During the holidays many people have plenty of time to sit around the house, staring at their televisions. And while you could be watching some of the new programming that’s set to premiere over this time, why not get in the spirit by revisiting some of our favorite Christmas, Hanukkah, and Festivus episodes? (Okay, well there’s only one Festivus.)
Over the course of TV history, series from serious dramas (Mad Men) to goofy comedies (Friends) have made Christmas-themed installments a fabric of their narratives. Here, we’ve compiled some of our favorites, presented from oldest to newest. Some are ones you know and love, hopefully others will be new discoveries.
Contents
“The Alan Brady Show Presents,” The Dick Van Dyke Show (1963)
This episode of Dick Van Dyke is basically just an incredible showcase for the talented cast to show off their ability to sing and dance. The concept is that they are appearing in a special installment of The Alan Brady Show, the series for which they write. Want to see Mary Tyler Moore and Dick Van Dyke do a number in giant Santa suits? You’re covered here.
“Christmas and the Hard Luck Kid II,” The Mary Tyler Moore Show (1970)
In this early Mary Tyler Moore episode, Mary is forced to work over the Christmas holiday so she can’t go home to her family. On top of that, she gets guilt-tripped into subbing in for someone else on Christmas Eve, which she had planned to spend with Rhoda. While her boss Lou Grant is the one that first gets her into this mess, of course he turns out to be one big softie.
“Death Takes a Holiday,” M*A*S*H (1980)
Celebrations are cut short when the doctors have to contend with a soldier who was shot by a sniper. B.J. makes the call to keep him alive until the holiday is…
