Holiday TV shows bring the comfy and cozy 鈥� and better reflect society
This season people are seeking out the predictable, sappy shows that have become as much a part of the holidays as eggnog and twinkly lights. These programs always end on the same happy note 鈥� which is exactly the point, because sometimes you need a brief escape that feels like a warm hug (especially in 2020). The feel-good messages beamed into our living rooms look a little different this year, as diversity and acceptance have become part of the message.聽
One of the best new offerings is Lifetime鈥檚聽鈥淎 Sugar & Spice Holiday鈥�聽(not rated but suitable for all audiences; airing Dec. 13), which is its first featuring an Asian American family. In it, a workaholic Chinese American architect returns home for the holidays, is reunited with her high school crush, and teams up with him to win the local holiday baking contest. Though formulaic, it delivers humor, and the two leads, Jacky Lai and Tony Giroux, sparkle when together. Deep-rooted traditions and a reverence for family past and present give this film added depth.
Lifetime also breaks new ground with 鈥淭he Christmas Setup鈥�聽(TV-PG; airing Dec. 12). Fran Drescher all but winks at the audience as she merrily tries to match up her visiting gay son (Ben Lewis) with a recently returned local (Lewis鈥� actual husband, Blake Lee). Featuring decent production values and a solid script, this聽film聽stands out from the pack because of strong performances and romantic leads that are adorable without being saccharine.聽
Why We Wrote This
Seasonal fare is the escapism many viewers are longing for this year. But besides cheerful decor and happy endings, diversity and acceptance have also become part of the message.
Over on Netflix, an entire series has been devoted to the holidays with聽鈥淒ash & Lily鈥�聽(TV-14), based on the young adult series by Rachel Cohn and聽David Levithan that starts with 鈥淒ash & Lily鈥檚 Book of Dares.鈥澛燚ash (Austin Abrams) and Lily (Midori Francis) are two teenage misfits who have never met, but leave clues in a notebook around New York City, testing their knowledge as they dare each other to break out of comfort zones while leaving hints as to their identities. All eight episodes fly by with a killer score, top-notch production values, and spot-on performances from all involved, especially the scene-stealing Jodi Long as an eccentric and wise great-aunt.
鈥淛ingle Jangle: A Christmas Journey鈥�聽(rated PG), also on Netflix,聽has been grabbing attention as the year鈥檚 splashy animated title, but it聽is an overly produced mishmash of live action and animation that has vibes reminiscent of 鈥淭he Greatest Showman,鈥� 鈥淧eter Pan,鈥� and a robot that looks like 鈥淲all-E.鈥� The cast features such veterans as Forest Whitaker, Phylicia Rashad, Ricky Martin, and Hugh Bonneville. Kids will enjoy the music and magic but it may prove too frenetic for adult viewers.聽A much better animated Netflix choice can be found in last year鈥檚聽鈥淜濒补耻蝉鈥�聽(rated PG). Highly original in both looks and plot, this is a stylized tale of Santa鈥檚 beginnings. A postman is banished to the far north for being a slacker, only to find that his actions change the lives of everyone in the miserable town he now calls home. Both weird and wonderful, this is just intriguing enough to add to your yearly watch list.
Netflix will also try to woo you with the second installment of 鈥淭he Christmas Chronicles.鈥� Don鈥檛 let it. Just rewatch the warm and energetic original聽(both rated PG)聽starring Kurt Russell and Goldie Hawn, as this year鈥檚 sequel is more than a little dark and mean-spirited, failing to retain a believable plot even in a make-believe world. Consider who鈥檚 watching with you if you click on another buzzy Netflix movie: 鈥淗辞濒颈诲补迟别鈥� (TV-MA). It鈥檚 funny and clever, but too risqu茅 for most family audiences.
Hallmark breaks out of its usual mold by offering a holiday flick starring a same-sex couple in a subplot. 鈥淭he Christmas House鈥� (TV-G) features that common trope about a couple that knew each other back in the day and are now flirting their way through the holiday season. The supporting cast includes a married gay couple (Jonathan Bennett, Brad Harder) that have both more chemistry and a more complex and interesting storyline than the show鈥檚 lead pairing. An added bonus is Treat Williams, as charismatic as ever, playing the dad. Elsewhere, Hallmark is featuring films with interracial couples this year, and it revisits Hanukkah with 鈥淟ove, Lights, Hanukkah!鈥� (though it and Lifetime previously for missing the mark with non-Christmas shows).聽
Hulu is dishing up diversity with 鈥淗appiest Season鈥� (rated PG-13), one of the more realistic offerings during a month filled with fantasy. Kristen Stewart and Mackenzie Davis聽play a lesbian couple heading to Davis鈥� family home for the holidays, with Victor Garber and Mary Steenburgen as her rigid and demanding parents. The couple pretend to be roommates because Davis鈥� character never came out to them. The story follows the usual trouble-in-paradise arc we see in so many romances, but truth prevails and romance is sweetly restored. The writing is overly broad, but kudos to Hulu for injecting a few hard truths into the story, giving the movie some much-needed substance.聽
If baking is your jam, make sure to catch the third season of 鈥淭he Great British Baking Show: Holidays鈥� (TV-14 for language) on Netflix. Of the two episodes, the first features past contestants making typical holiday treats, while the second veers from the normal routine and showcases the cast of the series 鈥淒erry Girls,鈥� set in Northern Ireland. The actors are funny and a bit ribald and can鈥檛 really bake, which is part of the reason it is funny and rather charming.
If you prefer musical celebrations, consider 鈥淢y Gift: A Christmas Special From Carrie Underwood,鈥� also featuring John Legend and streaming on HBO Max. Apple TV+ is offering 鈥淢ariah Carey鈥檚 Magical Christmas Special,鈥� an annual affair this year featuring Ariana Grande, Jennifer Hudson, and rappers Snoop Dogg and Jermaine Dupri.
Dolly Parton has been everywhere in 2020, and now you can catch 鈥淎 Holly Dolly Christmas鈥� streaming on CBS All Access starting Dec. 6. It showcases the singing star as she performs songs from her new album on a candlelit set. And a holiday classic is getting the live musical treatment in 鈥淒r. Seuss鈥� the Grinch Musical.鈥�聽Airing on NBC on Dec. 9, it was filmed at the Troubadour Theatre in London and features 鈥淕lee鈥� star Matthew Morrison in the title role. The cast also includes Denis O鈥橦are and Booboo Stewart. (All the musical programs are unrated, but are considered family fare.)
When all is said and done, there is always 鈥淚t鈥檚 a Wonderful Life,鈥� found streaming everywhere and proving annually that solid writing and true sentiment always win the day 鈥� and sometimes help an angel get his wings.
