MY FAVORITE EPISODES part nine

After exhausting all of your Christmas movies year after year, you should take a look at your favorite television shows' Holiday Episodes. Often they will stand out above the rest, will give you that same warm and fuzzy feeling you're seeking, ugly cry, or piss your pants laugh. These ones move me in all directions, more than others, and I revisit them regularly. 

- Babes

The Wonder Years

"Christmas" (season 2)

Money doesn't grow on trees. Little Kevin Arnold's Dad was a miser. Christmas for most people is a time to go in debt. To overflow your living room with an abundance of meaningless crap and litter the Earth with your wrapping waste. The Arnold's wanted a color TV, and in 1968, that was be-all end-all. The Fraggle Stick Car, Turbo Man, and Tickle Me Elmo all in one. But the cheap man stayed cheap. That was just his way. As the family breaks away from each other, hateful of his decision, we are blessed with Joni Mitchell, as Kevin thinks about holding onto what matters most, as he opens his gift from his beloved Winnie Cooper. He reflects on the loss of her brother and all at once, he realizes, that the meaning of it all isn't in the expensive present, but being together. Time is precious, and some of us have less of it than others, so hold your dears a little harder.

The Bear

"Fishes" (season 2)

Mom, are you ok? On occasion, especially lately, Television surpasses film, in terms of quality, entertainment, and performance. And this particular episode leaves me breathless. The entire series is a heart attack. Each and every one of its characters is on the verge of a major breakdown, much like we all are, but clings on by a thread. Christmas often brings a lot of emotions bubbling to the top, and for the Berzatto family, this is an annual holiday tradition. Carmy's mother, played by Jaime Lee Curtis in arguably her best role, has her place in her kitchen, with a glass of hooch in hand, a cigarette dangling from her mouth, and at least ten dishes cooking at once. To add to the tension is the constant buzzing from her egg timer, that at some point has lost all meaning to its job, but is more of a continuous reminder that everything currently sucks very bad. The conflict between this family is palpable and makes me sweat. All of the things that you dare not say are said, and more so, the things you shan't do are very much done, with a climax that is more Oscar-worthy than what she earned it for last year. Watch the show, but for god sakes, save this one for Yule. 

Boy Meets World

"A Very Topanga Christmas" (season 5)

 I like you Eric, but I love this Tree. Speaking of family traditions, everyone has theirs. Ours consist of watching a new Jess Franco sex movie every Christmas Eve and waking up BEFORE the sun, to see what the good old fat man brought us. The Matthews loved their aluminum tree, nog, and listening to A Christmas Carol being read to them by Feeny. But they are hosting Topanga this year, and the way that they do things is totally different than the way that she does things. And so, Cory learns, that for the rest of his life, he will wake up at 3am, and have to talk to her. And he can't have syrup on his Christmas eve morning pancakes. They need snow. Compromise is essential to marriage. And regardless to the fact that these two are portraying dating teens, they are forever intertwined. The lesson they learn is nothing short of a Christmas miracle. We share what we have inherited from our own heritage, pick and choose what we want to carry on, and start new rituals. It's all a part of what makes it all so beautiful.

Curb Your Enthusiasm

"Mary, Joseph, and Larry" (season 3)

The Son of God is not an animal, Larry. Everything continually goes wrong for poor Larry David. Some will argue that it's karma because he's a fucking asshole. He offends his housekeeper and under tips her, he gets caught lying to Susie and gets Jeff busted, and he eats the baby Jesus cookie. And to make matters worse, he gawks at Mary in the live nativity scene in the manger, probing a fight with Joseph. But where would a Holiday Special be if it didn't have the blissful resolution. And so, everything comes out in the end.

Degrassi Junior High

"Season's Greetings" (season 3)

Merry Christmas, broom head. Few things can be described as wholesome without being sacarine. And these kids looked like the real ones we went to school with in the 80s, and their issues mirrored the same problems we had, like cheating on homework, zits, sneaking porn home, not letting your baby daddy see your kid. The small stuff. And for these children, their holiday is compromised by a lesson in tolerance. A friend is moved to the upper class, and their present is suspiciously expensive. Can he accept his gift, knowing that his own is inferior in return? Is he angry that his friend has more than he does? Of course not. We all learn that the friendship is what's most important, and obviously not the stuff. A thoughtful approach to adolescent morals.