Favorite Christmas Episodes (1 Viewer)

[Josh Steinberg]

Star In The Night (1945)

I find that I watch this one almost every year, usually on Christmas Eve. It’s just the right length to sneak in once everyone has gone to bed, or if I have a bit of downtime between kitchen prep and cooking. It’s a great short!

Christmas in Connecticut is also a wonderful film. It’s been no a few years so I am due to revisit it.

 

[Josh Steinberg]

I finished out the Hitchcock Presents Christmas episodes with “The Festive Season,” which was a bit of a downer. Maybe not Dragnet rifle downer but not something I think I’ll need to see again. From there it was on to the third season Dennis the Menace, and I think that one was my favorite of the three. I loved the Christmas tree shenanigans.

Which brings me to my random point of the day. I think discoveries like that third season Dennis are my favorite new finds for Christmas. I feel like my canon of the sacred is pretty well established - I have to watch It’s A Wonderful Life and a few of the more profound films and shows each year. With those boxes checked off, it’s nice to find episodes that capture other elements of the holiday season besides the sacred and the profound. And especially as a newish parent new to the suburbs, it’s fun to watch episodes that highlight the humor and absurdity of common holiday tasks. I can relate

I love that O&H have such a variety of Christmas episodes. I’ve got them split into “watch early in the season,” “watch right around the holiday,” and “watch the day after” piles for those shows.

 

[Jack P]

Not sure if anyone has mentioned Car 54 - Christmas at the 53rd? It's good for some light entertainment. A few lesser known ones: The Law and Mr. Jones: Xmas is a Legal Holiday, Loretta Young Show: Christmas Stopover, The Lineup (aka San Francisco Beat): The Christmas Story.



Funny thing about the pilot. The wonderful, late Gloria Henry once remarked that the pilot was her least favorite episode. It was because the studio got angry letters from parents and the PTA saying that it was a bad influence on kids. They toned down Dennis' antics after that.

The second season "Car 54" Christmas episode "Stop Thief!" is one of the funniest episodes of the series as it boasts the dumbest thing Gunther Toody ever said, and the greatest double-take reaction ever by Fred Gwynne.

 

[Josh Steinberg]

The second season "Car 54" Christmas episode "Stop Thief!" is one of the funniest episodes of the series as it boasts the dumbest thing Gunther Toody ever said, and the greatest double-take reaction ever by Fred Gwynne.

Oooo on that alone I’m gonna go search for a copy.

 

[Gary OS]

Oooo on that alone I’m gonna go search for a copy.

I'd highly recommend you do. That 2nd season Christmas episode, "Stop Thief", is better than the 1st season Yuletide offering.

 

[Josh Steinberg]

I'd highly recommend you do. That 2nd season Christmas episode, "Stop Thief", is better than the 1st season Yuletide offering.

YouTube? Disc? Prime? What are my options?

 

[Gary OS]

YouTube? Disc? Prime? What are my options?

I have it on disc from the release of the series a few years back. But I bet it's available online somewhere. Let me take a look.

Yep, on Amazon Prime with ads.

 

[greenscreened]

I had a PD VHS tape of the Jack Benny Program that contained the Christmas Shopping episode, which I really liked.

Too bad there are no official releases of that episode and the rest of the series as well.

 

[The 1960's]

YouTube? Disc? Prime? What are my options?

Here you go Josh.

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"Car 54, Where Are You?" Stop Thief (1962)​

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This one was uploaded on December 1st.

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[Gary OS]

Here's a 5 star Christmas episode on Youtube that I wish would be remastered and released (but I know even a Christmas miracle won't allow this release in today's culture).




Gary "a top-notch holiday offering" O.

 

[Jack P]

Naturally my next two items had to be both "Car 54" episodes. The S1, despite being another example of the "show within a show" type program is pleasant enough and I really give them a plus for the uncharacteristically quiet, serious ending that almost could have come right out of a "Naked City" episode.

Then on to "Stop Thief" which in addition to laughs gives you the added plus of unbilled quick bits by Roger C. Carmel (sans moustache!) and Dan Frazer, a decade before he got to be a police captain on "Kojak."

 

[Tom.W]

I discovered this Racket Squad episode, The Christmas Caper. I haven't watched it yet, but it looks interesting.


