Throwback Thursday, a weekly article in which we look back at our favorite TV episodes from over the years. A few things before I get started, when I volunteered for this I thought "great, I need to pick my favourite ever episode" which was nearly impossible I love so many. Then when I was given the final Throwback of 2014 landing just before Christmas I thought, "great I can pick a few Christmas episodes, that will be easy". Yet again not an easy task to do.
So here is a list of Christmas episodes that I really enjoyed (which is surprising saying I don't like Christmas) and why they are my picks.
Let me know your favourites in the comments below. You can pick current shows if you like, but I was limited to shows that have finished (hence the throwback)
Lost - The Constant
What happened: Desmond is jumping between present day and his past. He needs Penny to be his constant or all is LOST. The day he rings her to save himself is Christmas Eve.Why did I choose it: This has a very lose tie to Christmas however it is one of the best episodes of LOST for its clever narrative and explanation of Desmond's "gift".
Memorable moment: The phone call at the end with Penny. It was a long time coming and was amazingly acted and there wasn't a dry eye in the house. Click here to see it
The Office UK - Christmas Specials
What happened:3 years after the original documentary we return to Wernham Hog to see where the employees have ended up and what they have been doing with their lives. Past employees return for the staff Christmas party.Why did I choose it: For a show that lived for awkard moments of humour, it managed to create a heart felt finale that gave all of its characters closure and us as an audience the ending we needed.
Memorable moment: Tim and Dawn finally kiss to "Only you" and a nation cheered. Click here to see it
The Office US - Christmas Party
What happened: It's the Christmas party and Michael is desperate to make it special. As always it doesn't go to plan and he reverts to plan B - get everyone drunk.Why did I choose it: It sums up Christmas. You get that present you never wanted while everyone else seems to get something great, and you just wished you could swap it.
Memorable moment: The Yankee swap for the ipod. Click here to see it.
Doctor Who - End of Time (Part 1 & Part 2)
What happened: The master returns and the Doctor is fighting his fate knowing his time is coming to an end. He faces his greatest enemy and his own demise and still comes out with his hair in place.Why did I choose it: It is a show that has become a big part of mine and my daughters life where we would cuddle up and watch and this is our favourite of the Christmas episodes.
Memorable moment: Those 5 knocks on the glass that broke your heart when you realize who they are from. Which all leads to these final words.
Chuck - Chuck Vs The Santa Claus
What happened: A car crashes into the buy more where amazingly all of our key characters are located and held hostage. Chuck and Sarah show their feelings and emotions in their own special way.Why did I choose it: Watching the Chuck and Sarah romance develop over the season was great and this includes some important scenes for Sarah to come to terms with her feelings for Chuck and Chuck slowly standing up and showing them.
Memorable moment: Chuck explains how he cares for Sarah in a sweet talk showing his emotions. Sarah has to show it in the only way she knows, to protect Chuck no matter what the costs. Click here to see it
The X-Files - How the ghosts stole Christmas
What happened: As always Mulder uncovers some strange events. This time at a haunted house on Christmas Eve and calls Scully over to help investigate. Two troublesome ghosts decide to have fun with them but leading to deadly consequences.Why did I choose it: This is a fun and lighthearted episode of the X-Files (apart from them trying to kill each other) but it shows the strong bond between these two.
Memorable moment: The exchanging of gifts they promised not to get each other. Unfortunately no clip but here are some promos.
How I Met Your Mother - Symphony of Illumination
Why did I choose it: This was a tough call between How Lily stole Christmas and this one. This one simply wins because it shows the emotional journey Robyn has made and the relationship Ted and Robyn share.
Memorable moment: That ending with the Christmas lights. Click here to see it
Roswell - A Roswell Christmas carol
Why did I choose it: A fun episode from a series with a small but loyal fan base. We get to see sides of the characters we have not seen before, mainly Isabel as the "Christmas Nazi". A joke which will continue throughout it's small run.
Memorable moment: Max in the hospital healing all of the children to a beautiful song called Calling All Angels by Jane Siberry. (sorry no video available)
Only Fools and Horses - Christmas Specials
Why did I choose it: A UK show that always has a place in my heart from sitting watching it with my grandparents. Growing up watching this show and then to finally see it end (kind of) on a happy note was a big moment. Every time it appears on TV I know it's Christmas time.
Memorable moment: This scene says everything I love about this show. Click here
Spoiler TV's Throwback Thursday will be taking a break over the holidays and will return on January 8th.
Great picks CJ! Love LOST being No.1 ;)
ReplyDeleteGood choices.
ReplyDeleteOther ones that stick out to me are "The One with the Holiday Armadillo" ("Friends") and "High Holidays" (Frasier).
"The Constant" is my absolute favorite LOST episode. May need to re-watch it this Christmas. "Christmas Party" (The Office U.S.) is another goodie.
ReplyDeleteAs for current shows, "A Very Supernatural Christmas" is a gem and easily one of my all-time favorite episodes. Who doesn't love Christmas with a side of torture?
nice list and reminders of shows I loved. Now I'm wanting to get Chuck DVDs so I can rewatch.
