131 - The Four Episodes of Christmas

[captain_slinky]

When it comes to Christmas Episodes of TV shows - That is, TV shows that exist year long or in a historical context such as Sit-Coms, Soap Operas and Saturday Morning Cartoons, as opposed to Christmas Specials such as Rudolph or Frosty - there seem to be only four main options:

• A CHRISTMAS CAROL, where they attempt to put their own spin on the classic tale of Ebeneezer Scrooge with the whole "Three Ghosts" bit.
  
• IT'S A WONDERFUL LIFE, where an Angel of some sort shows one of the characters what life for their friends and family would be like if they had never been born.
  
• MIRACLE ON 34TH ST, where one of our characters that doesn't believe in Santa Claus meets the REAL Santa and becomes a believer by the end of the episode.
  
• HOW THE GRINCH STOLE CHRISTMAS, where a VERY anti-Christmas person finally learns the *true* meaning of the Holiday (which may be family, presents, togetherness, happiness, joy, jesus, etc).

Try and give me an example of a Christmas Episode that does not fit into one of those categories. I've managed to stump myself.

Comments

[snarky-imp.livejournal.com]

Where does the Raising Hope apocalyptic Christmas episode land?

[captain-slinky.livejournal.com]

I have never seen an episode of Raising Hope. Does anyone in the episode (1) Changed their ways because of what they have learned about their past, present and/or future, (2) Changed their ways because they realize just how the lives of others would be changed if they weren't around, (3) Changed their ways because of some guy who think's he's Santa but clearly isn't - OR IS HE?!?!?, or (4) Changed their ways because they learned that Christmas isn't about ____ and ____, but really it's all about ____?

[snarky-imp.livejournal.com]

*thinks* Not... really. But I'm also not sure it qualifies as a traditional Christmas episode. I do recommend the show if you ever find yourself asking Netflix what to watch. I've laughed until it almost hurt (y'know, when you can't stop laughing) more than once.

[khristle.livejournal.com]

What about putting on a Christmas pageant in order to raise money for a really good cause? Am I imagining that, or wasn't that a thing for awhile?

[aurora77]

I know I've seen some like that. Other than Jem & The Holograms, though, I can't place them.

[captain-slinky.livejournal.com]

The "Putting On A Show" trope was also used by Happy Days AND Laverne & Shirley, as well as The Dick Van Dyke Show (and I'm sure there are others as well), BUT! They are almost always the filler for a stripped-down Grinch or Wonderful Life. Most of your "We Need To Raise Money For The Orphanage" stories end with the heel's heart growing two sizes that day ;)

[musical-junkie.livejournal.com]

The GIFT OF THE MAGI. Some twist on that has been done a few times. Or just episodes all about not knowing what to get someone or trying to track down a hard to get toy. (The first has been done by The Big Bang Theory, the second was done on Raising Hope.)

[aurora77]

This was my first thought.

[captain-slinky.livejournal.com]

Gift Of The Magi *almost* made the list, but the more I thought about it the more i realized that these stories invariably morph into either a Grinch or a Miracle On 34th St. Either somebody realizes that it's not all about the presents (Grinch), or a kindly old man who may or may not be the real Santa helps them find that gift at the last second.

Basically, i can't think of a Magi episode I've seen that doesn't fall into Grinch or Miracle terrain.

[aurora77]

That seems to cover the majority of them.

Fund-raising for charity is another, though sometimes mixed with the Grinch trope.

The Gift of the Magi trope is not uncommon.


On a side note, of all the holiday episodes out there, I still think the all-time funniest was the Bob Newhart Thanksgiving show. I can't NOT watch it every year now.

[captain-slinky.livejournal.com]

I don't remember the Bob Newhart Thanksgiving Show! Now I have to go find it!