#I will make a Bob's Burgers family tree once season 15 is over

[uncannybob]

The Puppington Family Tree.

I love making family trees for my favorite fictional characters. Here is one for Orel Puppington from the Adult Swim series Moral Orel. I could've made it bigger and more complicated, but I kept it simple.

Please note that Orel's & Christina's children were never named in the original series. Mold Puppington & Carol Puppington are just my headcanon names for them.

[curious-minx]

Review of the first episode of The Great North (plus some sad Bob’s Burgers’ news)

2021.

I was going to begin my review of the pilot episode of The Great North, the sister sister series of Bob’s Burgers, with my trademark  snarky and slanted curlicue wit... Instead, I am reckoning with the headline of the death of Bob’s Burgers character designer, Dave Creek.

Dave Creek.

Type his name out and put it in comic sans and you can see it’s a name meant to be involved with TV. One of the rare individuals to pass away from something other than Covid-19 or our rising totalitarian government. The artist contributed to the show in many ways, most profoundly with the design of Lady Tinsel from the Bleakening, one of Bob’s Burgers most visually ambitious episodes to date. I am ill-equipped to eulogize the man like his fellow peers are doing, but as someone who writes and thinks about the Bob’s Burgers series it is impossible to not address his passing.

//////

The Great North.

“Sexi Moose Adventure”

Look up there! What Do You See? Nature and stuff Like a rock And a tree Oh, The Great North Way up here we can breathe the air Catch some fish Or gaze at a bear Wow! Oh, The Great North Here we live, oh, oh Here we’ll stay, oh, whoo From longest night To longest day In The Great North

An Alan Thicke bop or the wimpy Cheers theme this aint. A jarring theme. I had to transcribe it to lay it out in front of me to see how wordy it is, but to my surprise the theme song looks more concise on paper. Still, I am not sold on this theme song. Mainly because I prefer the misheard lyric of “Here we’ll say (it’s actually “stay”): oh, whoo,” digging further into the regional grunts.

1:24, One minute and twenty four seconds in and there is already a  little bit of winking scatalogical humor by the ever youthful Paul Rust, or as I am sure he’ll be known for generations, Ham Tobin, the middle of the three Tobin sons. Compounded within these first two minutes is a stylistic swivel away from Bob’s Burgers comedic well with a Brokeback Mountain themed wedding cutaway joke with real-world celebrity cameos. Speaking of celebrity cameos, how about a side character conversation with an Alanis Morrisette  constellation (and she’s a recurring character!) you’ve never seen that in Bob’s Burgers! In the first three minutes and thirty seconds we have two instances of explicitly expositional dialogue, the first is the cleaner introduction of eldest Wolf Tobin (voiced by Will Forte) and his fiance Honeybee Shaw who has just moved to Alaska from Fresno and helps set up the reverse All in the Family Meathead and Gloria dynamic. What comes next is once again another moment I can only describe as jarring when the inexplicably normal named Judy Tobin explains to Alanis Morrisette constellation exactly what is wrong with sweetly overbearing father. The reason involving a somewhat convoluted background story about the former Tobin matriarch's  abandonment of the family and Beef, the Tobin patriarchy, is in denial of this  fact. Beef prefers to live in the reality where no wife of his would leave him she could only have been eaten by a wolf.  

What goes on throughout the episode is what I believe is a cardinal sin of episodic storytelling: Making jokes and observations at the expense of an off screen character. There are already WAY too many characters being thrown at me and not once throughout the episode was I able to identify any of the characters by any names other than the name of the celebrity voice actor. Minute six and yet again we are hit with Honeybee  generating another celebrity name for a joke and I really hope that the writers develop more of a game for her. Oh wait a minute the episode reminds me again at the eight minute forty sixth second mark that she is in fact from Fresno. More diarrhea and fart jokes snaking their way back into the scene as well, but Jenny Slate has always relished in the poopier jokes (see: any of her stand-up, Kroll work, or Obvious Child).

At the ten minute mark there is a quality character defining joke when Wolf distracts Beef by pointing out an indoor potted plant in a mall, which causes Beef, ever the Nature man, to take matters into his own hands by trying to rescue the potted plant. Beef is basically a combination of the two Rons from Parks & Rec, the emotional frugality of Ron Swanson and a touch of Sam Elliot’s Ron Dunn Earthiness. Julio Torres’ mall juicer character is also introduced with a perfunctory but enjoyable deadpan exchange with the awkward Judy, but it’s the kind of performance Julio Torres could give in his sleep (and probably did).

The eleven minute mark introduces a character that I was initially pretty jazzed about, Judy’s boss at the mall photography store Alyson Lefebvrere (gosh I hated typing out that name >.<) voiced by long-time Molyneux collaborator, Megan Mullally. On paper, much like the theme song, a heated exchange between an emotionally vulnerable Beef and a character voiced by real-life wife Megan Mullally should be dynamite, instead much like their podcast it feels like a wet fart in the sheets. Mullally’s work on Bob’s Burgers as Linda’s sister Gayle is terrific and with the power of animation having her play an unconventional looking character really works to her advantage. Alyson’s character design is boring and conventional cartoon  attractive as she’s clearly being set up as a potential love interest for our leading Beef man, but the whole thing in execution falls completely flat. The extended 69 joke between Beef and Alyson is supposed to be funny because we know it’s between a real life publicly beloved celebrity couple. You cannot coast on innate chemistry alone! The setting up of the love interest isn’t even coy, we see Beef get heart eyes and drool over Alyson, which is just the most predictable and least interesting choice. A route this show seems dangerously flirtatious with.

