Paul Rudd is the host and One Direction are the musical guests this week. I’ve been looking forward to this show since Rudd was announced as host, so lets see if he can deliver. With it being 18 days until Christmas, will we see other Anchorman cast members make cameo appearances!? A boy can dream. Let’s get to the highlights..

COLD OPEN – The Sound of Music

I had a feeling this was coming after the monster success of the live broadcast. Kristen Wiig is here! I’m impartial to alumni cast members, but any time Dooneese is inserted into a sketch I’m in. Taran Killam and Kate McKinnon also killed in this sketch. Fred Armisen! Gilly and Lawrence Welk do the honors and we are off to a fantastic start!

Paul Rudd Opening Monologue (Not available due to copyright issues)

Paul and One Direction, who have an interesting array of haircuts. Paul Rudd’s man band is…Will Ferrell, David Koechner and Steve Carell. Jesus Christ. Steve Carell pulls of the beard exquisitely, and 9 Direction singing “afternoon delight” is great. The rest of this episode could be an hour and 20 minutes of a velvet painting of a whale and a dolphin getting it on and I’d be happy.

Al Sharpton – Politics Nation

Luckily, it is not. Along with Steve Harvey, Al Sharpton is Keenan’s best impression. I could listen to him mispronounce words all day. He still doesn’t understand twitter, and we love him for it.

One Direction – Biggest Fan

Dan Charles is One Direction’s biggest fan. Dan Charles is a grown man. Paul Rudd + Child fans of One Direction = gold. Paul Rudd has the Justin Timberlake gene: he could easily be a cast member any day of the week.

ONE DIRECTION

Eight words: glitter shoes and dress shirt with no tie. That is the sign of a psychopath, Harry Styles. One Direction is staring into my soul, yet I’m OK with it. I want to look away but I can’t. BTW, turtlenecks are making a comeback, and I’m not talking about the animal.

Weekend Update

Jacob. Vanessa Bayer plays a young Jewish boy hauntingly well. Jebidiah Atkinson. If this is the next recurring character then SNL is smarter than I thought. This time he’s reviewing Christmas specials. “Charlie Brown, there’s a pube on your forehead.” Rudolph, Frosty, It’s A Wonderful Life. No Christmas movie/special is safe from the wrath of Jebidiah.

Statue of David

Paul Rudd plays the man the famous statue was based on. And boy does he have a small penis. Always a bonus when Bobby Moynihan sports a fake beard.

Bill Brasky

Little throwback to the old Bill Brasky sketches Will Ferrel and David  used to star in. It’s fitting that Ferrel and Koechner are in it as well. This is like an insane game of one upmanship. Taran Killam fits in amazingly well in this sketch, shows how good he really is. Great cap to a great episode.

I was excited for Paul Rudd to host, and he did not disappoint. One Direction did a solid job in what little screen time they had. I’m convinced they’re single handedly starting a turtleneck revolution. I’d have to say this is close to one of the best episodes of the season, with Lady Gaga’s still barely holding that top spot. Next week, I’ll be in NY for John Goodman and Kings of Leon. I anticipate John Goodman and I becoming the best of friends.

– Ryan