Hello and welcome Conehead Nation, EWs late-night demo, toSNLin Review.
Tonights episode is peculiar and interesting.
The host,Dakota Johnson, is returning after a well-established iffy-to-bad debut hosting appearance back in season 40.
Dakota Johnson on ‘Saturday Night Live’.SNL/YouTube
Oh, did I bury the lede?
Justin Timberlake is back!
He first appeared on the show in 2000 when he was still a member of *NSYNC.
Heres how long ago that was: Tim Meadows was still a cast member.
I am joined tonight by formerSaturday Night Livecast member Patrick Weathers.
Cold Open
Football season!
Its the Ravens-Chiefs AFC championship game, brought to you by Boeing.
We get a great Andrew Dismukes-James Austin Johnson match-up here.
The Mukes as Tony Romo laments that its the last football game of the year for just us guys.
The Super Bowl doesn’t count thats for people who dont really follow the sport.
He has never watched the Pro Bowl, he confides.
Its a bittersweet end.
Unfortunately, a few cues are missed, and the song stumbles.
Still, it was a decent idea.
She isnot goodat talking to journalists.
A clip of her mugging with her dad as a little kid is shown, which is cute.
She name-checks Timberlake, who instantly appears on the stage.
He seems subdued, teasing hes happy to appear in sketches.
In a groan-worthy moment,Jimmy Fallonpops up as Barry Gibb.
He shared her passion fortigers.
She mishears their last name, then totally bombs on their order.
My apologies, Charles Manson.
Thats pretty much the set-up here.
Audrey (Johnson) takes over.
She also has trouble hearing.
It’s her first day as manager.
This does not have much of a payoff, though Sherman is good.
Kenan is funny, blathering about Scooby-Doo instead of (the correct order) shrimp scampi.
“Home Videos”
A family pops in a couple of old VHS tapes.
The Mukes relives his third birthday.
A soccer game from the ’90s.
Finally, he finds a tape labeled Big Announcement.
His father (Mikey Day) muses its the moment he discovered he was going to be a father.
“The Barry Gibb Talk Show: 2024 Election”
Wow, this is pretty forced.
Eventually, it seems like they win over the audience.
As always, Barry Gibb takes no crap.
Fallon mugs and yells.
Call me sir, he snaps at Andrew Yang (Bowen Yang).
You cannot break me!
(Something meta there hearing Fallon spew that.)
The crowd “seems” to like it?
Or do they merelywantto like it?
Orare they being told to?
Example: Ravi Sings."
kindly Don’t Destroy “Roast”
As always, the host enters the boys office.
They quickly insult each other.
I like the jokes about their Peacock movie flopping, and Sydney Sweeney being a bigger star than her.
Johnson comparing the guys toWorkaholicsand “Lonelier” Island is great too.
Then she delivers the savage blow: She calls out their dads roles in kickstarting their careers.
Nepo truce is hilarious.
I liked this one, even though it was sort of like having it both ways.
Recognizing the privilege playfully is not exactly the same as speaking truth to power.
But still, like Weekend Update’s Joke Swap, the blows are fun.
Watch it
“Big Dumb Cups”
Is there a void in your life?
Just get a big dumb cup.
White women riff on why they are so into Stanleys: you might really taste the lead.
The banality and painful averageness of these privileged women is on display.
Mama, be real with me,Heidi Gardnercoos to Johnson.
I loved this one.
I cant stop the feeling time has moved on from JT though.
You know whatnew songis great?
Weathers single Long Tall Wall!Take a listen.
I like this crowd, laughsMichael Che.
He has a funny moment about (formerSNLhost!)
A guy named Ethan (Bowen Yang) comes out to discuss this weeks Oscar snubs.
Well, he has his own awards show and is getting mad over the lack of diversity.
Its a real thing.
This is pretty good, and a little bit different character work from Yang.
The great British psychic and tarot card reader (Heidi Gardner) comes out to predict the 2024 election.
It’s nice to see Gardner back at the Update desk.
Kiss the top card, lick it!
Great joke about Only Fans here!
They definitely are extending the Joke Swap barbed dynamic between our two favorite anchors.
Its a T-shirt about being asked whether youre okay.
It’s poorly worded and clunky… yet effective, sending a skeptical Heidi Gardner to tears.
Mark Cuban and Barbara Corcoran pop up here they want to invest!
Does the cast not like Dakota?
Shes kind of not hosting.
And her characters are mean-spirited."
Its a serviceable performance, I guess, but the moment has clearly passed.
He is a character!
His father Rango (Kenan Thompson) steps in to help.
Silly, a little half-baked.
This is a mirror to the Mason family sketch, sort of?
Final Thoughts
Well, what did we learn?
What did you THINK?Vote here!
Dave Chappelle is on stage at the goodnights?!
Unheard of numbers for this dedicated and forgiving stan community.
Once again, thank you to Patrick Weathers!
Check out his new single Long Tall Wall, which was released on his birthday.
Weathers provided all vocals and played all the instruments.
He called tonight’s show Timberlake Live, which is spot on.
Thecast forSNL 1975is shaping up to be interesting.