Finally, at minute:second mark 13:15 we get introduced to a potentially fun and quirky sitcom character, Londra the neighboring fish mongerer. Voiced by Judith Shelton, an actor I am sure we all remember as Sally from Seinfeld and Angela from the Gregory Hines Show. Instead she gets instantly shut down and shuffled by in favor of advancing the plot of the episode. Moving on to the birthday party. Yep Honeybee makes another pop culture reference this time the Minions (it was Squidward last time, but I was too faint of heart to mention it at the time). We also find out in a forced confession from Ham that he is gay. I am glad the show has hired an openly gay actor like Julio Torres to play a bit recurring character, but it feels weird having Paul Rust a thoroughly heterosexual actor portray a gay goofball character. I feel like there easily could have been an actual gay goofball Paul Rust type out there deserving of the job, but this show does do right by having Dulce Sloan as Honeybee and Aparna Nancherla as MVP, Moon Tobin (Who I’ll get into later). Therefore I should not let this irk me, but clearly this show and I are not seeing eye to eye. In an era of gestures towards meaningful representation I would just like to see some consistency. Rust will probably go on to join the ranks of the many other hetero men who have also portrayed perfectly competenent and sensitive gay characters, but with gay characters should come paychecks for gay voice talent. In the end of this dead end debacle I much rather  Paul Rust have the role  and be spared the unimaginative Randy Rainbow casting. Back on track.

There’s a four square action sequence of the four siblings that also feels like the show attempting another stylistic flourish to separate itself from Bob’s Burgers. The episode, all one straight ahead single narrative, comes to a happy ending to also establish that the Bob’s Burgers sister sister series is also interested in being a sentimental sitcom to its core. An unfortunately okay first episode that got worse for me with a repeated viewing. The only character and overall performance that sticks out to me is Aparna Nancherla playing what is essentially the show’s Tina and  Louise lovechild of a character Moon Tobin, an animal identifying gender flipped peculiar savant-like child. She’s one of those comedians that I will always root for and appreciate whenever she pops up and I really hope that this show treats her right. She really elevates the material. Everyone else does just fine. The first episodes and first seasons of any sitcoms are rarely all that innovative or memorable so I am certainly going to allow this show to grow on me.

For the time being, this first episode of the Great North is deserving of Two Sexy Moose Antlers out of Five Forced Pop Culture References

[pinkpossibly]

🎄 PinkPossibly’s Christmas Movie Master Post!! 🎄

It’s that time of year again friends and that means a movie master post!!! Again, these links are totally safe as I use them myself. Make sure to always click out of pops up right away if any pop up!!

