Timberlake on Saturday Night Live with Steve Martin, Chevy Chase and Martin Short. (NBC

We knew this weekend's Saturday Night Live would be good--Justin Timberlake being to the variety show what fruit and sprinkles are to plain frozen yogurt ... just something that you know will make the whole supposed treat actually delicious--but did we know it was going to be history-making? Probably not. From Lorne Michaels lifting the Chevy Chase ban to the Jay-Z duet, the return of Stefon, Andy Samberg AND the classic Festrunk brothers, Mr. Timberlake proved once again he's the consummate entertainer: a song-and-dance man who also can also land a punchline.

Which is more than we can say for the majority of guest hosts this year. Below, the five best moments from this weekend's show, along with our favorites.

1. "Five Timers Club"
Can we be real for a second? The moment the concept of the opening monologue was made clear, we knew that Steve Martin and Alec Baldwin would be popping up, since they are constantly competing for the record of "Most SNL appearances ever." Paul Simon, also not surprising. (He always pops in for the opener.) Martin Short and Dan Aykroyd were both unexpected, but not really anything to tweet about. Candice Bergen was totally out of left field, but it was Chevy Chase--who hasn't shown up on SNL since he was banned for verbal abuse in 2007, and hasn't been in the good graces of the program that launched his career ever since he punched Bill Murray in the face during his first alumni appearance 30-plus years ago--who really made this work. Why can't he hang up the phone??

"Wait are you guys friends or not?"
"Exactly."
--Pretty much sums up Chevy Chase's relationship with everyone.

2. "Suit and Tie"
From his forthcoming album, including a special appearance from his best friend/tour partner Jay-Z. Now THAT is how you do a live performance, people.

Also the fact that Timberlake covertly dissed Jay's protégé Kanye West with his zinger, "My hits so sick got rappers acting so dramatic"? BOLD MOVE.

3. "It's a Date"
The Dick in a Box duo AND "two wild and crazy guys" on one game show? The biggest surprise here was how well Bobby Moynihan was able to hold his own as the straight man/losing bachelor.

"Girls can't get pregnant in the summertime/It's a known fact, and that's that/Ladies can't get pregnant in the summertime/So throw away that jimmy hat girl/SCIENCE!"

4. "Weekend Update"
WE HAVE MISSED YOU, STEFON!

"New York's hottest club is Your Mother and I Are Separating ... This place has everything: a shake for breakfast, a shake for lunch, a sensible dinner, those shoes that nurses wear ... and you can dance the night away to the sounds of Donald Duck waking up from a Vietnam nightmare."

5. "Moët & Chandon"
Loved seeing the return of Brookie and her friend, the two wannabe late-night infomercial hosts of classy products, whose biggest claim to fame is that they "aren't porn stars anymore." The original sketch "Swarovski Crystals," was probably the funniest part of that whole Jamie Foxx episode.

"One time I did a weird shoot in Mexico. Two of the girls disappeared, but I'm alive. Thanks champagne!"
"One time I got banged into a sinkhole, but a mole person banged me back up. I'll drink to that!"

John Golden, a broker at Douglas Elliman, is re-listing the East Hampton estate that he sold nine years ago to Peter and Juliana Terian.

It wasn't easy—the seller back then made Mr. Golden nervous.

"I always got nervous when I brought people to see the house when he was there, because he was a big prankster," Mr. Golden said of Chevy Chase. "You never knew what he had up his sleeve."

But Mr. Golden doesn't have to worry about pranks this time around, unless the exorbitant listing price is a gag: Mr. Chase's former estate at 19 Lee Avenue, plus an adjoining property also bought by the Terians, was recently listed for $33 million. The sprawling, 3.2-acre property, which spans from Lee Avenue to luxe Lily Pond Lane, breaks down thusly: 2.1 acres at Fletch's former abode, and 1.1 acres at 18 Lily Pond Lane.

