All the seasonal specials and Christmas episodes investigated by Movieland detectives Dick Japowski and Joey Arizona this December.
Deck the Halls with Dick Japowski 🌲
Emmet Otter's Jug-band Christmas (1977)
Young Emmet wants to get his mum a special Christmas gift, but has to pawn something they need in order to enter the town talent contest to win the prize money. Emmet's mum is having the same dilemma.
Sweet old fashioned values mixed with toe tapping songs and Jim Henson's Muppets. This is a firm holiday favourite and finally tired out our 18 month old who doesn't sleep anymore, but danced herself out watching this!
Rewatch: 4.5 out of 5 Baubles
Christmas factor: 4
Deck the Halls with Dick Japowski 🌲
The Dick Van Dyke Show S3 EP13: The Alan Brady Show Presents... (1963)
Dick Van Dyke stars as the head writer on a comedy show fronted by Alan Brady and in this Christmas episode the producer wants the warm personal touch, so encourages Dick Van Dyke's backstage team to come out of the shadows and into the limelight! This is the first Dick Van Dyke show episode I've watched.. and then I watched 4 more! I was surprised at how meta a show this was with Van Dyke great as a nervous wreck when having to go on camera. Some nice musical numbers make this a fun breezy half hour.
First watch: 4 out of 5 Baubles
Christmas factor: 3
Deck the Halls with Dick Japowski 🌲
Kyukyu Sentai GoGoFive EP42: The Hellish Psyma Beast Army
It's Christmas Eve and the birthday of the teams missing mum. To make matters worse the gogofive are taken to a hell dimension where they have to fight their way out. With a title like that you would be right in thinking this doesn't sound very Christmassy?! You get a little Christmas at the beginning and end but it's business as usual for this rescue team! There are some great monster designs in this episode if that's something you enjoy.
First watch: 3.5 out of 5 Baubles
Christmas factor: 1
Deck the Halls with Dick Japowski 🌲
Denji Sentai Megaranger EP43: We Won't be Defeated! Decisive Christmas Clash
The rangers head to a forest planet to rescue the Megavoyager mecha, but fall into a Nezirangers (psychorangers) trap..
Double the ranger action and also a 4 mecha (robot) battle. I know this means nothing to anyone but it was good!
One minute of Christmas wrap up at the end which featured the now customary cream cake with 🍓
First watch: 3.5 out of 5 Baubles
Christmas factor: 0.5
Deck the Halls with Dick Japowski 🌲
Tales from the Crypt S1 EP2: And All Through the House (1989)
A lady makes her Christmas wish come true and then gets paid a visit by a freshly escaped homicidal Santa, who doesn't care which list your on!
Again I'm not sure why I've never watched more tales from the crypt? Probably ease of access. But going by this episode it seems like a fun show to dig in to. Big names involved to with Fred Dekker writing it, Alan Silvestri scoring and Robert Zemeckis directing. You even get Dr Giggles himself, Larry Drake as Santa! Ho ho ho this was a real treat pulled out of the YouTube stocking!
First watch: 4 out of 5 Baubles
Christmas factor: 3
Deck the Halls with Dick Japowski 🌲
Men Behaving Badly S1 EP10: Christmas (1996)
The two badly behaved men go to the one girlfriends house for Christmas and the boyfriend is shunned but Schneider is embraced aka everybody loves Rob Schneider!
An American adaptation of the hit britcom that I had no idea existed and by the looks of the episode count, no one else did either! I'd be lying if I said I didn't chuckle a few times though.
First watch: 2.5 out of 5 Baubles
Christmas factor 2.5
The Arizona TV Files
A Muppet Family Christmas (1987)
The Muppets descent upon Fozzie’s mum’s house for Christmas, later the residents of Sesame Street turn up carol singing, and stay for the festivities. Kermit’s nephew also discovers a fraggle hole in the basement, and the pair go to investigate.
A brilliant Christmas crossover I watch every year, easily one of the best Muppet outings, and the sing-a-long at the end will make you feel all warm and snuggly.
