As I see yet another cheesy Christmas movie is on the Family Channel and Lifetime. Let us take a moment to honor the unsung hero of the holiday season--the theme episode. We all know that every television show has a very special holiday episode: Fonzie fixed the Cunningham’s tree and Alex P. Keaton repented his right wing republican ways for one day, and Glee has their episode next week. But, The Holiday episode on Sci Fi and Fantasy shows are tricky business. Due to the genre specific nature of Sci Fi and Fantasy TV, it is very hard to shoehorn the spirit of the season when many take place in space or the past or involve demons.
So, grab your eggnog and we will reminisce some of my favorites.
So, grab your eggnog and we will reminisce some of my favorites.
The Star Wars Holiday Special
The prize, of course goes to The Star Wars Holiday Special. And you thought Jar Jar Binks was George Lucas’ most embarrassing moment. This story featured a visit to Kashyyk, Chewbacca’s home planet. It is Life Day (a holiday analogous to Christmas). Chewbacca is on his way home to see his family (Mallatobuck, Lumpawarrump, and Attichitcuk) to celebrate the holiday, accompanied by his friend, Han Solo. The first five minutes are in wookie. But, what follows more amazing: is a hodge podge of musical numbers (Diahann Carroll, Jefferson Starship, and Bea Arthur), a cross dressing Harvey Keitel (as a futuristic Julia Childes), and a cartoon (with, as far as I know, the first appearance of Boba Fett). Lucas has been reported as saying, "If I had the time and a sledgehammer, I would track down every copy of that show and smash it." So, let’s see a clip of an admittedly stoned Carrie Fisher singing “Life Day” to the Star Wars theme.
The prize, of course goes to The Star Wars Holiday Special. And you thought Jar Jar Binks was George Lucas’ most embarrassing moment. This story featured a visit to Kashyyk, Chewbacca’s home planet. It is Life Day (a holiday analogous to Christmas). Chewbacca is on his way home to see his family (Mallatobuck, Lumpawarrump, and Attichitcuk) to celebrate the holiday, accompanied by his friend, Han Solo. The first five minutes are in wookie. But, what follows more amazing: is a hodge podge of musical numbers (Diahann Carroll, Jefferson Starship, and Bea Arthur), a cross dressing Harvey Keitel (as a futuristic Julia Childes), and a cartoon (with, as far as I know, the first appearance of Boba Fett). Lucas has been reported as saying, "If I had the time and a sledgehammer, I would track down every copy of that show and smash it." So, let’s see a clip of an admittedly stoned Carrie Fisher singing “Life Day” to the Star Wars theme.
Smallville: Lexmas
Okay, don’t groan. This one is serious. Smallville gets a bad rap, but sometimes it gets it right 9and wrong). This episode is an example of both. In Lexmas, Lex Luthior is shot, he falls into a coma and is visited by the ghost of his mother, who shows him what his life could be like if he frees himself from his father. Meanwhile, Clark helps deliver Christmas presents. The bad of course, is the hackneyed plot idea of that ambiguous Santa Claus that Clark is helping to deliver presents—it has been done to death. But, what is great is the end of the episode, which takes the hackneyed Dickens tale and gives it a unique spin.
Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman
Before there was a Smallville on the CW (nee CW), ABC aired Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman. As the title implies, the show focused more on the Man and less on the Super. They had a few holiday episode, but two notable episodes stick out in my memory. The first occurred in the First Season. Seasons Greetings featured A toymaker (Sherman Hemsley, who is reunited with Isabel Sanford) invents a pheromone that makes adults act like greedy children. (Atomic Rats!) . The highlight was the quiet moment when Clark and Lois share a tender moment holding hands as they watch some carolers. In the Fourth Season, they aired “'Twas The Night Before Mxymas”, which featured a still funny Howie, Mandel as Mr. Mxyzptlk, an imp from the fifth dimension, who does a Groundhog Day-like- thing to Christmas Eve to make people lose hope. Of course, they don’t and Clark says “No Deal.” The full episode is available here. And Seasons Greetings is below.
