, “A lot of people forget I’m president. Even me!” After Rudolph thanked “J’Biden” for “putting the country first and handing over the reins.” Carvey said, “I didn’t want that!” They made me.”

Shortly after Harris announced Walz as her running mate, people began dream casting the role on “SNL.” While Gaffigan and Steve Martin were two of the most repeated names, Martin said in an interview that “SNL” boss Lorne Michaels called him with an offer to play Walz on the show. Martin declined: “I said, ‘Lorne, I’m not an impressionist. “You need someone who can really nail the guy. “I was chosen because I have gray hair and glasses.”

Emhoff was previously portrayed by Martin Short in a 2021 Passover-themed sketch. In an August 2024 Esquire article, Emhoff said that “SNL” needed a “good Doug character” in the run-up to the election. “I think of Hugh Jackman, Ryan Reynolds, Chris Hemsworth. “You know, people who look just like me,” he joked.

Samberg was a cast member on “SNL” from 2005 to 2012, but has not appeared on the show since 2018. (He moderated only once after his term, in 2014.)

Rudolph’s return to “Saturday Night Live” as Vice President Harris was announced in July, just a week after she announced her candidacy for the presidency after Joe Biden dropped out of the race. Rudolph first played Harris on “SNL” in December 2019, winning the Emmy for Guest Actress in a Comedy Series despite only having a few lines in a presidential debate skit. She returned during the 2020 election cycle to play Harris opposite Jim Carrey’s Biden.

Rudolph was a main cast member on “SNL” from 2000 to 2007 and played Harris again when she hosted the series in March 2021, which earned her another Emmy for Guest Actress in a Comedy Series. (She was nominated again for her last guest appearance on May 11, 2024.)

Rudolph explained how she created her version of Harris within her diversity Cover story in September. “I said, ‘When I see her, I see she’s having fun,'” she said. “And so the fictional Kamala we created took advantage of her fun. And then Steve Higgins (producer of “SNL”) said to me that his wife called her a “funny aunt,” and we laughed at how that sounded like “funny.” We just moved on from there. That was the moment when you realized, ‘Oh, now I know how to do this.'”

“Saturday Night Live” kicked off its 50th season on September 28th with host Jean Smart and musical guest Jelly Roll. The legendary sketch comedy series celebrates its big anniversary with a live primetime special on February 16th. The series airs at 11:30 p.m. ET on NBC and streams on Peacock.