Favorite Christmas Episodes (1 Viewer)

[Regulus]

I'll begin watching Christmas-Themed TV Shows and Movies tonight. (Actually I began last Sunday, then recreated what Thanksgiving Week meant for me in Detroit, Michigan in the Early 1970s. Check out the "What's the last DVD you watched" Forum tonight for more info.

 

[Gary OS]

Quote:

Originally Posted by smithb /t/295423/favorite-christmas-episodes/30#post_3874132
There are standard Christmas movies we watch every year, but I've never gone through a list of Christmas TV episodes before. Maybe this year I will start a new trend. I will start with shows the kids have become familiar with the last few years. That will include the likes of Lassie, Fury, Dennis the Menace, Little House on the Prairie, and others I will need to check. Then I will need to go through other shows I'm familiar with that they aren't for after they go to bed (e.g., Andy Griffith Show, Father Knows Best, I Love Lucy).

All excellent choices, Brad. Those series you listed all have very solid Christmas episodes. And Lassie, Dennis, Little House and FKB have multiple episodes! The only one I won't watch is the Christmas episode from Season Three of Little House called "Blizzard" because it's just so darn depressing. That's the one where the kids are dismissed from school on Christmas Eve and a freak blizzard comes in and ends up killing several people. Not exactly encouraging stuff, but then again you have to expect something like that every so often from a Michael Landon production. LOL. But all the others from the series you, and Jeff, mentioned are spirit-lifting fare.


Gary "there really are too many to pick from when you think about it - I run out of time every year and don't get to everything I want to" O.

 

[Gary OS]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Regulus /t/295423/favorite-christmas-episodes/30#post_3874138
I'll begin watching Christmas-Themed TV Shows and Movies tonight. (Actually I began last Sunday, then recreated what Thanksgiving Week meant for me in Detroit, Michigan in the Early 1970s. Check out the "What's the last DVD you watched" Forum tonight for more info.

William, feel free to post here as well if you'd like. I don't follow the other thread that much, but I certainly think it'd be appropriate for you to CC any Christmas episodes in this one.


Gary "that's what I'm going to be doing" O.

 

[Gary OS]

Tonight I watched The Andy Griffith Show Christmas episode from S1. This was the only holiday episode ever produced from this series, which I've always found a bit strange. Seems like they could have added at least one other Christmas-themed episode, but alas, they did not. So all we have is that first one. And a fine one it is, imho. I can watch it every year and do. The entire cast does a nice job of getting the viewer into the holiday spirit. I'd give this one a solid 4 out of 5 if I were rating it as a Christmas episode.


Gary "not sure what I'll watch tomorrow just yet" O.

 

[mattCR]

Black Adder Christmas special.

 

[Neil Middlemiss]

Black Adder Christmas special.

Best. Christmas. Special. Ever!

 

[KPmusmag]

Love this thread! I look forward to Holiday episodes all year long (I love Thanksgiving and Halloween themed shows, too).
I have not seen these mentioned so here goes:
WKRP IN CINCINNATI - "Jennifer's Home For Christmas". S 2 E 11 - One of my all-time favorites. Jennifer is upset because the gang has only enough Christmas spirit for a 10-minute party, but everybody shows up at her house with a tree to cheer her up (Johnny Fever: "It's your basic Black Forest in here!").
THE BOB NEWHART SHOW - "Twas the Pie Before Christmas" - S 6 E 12 Bob manages to piss everyone off one way or another so no one wants to come to his and Emily's party, but (naturally) Christmas spirit ultimately prevails.
MURPHY BROWN - "I'm Dreaming of a Brown Christmas" - S 5 E 12 Murphy wants a perfect Christmas for her son, but her feuding father and aunt show up and bicker with delicious repartee (and a turkey fork in the thigh).
As for Christmas specials, my favorite is Julie Andrews in Salzburg with THE SOUND OF CHRISTMAS (1987). One of the last old-fashioned Christmas specials and a joy every year.
Happy Christmas watching everyone!