Rewatch: 5 Snowballs
Deck the Halls with Dick Japowski 🌲
Zyuden Sentai Kyuryuger EP42: Wonderful! Christmas of Justice (2013)
A Christmas tumble against a festive chimney monster for the Dino themed action team. Fun fact. There are more colours in this show than the human eye can handle!
Rewatch: 3 out of 5 Baubles
Christmas factor: 3
The Arizona TV Files
Alien Xmas (2020)
A family friendly stop-motion Christmas special directed by the man who brought us Killer Klowns from Outer Space.
A young alien named X is sent to Earth to install a machine which will turn off the planet's gravity, and allow his greed-led race to steal everything not bolted down.
First watch: 4 Doughnuts
Deck the Halls with Dick Japowski 🌲
A Garfield Christmas (1987)
As Garfield dreams of magical wishing chairs that give him all the Christmas gifts, Jon is packing the car ready to head out for the annual break with the family.
Great musical numbers make this one to revisit year after year.
Rewatch: 4 out of 5 Baubles
Christmas factor: 4
The Arizona TV Files
He-Man & She-Ra: A Christmas Special (1985)
As the Eternian royal family come together to celebrate the twin's birthday (for the uninitiated Prince Adam/He-Man & Princess Aurora/She-Ra) court magician Orko finds himself transported to Earth where a pair of children introduce him to the concept of Christmas. Later Orko and children arrive at the palace, where it is decided to make the party a joint Christmas celebration. All this positive energy does not go down well with Horde Prime, who enlists Skeletor and Hordak to bring an end to the Christmas cheer.
The kind of crossover event Eighties Arizona would have loved to see, but didn't see for another twenty years later, and only because I ordered the wrong DVD. It's ok, it's basically a long episode, and feels like several mashed together with Christmas sprinkles on top.
Rewatch: 2.5 Doughnuts
Deck the Halls with Dick Japowski 🌲
Uchyu Sentai Kyuranger E43: The Vow on the Holy Night. "All right Lucky!" (2017)
As the battle to save the universe intensifies, Red ranger Lucky seeks redemption for his father. Mega mechs, constellation powers, and a larger than normal set of rangers make for a fun time.
First watch: 4 out of 5 Baubles
Christmas factor: 1
The Arizona TV Files
Frosty the Snowman (1969)
A bumbling magician performs for some school children and in frustration throws away his top hat. The children use the hat to decorate a snowman they built earlier, and it turns out the hat is actually magic, bringing the snowman to life. When the magician discovers the true nature of his former garment he does his best to steal it back. Meanwhile Frosty tries to make his way to the north pole.
A classic Christmas special you'll come back to every year. Of all the specials we watched last year this is the one Little Arizona kept coming back to.
Rewatch: 4 Snowballs
The Arizona TV Files
SpongeBob Squarepants S8 EP26: It's a SpongeBob Christmas (2012)
Fed up of getting coal every year Plankton devises a plan to get him on the nice list, and finally get his hands on the Krabby patty formula. Plankton makes fruit cake laced with Jerktonium, turning anyone who eats it into a jerk, and by comparison make Plankton not look that bad after all. Finding SpongeBob is immune due to his small brain and big heart Plankton tries to ruin his name with a robotic doppelganger.
Never really watched SpongeBob, but I caught this randomly on TV a few years ago, coming on after the usual preschool age programming, and really enjoyed it. I enjoyed it enough that I ended up watching the first two movies on Netflix. On a revisit it was still pretty enjoyable, and Little Arizona enjoyed it too.
Rewatch: 4 Snowballs
The Arizona TV Files
Stingray S1 EP12: A Christmas to Remember (1964)
An orphaned boy, whose father was a W.A.S.P captain, comes to Marineville to spend Christmas with Commander Shore and Atlanta. Meanwhile Troy and Phones capture an enemy sub, but the pilot has vanished without trace.
Been watching a few episodes of Stingray recently, so this was a no-brainer, and it ticks a lot of the Christmas boxes. There's ice-skating, snowman building, and Phones posing as Santa.