ReplyDeleteA few come to mind. It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia has probably my favorite Christmas episode ever, "A Very Sunny Christmas". Buffy's "Amends", American Horror Story: Asylum's "Unholy Night", Grey's Anatomy's "Grandma Got Run Over By a Reindeer", pretty much every Christmas episode of The Office, Parks & Rec's "Christmas Scandal", Mad Men's "Christmas Comes But Once a Year", That 70s Shows "The Christmas Party", Married With Children's "You Better Watch Out"... and my favorite Festivus episode, Seinfeld "The Strike"
ReplyDeleteModern Family also does great Christmas episodes, "Express Christmas", "Undeck The Halls"
ReplyDeleteI loved Friends Christmas episodes, and ER had some great ones back in it's glory days. I liked this year's Christmas episode of the Middle, and I always loved Boy Meets World holiday shows.
ReplyDeleteA Very Supernatural Christmas!
ReplyDeleteA Very Supernatural Christmas
ReplyDeleteBack when SPN was actually good, combining the brothers emotional arcs with a cool MOTW and plenty of humor to boot AND it kept with the running main arc of the season Dean going to hell. Once upon a time when Sam and Dean's relationship didnt seem so fake and forced by writers and actors.
I like all Christmas episodes, but I really like the BMW reunion on GWM and The SnO.C.
ReplyDeleteLOST - the constant is my second favorite episode from LOST, infact I had originally planned to do throwback Thursday on it, but changed it to the pilot at the last second. Such a powerful, and well written episode.
ReplyDeleteLove your picks CJ, I loved watching Only Fools and Horses with my dad, an honest classic. One of my all-time favourite Christmas episodes is the Vicar of Dibley one where she has three Christmas dinners. Had never laughed so much before I watched that.
ReplyDeleteI have a lot of favourite Christmas episodes from shows, including Sabrina the Teenage Witch, That's So Raven, Supernatural S3 special, Friends etc. I love Christmas-themed episodes.
A Very Supernatural Christmas and (I can't remember the name of this one) the episode of The Big Bang Theory where Penny get's Sheldon and napkin signed by Leonard Nimoy.
ReplyDeleteChuck vs the Santa Claus and Abed's Uncontrollable Christmas.
ReplyDeleteYeah, that's the one. The gift to Sheldon. Then he gives her a lot of baskets of girly bath soaps because he's so grateful.
ReplyDeleteOf the ones here, The Office. Of all time, Trophy Wife and some of the ones from The Middle
ReplyDeleteLOST - The Constant is certainly a favorite of mine too! :D
ReplyDeleteI'm currently rewaching Felicity and although there isn't a Christmas episode per say, every season does dance around the Holidays and there are a couple of Thanksgiving episodes too. There's one episode in season one that's really just one of my favorite episodes anyways, during Finals right before they all leave for Christmas. Felicity ends up starting a relationship with Noel and promises both Ben and Noel that she will help them with their finals...Ultimately Noel. who's bag was switched at the airport, which had all of his notebooks from the whole first part of year in it, ends up listening to Megan, who gives him a "magic powder" drink that is suppose to give one photographic memory, but it has beats in it...and Noel is allergic to beats! It makes him super hyper and he goes nuts! In a quiet library scene, where J.J. Abrams has use "subtitles" to help us listen to Felicity and Ben whisper to each other, he continues to use them when Noel bursts in and loudly gets mad at Felicity for helping Ben, which is then followed by a sub plot with Richard wanting to report Noel after Noel reported Richard. Just a hilarious episode!
Anyways, fun post! Thanks for sharing some of your favs with us! XD
South Park 3.15 - Mr. Hankey's Christmas Classics
ReplyDeletehttp://southpark.cc.com/full-episodes/s03e15-mr-hankeys-christmas-classics#
My absolute favorite Christmas episode of any show currently on the air or has ever been on the air is TBBT's s2 effort, "The Bath Item Gift Hypothesis". I still picture Sheldon giving Penny all of the gift baskets and chuckle.
ReplyDeleteThe Constant is my favorite LOST episode
ReplyDeleteOn The List:
ReplyDeleteLost
Chuck
Not On The List:
Bones - All 3 episodes
Buffy - Amends
It was so beautifully executed! And the fact that he didn't know what to do because it meant so much to him and he ends up hugging her. So funny.
ReplyDelete"High Holidays". Yes. Great pick. I also love "Perspectives on Christmas", where everyone's getting massages and sharing their own version of events from that Christmas. The stories with Martin trying to learn his song for that play and Roz not telling her mom she's pregnant are hilarious.
ReplyDeleteOther favorite Christmas episodes include "Regional Holiday Music" and "Abed's Uncontrollable Christmas" from "Community". And I also love Stephen Colbert's Christmas special, if that counts.
Xena - A Solstice Carol
ReplyDeleteThat How I Met Your Mother episode is amazing, great choice. And though I always thought The Constant was a tad overrated among the Lost fandom, it's still an incredible episode of my favorite show ever, so I am partial to that one too.
ReplyDeleteOther ones that deserve honorable mentions are Modern Family which always does exceptional Christmas episodes and, of course, The OC. Thinking about it, The OC probably does the best Christmas (Chrismukkah) episodes ever.
Symphony of Illumination was one of my favorite HIMYM episodes.
ReplyDelete"Christmas Joy" and "The Polarizing Express" from Psych - those are fantastic. "Merry Little Christmas" and "It's A Wonderful Life" from House are awesome too.
ReplyDeleteFor me it would have to be "So-Called Angels" from My So-Called Life, one of the best episodes of one of my favourite series ever, followed by "Abed's Uncontrollable Christmas" from Community, an episode that manages to be funny and heartbreaking at the same time.
ReplyDelete