You have to wonder why “Saturday Night Live” goes to the trouble of hiring a cast, when they’re constantly bringing people in who don’t even work there.

The show’s 50th season kicked off on Saturday, with a “cold open” that lampooned the presidential race.  But most of the people in the sketch weren’t even cast members.  At least not CURRENT cast members.

Maya Rudolph played Vice President Kamala Harris, as expected . . . while Jim Gaffigan popped in to play her running mate Tim Walz.  Andy Samberg returned to play Kamala’s husband, Doug Emhoff.

And Dana Carvey shuffled onto the set to play Joe Biden.  And, to be fair, he CRUSHED it.  He was easily the best part of the skit.

The only current cast member was James Austin Johnson, who played Donald Trump, and probably will for as long as they need him to.