The party conventions may be over, but the election season has just begun on “Paula’s Party” (6 p.m. today, Food). Paula Deen, the earthy popularizer of Southern cuisine, welcomes possible first lady Michelle Obama. The candidate’s wife learns Dean’s secrets of cooking comfort foods and shares a few family recipes of her own, including Barack Obama’s approach to cooking chili.

Given the rough-and-tumble of the campaign trail, a trip to the Food Network should be a piece of cake. But that’s not always how the cookie crumbles.

Some voters were left with a rather sour taste back in 1992 when Hillary Clinton told “60 Minutes” that she didn’t stay home baking cookies. And this year, John McCain’s wife, Cindy, earned some unwanted publicity when it was reported that some of her own special recipes for rosemary chicken and passion-fruit mousse had been “borrowed” from Rachel Ray’s Web site.

l As awards shows go, the Emmy Awards (7 p.m. Sunday, ABC) gets little respect, least of all from the TV community it honors. The latest slight has to be the decision to have the show co-emceed by a tag team of talents nominated in the category of Best Reality TV host. Tom Bergeron, Heidi Klum, Howie Mandel, Jeff Probst and Ryan Seacrest will share the hosting duties. Hey, where’s the dude from “The Bachelor”? Seriously, this bunch is better qualified to stand outside on the red carpet sharing idle chatter with celebrities about their outfits.

Go ahead, call me an elitist. This is supposed to a night to showcase excellence. Instead, Emmy elevates some of television’s most innocuous personalities.

Speaking of plastic, tonight’s Emmy Awards will also pay special attention to classic sets from beloved sitcoms and dramas of the past. So if the hosts prove wooden, you can at least look at the furniture.

OK, last year’s strike-shortened season was a little odd, but there’s still plenty to celebrate, most notably dramas including “Mad Men,” “Lost” and “Damages.” “Pushing Daisies” never topped my list of must-see programs, but you have to admire its dazzling originality.

¢ Having conquered night clubs, comedy albums, television, movies and Broadway, Mel Brooks has produced an animated adaptation of his 1987 cult parody “Spaceballs” (4 p.m. Sunday, G4).

Brooks reprises his role as the voice of the evil President Skroob and the advice-dispensing Yogurt. Daphne Zuniga and Joan Rivers also return to their respective parts, Princess Vespa and Dot Matrix.

Not content to recycle jokes from a 1987 parody of the 1977 “Star Wars,” the first episode of cartoon “Spaceballs” sends up contemporary video games, most notably “Grand Theft Auto.”

Today’s highlights

¢ Cutter returns to find the world intact except for Claudia’s absence on the second-season premiere of “Primeval” (8 p.m., BBC America).

¢ James Franco hosts “Saturday Night Live” (10:30 p.m., NBC), featuring musical guest Kings of Leon.

Sunday’s highlights

¢ “60 Minutes” (6 p.m., CBS) celebrates its 40th anniversary with an hour dedicated to interviews with candidates John McCain and Barack Obama. Broadcast in HD for the first time.

¢ Bill warns other vampires off Sookie on “True Blood” (8 p.m., HBO).