12 Tiny Christmas Tales A Charlie Brown Christmas A Chipmunk Christmas A Christmas Carol (Disney 2009) A Christmas Story (Hannah Barbera) A Christmas Story (Live Action) A Claymation Christmas Celebration  A Disney Christmas Gift  A Family Circus Christmas A Flintstone Christmas A Flintstone Family Christmas A Flintstone Christmas Carol A Garfield Christmas Special A Miser Brother’s Christmas A Muppet Family Christmas (1987) A Pink Christmas A Scooby Doo Christmas A Very Fairy Christmas Ahhh! Real Monsters! - Monsters Dont Dance/Gone Shopping Adventure Time - Holly Jolly Secrets Part 1/ Holly Jolly Secrets Part 2 A Sonic the Hedgehog Christmas Blast Alien’s First Christmas All Grown Up - The Finster Who Stole Christmas An All Dogs Christmas Carol Angela Anaconda - Secret Santa Anamaniacs: Wakko’s Wish Arthur’s Perfect Christmas As Told By Ginger - An Even Steven Holiday Special BC: A Christmas Special Barbar and Father Christmas Baby Looney Tunes- Christmas in July Bah Humduck!: A Looney Tunes Christmas Barbie in a Christmas Carol Barbie in the Nutcracker Barbie: A Perfect Christmas Beauty and the Beast: The Enchanted Christmas Bob and Margaret: A Very Fishy Christmas Bob’s Burgers -  God Rest Ye Merry Gentle-Mannequins Bob’s Burgers - Christmas in the Car Bob’s Burgers - Father of the Bob Bob’s Burgers - Nice-Capades Bob’s Burgers - Last Gingerbread House on the Left Brandy and Mr. Whiskers - On Whiskers On Lola On Meryl On Cheryl Bugs Bunny Christmas Tales The Cabbage Patch Kid’s First Christmas Camp Lazlo- Kamp Kringle Casper’s First Christmas Casper’s Haunted Christmas Catdog - A Very Catdog Christmas Chalkzone - When Santas Collide Charlie Brown’s Christmas Tales Chowder - Hey Hey It’s Knishmas! Christmas Comes to Pacland Christmas with the Kranks Curious George: A Very Monkey Christmas Danny Phantom - The Fright Before Christmas Daria - Depth Takes a Holiday Doug - Doug’s Secret Christmas Donkey’s Christmas Shrektacular Donner Ed Edd N Eddy - Falalala Ed Elf Felix the Cat Saves Christmas Foster’s Home for Imaginary Friends - A Lost Claus Fred Claus Frosty Returns Frosty the Snowman Frosty’s Winter Wonderland Goof Troop Christmas Grandma Got Run Over By a Reindeer  Hey Arnold - Arnold’s Christmas Holly Hobbie and Friend: Christmas Wishes House of Mouse: Clarabelle’s Christmas List How the Grinch Stole Christmas How the Grinch Stole Christmas (live action) I Am Weasel - Happy Baboon Holidays I Want a Dog for Christmas, Charlie Brown Ice Age: A Mammoth Christmas Inspector Gadget Saves Christmas It’s a Very Merry Muppets Christmas It’s Christmas Time Again, Charlie Brown Jack Frost Johnny Bravo- Twas the Night Johnny Test - A Holly Johnny Christmas Kim Possible- A Very Possible Christmas Lilo and Stitch The Series- Topper Love Actually Madeline’s Christmas Mickey’s Christmas Carol Mickey’s Magical Christmas: Snowed in at the House of Mouse Mickey’s Once Upon a Christmas Mickey’s Twice Upon a Christmas Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: Alpha’s Magical Christmas Miracle on 34th Street Mr. Magoo’s Christmas Carol National Lampoons Christmas Vacation Nester, The Long-Eared Christmas Donkey Olive, The Other Reindeer Phineas and Ferb - Christmas Vacation Pingu - Pingu’s Family Celebrates Christmas Pinky and the Brain- A Pinky and the Brain Christmas Pinocchio’s Christmas Pippi Longstocking - Pippi’s Christmas Prep and Landing Recess Christmas: Miracle on Third Street Regular Show - The Christmas Special Rocket Power- A Rocket X-Mas Rocko’s Modern Life - Rocko’s Christmas Rudolph and Frosty’s Christmas in July Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer and the Island of Misfit Toys Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer Rudolph’s Shiny New Year Rugrats- The Santa Experience Santa Claus is Coming to Town Scooby Doo Haunted Holidays Scooby Doo Winter Wonder Dog Scooby Doo 13 Spooky Tales: Holiday Chills and Thrills Shaun the Sheep- We Wish Ewe a Merry Christmas Shrek the Halls The Smurfs- Baby’s First Christmas Spongebob Squarepants- The Christmas Who The Adventures of Jimmy Neutron: Boy Genius - Holly Jolly Jimmy The Berenstain Bear’s Christmas Tree The Muppets - The Christmas Toy The Fairly Odd Parents - Christmas Everyday The Fat Albert Christmas Special The Flintstones- Christmas Flintstone The Forgotten Toys Series The Forgotten Toys Movie The Grim Adventures of Billy and Mandy- Billy and Mandy Save Christmas The Penguins of Madagascar in a Christmas Caper The Muppets Christmas Carol The New Super Mario Bros- The Night Before Cave Christmas The Nightmare Before Christmas The Oz Kids- Christmas in Oz The Polar Express The Santa Claus The Santa Claus 2 The Santa Claus 3: The Escape Claus The Simpsons- The Gift of the Magi The Simpsons- Skinner’s Sense of Snow The Simpsons- She of Little Faith The Simpsons- Tis’ the 15 Season The Simpsons- Simpson Christmas Stories The Simpsons- Marge May Not Be Proud The Simpsons- Miracle on Evergreen Terrace The Smurfs: A Christmas Carol The Wild Thornberrys- Have Yourself a Thornberry Little Christmas The Year Without a Santa Claus Tom and Jerry: A Nutcracker Tale Tom and Jerry: Santa’s Little Helpers Totally Spies- Evil GLADIS Much? Twas the Night Before Christmas We Bare Bears- Christmas Parties Yogi Bear’s All-Star Comedy Christmas Yogi’s First Christmas

[chriscoleman]

St. Martin with the Donald's

June 27 - July 6, 2021

Saint Martin is part of the Leeward Islands in the Caribbean Sea. It comprises 2 separate countries, divided between its northern French side, called Saint-Martin, and its southern Dutch side, Sint Maarten. Julia and I met up with the Donald’s for a week of vacation.

David Sr, Melissa, and their 15 year old daughter Allison arrived on the island a week before us. David Jr, Liz and their 2 year old son Jack were also there. 8 of us total.

Sunday June 27th we left Seattle on a red-eye flight to JFK. Prior to departure we were required to have a negative COVID test, which was reviewed/approved by Sint Maarten Electronic Health Authorization System (EHAS). Once the logistical paperwork was out of the way - it was smooth sailing into SXM.

David Sr. picked us up at 2pm island time. He chauffeured us to Hertz rental car and then onto Zee Best for baguette sandwiches. We finally met up with the full family at our rented villa - Mariposa. The rest of the crew had switched from a smaller villa near Orient Bay to Mariposa in the Les Terres Basses neighborhood for our 8 nights together.

Pool time allowed us all to catch up before dinner. Chef Cee at Big Cee’s restaurant served up a laid back 1st dinner on the island in Porto Cupecoy. Our waitress was energetic and friendly, leading us to the restaurant as we entered the plaza. My tuna steak and Julia’s grouper fillet were exceptional, as were the fried plantain appetizers. Never too full for ice cream - we got scoops on the way back to the car.

Tuesday the 29th we started with the closest beach to the villa - Plum Bay. Julia and Allison walked around to the point while I swam and relaxed in the shade. David Sr. and Melissa joined after a while and we navigated the rocky entry for chill ocean time. Although the girls were gone for a while - no sunburns in our first afternoon of full Caribbean sun.

Lunch at Maho beach, Sunset Grill, provided us with one of the most popular tourist activities - watching the planes land at SXM airport. Big commercial jets landing on a runway only feet from the beach. The grilled chicken, burgers, and frozen drinks were all delicious. Then a quick grocery shop so David/Melissa could cook us shrimp dinner at the villa (plus brownies!).

