Host Jimmy Fallon and musical guest Justin Timberlake delivered Saturday Night Live's biggest episode of the season with help from some major guest stars. The prolific TV collaborators kicked things off with a rap medley about wrapping gifts. (Rap. Wrap. Get it?)
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Fallon moved on to his opening monologue, where four microphones welcomed him. He began singing, with the conceit that each microphone had been meant for a major music star (David Bowie, Bob Dylan and Paul McCartney), but they'd all been held up in traffic. Fallon soldiered on, moving from mic to mic and singing in the style of the absent stars. But then McCartney showed up for real, and the two sang "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas."
Later, Timberlake hilariously impersonated Fallon during a game of celebrity Family Feud, in which Fallon played Big Bang Theory star Jim Parsons. Timberlake's trick for playing Fallon? Calling everything "so great" and generally being more positive than any human should be.
Fallon and Timberlake also brought back their classic Barry Gibb Talk Show sketch for the first time since Robin Gibb's death in 2012. Timerlake (Robin Gibb) and Fallon (Barry Gibb) welcomed Madonna (as herself) to talk about the important issues of the day. As always, Barry had a short fuse. The big surprise came when the real Barry Gibb stopped by to groove with the guys, and gave his tacit consent for Timberlake to continue impersonating his late brother.
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The ladies of SNL got to shine in a music video about bringing their boyfriends home for Christmas -- and the awkwardness that ensued while having sex in their childhood bedrooms. The women were into it, but the guys got increasingly uncomfortable as their girlfriends sang about getting it on surrounded by their childhood stuffed animals.
Fallon finally protested, singing, "It's hard to get laid when there's a picture of your girl from 7th grade" -- and then real childhood pictures of Vanessa Bayer, Aidy Bryant, Kate McKinnon, Nasim Pedrad, Cecily Strong, Nowell Wells, and Fallon popped up onscreen.
Weekend Update welcomed Fallon and surprise guest New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg to talk about their next steps. Fallon is moving to the Tonight Show early next year, while Bloomberg's time as mayor is almost up. And Weekend Update co-anchor Seth Meyers will take over Fallon's Late Night.
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“I introduced you the first time you were ever a guest on Update. And I’ve watched you grow. My little Seth," Fallon said, pretending to choke up.
Near the end of the show, Fallon and Strong classed things up with a duet of "Baby, It's Cold Outside." After the pair had sex (offscreen), Fallon changed his tune, trying to get Strong to leave his apartment -- with song, of course. Strong, meanwhile, sang about borrowing a toothbrush and Fallon taking her antique shopping next weekend.
SNL goes on break for the holidays, but returns Jan. 18 with host and musical guest Drake.
SNL airs Saturday at 11:30 p.m. on NBC
Email: Aaron.Couch@THR.com
Twitter: @AaronCouch
