In the most recent broadcast of NBC’s Saturday Night Live, host Cameron Diaz joined the cast in lampooning her upcoming film, an updated version of the musical Annie. Not only was Ms. Diaz superb in her portrayal of the evil Miss Hannigan, the regular cast members played their parts superbly in what was a very well-written skit. For this reason alone, the show was worth the viewer’s time.

As most viewers would know from the ballyhoo leading up to the film’s release, this is a variation on the earlier shows insofar as the title character and her benefactor are both black. The SNL skit had a good deal of fun with this concept as the more traditional looking Annie (Vanessa Bayer) is swept aside by an older, far more confrontational “orphan” with a number of issues, to say the least.

Certain other skits in the episode, which aired on November 22, 2014, started out to be just as clever, but, unlike the Annie spoof, did not know quite when to end. Two examples of this problem were the rap number by Cameron Diaz and all the ladies in the regular cast about coming home for Thanksgiving (and expecting to be treated like a princess), as well as a skit at the end of the show satirizing sexy talk hotlines. Going on and on with a joke, well after the viewers get it, is not a situation unique to this one show, but a flaw that has spoiled a good many skits over the years.

On the other hand, Kate McKinnon was hilarious is her recurring role as German chancellor Angela Merkel. Every word and every moment of her stint on the Weekend Update part of the show was amusing.

So far, the 2014-2015 season is not shaping up to be among Saturday Night Live’s strongest, with the season opener being a major disappointment, but there are many more shows to run before this season is in the can.