SNL brings back Ryan Gosling being a horny sub elf for Santa and we guess Christmas came early

Saturday Night Live turned to some old favourites this weekend as a surge in COVID cases forced it to abandon its plans.

The Omicron variant threw a spanner in the works for the final SNL of the year.

It led to the removal of the studio audience, the cancellation of hyper-pop singer Charli XCX’s as musical guest, and the absence of most of the cast and crew.

Despite it all, guest host Paul Rudd soldiered on with some help from a few famous names and some of SNL’s greatest hits.

As well as new sketches, Rudd introduced a number of old favourites, including a memorable sketch from 2015 starring Bobby Moynihan as an angry Santa and Kenan Thompson, Vanessa Bayer and Ryan Gosling as his naughty, horny elf helpers

The three elves intentionally mess up their tasks, seeking punishment from Daddy Christmas himself.

Upon his return to his workshop, Santa picks up a headless doll and a deconstructed toy train, before summoning the elves.

“Me? I learn through discipline” says a breathless, flirty Gosling, barely containing a smirk before biting his lip.

Begging for punishment, Thompson suggests: “It could be bodily…like…something with my body?”

After a warning, Santa gives the elves another night to rectify their mistake: an opportunity which they fail to take. Upon return, he finds the elves lined up along the workshop desk.

“We aren’t fit to lick your boot,” says Bayer. 

Without missing a beat, and with bulging eyes, Gosling follows with: “But we’ll do it…if you force us to!”

Despite the setbacks, this weekend capped off a stellar 2021 run for SNL. From Bowen Yang as a voguing, death-dropping daddy long legs to Bowen Yang as a “proud gay Oompa Loompa”, and of course, Bowen Yang as the iceberg that sunk the Titanic, SNL has had viewers in stitches throughout the year.