 

[Jeff Willis]

^ Kevin,

and glad you enjoy the thread. Gary started this thread a couple years ago and it helps a lot of us each year. I let the time sneak up on me last year and didn't get all of my annual Christmas episode viewing done before the week of Christmas so this year I've started earlier.
Those are some good episodes in your list.
4 weeks until we get a visit from the

 

[Mark Collins]

Voyage To The Bottom Of The Sea and I Love Lucy in color from the DVD set. I also forgot to mention The Lucy Show which I bought two episodes which I still have not watched the color one and kept in reserve for this year. I enjoyed though I do not own them the early Bewitched Christmas eps with DIck York and All In the Family which the former turned out great Chistmas eps right into the first year of Archie Bunkers Place 1st year. I catch them all amost every year on METV pretty much uncut. I also caught a color Gunsmoke Christmas Episode on METV this past weekend. I wanted to buy the I Love Lucy new tag on Merry Christmas episode that came out this year with the popular episodes from the series but could not spring for it. I am sure it will be here next year.

 

[JoeDoakes]

In my opinion, the best Beverly Hillbillies Christmas episode was the Season 5 episode, "The Christmas Present." In it, the Clampetts decide to really feel like they are giving by earning money to buy a present for Mrs. Drysdale. To that end, the all get jobs at a Department store, with Jethro becoming the store's Santa. Things get complicated when Mrs. Drysdale shows up to shop at the store, but everything works out o.k., and the episode ends with the cast looking at the camera and performing a wonderful rendition of "We Wish You a Merry Christmas."

 

[Gary OS]

Matt, Neil and Kevin. Thanks for sharing, guys! I always enjoy seeing what other people watch at Christmas time.

/t/295423/favorite-christmas-episodes/30#post_3874627
In my opinion, the best Beverly Hillbillies Christmas episode was the Season 5 episode, "The Christmas Present." In it, the Clampetts decide to really feel like they are giving by earning money to buy a present for Mrs. Drysdale. To that end, the all get jobs at a Department store, with Jethro becoming the store's Santa. Things get complicated when Mrs. Drysdale shows up to shop at the store, but everything works out o.k., and the episode ends with the cast looking at the camera and performing a wonderful rendition of "We Wish You a Merry Christmas."

I can't argue with your thoughts, Ray, on the Beverly Hillbillies different Christmas eps. It's a great one to be sure. I like each of the first 3 Christmas episodes they did (S1, S2, S5). The only one I don't care a whole lot for is the last one.


Gary "gotta figure out what I'm going to watch tonight" O.

 

[Jeff Willis]

Mark, you know me well enough to know I completely agree with you about the S1 Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea episode, "Long Live the King."  It's one of my favorites!  Jeff, if you get time I'd heartily recommend this one to you.
Gary "gotta figure out what I'm going to watch tonight" O.

I remember that "Voyage..." episode. Sounds like that's one to add to the list

I don't envy you deciding about tonight with that list of episodes that you have

You'll come up with a good one for tonight.

 

[Charles Ellis]

There are two classic episodes which haven't been mentioned, and they both came out the same year under very trying circumstances. These are the Christmas episodes from The Dick Van Dyke Show and The Judy Garland Show, which both came out on CBS in late 1963, as America (and the world) was still dealing with the JFK assassination. The Van Dyke episode is done as a special holiday episode of the fictional "Alan Brady Show", with the show's staff (and Laura Petrie, too!) performing holiday skits and songs. Then in the most remarkable moment Larry Mathews as Ritchie steals the show with a simple rendition of "The Little Drummer Boy"- the only somber moment in an otherwise laugh-filled production. All this in thirty minutes!
The Garland episode has the legend entertaining celebrity pals like Jack Jones and Mel Torme (mind you, Judy and Mel clashed offstage) on a set built to duplicate Judy's actual living room. Liza, Lorna and Joey also perform on the show with their mom, and the evening ends with Judy singing what else but "Over the Rainbow". Both of these shows are on DVD and are truly a joy to watch. By the way, around the same time was the release of what has become the ultimate rock Christmas album: Phil Spector's A Christmas Gift for You, which amazingly flopped in its original release but is now the album against which all pop Christmas albums made since then have been measured.

