Our take
Widely rated the show's finest Christmas episode, and it earns it. Three performances on one night set up a frantic, very funny farce of parents running between venues, then the last act slows down for one of the most moving endings in any animated holiday special. The music and the silent closing scene do the rest. Bring tissues.
What happens
All three Belcher kids have a Christmas performance on the same evening at the same time: Gene in a xylophone concert at school, Tina in the Thundergirls holiday play, and Louise reading a poem of her own at the library in a poetry contest. Bob and Linda try to be everywhere at once, running between venues, while Linda gets stuck helping backstage at Tina's play. Gene's music teacher is ill, so the concert falls to a substitute who knows nothing about music. Louise has told her parents her poem is a joke about reindeer droppings and that they need not come, and they agree she can read it at home later. Tina realises just in time that Louise has really written a heartfelt poem about loving her family, and races to the library with Linda close behind. As the xylophone concert pulls together into a beautiful performance, Louise reads her poem, and the episode ends with the family's Christmas morning, shown without words.
Can the kids watch it?
Rated TV-PG in the US for mild language; gentle and heartfelt, fine for children from about 7.
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
- Tina Fey as Ms. Bisselbender
Writers
- Loren Bouchard
- Kelvin Yu