Wednesday we got up early to hit Marigot for pastries. Chez Fernand Bakery served up AMAZING baked goods of all kinds. Choosing was the hardest part. I settled on a croque monsieur and Julia with a pistachio roll of some kind, both huge. Also an almond & chocolate pastry from Sarafinas by the marina - which turned out to be my favorite of the entire trip. Then a quick walk through the street market for souvenirs (shirts, hats, spices, and coconut coasters).

Friars Bay was empty when we arrived at 10am. We picked 6 beach chairs + umbrellas in front of Friars Bay Beach Cafe to be home base for the day. They were $5 each, as long as we agreed to have lunch at the restaurant.

Happy Bay was around the corner, so after some relaxing at Friars we took a short trail to the next cove. It was obvious right away why this was one of David Sr.’s favorite beaches. Near deserted, silky soft sand, and no commercialization of chairs/bars/massages/etc. We only spent an hour but on future trips I’m sure it will be more (especially if they have live music).

Dinner was at a fancy Sicilian / Italian restaurant Sale & Pepe. We got to pick out the whole snapper we ordered - which was cooked to perfection. Then Julia ordered a mysterious frozen dessert - almond semifreddo.

A beer at The Hole in the Wall finished off our night. Ronny ‘Santana’ and Tanya Michelle sang hit songs while everyone at the bar cheered along. We danced on the patio since Allison wasn’t old enough even for Dutch bars.

Thursday July 1st was another early morning. Up and out with a 30 minute drive north to Orient Bay. David Sr. has visited the island many times, staying in Orient the majority of the time. Unfortunately the winds had blown in massive amounts of seaweed - sargassum. It was in the water and on the beach. Too much to make a day at Orient enjoyable - so we bailed for a bakery breakfast at Good Morning Cafe.

Grand Case was the backup option - which turned out fantastic. Rainbow Cafe hooked us up with a cabana for the day and buckets of Presidente beers. We got loose and bobbed in the ocean for hours.

Vacations with the Donald family involve a mix of restaurants and home cooking. Typically each family will cook 1 dinner, with a light breakfast at the house and lunches on the beach. David and Liz chose to skip their home cooked assignment - instead buying us all dinner at Gutside restaurant on Thursday night. An unexpected treat where our family was the only one dining there all night. Ribs, snapper, shrimp, and conc were tasty, plus an in-shell crab appetizer. Jack even ate a rib or 2 while making friends with the staff.

Vacations with the Donald family also involve card games. Crummy Rummy is a classic. Melissa dominated us all, with me and Allison bringing up the rear. Not my finest hour - but hanging with the family is what it’s all about. We got to chat about Allison’s upcoming driving test and her plans to try out for the high school swim team.

Friday the 2nd David cooked us a breakfast hash before rolling with Julia, Allison, Jack, and me to Plum Bay. We swam, trying to keep our feet off the rocks unsuccessfully. A pair of high school graduates jumped from the nearby rocks in celebration in their full cap-and-gown. Jack napped on David’s shoulder as we chatted and the girls walked the beach. David Sr. and Melissa showed up as we were leaving to have lunch at the villa.

Baie Rouge was our afternoon spot. First attempt at accessing the beach was stopped by a gate guard. Luckily he pointed us in the right direction and we were taking photos at the colorful doorway entrance in no time. Another near-deserted beach, very natural without any restaurants. We swam around the point to see ‘Davids Hole’. A bit precarious but totally worth the effort once we were there.

Ocean 82 is a classy restaurant in Grand Case. A favorite of David and Melissa, as they like to celebrate anniversaries here. We started with a delicious tuna tartare appetizer, fresh salads, and ice tea. Then we picked out a 4 pound lobster to share - as a special treat. Unfortunately the lobster was prepared with cajun seasoning and flambé, when thermador was the order. The good news is that the waiter took the responsibility and discounted our meal heavily for compensation. Rough ending to an otherwise fantastic restaurant experience.

The night didn’t get better after that… Julia’s ear pain grew to the point where an emergency room visit was necessary. Water had gotten into her ear a day or 2 before and became infected. Antibiotic prescription was acquired relatively quickly at a Dutch ER.

Saturday July 3rd we went to the pharmacy first thing to fill the antibiotic prescription. Then onto Mullet Bay for beach time. Yes - Julia is a trooper and wanted to go to the beach after being diagnosed with an ear infection less than 12 hours prior. We got chairs in front of Da Water Hole restaurant. The virgin frozen Miami Vice drinks hit the spot. Then we jumped in the waves all afternoon.

David Sr. hired a professional photographer for family photos, Alex Julien. We met up on Plum Bay beach and sweated our butts off during a sunset shoot. We used the Le Château Des Palmiers villa owned by Donald Trump as the backdrop. The palm trees on his property really were stunning. Results turned out beautiful!

Julia and I cooked fajitas for our group dinner. Quick and easy. A decadent chocolate cake from Chez Fernand for dessert. Early to bed as Julia continued to recover.

July 4th began with a parade at Club O on Orient Beach. Odd to see an American holiday celebrated on a French beach, but apparently it’s a tradition as many expats called this beach home. There was still some sargassum, but a command decision was made to roll with it. We set up shop at Orange Fever bar for the day with front row chairs + umbrellas. The pizza was fantastic with service directly to our chairs. I even walked the entire beach with Julia and Allison on a mission to document each bar, in order, of Orient Bay. We also tried to hit Club O for happy hour, missing it by 30 minutes. 4:30pm is pretty much the closing hour for beach bars, so we left to acquire dinner. The Grand Case LOLO, Cynthia’s Talk of the Town, was perfect BBQ chicken for takeout.

