Holiday TV Picks
“Perspectives on Christmas”, Frasier
Dad had all the DVDs of Frasier and every year we’d watch all the Christmas episodes. This is the absolute best of them all, multiple-POV experimental television where the jokes all hinge on dramatic tension and double-entendre, hallmarks of Frasier. John Mahoney (RIP) scream-singing O Holy Night is never not funny. –Nathaniel Berry
The Christmas Episodes of The Office
The Christmas episodes of The Office, but the second season’s in particular. I really love all of them–Angela singing “The Little Drummer Boy,” all of the terrible Secret Santas and Yankee Swaps. The one when Jim makes the teapot definitely strikes a chord for me, though. When I was younger, I aspired to gifts like Jim’s teapot filled with inside jokes for Pam. I always thought I was being heartfelt in my homemade gifts but ended up really collecting trash to give to someone in a decoupaged memory box.—Michael Colbert
“Xmas Story”, Futurama
In the year 3000, Christmas is now Xmas, but otherwise basically the same — just make sure you get home before dark. If not, you’ll face the wrath of Robot Santa, who — due to a technical bug — has placed everyoneon his naughty list. He’s checking his list, he’s checking it twice, he performs over fifty mega-checks per second! –Elliot Alpern
“The Best Chrismukkah Ever”, The O.C.
It is 2003 and Chrismukkah is sweeping the nation! Here’s what else is sweeping the nation in 2003: velour tracksuits, dresses-over-jeans, extremely-layered haircuts, The Dandy Warhols, and some good ol’ fashioned shoplifting at the mall. Good times, folks. Seth Cohen calls the bi-religious holiday unruinable: “It’s got twice the resistance of any normal holiday.” To top it all off, they play Bright Eyes’s “Blue Christmas” as Ryan comes to hang his stocking up on the fireplace. Here’s a sure-shot way of really missing 2003. —Gauraa Shekhar
“The One With the Holiday Armadillo”, F.R.I.E.N.D.S
I didn't watch much TV growing up and F.R.I.E.N.D.S (which I only started in my 20s) was the first real American TV show I watched. When the Holiday Armadillo showed up, I just lost it. And who can forget Joey's Holiday Superman? –Jemimah Wei
SNL’s Christmas Special
I have mixed emotions about SNL today, but SNL’s Christmas Special (available on Hulu) chronicles the most iconic, Christmas-themed skits in SNL history. While you’re preparing your holiday dinner (or hungover, or with picky family members), press play and let your favorite comedians take you on a nostalgic, hilarious voyage throughout SNL’s holiday feast. Keep your eye out for “St. Joseph’s Christmas Mass Spectacular” and “Now That’s What I Call Christmas”. Holy Moses, I live for Jimmy Fallon’s impressions. –Giulia Di Stravola
“The Christmas Miracle", The Middle
This ABC sitcom focused on the lives of a kooky working-class family in Indiana (which I would controversially argue was much better than Modern Family). In their final Christmas special, the Heck family participates in a gift exchange with the neighbors that results in a comedy of errors, reminding us all just how stressful family can be. —Rachel A.G. Gilman
“Christmas Waltz”, Mad Men
Don goes to test drive a Jaguar and writes a check for the full amount of the car so he and Joan can go to a bar and look like an Edward Hopper painting. You never get to see Don and Joan hang out, but I’d watch them drink cocktails in front of a Christmas Tree like I used to watch the old flying-through-space screensaver. Harry helps out Paul Kinsey, getting him out of the Hare Krishnas via an entre to Hollywood even though the episode of Star Trek he wrote isn’t very good, which is nice because even a character as vile as Harry gets caught up in the Christmas spirit. Roger talks a lot about Pearl Harbor. Nothing really happens and it’s the best show ever made. —Nathaniel Berry
“A Rugrats Chanukah," Rugrats
I've been talking a lot about Rugrats lately and trying to blame the show for the aesthetic depression of younger Millennials. However, for all of the weirdness that those animated babies and their antics provided, one thing they actually got very right was their diverse representation, especially at the holidays. If you've ever wondered, 'What is Hanukkah about, anyway?' they will actually provide the answer. –Rachel A.G. Gilman
“Forgiveness and Stuff,” Gilmore Girls
What I love about the Gilmore Girls Christmas episodes is that the holiday doesn’t overtake the plot; it’s sort of there in the background, percolating with the coffee—you know, there mostly for the atmospherics. In “Forgiveness and Stuff”, we have some serious emotional stakes: Richard has a heart attack! The coffee machine at the hospital is jammed! Luke makes Lorelai a pretty disgusting-looking Santa burger! Jane Lynch plays an extra! But seriously, it’s a pretty good and tender episode, and they even play “Thanks for Christmas” by XTC toward the end. —Gauraa Shekhar
