31 Day SNL Challenge: Favorite Episode

This was a particularly tough one to decide. I mean, there are so many good episodes! Tom Hanks and Aerosmith was amazing, any Justin Timberlake episode goes down in history and the same can be said for Alec Baldwin. There was one episode in the 1970s that had Roseanne Roseannadanna, Point/Counterpoint, The Ferstrunk Brothers, The Blues Brothers, Steve Martin saying, "Excuuuuse meeee," and King Tut! How can you have all of that in one episode? But I thought about it long and hard and eventually came to the conclusion of December 17th, 2011. Host? Jimmy Fallon, returning for the first time. Musical guest? Michael Buble. You know, for the holidays. He sang Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas and Holly Jolly Christmas to perfection. His appearance in the Christmas Duets also made for an all-time great sketch. Jimmy was great, too, reprising the mirror sketch with Andy Samberg and Sully and Denise with Rachel Dratch. He killed it with Kristen Wiig in a sketch that received a reference during SNL40, he nailed a Regis Philbin impression, and slayed me as Beethoven. Additionally, Samberg delighted me during War Horse and Fred Armisen was just...astounding in Half Jewish, Half Italian, Completely Neurotic. But the most magical moments for me came at four distinct points. Jimmy's monologue of singing, "Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)" makes me feel so warm and happy every time. Jimmy, Tracy Morgan, Chris Kattan, and Horatio Sanz reprising, "I Wish It Was Christmas Today," is the most rewatchable thing in the world. Weekend Update Joke-Off and Get in the Cage with Nicholas Cage made for the best Update ever. Seeing Tina Fey and Jimmy pitted against Seth Meyers and Amy Poehler was a life goal accomplished. Finally, the Tim Tebow/Jesus sketch is not only forever etched into my memory ("Wow. You pray to me? I didn't know that."), but seeing Seth watch it from the Rock Center ice skating rink while he gathered with the cast (and Jimmy in John Belushi's bee costume) was a truly magical holiday moment. An all-time great episode.