Monday July 5th was our last full day on St. Martin. We started with a dip in a nearly deserted Baie Rouge then got cleaned up for our COVID test at 11:45am. The USA currently requires a negative test before allowing anyone into the country. The test at a medical facility in Simpson Bay was extremely convenient. In-and-out in 5 minutes flat for $70. Then onto Mullet Bay after picking up Cuben sandwiches at Zee Best.

Mullet Bay was calm this time. The beaches really were different each time we visited. Any time 1 was windy/wavy we were able to find one that wasn’t. The sand may be out 1 day and back in another. It was interesting to see the terrain change over such short periods. Hurricane Elsa was passing the island a few hundred miles west, increasing the ocean’s power. Luckily we weren’t affected by Elsa otherwise. Rosie’s Rib Shack had amazing ribs according to David/Liz and the banana frozen daiquiri was a treat for Julia and me.

Heavy rain as we drove to the grocery store - Carrefour. We bought burgers and sides for a quick final dinner. A fancy restaurant reservation at Mario’s was the original plan, but the family was tired of 3 hour meals so we offered to cook instead. Not a meal to write home about (fries were soggy and buns were airy), but it was easy and gave us time to chill together. David Sr. spun up a curated playlist of songs for each family member. I got the Superman theme and Julia the Leia Star Wars song, along with many other thoughtful songs as we ate rock solid ice cream.

Go-Home day was July 6th. Pack, eat, clean the villa, and load the vehicles by 10:30am. Then gas the vehicles, pickup sandwiches, return the vehicles, and check into the airport for our 2pm flight. Lines were long - but we managed. Emigration / customs at Miami airport went smoothly and we boarded for Seattle at 8pm. Midnight local time we were at home petting the increasingly vocal black cat.

Lucky buggers David Sr. and Allison get to stay in SXM for another 2 weeks. Julia and I return to Seattle to a Sounders game, ultimate league, a siding project, and work. Life is beginning to feel normal again after a big COVID break. Happy to have seen the Donald’s and allow David to share St. Martin with us. I know we’ll be back again.

For now - I need to eat a salad and run a mile - I’m fatter than ever!

Next up… Iceland!!

[foursprout-blog]

The 15 Best Holiday-Themed TV Episodes To Binge Watch This December, Ranked

New Post has been published on http://foursprout.com/happiness/the-15-best-holiday-themed-tv-episodes-to-binge-watch-this-december-ranked-2/

The 15 Best Holiday-Themed TV Episodes To Binge Watch This December, Ranked

Youtube / The Office US

If you’re as obsessed with the holiday season as I am, you’re probably already streaming all the Christmas- and Hanukkah-themed episodes of your favorite shows. Trust me, I’m right there with you. That’s why I’ve decided to compile this definitive list of the best holiday TV specials to watch this December.

1. The Office, “Christmas Party“

The best thing about The Office is that it’s FULL of holiday episodes, but their first is by far the best. Dunder Mifflin’s “Secret Santa” party goes awry when Michael pulls a classic, well, Michael move and switches up the entire gift-giving process, leading the entire office into mayhem as they compete over an iPod. What’s best about this episode is that it has all the magic of the early Office seasons — Michael’s tone-deaf actions, Jim and Pam’s addictive will-they-or-won’t-they chemistry, and, of course, Dwight’s outrageous one-liners. This is definitely the episode I’ll be playing on repeat this year.

2. Bob’s Burgers, “God Rest Ye Marry Gentle-Mannequins“

I’m honestly obsessed with the holiday-themed Bob’s Burgers episodes, mostly because they really focus on the spirit of the season. In this episode, Bob finds a squatter named Chet in a storage unit he inherited and the Belchers decide to take him in for the holiday season. But there are two distinctly unique things about Chet: he’s great at creating window displays and he claims he used to be a store mannequin. As Chet becomes increasingly unstable, he threatens to ruin Christmas if the Belchers don’t reunite him with his past love. This episode is as weird as it sounds, but it manages to be quirky and sweet all at once.

3. It’s Always Sunny In Philadelphia, “A Very Sunny Christmas“

If you’re a fan of It’s Always Sunny, this episode is classic. Mac and Charlie are gearing up for Christmas when they make some rather unpleasant realizations about their childhood holiday traditions, leading to a rather violent fallout as they attempt to confront the past. Dennis and Dee, on the other hand, try to get back at Frank for years of shitty Christmases with a plan a la A Christmas Carol, but that backfires when Frank realizes they still haven’t learned the lessons he’s been trying to teach them all along. The whole gang comes together at the end when Frank has a change of heart, but because this is It’s Always Sunny, it doesn’t have the heartwarming ending that you’d expect.

4. Community, “Abed’s Uncontrollable Christmas“

Community’s first-ever Christmas episode is a huge nod to Christmas classics like Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, considering the whole thing is in claymation. Abed is stoked for Christmas, but his friends start to get concerned when he tells he views the world is stop-motion animation. The gang decides to indulge in his fantasy in hopes of controlling it, attempting to turn the day into a much-needed therapy session, but Abed has other plans: he’s going to find the meaning of Christmas, whether his friends plan on helping him or not. It ends up being a sweet episode with a great meaning, and I, for one, can say that it definitely helped me get over my fear of terrible claymation.

