Donnybrook’s Top 5 Holiday TV Specials
Written by Ace Wellington The Third // December 24, 2012 // Televised Entertainment in Review, The Theatre // No comments
Zack Flanagan Gives You the Lowdown On our Holiday Favorites
‘Tis the holiday season and that means that your television screens will be flooded with Christmas and holiday themed episodes of shows past and present. But, when you’re flipping through the channels you should be on the lookout for a certain few that have claimed a special place in our hearts. Here is a list of some of my favorites that you should keep an eye out for…
1 | South Park: A Woodland Critter Christmas
Don’t you just love tiny little critters? Well, they love you too but in a different way than you might think. These little bastards want nothing more than to rip the eyes out of your skull and then sing a song about it.
You’ve got an ass kicking Santa too. So, how can you beat that? This Christmas gem is one that will make you laugh, give you warm feelings and hopefully won’t give you nightmares.
2 | How I Met Your Mother: Symphony of Illumination
This is just a freakin’ feel good episode… sort of. It starts off with Robin sitting alone on a park bench, snow falling around her. It changes the format of the show to where Robin is talking to her future kids and Barney is the father. Slowly but surely throughout the show we get little hints at what is happening and then the shocker of all shockers: Aunt Robin is sterile and will never have kids. The scene changes and Robin is once again alone, her future kids disappeared and nonexistent.
The best Christmas (Canadian or otherwise) present she could have ever gotten is Ted Mosby being there for her when she needed it. The ending scene is one that needs to be watched. So… go! Go watch!
3 | Family Guy: Road to the North Pole
These episodes of Family Guy are sometimes my favorite. The whole Road To series is an homage to the classic films of Crosby, Hope and Lamour (classic stuff you should be watching but more on that later).
This episode follows Brian and Stewie as they try to trek to the North Pole because Stewie wants to kill Santa after being brushed off by a mall Santa. Filled with crazy hijinks, this is almost as much of a Christmas classic as A Miracle on 34th Street.
4 | Boy Meets World: Santa’s Little Helper
Hold the fudge up; did this holiday post just reference Boy Meets World? You’re damn right it did. Santa’s Little Helper is an episode not only about the season of giving but rather a deep look at the different socio-economic classes between friends.
Shawn’s (Cory’s best friend) father has lost his job and won’t be able to afford many Christmas presents. Cory, being the good guy that he is, promises Shawn that he will have a Christmas but Shawn doesn’t appreciate this “charity.” It’s a heart-warming look at what it’s truly like for some people. Watch and get the feels.
5 | Full House: Our Very First Christmas Show
The gang is stuck in an airport on Christmas Eve and Stephanie Tanner is afraid that Santa won’t be able to find them to give them their Christmas presents. It’s a cutesy type episode to finish off the list but will leave you with that warm fuzzy feeling you seek during the holidays (mostly because you can’t make those feelings on your own).
