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Ten Essential Christmas Specials You Should Be Watching This Holiday Season

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The holidays are upon us once again and That’s My Entertainment is giving you the top ten essential Christmas specials you should be watching this holiday season.


10. “Mr. Hankey, The Christmas Poo”
This classic South Park episode, while a little unorthodox, is a delightful tale of loving thy neighbor, regardless of their faith. Young Kyle Broflovski is ridiculed by his peers for being the only Jewish kid in school during Christmas time. He finds solace in his belief of Mr. Hankey, a talking, Christmas-themed piece of feces that brings gifts to children of all faiths. While the crude humor of South Park may be off-putting to some, it doesn’t shy away from the fact that the true meaning of the holidays is to love and cherish each other.


9. “A Flintstone Christmas”

An oldie, but a goodie! While this Christmas special may seem a bit cliched by today’s standards, this special set the standard for so many that followed. The story follows Fred and Barney taking over for old Saint Nick after a sprained ankle has him laid up for Christmas Eve. Packed with classic Flintstones humor, music, and holiday cheer, this special is a must for the holiday season.


8. “The Fairly Oddparents: Christmas Every Day”
This special ventures into the realm of magic as young Timmy Turner wishes for his favorite day of the year to repeat itself everyday. His eccentric Fairy Godparents Cosmo and Wanda make it so, but after week’s worth of Christmases, the world begins to fall into upheaval. Not to mention all the forgotten holidays (The Easter Bunny, The April Fool, etc.) that want revenge for taking away their time with the children of the world. It’s up to Timmy to beat the other holiday spirits to Santa and help reverse his wish. This special is a classic for kids that grew up in the early 2000s and may be one of the best episodes of The Fairly Oddparents ever written. Filled with clever humor, heart, and an incredibly catchy musical number by Guy Moon, this special is a must-see.


7. “Spongebob Squarepants: Christmas Who?”
Good ol’ Spongebob has been around long enough to have garnered two Christmas specials, but the original to this day still withstands the test of time. In “Christmas Who?” our square friend is introduced to the Christmas holiday by Sandy the squirrel, who is baffled to find that the undersea residents of Bikini Bottom have ever heard of Christmas. Spongebob shares Sandy’s tale of Santa with all of his friends, who then quickly begin writing their Christmas wishes. Squidward, however, remains skeptical as always. Packed with a ton of heart, Christmas cheer, and a knockout original song, this special has become a classic.


6. “Hey Arnold!: Arnold’s Christmas”
This classic 90’s series has delivered some of the best episodes ever written for television and this special is no exception. The episode begins with everyone’s favorite football head choosing his neighbor, Mr. Hyunh in the annual boarding house Secret Santa. While attempting to find out what Mr. Hyunh might like, Arnold discovers that Mr. Hyunh has a long lost daughter that he was separated from during the Vietnam War. Arnold and his best friend Gerald set out to track down Mr. Hyunh’s lost daughter, but several obstacles keep presenting themselves. This episode is notable for straying from the typical children’s Christmas specials and doesn’t include Santa. It stays grounded in reality and focuses on a boy’s journey to bring a broken family together again. It’s safe to say that “Arnold’s Christmas” is necessary viewing.


5. “Dr. Seuss’s How the Grinch Stole Christmas”
This classic tale has been adapted for the screen a whopping three times (the most recent is now in theatres). It’s hard to imagine a Christmas without watching the original animated classic on television. Featuring a script nearly identical to the original text, along with spectacular direction by Chuck Jones and the legendary Boris Karloff as the voice of the Grinch, this special will always succeed in making our hearts “grow three sizes” at Christmas time.


4. “A Charlie Brown Christmas”

It goes without saying that this timeless classic deserves an annual viewing. It’s really hard to find anyone that hasn’t seen this timeless tale, which was actually the Peanuts’ first venture into animation. The special follows Charlie Brown as he struggles to find the true meaning of Christmas underneath the big, flashy commercialism. It isn’t until a disgruntled Charlie walks out on directing the annual Christmas play that the children surround him and lift his spirit with song. “A Charlie Brown Christmas” is not to be missed.


3. “Santa Claus is Comin’ To Town”
This classic Rankin/Bass special (along with many others) is featured on repeat in many households this time of year. Narrated by the legendary Fred Astaire, this classic stop-motion film provides an interesting backstory for Kris Kringle (Mickey Rooney). As a baby, he was left on the doorstep of the toy-making Kringle family. Upon adopting and raising him to love toys and children, young Kris sets out to deliver the gifts to the children of the nearby Sombertown. Little does he know that toys have been outlawed by the heartless Burgermeister Meisterburger. Packed with delightful songs, humor, and a brief political undertone that doesn’t condescend to the audience, “Santa Claus is Comin’ To Town” is a timeless holiday classic.


