Alternative Xmas viewing

If you have grown bored of holiday tales of geeky kids pining for BB guns or sickly green home invaders, here are three classic Christmas episodes from my favourite television series to modernize your viewing experience over the break.

Absolutely Fabulous, “Cold Turkey”

Alcohol and the holidays go manicured hand in manicured hand. This Ab Fab special from 2003 has plenty of boozy exploits and pill-induced pratfalls and contains a surprisingly warm and fuzzy resolution.

The X-Files, “How the Ghosts Stole Christmas”

This Season 6 episode of The X-Files is not only filled with spooky Christmas cheer, but also features ferociously funny lesbian Lily Tomlin. Ed Asner and Tomlin portray ghosts intent on getting Mulder and Scully to off each other on Christmas Eve. That plot summary may not read like a happy, Yuletide story, but the episode is actually a comedy.

American Dad, “The Best Christmas Story Never”

The Simpsons’ holiday episodes may get more attention and airplay, but American Dad has also started the tradition of annual Christmas tales. This episode from Season 2 features time travel and Lisa Kudrow as the ghost of Christmas past. One of the best lines comes from Kudrow when she explains why she can’t go back to her job in the tooth fairy guild: “I can’t go back, not after I left a going-away present on my supervisor’s desk. Did you know DNA was in pooh? I sure didn’t.”

Algonquin College journalism grad. Podcaster @qqcpod.

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