The Bishop's Wife usually airs on TCM around this time of the year. It's not explicitly about Christmas, but fits in nicely with the holiday spirit. The star power of the leads works well with the story IMO.

 

[Jeff Flugel]

McCloud - 7.2 "'Twas the Fight Before Christmas"
Inspired by the recent announcement that VEI is releasing the complete series in Region 1, I checked out this final season episode, set on Christmas Eve but which aired on December 26th, 1976. All U.S. Marshall Sam McCloud (the ever-likable Dennis Weaver) wants to do is spend a nice, quiet evening with his novelist girlfriend Chris (Diana Muldaur)...but he instead ends up dealing with a whole host of problems, including rescuing a suicidal young woman (Linda Gray) from the ledge of a high-rise office building; talking down a psychotic who's hanging around the police station with plans to kill him; and sorting out a drug theft gone wrong at a hospital which results in a hostage situation in the children's ward. Of course, both Chris and Chief Clifford (J.D. Cannon) - who's there dressed as Santa, to distribute presents to the kids - happen to be among the hostages.

J.D. Cannon is the master of the frosty glare, especially when staring down the three junkie punks who are holding him captive (one of whom is played by the late Dean Stockwell). Also with 2001: A Space Odyssey's William Sylvester and Robert Ellenstein as a trigger-happy police captain. While I'm a fan of the show and found this to be an exciting, frequently tense episode, it's not exactly what one might call relaxing holiday fare. Think I'll watch something a little more light and festive next, to balance things out.

 

[Jack P]

I was pleasantly surprised to hear that "McCloud" at long last is getting a legit complete series release and more importantly with the original format Season 1 episodes (I can finally ditch the R4 release!). For some perspective, the ONLY release of McCloud on DVD in R1 was back around 2007 or so I think so this is just about a record for longevity.

 

[Jack P]

Six Million Dollar Man, S4-"A Bionic Christmas Carol"
-Again, this is my favorite "Scrooge parallel" episode. And for a 70s show, it manages to retain enough underlying spirit about the true meaning of Christmas. Ray Walston as the "Scrooge" of the piece is fine and I've always been impressed at how Antoinette Bower, noted for her feral beauty in so many 60s guest shots, is entirely believable as a wife and mother in the "Mrs. Cratchit" role.

I also did my first animated specials. I tend to be judicious with those (save Charlie Brown which gets viewed every year and will come later).

How The Grinch Stole Christmas
-I went a few years without seeing it. It's fun but far from being in the same class as Charlie Brown is with me.

The Stingiest Man In Town
-The 1956 TV musical got a Rankin-Bass animated remake in 1978 with Walter Matthau doing the voice of Scrooge, and featuring Robert Morse (young Scrooge), Tom Bosley (narrator. An insect called "B.A.H. Humbug") and Dennis Day (a rare post-Jack Benny death performance as Fred). I remember seeing its lone NBC airing in 1979 I think and then it was 40 years before I saw it again. Obviously now that I know its source roots in the 1956 TV production, its easier to understand its shortcomings as a condensed version with its script modified more for the children audience (especially with the "humbug" narrator).

 

[Josh Steinberg]

This week’s “Hawkeye” episode was Wednesday evening’s selection. I’m really loving how this show works perfectly well as part of the larger Marvel universe of shows and films and continuing storylines, but how it also is working spectacularly well as a Christmas-themed fish-out-of-water action-comedy. I’d watch this again another year for Christmas.

On Thursday we wrapped up the Frasier offerings with High Holidays. Even in their eleventh season, the writing is still witty and the cast’s comic timing hasn’t lost a step.

Thursday night I watched the Ozzie & Harriet “Christmas Tree Lot” episode - we picked up our tree on Thursday so it seemed like the right choice. Tonight we decorated the tree, so it seemed equally right to view the I Love Lucy Christmas Special afterwards.

