The good news: Last night’s Gerard Butler-hosted episode of “Saturday Night Live” had more than a few genuinely funny moments, most courtesy of the host’s charm and ability to laugh at his tough-guy image.

The bad news: Gerard Butler can’t come back every week.

The biggest problem on the show continues to be a marked lack of timeliness in the subjects it pokes fun at, except in “Weekend Update,” which, of course, is about the news. And too many of the bits that are funny are either retreads of older bits or about subjects that were originally funny 20 years ago, like the “Beauty and the Beast” sketch. (SNL gets a pass on “Daveheart,” the story of the cowardly Scots leader, because, as Butler pointed out, they never had a Scotsman hosting before).

I don’t get it – a show that’s so deliciously pointed and timely during election season can’t rouse more than a couple of news and issues-related bits any other time? Even the cold open, featuring the president’s shirt-ripping mad alter ego “The Rock Obama,” was funnier the first time. And there’s still entirely too much reliance on Kristin Wiig – what was the point of hiring two more female actors if they’re almost never seen or heard from? Yeah, that’s what I thought.

Here’s your breakdown:

— “The Rock Obama” cold open: This was probably funny last season when The Rock hosted the show, because nobody expected him to get all Hulky and start tossing people out of windows. The shock was part of the punch of it. But this time, you know what’s coming. And it’s a reminder that, again, the best part of the sketch was the guy who isn’t there every week. Oh yeah…and that maybe the show needs to hire another actor of color, so you wouldn’t have to have stunt casting every time you need more than one. (At least it’s one black guy role they didn’t try to shoehorn Keenan Thompson into. They get points for that.)

— Opening monologue: Gerard Butler fighting off the hordes trying to kill him during his sensitive version of “Music of the Night” was everything I like in a sketch – short, to the point and funny. And when Wiig tried to stab him because he wouldn’t take his shirt off? Inappropriate. But I cracked up. Good stuff.

— “Grand Hoochie Skank Rose”: This fake ad for an urban beverage would have been funnier 10 years ago. Or if everything they gave Keenan Thompson to do wasn’t a bad ethnic stereotype. Or if every note in it hadn’t been addressed by Dave Chappelle.

— “Game Time With Randy and Greg:” OK, it’s been done before, but I love this. Just love it. It’s so silly, random and always ends with sports show co-host Greg, who is soooo an alien, flapping his giant alien wings and charging the camera. Bill Hader’s angry alien face makes me giggle. “Let go the tail! Let go the tail!” Priceless.

— “Beauty and the Beast:” For some reason, SNL has taken to dismantling famous Disney couples of the 1990s (I really hated the Aladdin-and-Jasmine-in-crisis sketch). This one, where the Beast mistakenly believes that he’s the beauty, because Belle’s butt isn’t big enough, didn’t have anywhere to go. And the idea of the enchanted house objects hooking up was gross. I giggled in the beginning, and then wound up feeling sort of nauseous. Bleh.

— Shakira: Didn’t love the first song. But she’s still an awesome performer. And I covet her abs and want to wear them on my own abs. But not in a serial killer way.

— “Weekend Update”: Seth was off this week. Not sure that what was about – the timing just seemed sort of weird. The Two Gay Guys From New Jersey bit wasn’t any funnier than it was last time, so they really oughta bag it. Even the Weather Balloon coming for a visit sort of fell flat. But the Gerard Butler Scottish to American translation was cute. Again, he won’t be here next week. I did snort at the line “We’ve gotten to the point where ‘celebrity’ means mammal,” about the no-to-low star wattage on “The Celebrity Apprentice.”

— “300 Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell”: I completely expected this, because of President Obama’s recent announcement to appeal the military policy, and because Gerard Butler was in ’300,’ a very homoerotic war movie. Just wish it’d been funny.

— “What Up With That?”: Ever been to a black Baptist church and seen a two-minute song turn into 20 minutes with the use of an over-enthusiastic preacher, a tambourine and an organist that won’t leave well enough alone? This bit, about a talk show whose gospelfied host (Thompson) won’t let the guests talk because he turns everything into a song, is probably funnier if you’ve been to that church. Even if you haven’t, Gerard Butler as ’90s-ish soul singer White Pete will crack you up, because it’s so awful and cheesy and reminds you of that Color Me Bad record you don’t want anyone to know about. Also – random Picabo Street and Lindsey Buckingham references and a James Franco sighting!

— Cottage cheese pitch meeting: Not funny.

— “Daveheart”: Seriously, Gerard Butler. Stop being a movie star and hang out on “Saturday Night Live.” You’re funny. Who knew there was so much humor to be mined in a Scottish accent? OK…anyone who ever watched “The Simpson”‘s Groundskeeper Willie knew that. But this was awesome, even if the movie is a thousand years old. And when the scaredy-cat Dave keeps freaking out because he thinks all the goats are dragons? Good stuff. I’ll remember that next week when I’m not watching the rerun of Megan Fox.