 

[Gary OS]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Charles Ellis /t/295423/favorite-christmas-episodes/30#post_3874965
There are two classic episodes which haven't been mentioned, and they both came out the same year under very trying circumstances. These are the Christmas episodes from The Dick Van Dyke Show and The Judy Garland Show, which both came out on CBS in late 1963, as America (and the world) was still dealing with the JFK assassination. The Van Dyke episode is done as a special holiday episode of the fictional "Alan Brady Show", with the show's staff (and Laura Petrie, too!) performing holiday skits and songs. Then in the most remarkable moment Larry Mathews as Ritchie steals the show with a simple rendition of "The Little Drummer Boy"- the only somber moment in an otherwise laugh-filled production. All this in thirty minutes!

Charles, I couldn't agree with you more on the DVDS episode. It's fantastic all the way around and is required viewing every year in my home. I believe I bought the Judy Garland Show dvd last year but didn't get to it. I'll try to do so this year.


Gary "the wife and kids watched 'Frosty' (the original cartoon special) last night, so I'll have to make up for lost time tonight" O.

 

[Jeff Willis]

    Quote:
Charles, I couldn't agree with you more on the DVDS episode.  It's fantastic all the way around and is required viewing every year in my home.  I believe I bought the Judy Garland Show dvd last year but didn't get to it.  I'll try to do so this year.
Gary "the wife and kids watched 'Frosty' (the original cartoon special) last night, so I'll have to make up for lost time tonight" O.

I remember that episode from a couple of years ago. It's due for a re-watch.

Hope you all enjoyed Frosty

 

[Gary OS]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jeff Willis /t/295423/favorite-christmas-episodes/30#post_3875213
Hope you all enjoyed Frosty

LOL, I didn't watch it. Not that I hate the guy or anything, but its not my cup of tea.


Gary "still loving the emotes - great stuff, Jeff" O.

 

[Gary OS]

Watched my second favorite Ozzie & Harriet Christmas episode tonight - "Christmas Tree Lot." I always enjoy Skip Young's character, Wally. He's got a great scene at the very end of this episode that just cracks me up every time I see it.


Gary "gotta pick up the pace and start trying to watch a couple of episodes each night" O.

 

[Gary OS]

Tonight I watched "Christmas and the Hard-Luck Kid II" from The Mary Tyler Moore Show, along with the S1 episode from Bewitched. Both are yearly viewing in our home. Wanted to watch the Christmas episode from McHale's Navy but ran out of time. I'll get to that one tomorrow. I've got to make time for some more obscure ones too.


Gary "24 days and counting" O.

 

[Jeffery_H]

Great posts with some interesting shows to choose from. I wasn't born in most of that time, but I do like quite a few of them because you simply can not find quality Christmas shows like that on TV anymore. One of my favorites is "Jennifer's Christmas" WKRP as someone has already mentioned. Others I like which may not have been mentioned:
Little Drummer Boy - Animated Rankin Bass
Santa Clause is coming to Town - Animated Rankin Bass
Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer - Animated Rankin Bass
Frosty the Snowman - Animated Rankin Bass
According to Jim - Don't know the names but some were pretty good and funny too. Like the one where Cheryl's sister is broke and didn't get any gifts and Cheryl tells her to get one of hers and give to Jim, not knowing she picked out the smallest but best gift of season Blackhawk tickets she was going to give him.
The animated ones are simply classics and I watch them every year.

 

[David Weicker]

Three episodes I watch yearly
Dick Van Dyke Show - Alan Brady Presents
Moonlighting - Twas The Episode Before Christmas
Moonlighting - Its A Wonderful Job
I did enjoy (although I haven't seen it in many years) the Christmas episode of Paradise (or Guns of Paradise - not sure of the title when this specific episode aired). It was basically a retelling of Three Godfathers, but very well done.
Of course, the Christmas specials - Charlie Brown, Rudolph, Grinch, Santa Claus - get watched every year too.
David