5. Friends, “The One With The Holiday Armadillo“

When Ross’s son Ben stays with him for the holidays, Ross is bent on honoring their Jewish heritage and teaching him about Hanukkah. But instead of being excited, Ben is upset that Santa won’t be visiting him this year, prompting Ross to figure out how to mix both Christmas and Hanukkah into one succinct holiday. The whole debacle ends with Santa Claus, Superman, and “The Holiday Armadillo” all banding together to teach Ben the meaning of Hanukkah. Elsewhere, Phoebe tries to sabotage Rachel and Joey’s living situation when she worries Rachel doesn’t want to be roommates with her anymore.

6. Bojack Horseman, “Sabrina’s Christmas Wish“

It may not be part of the actual television series, but Bojack Horseman‘s Christmas special definitely could fit nearly anywhere in the storyline. Bojack doesn’t plan on celebrating Christmas, but Todd manages to convince him to watch the special holiday episode of Bojack’s old show Horsin’ Around. The entire episode is a show within a show as we watch the youngest daughter on Horsin’ Around discover Santa for the first time, but she has a big wish for him: she wants him to bring her dead parents back. Horsin’ Around brings us the normal Christmas sentiments we’re conditioned to look for in holiday specials while Bojack Horseman delivers the strained, somewhat sad satisfaction we’ve learned to expect from such a dark, funny show.

7. The OC, “The Best Christmukkah Ever“

The OC introduced me to the idea of “Christmukkah,” the merging of Christmas and Hanukkah into one beautiful, festive holiday. At least, that’s what they celebrate in the Cohen household, where half the family is Jewish and the other half Christian. It’s Ryan’s first year with the Cohens, which means he’s along for the ride. But because this is the OC, there’s still plenty of drama between festivities: there’s a lavish party, Sandy and Caleb have a showdown, Marissa gets drunk (lol are we surprised?), and Anna and Summer compete for Seth’s confession. Let’s not forget Summer’s Wonder Woman surprise, which is definitely one of the best OC moments of all time.

8. SNL with Alec Baldwin in 1998

You wouldn’t expect SNL to be high up on the Christmas special list, but boy, did this one hit all the right notes. In his opening monologue, Alec Baldwin is visited by the ghost of Christmas present and future (John Goodman and Jimmy Fallon, respectively), though not past, who happened to drink just a little too much the night before. This episode also introduced us to “Schweddy Balls,” which is hands-down SNL’s best holiday-themed skit (and yes, it’s about almost exactly what you think. Almost.)

9. Modern Family, “Express Christmas“

When the family realizes they won’t be able to be together on Christmas day, they make a plan to celebrate early — only to realize that the only day they’d all be free to spend together before New Year’s is actually that very day. They decide to throw together a last-minute holiday get together, meaning they have only a few hours to get a tree, decorate the house, buy gifts and make a special Christmas dinner. The episode is full of all the gags and witty one-liners that you’d expect from Modern Family, as well as one parting Christmas message: even when everything goes wrong, you still have family.

10. New Girl, “Santa“

The gang decides to spend the holidays jumping from Christmas part to Christmas party, but they don’t expect the drama that comes with it. Jess is revisited by an ex who hopes to make things right, Schmidt must deal with Cece’s rejection, and Nick has to come to terms with the fact that his girlfriend is a bit of a wild child – and that she definitely wants to have sex with him in public. It’s a cute episode that’s all about love and friendship, and I’m here for it if only because of Nick’s terrible attempt at a lap dance.

11. 30 Rock, “Ludachristmas“

It’s Christmas in New York and the TGS cast is getting ready for their annual Ludachristmas party, but the whole thing is ruined when Kenneth locks everyone in a room and forces them to focus on the true meaning of Christmas (with a little help from a reverend, of course). Elsewhere in the city, Liz’s family and Jack’s mother have all come up to visit. Liz’s seemingly perfect and oversupportive family gets to Jack, whose mother, Colleen, is as critical and bitter as ever. As both storylines head toward disaster, the show reminds us of two critical things: Christmas isn’t just about the gifts and every family is, at its core, dysfunctional.

12. Parks and Recreation, “Citizen Knope“

During her two-week suspension, Leslie decides to use her extra time to focus on her campaign and forms a citizens action committee to continue involvement in the local government. She also surprises her friends at the Parks and Rec department with incredibly thoughtful and meaningful gifts, which prompts her co-workers to build her a miniature version of City Hall made of gingerbread — and another present that’s far more meaningful.

13. Crazy Ex-Girlfriend, “my mom, Greg’s Mom, And Josh’s Sweet Dance Moves!“

When Rebecca’s critical mother Naomi visits West Covina for Hanukkah, Rebecca finds herself bending over backwards to please her — and even going so far as to lie about her life. Rebecca hopes that if Naomi is proud of her new life, she’ll finally give Rebecca a precious heirloom she’s been waiting her whole life to inherit. But when Naomi discovers the true reason she came to California, it threatens to ruin their entire relationship. Meanwhile, Greg visits his mother for Christmas, though he’s still bitter about how she left him as a child. To cope with the situation (and to finally have a witness to how horrible his mother is), he invites an unexpected guest along for the ride. If you haven’t seen Crazy Ex-Girlfriend before, this episode might be lost on you — but if you have, it’s an absolute staple.

