Have Yourself a Maily Linda Christmas
Series 10, episode 10, first shown 15 Dec 2019, 21 min
Our take
A warm, low-key Christmas Eve episode built on a well-meant crime against the postal service. The mother's mission to save one boy's Christmas is daft but easy to root for, the recurring mailman finally gets his moment, and the stay-at-home plot with the in-laws is a sharp little comedy of family lies. Not the biggest of the show's holiday episodes, but one of the kindest.
What happens
To make extra money for the holidays, Linda takes a temporary job at the post office, to the dismay of the family's mailman, Mike. When she discovers a package that will not reach a man's nephew by Christmas, she breaks protocol and sets off to deliver it herself to the next town, breaking a fair few postal rules on the way. The processing centre raises the alarm, and Mike is sent after her, finally getting his chance to be the hero and helping her deliver it properly. Gene and Louise, who have nothing to give Tina in the first kids-only gift exchange, tag along hoping to find a last-minute present, while Bob and Tina are left at home with Linda's parents and her sister Gayle. Gayle has been telling her parents tall tales about her glamorous life, and an old grudge about an ottoman threatens to blow up the evening. Bob's attempt at peacemaking fails, so he quietly pretends to be Gayle's bank on the phone instead, and Tina finally gets her hug and a present.
Can the kids watch it?
Rated TV-14 in the US for language, including a rude joke or two; fine for most children of about 11 and up.
Cast and crew
Starring
- H. Jon Benjamin as Bob Belcher
- John Roberts as Linda Belcher
- Dan Mintz as Tina Belcher
- Eugene Mirman as Gene Belcher
- Kristen Schaal as Louise Belcher
- Larry Murphy as Teddy
Guest stars
- Tim Meadows as Mike
- Megan Mullally as Gayle
- Renee Taylor as Gloria
- Sam Seder as Al
- David Herman as Customer, Sorting Clerk, Ernie and Santa Doll
- Brooke Dillman as Donna
- Melissa Bardin Galsky as Mother
- Gary Anthony Williams as Plant Manager
Writer
- Scott Jacobson