Let me just start this fine Monday by saying that I now have a full-blown “talented guy” crush on Justin Timberlake, after watching Saturday Night Live. Seriously—is there anything that boy can’t do? He sings, he dances, he acts like a total dork, and he knows exactly how to play along with the SNL cast so that everyone achieves maximum funny. I think it also helped that everyone was off for two weeks, so they could really grow their funny back. Too many weeks in a row, and they tend to fall back on easy stuff, which I think makes the overall episodes weak (see my notes on the Zac Efron episode).
Here are a few notes on the show, but overall, I think this episode was the best one since—well, Alec Baldwin was good, but really since the last time Timberlake hosted the show. Is that wrong to say?
Cold open: Note to writers—please, please cut down the “Tim Geithner” sketches. Yes, there is a lot of humor to be mined from making fun of failing financial institutions, but….really about a whole minute less than what you thought. I totally sped through the last part of this.
Opening monolog: Just, oh my God, so good. Can we just alternate between Alec Baldwin and Justin Timberlake hosting this show? Usually I am covering my eyes, hoping that the guest makes it through, but Timberlake really grabs this monolog by the balls and goes with it. Loved the show tune about how he’s got it down, and I appreciated the fact that he got to sing and dance, since I knew Ciara was going to be the musical guest and that I was probably going to have to speed through her performances (I turned out to be right about that, and I decided that actually, there is one thing Justin Timberlake can’t do—I don’t think he’s very good at choosing and developing new talent. Sorry.).
I was wondering how Timberlake and Samburg were going to
follow up the viral extravaganza that was “Dick in a Box,” and was pleasantly
surprised to see “Mother Lover,” which I thought was equally funny. Patricia Clarkson and Susan Sarandon—such good
sports!
Funny. I'm putting up this clip because Fred Armisen's Paterson impression kills me, and because I'm just so happy when they have him do something other than Obama. High five! Also, it is super funny how mad the New Jersey people in the audience keep getting about the New Jersey jokes.
Last but not least we have the "Barry Gibb Talk Show," where Jimmy Fallon is back and seems determined to get Justin Timberlake to break character, even if it means singing into his face. Mission accomplished! I love this because both of them are just so total commitment.