14. Arrested Development, “Afternoon Delight“

The Bluth family is quite literally incapable of having a normal family gathering, and Christmas isn’t any different. Everyone’s getting read for the Bluth Company Christmas party, but naturally, there’s plenty of drama. When George Michael ditches the party for his girlfriend, Michael teams up with Maeby, who wants to get back at her parents. This prompts Lindsay and George Michael to unite after both feel abandoned. The writers rely on their usual hijinx, from ridiculous incest gags (watching Michael and Maeby accidentally perform “Afternoon Delight” together never gets less awkward) to Tobias, once again, being completely disregarded by the entire family, despite being hit my a car. It’s a pretty standard episode for the series, but hey, it’s still about Christmas. Who needs Santa Claus when you’ve got G.O.B. running around in a banana suit?

15. Black Mirror, “White Christmas“

Black Mirror is a strange show to be on this list, but they DO have a Christmas episode, and it’s actually a pretty interesting one. The episode revolves around two men who are stationed at a remote outpost who finally decide to open up about their lives while sharing breakfast on Christmas morning. The episode consists of three different storylines, but the most heartbreaking (and Christmas-themed) one is about how one of the men was “blocked” from seeing his ex-girlfriend and child, but how he visited him every Christmas regardless to leave his daughter gifts. Like most Black Mirror episodes, the whole thing has creepy (and quite frankly sad) undertones, but if you’re looking for something holiday-themed, this one still fits the bill.

[foursprouthappiness-blog]

The 15 Best Holiday-Themed TV Episodes To Binge Watch This December, Ranked

New Post has been published on http://foursprout.com/happiness/the-15-best-holiday-themed-tv-episodes-to-binge-watch-this-december-ranked-2/

The 15 Best Holiday-Themed TV Episodes To Binge Watch This December, Ranked

Youtube / The Office US

If you’re as obsessed with the holiday season as I am, you’re probably already streaming all the Christmas- and Hanukkah-themed episodes of your favorite shows. Trust me, I’m right there with you. That’s why I’ve decided to compile this definitive list of the best holiday TV specials to watch this December.

1. The Office, “Christmas Party“

The best thing about The Office is that it’s FULL of holiday episodes, but their first is by far the best. Dunder Mifflin’s “Secret Santa” party goes awry when Michael pulls a classic, well, Michael move and switches up the entire gift-giving process, leading the entire office into mayhem as they compete over an iPod. What’s best about this episode is that it has all the magic of the early Office seasons — Michael’s tone-deaf actions, Jim and Pam’s addictive will-they-or-won’t-they chemistry, and, of course, Dwight’s outrageous one-liners. This is definitely the episode I’ll be playing on repeat this year.

2. Bob’s Burgers, “God Rest Ye Marry Gentle-Mannequins“

I’m honestly obsessed with the holiday-themed Bob’s Burgers episodes, mostly because they really focus on the spirit of the season. In this episode, Bob finds a squatter named Chet in a storage unit he inherited and the Belchers decide to take him in for the holiday season. But there are two distinctly unique things about Chet: he’s great at creating window displays and he claims he used to be a store mannequin. As Chet becomes increasingly unstable, he threatens to ruin Christmas if the Belchers don’t reunite him with his past love. This episode is as weird as it sounds, but it manages to be quirky and sweet all at once.

3. It’s Always Sunny In Philadelphia, “A Very Sunny Christmas“

If you’re a fan of It’s Always Sunny, this episode is classic. Mac and Charlie are gearing up for Christmas when they make some rather unpleasant realizations about their childhood holiday traditions, leading to a rather violent fallout as they attempt to confront the past. Dennis and Dee, on the other hand, try to get back at Frank for years of shitty Christmases with a plan a la A Christmas Carol, but that backfires when Frank realizes they still haven’t learned the lessons he’s been trying to teach them all along. The whole gang comes together at the end when Frank has a change of heart, but because this is It’s Always Sunny, it doesn’t have the heartwarming ending that you’d expect.

4. Community, “Abed’s Uncontrollable Christmas“

Community’s first-ever Christmas episode is a huge nod to Christmas classics like Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, considering the whole thing is in claymation. Abed is stoked for Christmas, but his friends start to get concerned when he tells he views the world is stop-motion animation. The gang decides to indulge in his fantasy in hopes of controlling it, attempting to turn the day into a much-needed therapy session, but Abed has other plans: he’s going to find the meaning of Christmas, whether his friends plan on helping him or not. It ends up being a sweet episode with a great meaning, and I, for one, can say that it definitely helped me get over my fear of terrible claymation.

5. Friends, “The One With The Holiday Armadillo“

When Ross’s son Ben stays with him for the holidays, Ross is bent on honoring their Jewish heritage and teaching him about Hanukkah. But instead of being excited, Ben is upset that Santa won’t be visiting him this year, prompting Ross to figure out how to mix both Christmas and Hanukkah into one succinct holiday. The whole debacle ends with Santa Claus, Superman, and “The Holiday Armadillo” all banding together to teach Ben the meaning of Hanukkah. Elsewhere, Phoebe tries to sabotage Rachel and Joey’s living situation when she worries Rachel doesn’t want to be roommates with her anymore.

6. Bojack Horseman, “Sabrina’s Christmas Wish“

It may not be part of the actual television series, but Bojack Horseman‘s Christmas special definitely could fit nearly anywhere in the storyline. Bojack doesn’t plan on celebrating Christmas, but Todd manages to convince him to watch the special holiday episode of Bojack’s old show Horsin’ Around. The entire episode is a show within a show as we watch the youngest daughter on Horsin’ Around discover Santa for the first time, but she has a big wish for him: she wants him to bring her dead parents back. Horsin’ Around brings us the normal Christmas sentiments we’re conditioned to look for in holiday specials while Bojack Horseman delivers the strained, somewhat sad satisfaction we’ve learned to expect from such a dark, funny show.