Mr. Chase, who currently lives in Bedford, N.Y., sold the historic home to the Terians for $10.1 million in 2001. Peter Terian, who resided at the Dakota when not summering on the East End, was a French émigré and prodigious art collector who founded Rallye Motors (one of the nation's leading car dealerships); tragically, he succumbed to prostate cancer in the fall of 2002. However, in 2004, his wife went on to purchase 18 Lily Pond Lane (which abuts the back of the Lee Avenue address) for $6 million from Walter J. Fried, a prestigious real estate lawyer responsible for the conversion of Manhattan buildings such as the Beresford and the Ritz Tower into co-ops.

"She bought it because it was a good investment but also because it gave privacy," Mr. Golden said of 18 Lily Pond. "Neighbors should always buy the houses next door to them," he added, as if an edict. "It's an unwritten rule of real estate."

The main home at 19 Lee (the estate clusters a handful of houses) is a "classic Summer Cottage" circa 1895, which, according to the listing, has been meticulously updated while retaining the "ineluctable elements of the Shingle Style."

"It's one of the finest houses of the shingle style in East Hampton," Mr. Golden said. (Quite a superlative considering pretty much all of the houses in East Hampton are shingled, save a handful of handsome Gwathmeys.)

"Cottage" is perhaps a misleading descriptor for the 10,000-square-foot, 10-bedroom home with a fireplace-equipped entry foyer, a sun room and six bedroom suites on the second floor, including the "sumptuous" master wing with a private sitting room, double dressing rooms and baths. An "expansive" patio and covered porches overlook the bucolic bundle of manicured gardens and century-old trees, within which are nestled an elegant swimming pool, a pool house and a children's playhouse.

As Mr. Golden explains it, Ms. Terian is less interested in maintaining the expensive and expansive double property. The above described Lee Avenue address is offered for $25 million; the adjoining 1-acre property, with the closer-to-the-ocean Lily Pond Lane address and a "charming" 1940s four-bedroom home, with its own pool, can be purchased separately for $8 million.

Better yet, the entire property can be scooped up for the bargain $33 million. Which gives buyers two options: Buck up, be the ball and buy the whole thing for an estate bigger than Bushwood Country Club, or be a tremendous slouch and buy only one of the two; but make sure to get some hedges growing soon-you never know who your $8 million (or $25 million) neighbor might be.

If you're deciding between the two properties, you could take a tip from Mr. Rogers and decide who you want to be your neighbor: Sydney Lumet across the street on Lee Avenue, or Martha Stewart four doors down on Lily Pond (personally, we would go with Martha; we love Dog Day Afternoon but it never baked us any pies).

cmalle@observer.com

"Cottage" is perhaps a misleading descriptor for the 10,000-square-foot, 10-bedroom home with a fireplaced entry foyer, a sun room and six-bedroom suites on the second floor, including the "sumptuous" master wing with a private sitting room, double dressing rooms and baths. An "expansive" patio and covered porches overlook the bucolic bundle of manicured gardens and century-old trees within which is nestled an elegant swimming pool, poolhouse and children's playhouse.

Mr. Chase, who currently lives in Bedford, N.Y., sold the historic home to Peter Terian and wife Juliana for $10.1 million in 2001. Mr. Terian, who resided at the Dakota when not summering on the East End, was a French émigré and prodigious art collector who founded Rallye Motors (one of the nation's leading car dealerships); tragically, he succumbed to prostate cancer in the fall of 2002. However, in 2004, his family went on to purchase 18 Lily Pond Lane (which abuts the back of the Lee Avenue address) for $6 million from Walter J. Fried, a prestigious real estate lawyer responsible for the conversion of Manhattan buildings such as the Beresford and the Ritz Tower into co-ops.

The above described Lee Avenue address is offered for $25 million through Douglas Elliman agent John Golden, while the adjoining 1-acre property with a closer-to-the-ocean 18 Lily Pond Lane address and a "charming" 1940s four-bedroom home, plus its own pool, can be purchased separately for $8 million.