2. “Frosty the Snowman”

Another Rankin/Bass classic, “Frosty the Snowman” does not follow the duo’s signature stop-motion and instead follows standard 2D animation. Nevertheless, this classic tale inspired by the Jack Rollins tune never fails to warm all of our hearts during the holiday season.


1. “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer”
This Rankin/Bass classic may very well be the best. It’s always the first to air on television every year, signaling the start of the Christmas season. We all know the song. We all know the story. What we take away from Rudolph is the message that it doesn’t matter what you look like; it’s what’s on the inside that always counts. There has been some recent controversy surrounding the special, with audiences seeming the bullying scenes “too inappropriate” for young viewers. In reality, the scenes are tame, but it is important that children do see this special as the end message is clear that bullying is ultimately not okay and that one should always love thy neighbor regardless of their flaws.

Be sure to check out all of these classic Christmas specials this holiday season!

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‘Abigail’: Bite Me Harder Tiny Dancer

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A gang of misfit kidnappers find their tiny target far more bloodthirsty than they bargained for! 

So, unfortunately, the trailers gave it away and let’s be real that’s why most of us are here, the knowledge that the kidnap victim Abigail (Alisha Weir), codenamed by the would-be kidnappers appropriately as ‘tiny dancer’, is in fact, a vampire. Not a spoiler, point of fact, one of the film’s actual great selling points. And the reactions from the misfit club when faced with a real actual f*cking vampire, range hilariously from the blunt “no such thing as vampires” all the way to, “Are we talking True Blood or Twilight rules or what?” all while covered in buckets and buckets of blood. 

Anyway, the gang manages to subdue and abscond with the aforementioned Abigail, in a pre-prepared duffle bag, like you do, and converge to a new location, a house oddly similar to the one she was just taken from. Welcomed and given codenames by a man who introduces himself as Lambert (Giancarlo Esposito), our misfit club is told to simply hold down the fort in this strange old house with the girl chained up in a room and one person to attend her, for twenty-four hours, and they’ll all get paid. 

As inevitable as the tides, the dopey druggie Dean (Angus Cloud) is the first to die, and we’re going to give that death-style points for inspiring terror right off the bat. The very controlling Frank (Dan Stevens, holy crap yes that is the guy from FXs Legion) is also of course the most suspicious – of everyone around him, sure, but also he himself is totes sus. We don’t learn terribly much about the musclebound tank who gets dubbed Peter (Kevin Durand), he’s your pretty typical little-brains-heart-of-gold muscle-for-hire any proper gang needs, right down to the bottle problem. Sammy (Kathryn Newton), well, even for being a purported hacker-type, she has, like, reality issues. Rickles (William Catlett), he’s arguably the most dangerous among them, ex-military and yet somehow here and involved in kidnapping for a few mills. Joey (Melissa Barrera) is our Final Girl, and though she has the inevitable problems in her recent past, she seems more capable of doing the hard thing and still somehow empathizing at the end of the day. Must be her burning desire to get back with her son. 

The fit hits the shan pretty quickly, and Abigail morphs from tiny dancer to tiny monster, though honestly, the way Abigail spoke the entire time in the film, if the ‘nappers had been paying close enough attention, would have been a solid clue. The performance from Alisha Weir as Abigail is incredible, as she literally dances a fine line between comedy, tragedy, and outright monstrosity. With a face full of makeup and the force of a tiny tornado to back it up, Weir brings to mind the great performances of the vampires in 30 Days of Night who saw the practicality in the need to trap their food, but also, play with it a bit first before feasting! Anything else would give away the absolute fun time that is Abigail, so you should go see it, out in theaters now!

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Scrubs Reunion: The Band Gets Back Together

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Fans of the beloved medical comedy series Scrubs were recently treated to a thrilling surprise when John C. McGinley, who portrayed the iconic Dr. Perry Cox, dropped a photo on Twitter hinting at a potential reunion project. The image, showing McGinley alongside his former co-stars, sparked a wave of excitement and speculation among fans who have been longing for more adventures with the beloved Sacred Heart Hospital staff.

While details about the reunion project are still scarce, the mere possibility of seeing the gang back together again has sent waves of nostalgia through fans who fondly remember the show’s original run from 2001 to 2010. Scrubs was not just a sitcom; it was a heartfelt exploration of friendship, love, and the chaotic world of medicine, all wrapped up in a quirky and often hilarious package.

At the heart of the show was the bromance between JD (played by Zach Braff) and Turk (played by Donald Faison), whose antics and deep bond served as the emotional anchor for the series. Their dynamic, along with the sage wisdom (and relentless sarcasm) of Dr. Cox, provided viewers with memorable moments that have stood the test of time.

As we eagerly await more news about the Scrubs reunion project, one thing is for sure: it’s time to dust off those old DVDs, rewatch our favorite episodes, and get ready to welcome back our favorite gang of doctors, nurses, and janitors for what promises to be a memorable reunion.

