Our list of our fave festive TV moments – and don’t like, tweet us or anything saying we’ve missed YOUR favourite one, it’s not about YOU! This is about US. ‘Tis the season!
Peep Show
The Peep Show Christmas special is an unflinching, startlingly accurate and darkly hilarious portrayal of the inherent dysfunctionality of British Christmas. The whole episode is a ticking half-hour timebomb, full of rows over the turkey, party games wracked with tension, paper hats and despair, which culminates in a Christmas dinner being put through a second hand paper shredder.
Doctor Who – The Runaway Bride
Now, there have been a lot of notable Doctor Who specials – there was even one with Kylie – but this one wins first prize because it was so NUTS. A Christmas star that shot lazers, Catherine Tate running around screeching in a wedding dress, and a giant alien spider played by Sarah Waters (!) who’d set up camp underneath the Thames. Pure amazing silly ridiculous nonsense!
Eastenders Christmas 2007
This was genuinely incredible television, unmatched by even the most extra telenovella. On Christmas Day 2007, Max and Stacey’s TORRID affair was finally revealed, to the devastation of pretty much every other character, and the schadenfreude delight of the nation. The ensuing fight was epic and nuts. “HOW COULD YOU?”
Monica putting a turkey on her head in Friends
Not remotely clever or funny, but we had to include it because unfortunately it’s somehow become an iconic comedy scene. Sigh.
Will & Grace – A Little Christmas Queer
Aired at Christmas 2005, this was possibly the first time viewers ever saw the portrayal of a queer child on their screens (it came a few months before the groundbreaking introduction of Justin in series one of Ugly Betty). Will’s small nephew Jordy is prancing and fabulous. There’s also some epic sparring between an always drunk Karen and an also always drunk Will’s mum, played with husky amazingness by Blythe Danner, who’s Gwyneth Paltrow’s mum IRL. Weird.
A Spice Girls Tesco ad
In 2007 (which we’re beginning to think was possibly the best year for everything ever) the Spice Girls did a hilariously kitschy Christmas ad for Tesco. Our favourite bit is when one of the shopping assistants recommends iPods to Victoria as good presents and she shrugs and says “I’ll take four!” with a look of polite incomprehension.
30 Rock – Christmas Special
30 Rock is the best sitcom ever made (don’t @ us) and their Christmas special reflects that. Elaine Strich won an Emmy for her portrayal of Jack Donaghy’s entrancingly acerbic mother. Amaze.
South Park – Mr Hankey, The Christmas Poo
If you’re someone of a certain age, you’ll know who Mr Hankey is – he’s the Christmas poo! Peurile even by South Park’s standards, he’s somehow gone down in history as one of comedy’s most recognisable characters, spawning millions of pounds worth of merchandise, including toys, clothing, lunch-boxes, and an actual CHRISTMAS ALBUM. He’s literally a talking shit.
The OC – Best Chrismukkah Ever
Ahhh the OC! Remember the OC?! It’d never get made these days. White privilege epitomised. Thinking about it, we’re not sure there was one POC character in the entire thing. It had its charms though! There was something irrisistable about diving headfirst into those warm blue waters, lounging in a pool house of gentle inanity. The ‘Chrismukkah’ episode has all yer faves – Julie being a bitch, Ryan being brooding, Summer being cutely pissed off, Seth being confused and Marissa being drunk. Happy Chrismukkah!