However, the entire property can be scooped up for a bargain $33 million. Which gives buyers two options: Buck up, be the ball and buy the whole thing for an estate bigger than Bushwood Country Club, or be a tremendous slouch and only buy one of the two; but make sure to get some hedges growing soon—you never know who your $8 million (or $25 million) neighbor might be. If you're deciding between the two properties, you could take a tip from Mr. Rogers and decide who you want to be your neighbor: Sydney Lumet across the street on Lee Avenue, or Martha Stewart four doors down on Lily Pond (personally, I'd go with Martha; I love Dog Day Afternoon but it never baked me any pies).

cmalle@observer.com

Tuesday: Three Amigos
Our favorite comeback story of 2009? Try Chevy Chase. Having spent the last twenty years starring in projects with titles like The Karate Dog, Bad Meat and, well, not a whole lot else, the prickly star returned with a bang thanks to NBC. After a successful guest stint on Chuck, Mr. Chase has been knocking it out of the park on Community (are you still not watching that show?), where he has recaptured that perfect blend of snarky know-it-all and bemused dullard that made him famous. The bemused dullard is on full display in Three Amigos, where, among other things, Mr. Chase's Dusty Bottoms mistakenly kills the "invisible swordsman" out of sheer laziness. Fun fact: this is the only feature film that Lorne Michaels has a writing credit on! [HBO Comedy, 12:50 p.m.]

Wednesday: Gran Torino
With Clint Eastwood's yearly December offering hitting theaters on Friday (this time in the form of Invictus), it seems like the perfect time to revisit Gran Torino. Released last December, the film is a typical Eastwood directorial affair: economical, brisk, gruff and obvious. But what separates it out from his recent spate of awards-bait is that he's also the star. As a cross between Harry Callahan, Shane and Archie Bunker, Mr. Eastwood owns the screen to such a degree, that we're still kind of shocked he didn't get an Oscar nomination for his work. [Cinemax, 10 p.m.]

Thursday: Fringe
File this under: duh! Last Thursday's perfectly adequate episode of Fringe was the highest rated of the season... on a night when both Grey's Anatomy and CSI were in reruns. One of the more boneheaded decisions we've seen in quite some time was Fox's choice to put its sophomore science-fiction serial on Thursday nights at 9; Fringe has consistently run fourth, meaning its been stuck on the bubble of cancelation. The series still isn't quite there just yet—Fringe needs to focus more on the mythology and the characters and less on the stand alone whodunits—but it's always consistently entertaining and, at times, downright scary. One complaint: not enough Joshua Jackson (Pacey for life!), whose character could become a cocky jerk on the level of Matthew Fox if given the chance. [Fox, 9 p.m.]

Friday: Obsessed
Why you should watch Obsessed—a surprise B-movie hit last spring—can be summed up in just three words: Beyonce kicks ass. Any other reasons seem totally extraneous. [Starz, 8:10 p.m.]

It might only be the middle of September, but we still feel confident in calling Joel McHale the breakout star of the fall television season. The snarky host of The Soup is so perfectly on-point in Community—premiering tonight at 9:30 on NBC, before moving to 8:30 when 30 Rock returns on October 15—so comfortable and engaging, that it seems impossible to envision a scenario wherein he doesn’t become one of the biggest stars on television. That’s high praise, sure, but we don’t consider it hyperbolic; he’s just that good. And thanks to Mr. McHale, Community manages to deliver the funniest comedy pilot since 30 Rock debuted.

From executive producers Joe and Anthony Russo (the two brothers cut their teeth on Arrested Development) and Dan Harmon (The Sarah Silverman Show), Community follows Mr. McHale’s disgraced lawyer, Jeff Winger, as he attempts to gain a college diploma at the local community college. (When Jeff’s former client–cum–professor asks about his supposed degree from Columbia, Mr. McHale replies: “And now I have to get one from America.”) Whereas we’ve been conditioned to expect television comedies to rely on either the faux-documentary conceit or cutaways and digressions, Community is fairly straightforward with its humor. There is no wall breaking, no wacky situations; it’s an old-fashioned comedy, but produced for current sensibilities—hence, the absence of a laugh track and one subtle-yet-funny 9/11 joke. The brothers Russo and Mr. Harmon, who wrote the pilot, keep the show hellzapoppin’ with enough cultural references to make Josh Schwartz jealous. To wit: The pilot features a lengthy homage to The Breakfast Club and also shout-outs to Dirty Dancing, Meatballs and Stripes. It’s like Chuck, but on steroids.