7. The OC, “The Best Christmukkah Ever“

The OC introduced me to the idea of “Christmukkah,” the merging of Christmas and Hanukkah into one beautiful, festive holiday. At least, that’s what they celebrate in the Cohen household, where half the family is Jewish and the other half Christian. It’s Ryan’s first year with the Cohens, which means he’s along for the ride. But because this is the OC, there’s still plenty of drama between festivities: there’s a lavish party, Sandy and Caleb have a showdown, Marissa gets drunk (lol are we surprised?), and Anna and Summer compete for Seth’s confession. Let’s not forget Summer’s Wonder Woman surprise, which is definitely one of the best OC moments of all time.

8. SNL with Alec Baldwin in 1998

You wouldn’t expect SNL to be high up on the Christmas special list, but boy, did this one hit all the right notes. In his opening monologue, Alec Baldwin is visited by the ghost of Christmas present and future (John Goodman and Jimmy Fallon, respectively), though not past, who happened to drink just a little too much the night before. This episode also introduced us to “Schweddy Balls,” which is hands-down SNL’s best holiday-themed skit (and yes, it’s about almost exactly what you think. Almost.)

9. Modern Family, “Express Christmas“

When the family realizes they won’t be able to be together on Christmas day, they make a plan to celebrate early — only to realize that the only day they’d all be free to spend together before New Year’s is actually that very day. They decide to throw together a last-minute holiday get together, meaning they have only a few hours to get a tree, decorate the house, buy gifts and make a special Christmas dinner. The episode is full of all the gags and witty one-liners that you’d expect from Modern Family, as well as one parting Christmas message: even when everything goes wrong, you still have family.

10. New Girl, “Santa“

The gang decides to spend the holidays jumping from Christmas part to Christmas party, but they don’t expect the drama that comes with it. Jess is revisited by an ex who hopes to make things right, Schmidt must deal with Cece’s rejection, and Nick has to come to terms with the fact that his girlfriend is a bit of a wild child – and that she definitely wants to have sex with him in public. It’s a cute episode that’s all about love and friendship, and I’m here for it if only because of Nick’s terrible attempt at a lap dance.

11. 30 Rock, “Ludachristmas“

It’s Christmas in New York and the TGS cast is getting ready for their annual Ludachristmas party, but the whole thing is ruined when Kenneth locks everyone in a room and forces them to focus on the true meaning of Christmas (with a little help from a reverend, of course). Elsewhere in the city, Liz’s family and Jack’s mother have all come up to visit. Liz’s seemingly perfect and oversupportive family gets to Jack, whose mother, Colleen, is as critical and bitter as ever. As both storylines head toward disaster, the show reminds us of two critical things: Christmas isn’t just about the gifts and every family is, at its core, dysfunctional.

12. Parks and Recreation, “Citizen Knope“

During her two-week suspension, Leslie decides to use her extra time to focus on her campaign and forms a citizens action committee to continue involvement in the local government. She also surprises her friends at the Parks and Rec department with incredibly thoughtful and meaningful gifts, which prompts her co-workers to build her a miniature version of City Hall made of gingerbread — and another present that’s far more meaningful.

13. Crazy Ex-Girlfriend, “my mom, Greg’s Mom, And Josh’s Sweet Dance Moves!“

When Rebecca’s critical mother Naomi visits West Covina for Hanukkah, Rebecca finds herself bending over backwards to please her — and even going so far as to lie about her life. Rebecca hopes that if Naomi is proud of her new life, she’ll finally give Rebecca a precious heirloom she’s been waiting her whole life to inherit. But when Naomi discovers the true reason she came to California, it threatens to ruin their entire relationship. Meanwhile, Greg visits his mother for Christmas, though he’s still bitter about how she left him as a child. To cope with the situation (and to finally have a witness to how horrible his mother is), he invites an unexpected guest along for the ride. If you haven’t seen Crazy Ex-Girlfriend before, this episode might be lost on you — but if you have, it’s an absolute staple.

14. Arrested Development, “Afternoon Delight“

The Bluth family is quite literally incapable of having a normal family gathering, and Christmas isn’t any different. Everyone’s getting read for the Bluth Company Christmas party, but naturally, there’s plenty of drama. When George Michael ditches the party for his girlfriend, Michael teams up with Maeby, who wants to get back at her parents. This prompts Lindsay and George Michael to unite after both feel abandoned. The writers rely on their usual hijinx, from ridiculous incest gags (watching Michael and Maeby accidentally perform “Afternoon Delight” together never gets less awkward) to Tobias, once again, being completely disregarded by the entire family, despite being hit my a car. It’s a pretty standard episode for the series, but hey, it’s still about Christmas. Who needs Santa Claus when you’ve got G.O.B. running around in a banana suit?

15. Black Mirror, “White Christmas“

Black Mirror is a strange show to be on this list, but they DO have a Christmas episode, and it’s actually a pretty interesting one. The episode revolves around two men who are stationed at a remote outpost who finally decide to open up about their lives while sharing breakfast on Christmas morning. The episode consists of three different storylines, but the most heartbreaking (and Christmas-themed) one is about how one of the men was “blocked” from seeing his ex-girlfriend and child, but how he visited him every Christmas regardless to leave his daughter gifts. Like most Black Mirror episodes, the whole thing has creepy (and quite frankly sad) undertones, but if you’re looking for something holiday-themed, this one still fits the bill.