I have two small Christmas stories from yesterday, one heartwarming and one that sounds scary til you get to the end and can laugh about it:

-When we were picking up the tree at the landscaping yard, my wife asked the manager if they had any outdoor timers for sale since I neglected to purchase one when I got the Christmas lights for the porch. Wasn’t looking for anything fancy, just something that would turn off automatically a few hours after I turn them on. (Turns out no one wants to go out to unplug them late at night when it’s 30 degrees!) I didn’t think there’s a chance they’d have one and the manager said they might have had some but were definitely out now. Then he looked behind the counter and found an unpackaged one that looked as simple as I had been looking for, and said, “Tell you what. Take it home, if it works, it’s yours, Merry Christmas. If it doesn’t, just toss it.” I took it home, plugged it in, worked perfectly. If that’s not the spirit of the holiday, I don’t know what is. Truly warmed my heart.

Later that night I’m watching something on my projector, first with my wife and then alone, and all throughout I’m noticing this weird green shimmer that seemed to flash in the same spots in a pretty consistent basis. At first I thought it was a technical error from something I was streaming, but no matter what else I put on, or even when I switched it to just a solid color static background, it kept happening. It basically looked like the green LCD panel in the projector was dying, and when that happens, it’s pretty much game over on the whole thing. I’m trying to stay calm but also thinking, “I just can’t afford this right now. I was counting on 3-5 more years out of this machine. And I can’t imagine not having it for as long as it would take me to replace it.” I was pretty annoyed for an hour, as each troubleshooting attempt failed to make any difference, and
I finally gave up and put away the screen for the night and turned the projector off. I thought, “I’m healthy, my wife’s healthy, my kids are healthy, this is just a toy. A very nice, very expensive toy, but I can live without it.” Suddenly I’m calm again. Then I look back at the wall and saw green flashes again. Ok, this is nuts, a projector that’s off with a lens cap on can’t be putting green light on my wall. What’s happening?? Then I looked out my window and noticed that the neighbor had installed a new outdoor holiday decoration. One of those laser lights. That projects green trees. Moving in a pattern that matched what I saw on my wall. Coming in from my open window, which normally has a shade drawn. I had to laugh at myself and the absurdity of the situation - I tried everything except looking to see if it could have been anything other than a catastrophic bit of equipment failure. It never occurred to me not to assume the worst! I’m sure there’s a lesson to be learned there

 

[Jeff Flugel]

Good stories there, Josh! It's only human for us to fear the worst...and after the past two years, it's more of a defense mechanism! And I can certainly sympathize with the worry over whether an expensive piece of tech is breaking down...glad things all worked out fine.

I too have been watching Hawkeye...wasn't that keen on the first episode but have been enjoying it more and more as it has progressed. "The Christmas Tree Lot" Ozzie and Harriet episode is a very good one, with a classic final punchline.

 

[Gary OS]

I love those two stories, Josh! Truly the spirit of Christmas!

 

[KPmusmag]

Yesterday afternoon I watched the Patrick Stuart version of A Christmas Carol. I really enjoyed it. All of the actors gave heartfelt performances. It was only 1.5 hours but I felt that it was quite true to Dickens and there seemed to be nothing missing from the story. It was kind of magical - I started it just as the sun was starting to get a bit low in the sky and it was over just as twilight was giving way to night. I recommend this version for anyone who has never seen or it or if it has been a long while since, as it was for me. I may watch the George C Scott version today just because I love the story and for comparison's sake.

Regarding A Christmas Carol, for anyone who has not read Dickens' original in book form, it is well worth it. The one thing that really can't come across in any movie adaptation is his glorious prose. It is a short book, I read it all the way through this morning. It was a lovely rediscovery of how talented he was at choosing the perfect words, not just for meaning, also for rhythm and cadence.

 

[Jack P]

Slowed a bit with other projects but got these in.

Twas The Night Before Christmas (1974)
-I've probably seen this more than any other Rankin-Bass offering, if you can believe it. (I haven't seen Rudolph or Frosty in years). Nice score even if the story has one rather fatal built-in flaw (namely the premise requires us to believe Santa is vindictive and thin-skinned and needs to be convinced he's still loved!)

Amahl And The Night Visitors (1951)
-For nearly a decade since I was introduced to this wonderful production that used to be an annual Christmas staple on TV for more than 15 years, I watched the commercially released 1955 live broadcast. This year, I found on YT the very first broadcast from December 24, 1951 which featured the same cast as the 1955 one save for the lead role of Amahl. I can see how live TV staging improved more in the years to come though everyone came through magnificently this first go-round to help make it a Christmas perennial for years to come.