The Stripes reference is fitting, of course, because Mr. McHale is so clearly channeling Bill Murray that, at times, it becomes scary. Truth be told, Mr. McHale seems much nicer than everyone’s favorite misanthrope, but that doesn’t detract from his deadpan delivery and timing (it makes us wonder how long it will be before Mr. McHale gets cast in Ghostbusters 3). That Community pairs him with Chevy Chase—playing a supporting role much smaller than the advertising would have you believe—is a delicious irony when you consider how much Messrs. Chase and Murray once hated each other (and still might). They famously came to blows during the second season of Saturday Night Live, when Mr. Murray called Mr. Chase a “medium talent,” one of the great burns of all time. Mr. Chase is funny enough in Community—as is the rest of the supporting cast, a mish-mash of Breakfast Club–like archetypes—but he is indeed the medium talent on Community. This is Joel McHale’s world and everyone else is just trying to keep up. Thanks to him, Community is a winner. The first great new show of the fall has arrived.

If there is a silver lining to be found in the end of the summertime—besides these seasonable temperatures!—it’s that we are on the precipice of the fall television season. Thank goodness. In an effort to get you and your DVR prepared, here’s the Observer’s fall TV preview. Yesterday, we talked about CBS. Next up, the big peacock NBC!

The Jay Leno Show (Weeknights at 10 p.m., premieres September 14)

What NBC says: “On the final episode of The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, the host reminded viewers not to get too teary-eyed during his last stint behind the desk he has occupied for 17-years by reminding them that he would be back on NBC this fall with his new venture The Jay Leno Show.” Opening night guests include Jerry Seinfeld and a performance of “Run This Town” by Jay-Z and featuring Kanye West and Rihanna.

What we say: Have you heard that Jay Leno is hosting a new show in primetime? Us neither! Kidding aside, we actually think the most talked about decision of the season could end up being one of the smartest made by NBC in a long time. The Jay Leno Show gives the fledgling network cheap programming that could do very respectable when it comes to ratings. At the very least, it can’t possibly be worse than My Own Worst Enemy.

What we’ll say six months from now: “Yep, Jay does still have better numbers than Dave. What the hell is wrong with you, America?”

Trauma (Mondays at 9 p.m., premieres September 28)

What NBC says: “Executive producer Peter Berg (Friday Night Lights) delivers Trauma, the first high-octane medical drama series to live exclusively in the field where the real action is. Like an adrenaline shot to the heart, Trauma is an intense, action-packed look at one of the most dangerous medical professions in the world: first responder paramedics.”

What we say: And the award for the most generic sounding show of the fall goes to… Trauma! We love Mr. Berg’s track record and have a soft spot for Derek Luke (the most recognizable name of the mostly unrecognizable ensemble), but Trauma just feels like a show that should have been burned off during the summertime.

What we’ll say six months from now: “What was Trauma again?”

Mercy (Wednesdays at 9 p.m., premieres September 23)

What NBC says: “Mercy, a new medical drama with a unique point of view, portrays the lives of the staff at Mercy Hospital as seen through the eyes of those who know it best: its nurses. Nurse Veronica Callahan (Taylor Schilling, Dark Matter) returns to Mercy from a military tour in Iraq—and she knows more about medicine than all of the residents combined. Together with fellow nurses Sonia Jimenez (Jamie Lee Kirchner, Rescue Me) and Chloe Payne (Michelle Trachtenberg, Gossip Girl), Callahan navigates through the daily traumas and social landmines of life and love both inside the hospital and out in the real world.”

What we say: Wait, did we say Trauma was the most generic sounding show of the fall? Maybe we spoke too soon. Mercy (what is it with NBC and one name titles?) looks poisonous enough to make Grey’s Anatomy tolerable. Not even the presence of the lovely Ms. Trachtenberg could make us watch this thing.

What we’ll say six months from now: “Thank God Mercy got canceled in time for Michelle Trachtenberg to come back for the final five episodes of Gossip Girl!”