Although orphan Barry does look like he's had an allergic reaction to the sea air.
Rewatch: 3 Snowballs
The Arizona TV Files
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: We Wish You a Turtle Christmas (1994)
A direct-to-video Christmas cash-grab where budget turtles sing classic festive tunes with a twist; featuring such hits as 'Deck the Halls (with Pepperoni) and Splinter's Twelve Days of Christmas.
This is the best/worst thing you'll ever see.
Rewatch: 1 or 5 Snowballs
The Arizona TV Files
A Go! Go! Cory Carson Christmas (2020)
Three days before the big day a bulldozer who looks just like Santa Cars crashes into a tree outside the Carson home, not only does he forget who he is, but he doesn't remember what Christmas is.
One of Little Arizona's favourite shows this year has been Go! Go! Cory Carson, and I can see us watching this numerous times in the coming weeks (The Halloween special got played to death). It's well animated, with some humour even the adults will enjoy.
First Watch: 3 Snowballs
Deck the Halls with Dick Japowski 🌲
SCTV Staff Christmas Party (1981)
All of your favourite characters get together for their annual Christmas party, with special guest stars Liberace and Orson Welles! If I could have only one channel it would be SCTV!
Rewatch: 5 out of 5 Baubles
Christmas factor: 3
Deck the Halls with Dick Japowski 🌲
The Bells of Fraggle Rock: S4 E1 (1985)
Everyone in Fraggle Rock is getting excited for the festival of bells. Everyone except Gobo, who is struggling to believe in something he can't see with his eyes.
Gobo goes on a journey to learn that the things we feel in our heart our equally as real. Wow! of course we can go to Jim Henson for an intelligent Christmas special!
First watch: 4 out of 5 Baubles
Christmas factor: 3
The Arizona TV Files
The Big Show Show: The Big Christmas (2020)
What happens when wrestlers retire? They get their own sitcom. He's a big manly man, and he's surrounded by women...with opinions. Ha-ha-ha lol.
Despite this show being pretty terrible I binged the whole series, and of course had to then watch the Christmas special.
It appears Santa has given me the gift of time this year, as this has made me want to never watch this show again.
First watch: 1 Snowball
Deck the Halls with Dick Japowski 🌲
Kamen Rider Kabuto: EP45 Christmas Earthquake (2006)
With Christmas approaching, worm activity is getting stronger which also means plastic patio furniture will be destroyed! The Zect team will need everyone's help to fight, including Tsurugi who is already injured in the hospital. Maybe the promise of a Christmas date will be the motivation he needs? But he hides a secret..
This was a great episode which really made me want to start this series next!
First watch: 4 out of 5 Baubles
Christmas factor: 1
The Arizona TV Files
The Holiday Movies that Made Us (2020)
Festive edition of the movie making-of series following the creation of Christmas classics Elf (2003) and The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993).
If you love movies, and the stories behind them this is a no-brainer.
First watch: 4 Snowballs
The Arizona TV Files
Mickey's Christmas Carol (1983)
*Disney" adaptation of the classic Christmas tale. Scrooge only cares about money, until he's visited by a series of ghosts who show him the error of his ways.
We used to tape lots of things off TV at Christmas, and watch them over and over, all year round. One such video, and the one that got viewed the most, included Dumbo, Peter and the Wolf, and Mickey's Christmas Carol. It's as much a part of my childhood as Transformers or Thundercats.
This time though I watched it with Little Arizona, and he was glued to it.
Rewatch: 5 Snowballs of Christmas past.
The Arizona TV Files
Jim Henson's The Christmas Toy (1986)
Toys come to life when people aren't around, and one particular toy, a tiger named Rugby, wants to stay the top toy on the shelve. When Rugby finds out it's Christmas Eve he sets out to take the place of the new toy in town, so he can once again be the Christmas Toy.
This was an Arizona family favourite growing up, and it's essentially Toy Story a decade early. Rugby is basically Woody, and the new toy is a female Buzz Lightyear.