Before there was a Smallville on the CW (nee CW), ABC aired Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman. As the title implies, the show focused more on the Man and less on the Super. They had a few holiday episode, but two notable episodes stick out in my memory. The first occurred in the First Season. Seasons Greetings featured A toymaker (Sherman Hemsley, who is reunited with Isabel Sanford) invents a pheromone that makes adults act like greedy children. (Atomic Rats!) . The highlight was the quiet moment when Clark and Lois share a tender moment holding hands as they watch some carolers. In the Fourth Season, they aired “'Twas The Night Before Mxymas”, which featured a still funny Howie, Mandel as Mr. Mxyzptlk, an imp from the fifth dimension, who does a Groundhog Day-like- thing to Christmas Eve to make people lose hope. Of course, they don’t and Clark says “No Deal.” The full episode is available here. And Seasons Greetings is below.
The X-Files
In “How the Ghosts Stole Christmas” On Christmas Eve, Mulder and Scully go ghost-hunting in a supposedly haunted house full of Christmas spirit. On Christmas Eve, Mulder and Scully go ghost-hunting in a supposedly haunted house full of Christmas spirit.
Here is a really crappy video clip.
In “How the Ghosts Stole Christmas” On Christmas Eve, Mulder and Scully go ghost-hunting in a supposedly haunted house full of Christmas spirit. On Christmas Eve, Mulder and Scully go ghost-hunting in a supposedly haunted house full of Christmas spirit.
Here is a really crappy video clip.
And a fun video
Buffy the Vampire Slayer
Although famous for it’s Halloween Episodes (and a great Thanksgiving Episode), Christmas came to Buffy in Season Three. In Amends, it's Christmas time in Sunnydale and like Scrooge, Angel is being haunted by the ghosts of his past victims, namely Jenny Calendar. I should also note that this episode also his episode introduces us to a new formidable foe known as The First, who will later play into the final season.
Here is a crappy quality video of the end:
And I remember entering this:
Justice League/JLU “Comfort and Joy”
In this episode of the animated Cartoon Network series, the Justice Leaguers go their separate ways to celebrate the holiday season. After saving a distant planet, the League returns in time for Christmas. Clark and J'onn visit Smallville for a Kent family Christmas, Green Lantern and Hawkgirl have a snowball fight and visit an alien bar while comparing holiday traditions, and the Flash and Ultra-Humanite have a season's fight and are forced to ally together to save orphans' toys.
In this episode of the animated Cartoon Network series, the Justice Leaguers go their separate ways to celebrate the holiday season. After saving a distant planet, the League returns in time for Christmas. Clark and J'onn visit Smallville for a Kent family Christmas, Green Lantern and Hawkgirl have a snowball fight and visit an alien bar while comparing holiday traditions, and the Flash and Ultra-Humanite have a season's fight and are forced to ally together to save orphans' toys.
And let’s not forget this goodie from Batman and the Animated Series.
Xena
Finally, we have the Warrior Princess. This one was creative since it is hard to have a Christmas Episode that takes place before the Birth of Christ. But, in “A Solstice Carol" Xena and Gabrielle try to bring the warmth and spirit of the holiday season to a cold-hearted king who has outlawed the annual winter-solstice celebration.
Finally, we have the Warrior Princess. This one was creative since it is hard to have a Christmas Episode that takes place before the Birth of Christ. But, in “A Solstice Carol" Xena and Gabrielle try to bring the warmth and spirit of the holiday season to a cold-hearted king who has outlawed the annual winter-solstice celebration.
And the song (This was before their Musical Episodes):
That’s all. I know I skipped a whole bunch, including Dr. Who and MST2K, who have annual episodes (although I see the Dr. Who one in July).
Add you favorites in the comments section.
Happy Holidays
Joe
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