Community (Thursdays at 9:30 p.m., premieres September 17)

What NBC says: “From Emmy Award-winning directors Joe and Anthony Russo (Arrested Development) comes Community, a smart comedy series about higher education—and lower expectations.” The Soup’s Joel McHale and Chevy Chase co-star.

What we say: Now here’s a show we’re legitimately excited about! Everything we’ve seen from Community—about life inside a community college—has made us cackle with delight; don’t be surprised if this series continued NBC’s golden touch with comedies. As an added bonus, say hello to who could be the breakout star of the fall: Between Community and his appearance in Steven Soderbergh’s The Informant! it’s clear Mr. McHale isn’t just for basic cable anymore.

What we’ll say six months from now: “We think we like Community more than The Office.”

100 Questions

Actor Christopher Moynihan, last seen on NBC as part of the ill-fated attempt to bring Coupling to American shores, goes behind the scenes to executive produce this comedy about—wait for it—five single friends living in New York! And there’s a laugh track! We dare you to watch the four-minute extended preview and not want to immediately claw your eyes out and/or run and watch an episode of How I Met Your Mother to wash the bad taste out of your mouth. Seriously, why would NBC even bother with this?

Probability of a second season: 3%

Trauma

The first thing that has to go is the title: can you imagine telling your friends you watch something called Trauma? That aside, the series—about a group of first-responder paramedics—just feels like the kind that gets relegated to Friday nights and cancelled within a month. We love star Derek Luke, but he has to find a better use of his time.

Probability of a second season: 18%

Mercy

Not only can NBC save money with this show by recycling Grey’s Anatomy plots, they can also film it on the old ER sets. Win-win! Mercy deals with the lives of a trio of sassy/pretty nurses—played by Michelle Trachtenberg, Taylor Schilling and Jamie Lee Kirchner—as they navigate the troubled waters of Mercy Hospital. No truth to the rumor that the show was originally called Nurses.

Probability of a second season: 34%

Parenthood

Because the entire entertainment world is bereft of ideas, here comes a serialized version of Ron Howard’s Parenthood, a film that came out twenty years ago. We do want to like this show, specifically because Peter Krause—here taking what appears to be the Steve Martin role at the head of a large ensemble cast—deserves to be a gigantic star. Sadly though, everything we’ve seen thus far seems sorta dated. And even if the show turns out to be good, does anyone think it can survive in this economic landscape with such a big-name cast?

Probability of a second season: 49%

Community

Say hello to the one new show on NBC’s schedule that could be a legitimate success. Joel McHale stars as a former lawyer forced to go back to community college to get his degree. There, he meets a crew of misfits, headed by Chevy Chase. Community plays like a hybrid of Arrested Development and Stripes, and, best of all, there isn’t a faux-documentary crew or laugh track to be found. We’re making progress here, people!

Probability of a second season: 62%

"This is Yigal Azrouël," she said, pointing to her skirt, "and the rest is just my stuff I found."

Standing arms-folded, the bare-shouldered Ms. Duff braced against the evening's whipping winds.

She had arrived alongside her pro hockey player beau, Mike Comrie, for the premiere of Stay Cool, writer-director Michael Polish's new film, in which the former Lizzie McGuire star portrays a sexy high-school senior who flirts with a visting author.

"You know what? We’re very compatible, luckily," she said of her relationship with the boyishly handsome Ottawa Senators forward, "and it never seems like a big pressure of, like, what I have to do to make him happy, or vice versa. You know, it’s just kind of natural for us, which is great, and I think that we both have busy jobs and we’re both very public people, and that helps, too, you know, since we are apart so much. It’s not like one person is sitting at home waiting for the other. And we’re both just really supportive of each other."

Ms. Duff offered scant details of her reported new sitcom. "You know, it’s a development deal at NBC, so it came out in the press, you know, that I was doing this show called Barely Legal and it was just a pitch that I had gotten," she said. "So, it’s tough with media, when everything that happens is like written about right away, and you’re like, ‘Wait a minute, but that’s not even what I’m doing!' So, yeah, we’re developing a show together, but it’s not anywhere near ready."