But Scrubs was more than just its main characters. The supporting cast, including the eccentric Janitor (played by Neil Flynn), the neurotic Elliot (played by Sarah Chalke), and the wise-cracking nurse Carla (played by Judy Reyes), each brought their own unique flavor to the show, creating a rich tapestry of characters that fans grew to love.

While the photo shared by McGinley has fueled speculation about what the reunion project might entail, whether it’s a one-off special, a new season, or something else entirely, one thing is certain: fans are eagerly awaiting any opportunity to dive back into the world of Sacred Heart Hospital.

In an age where reboots and revivals are commonplace, Scrubs stands out as a series that has the potential to recapture the magic that made it a fan favorite in the first place. With its blend of humor, heart, and unforgettable characters, a reunion project has the opportunity to not only satisfy longtime fans but also introduce a new generation to the joys of life at Sacred Heart.

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‘The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes’: Rebellion with a cause

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The story of the rise of Coriolanus Snow, from teenage Capital City pawn to rising Dictator of the Hunger Games! 

Apparently no one out here in post-apocalyptic Panem has heard of irony and so they name their children things like Coriolanus (Tom Blyth), Tigress, and further off in Hunger Games lore, after swamp plants like Katniss. Corio’s father was a legendary general and that is pretty much the only reason young Snow and his meager family of grandmother called Grandma’am (Fionnula Flanagan) and sister Tigress (Hunter Schafer) are tolerated here in the Capital City at all. 

Most of the snotty youngsters at the academy won’t let Snow forget how far his family has fallen, but he’s generally not concerned with them. What is concerning is the strong disapproval of the drugged-up Dean Casca Highbottom (Peter Dinklage) and the creepy attention of Dr. Volumnia Gaul (Viola Davis) as she lurks in the classroom sniffing out talent. The Dean feels very strongly the annual Hunger Games should end, while Gaul is violently adamant that not only do the Games continue, but that they get as much more attention as possible. And young Snow is stuck in the middle, when the yearly prize money normally awarded to the academy student with the best grades gets switched out for, you guessed it, the student that can make this years’ Hunger Games as entertaining as possible. 

Whilst the students are protesting this sudden change, the annual Reaping is about to commence, and big shock and surprise, Corio’s candidate from District 12 Lucy Grey Baird (Rachel Zegler) is chosen as a Tribute. This is where the film begins to really take off on musical wings, for as it turns out, Lucy Grey can sing. Boy, can that gal sing! She can sing, she can play guitar, she can work a crowd, she can calm things down, she can fire ‘em up too! And Corio, being no dummy himself, instantly plots ways to use his Tributes amazing voice to draw attention to her, and admittedly his own, plight! 

Though far too many people sneer at the idea, Corio takes his position as Mentor to his Tribute seriously enough to sneak onto the tram taking the Tributes to their habitat, which turns out to be a completely appropriate moniker, as this year the Tributes are held before the Hunger Games in a large zoo habitat so the weatherman ‘Lucky’ Flickerman (Jason Schwartzman), host of this years games, can MC the hell out of everything up close and personal! 

What happens at this years Hunger Games and the subsequent consequences to both Corio and Lucy Grey is actually only half the story, and the movie. Coriolanus has always had to be opportunistic, but learning to be absolutely ruthless when necessary under the tutelage of Dr. Gaul, who basically thinks it’s always best to be merciless, is an eye-opening education indeed.  Even after they’ve both been consigned to military service and his friend Sejanus Plinth (Josh Andres Rivera) decides to finally rebel, Corio and Sejanus continue to deceive each other and themselves, to accomplish their separate goals. Not even the love Corio swears he feels for Lucy Grey can save him, or them, from the adamant absolute necessity of the Hunger Games continuing. And after all that’s happened, Coriolanus Snow has gotten a terrific education in the best way to be the absolutely ruthless next Hunger Games advocate, and oh yeah, President of Panem. 

The movie does itself no favors by trying to stuff not one but two major storylines and a bunch of side storylines sadly introduced and then ignored, into the film. It would have been entirely possible to turn Ballads of Songbirds and Snakes into two different movies, separated between feathers and scales if you like, and do justice to the major storylines in both. Blyth gives a fine  performance as a young Coriolanus Snow, but the fact that President Snow is played by Donald Sutherland in all three of the Hunger Games films means Blyth has incredibly large shoes to fill. Rachel Zegler as Lucy Grey is absolute fire, and yes the actress did sing the songs in the film herself, including the Hunger Games franchise epic song, ‘The Hanging Tree’. Every time Lucy Grey opens her mouth and sheer soul-searing music comes out, it provides a distinct counterpoint to the soul-crushing ambition of Coriolanus Snow and further demonstrates the District and Caste separation Hunger Games is known for. And if, by the end of the film, Coriolanus Snow has come to agree that the Hunger Games must continue but perhaps under his own auspices, he has no one but himself to blame when another younger but still rebellious female blows it all up in his face! 

Choose rebellion or conformity for yourself in The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes

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