Rewatch: 4 Snowballs
Deck the Halls with Dick Japowski 🌲
Big Bad Beetleborgs Jingle Bells and Phasm's Spells (1996)
I had forgotten the premise of this series, so here is a recap. Kids who frequent a comic shop are given the powers of their favourite heroes the beetleborgs by an Elvis impersonating Jay Leno genie who lives in a haunted house with the universal monsters! Take that in and then throw in some monsters who are going door to door stealing everyone's Christmas presents and you've got a unique, corny Christmas special!
First watch: 3 out of 5 Baubles
Christmas factor: 2.5
The Arizona TV Files
Frasier S1 EP12: Miracle on Third or Fourth Street (1993)
Frasier's Christmas is going to plan, his son isn't coming, and he falls out with his dad. They then volunteers to work on Christmas day not realising Roz will have to work too. After the show he heads to a grungey diner for something to eat, befriending one of the down-and-outs. After he realizes he's forgotten his wallet his new friend has a whip-round to pay for it.
Always been a fan of this show, and I recently bought a DVD of all the Christmas episodes for a measly 99p, this is however the first time I've got round to watching any of it.
There's a moment where Niles is drinking egg nog, putting it down to wipe some dirt from his show. Eddie (the dog) then starts drinking it, stopping just as Niles goes to pick it up again and resumes drinking. Which made me laugh, Little Arizona asked be what I was laughing at, so I showed him...we then had to watch it four times.
Rewatch: 4 Snowballs
Deck the Halls with Dick Japowski 🌲
A Creepshow Holiday Special (2020)
A man coming to terms with becoming a newly formed werewolf joins a shape shifting self help group comprising of a cheetah, a tortoise, a boar and a hippo at heart, and are then besieged by an army of Santa's who want their heads!
A more unique Christmas special you won't find! This is mostly a great time and fits in well as a Creepshow.
First watch: 3.5 out of 5 Baubles
Christmas factor: 3
The Arizona TV Files
Robbie the Reindeer: Hooves on Fire (1999)
Rudolph's work shy son arrives at the North Pole to become the new sleigh navigator. But a jealous Blitzen does his best to get Robbie to leave.
A fun animation featuring the cream of late nineties Brit comedy, or if you're in the states Ben Stiller, Britney Spears, and...Hugh Grant. It's surprising they don't rerun these specials in the same they show the Wallace & Gromit shorts every year, they were always shown in a prime time slot.
Given it's over two decades old all the jokes don't land like they would've back in the day, I doubt any kids nowadays know who Des Lynam is.
Rewatch: 3 Snowballs
The Arizona TV Files
TNA Impact! (20/12/07)
A festive themed edition of the weekly wrestling show, including such matches as...
• Christmas Chaos in a Cage: An eight man tag match inside a steel cage covered in Christmas lights.
• Double North Pole Match: A capture the flag scenerio where two teams compete to grab the stocking raised in the opponent's corner.
• Santa's Workshop Knockouts Street Fight: 9 women wrestlers compete in a Christmas themed street fight
• Silent Night, Bloody Night: 4 man hardcore match, with a barbed wire Christmas tree swinging in the ring, and presents full of weapons littered about.
• Grab the Reindeer Ladder Match: A reindeer costume is suspended above the ring, winner is the first grab it, loser has to put it on.
...and all during Eric Young's Christmas party.
I used to be a regular watcher of TNA (now known as Impact!), but this is a little before my time, although I knew who most of the people involved were, I think I started watching in about 2009. Although it is an over-the-top edition it's a perfect example of why I love wrestling, bizarre characters doing ridiculous things.
First watch: 4 Snowballs
Deck the Halls with Dick Japowski 🌲
Kamen Rider Fourze EP 15: Christmas Eve Choir (2011)
Frustrated by the sound of the school choir practice, an art student turns into a zodiart monster with a Medusa hand and goes round politely asking kids to keep the noise down. Just a smidge!
Christmas fun from the Kamen Rider club and a fun show overall!
First watch: 4 out of 5 Baubles
Christmas factor: 2.5
What Christmas Specials have you watched this year? Which are your favourites? Let us know in the comments below.