Ms. Duff's co-star in the film, Chevy Chase, arrived later. The 65-year-old comedian posed for photos and, in what is becoming somewhat of a trend for this year's Tribeca Film Festival, marched right in without speaking to reporters.

Perhaps he was afraid of the accidential aggression of an NY1 cameraman, who almost decapitated a couple of red carpet reporters with one of his unruly camera cords. "We’re gonna crack everybody in the head before we do this," joked big-browed NY1 reporter George Whipple.

Fellow Stay Cool actor (and former hobbit) Sean Astin spoke on behalf of the elusive comic. "What’s the funniest thing about Chevy? Chevy. Everything he says is funny," Mr. Astin lamely stroked his elder statesman's ego. "He can basically say, 'Can you pass the, you know, the salt?' And you’re like, ‘Oh my God, that’s the funniest thing I’ve ever heard!’"

Chiwetel Ejiofor as Barack Obama: While it’s true Messrs. Smith and Obama share more than a passing resemblance, the World’s Biggest Movie Star ™ doesn’t have the serious gravitas to play the president. Mr. Ejiofor, on the other hand, totally does! He exudes the right mix of charm, elegance, cockiness and intelligence, and, best of all, he comes at a fraction of the cost of Mr. Smith. Plus, while he isn’t a doppelganger, you have to admit the smile is kinda uncanny.

Chevy Chase as John McCain: Mr. Chase already has experience playing presidential material—see: his Gerald Ford impression—and at this point in his life, he looks exactly like Mr. McCain. That his voice shares a certain affectation with the Arizona Senator is just gravy. Think: lispy.

Teri Hatcher as Sarah Palin: We would never trash Ms. Fey’s impeccable impression of the Alaskan governor, but there is no way it would hold up under two hours of movie scrutiny. Enter Ms. Hatcher. She may not be a look-alike for the former beauty queen, but stick her in a pair of glasses, a wardrobe from Sak’s Fifth Avenue and let her do the ditzy/sexy/stupid thing she does so well on Desperate Housewives, and … voila! You’ve got yourself a Palin.

Cherry Jones as Hillary Clinton: Ms. Jones is already playing a Hillary Clinton clone on this season of 24, so why not let her try her hand at the real thing?

Viola Davis as Michelle Obama: There is a resemblance here; if you squint hard you might think they’re the same person. But, mostly, we just love the idea of a strong and stirring actress like Ms. Davis sharing scenes with Mr. Ejiofor. Swoon!

Danny McBride as Todd Palin: If you can’t imagine Mr. Palin closing telephone conversations with a Kenny Powers-like “you’re fucking out,” well, you aren’t trying hard enough.

Hope Davis as Cindy McCain: No one does “frigid blonde” like Ms. Davis.

Bill Clinton as Himself: This is the part he was born to play.

The new series stars Joel McHale, the snarky host of The Soup, as a lawyer who is forced to go back to community college after he finds out his degree isn't valid; Mr. Chase is set to play one of the other students, about whom little is known beyond the fact that he's on wife number five. On the surface, the premise sounds both lame and slight. But since Community’s executive producers, brothers Joe and Anthony Russo, were also a major part of Arrested Development—they directed the pilot episode as well as some of our favorites like "Motherboy XXX" and "Meet the Veals"—we'll give them the benefit of the doubt (and simultaneously forget that they had anything to do with You, Me and Dupree). And while Mr. Chase hasn’t been funny in nearly 20 years, there is always the chance he can regain a speck of his past glory. Playing the second or third lead on a sitcom seems perfect. Mr. Chase won't have the pressure to carry the entire show, and the network won't put any unreal expectations on the series like it would if Mr. Chase were the star. We just hope for NBC's sake that he didn't use up all of his comeback mojo during his upcoming guest arc on Chuck.

Of course with only 10 hours of prime-time programming available per week starting in the fall when Jay Leno takes over the 10 p.m. time slot, we're not exactly sure where Community will fit in on NBC's schedule. But wherever it lands, we'll be watching. Dare we say it, but maybe Mr. Silverman knows what he's doing after all?