The Wicker Breakdown:

1. This week's show started with a parody of The Situation Room where once again, Jason Sudeikis as Wolf Blitzer threw to a speech being delivered by Fred Armisen as Barack Obama where he was addressing the immigration crisis instead of going overboard with patting himself on the back over killing Osama bin Laden. Wolf Blitzer was eventually joined by Vanessa Bayer as a second commentator to provide the play by play as the President’s speech became, pretty much, a Def Jam performance. Of course, with this being the opening sketch, it eventually led to the announcement of, “Live from New York.”

2. Ed Helms then officially opened the show with a monolog where he attempted to relate how he equates the art of baton-twirling with pursuing a career in show business. He did this by reenacting a baton routine after telling a tale from his childhood where he learned to twirl to perform for his brother’s birthday party only to be beaten by the boy and his friends with the same baton he used for the show. Only there was no reenacting of the beating part, this was just Ed recapturing his pride.

3. We then got a repeat of the Corn Syrup Producers Of America ad from earlier in the season. This was an ad that made fun of a Nasim Pedrad as a mother who trusted the corporate science that said high fructose corn syrup using a pretty compelling argument. That is until the end the ad when it showed how unhealthy her kid was because of these misguided views that any “science” can be trusted, even when profit is involved.

4. What Up With That? then returned for another installment of my favorite repetitive series, where, as always, Kenan Thompson, continually cuts off his guest to perform his theme song instead of giving a proper interview. This week, Kenan’s special guests were tonight’s musical guest, Paul Simon, Chris Colfer, and for the first time, the real Lindsey Buckingham who had a hilarious integration with Bill Hader who was Lindsey Buckingham as well.

5. We then got an extremely special/classic installment of TV Funhouse where we got to see a live action version of The Ambiguously Gay Duo that was filled with an amazingly star-studded cast.

6. Paul Simon then took to the stage to perform Rewrite.

7. Once again, Seth Meyers gave us the news. This week, Bobby Moynihan dropped by as his character to share more secondhand news. Jay Pharaoh returned as Will Smith to defend the fact that he left his dressing room/trailer in the middle of a very busy New York street while making Men In Black 3 by reminding everyone that things are always better in his presence. Kristen Wiig and Fred Armisen also returned as their two news characters Kat and Garth to come up with new vacation-themed songs on the spot. (Clip 2) (Clip 3) (Clip 4)

8. Song Memories brought back another repetitive sketch that I enjoy but wouldn’t say that I really love, where several male cast members play drinking buddies who share increasingly crazy stories in between singing the chorus to a popular song which tonight was Cat Stevens’s Wild World.

9. One Take Tony took us back to the old days of the silver screen where Andy Samberg played an actor who swore that he could perform all of his scenes in a single take while Ed Helm as the director allowed him to give it a shot and just let the camera roll. Of course, this led to one of the most terrible performances in the world.

10. Paul Simon then returned to the stage to perform So Beautiful Or So What.

11. Ann-Margret Tries To Throw Away A Wad Of Paper Into A Trashcan had Kristen Wiig as Ann-Margret to dance all around the house in her pursuit to throw a wad of paper away for her new boyfriend who was played by Ed Helms.

12. Republican Candidate was a fake political ad where Ed Helms played a generic Republican candidate for President who delivered a brief and generic message of hope.

13. Finally, Ed Helms closed the show by thanking the audience and saying his goodnights.

The Wicker Breakdown:

1. This week's show started with a sketch called Strauss-Kahn's Cell that took place in Rikers Island where Taran Killam as Dominique Strauss-Kahn was admitting into jail following his arrest for sexual assault charges that came right after he started to go against the powers that be at the International Monetary Fund. As soon as he entered the cell, he was then accosted by inmates, Kenan Thompson, and Jay Pharoah, who just wanted to discuss the world economy. Of course, with this being the opening sketch, it eventually led to the announcement of, “Live from New York...”

2. Justin Timberlake then officially opened the show with a monolog about his past performance as host and how he wanted to try something new. This led our host into a song where he sang about the fact that he wouldn’t be singing on tonight’s episode.

3. We then went to the streets for a sketch called Liquorville which continued Justin Timberlake’s mascot-themed series of sketches. This time, Justin played a Mickey’s looking beer bottle character to team up with tonight’s musical guest, Lady Gaga to have a dance off with Kristen Wiig as a Tea Bag to promotes Liquorville over Wiig’s tea shop.

4. WXPD News brought back Bill Hader as the grumpy old reporter who seems completely over his reporting job during his live remote at a high school following a carbon monoxide scare.

5. We then got another SNL Digital Short that was a bit of a parody of Three’s Company featuring Justin Timberlake and Andy Samberg as their Dick In A Box characters as two Jacks from the show who attempt to engage in a three-way with Lady Gaga as Chrissy. Actually, this was a music video for a song about having a three-way called The Golden Rule which was also about how this was the only time that it was okay to be naked in the same room with another dude. The Three’s Company aspect was just a quick reference in passing.

6. Lady Gaga then took to the stage to perform the songs The Edge Of Glory and Judas back to back.

7. Once again, Seth Meyers gave us the news. This week, Seth Meyers played a game of Really?!? over Arnold Schwarzenegger’s revelation that he’d been sleeping with his maid for fourteen years. Andy Samberg returned for another round of Get In The Cage, where he, as Nicolas Cage interviewed the real Bradley Cooper over his involvement in The Hangover II. Stefon also stopped by to join Seth in saying goodbye for the summer. (Clip 2) (Clip 3) (Clip 4)

8. What's That Name? returned for a celebrity version of this game show sketch where contestants just have to guess the names of people who they should no very well. In the sketch, both Justin Timberlake and Lady Gaga played themselves. Where Justin played up an asshole-ish attitude, unable to name the many women he slept with or ex-members of his band, Gaga was charming and instantly knew any person who they threw her way, even just fans from the audience.

9. Merryville Love Tunnel Ride returned for another installment of this sketch were animatronic characters in a Tunnel Of Love-type ride, attempt to attack the trapped riders when the attraction had to be shut down mid-ride to make repairs.

10. Secret Word was another sketch to return for another installment. This is the game show sketch that super repetitive with Kristen Wiig and Justin Timberlake playing two old-timey actors who are so full of themselves and out of it that neither can figure out how to play this straightforward Password-style game.

11. Lady Gaga then returned to the stage to perform Born This Way.

12. The Barry Gibb Talk Show was Justin Timberlake-specific sketch to return along with Jimmy Fallon who portrayed Barry Gibb so that he and Justin as Robin Gibb could host another installment of their talk show.

13. Finally, Justin Timberlake closed the show by thanking the audience and saying his goodnights.

SNL: SEASON THIRTY-SIX SUMMARY