Our take
A middling but likeable holiday episode with one great idea and a lot of filler around it. The six-way split screen of the family sledding on the dining table is the standout, a clever bit of animation. The mall Santa plot runs out of road once the real Santa turns up, and Brian and Stewie's office-party B-story is pleasant rather than sharp, but there are enough laughs to justify a December rewatch.
What happens
The episode opens with the two older children watching a mock holiday special, How David Lynch Stole Christmas. With the first snow of the season on the ground, the Griffins go sledding on their antique dining table, filming the run on GoPro headsets, and wreck it. At the mall to buy a new table, Peter discovers the mall has no Santa and is asked to fill in. Once he realises the suit lets him get away with almost anything, from free things to escaping parking tickets, he becomes drunk with power, until the real Santa finds out and confronts him, and Peter agrees to stop. Meanwhile Stewie discovers that Brian has been crashing office Christmas parties for the free food, the drama and the chance to meet women. Stewie tags along, ends up being given a job, gets a taste of the drudgery of office life, and finally manages to do some good at work.
Can the kids watch it?
Not for children: the BBFC rated it 15 for strong sex references and violence.
Cast and crew
Starring
- Seth MacFarlane as Peter Griffin, Stewie Griffin, Brian Griffin, Quagmire and Tom Tucker
- Alex Borstein as Lois Griffin
- Seth Green as Chris Griffin
- Mila Kunis as Meg
- Mike Henry as Cleveland Brown
- Patrick Warburton as Joe
Guest stars
- David Lynch as Himself
- Ty Simpkins as Little Drummer Boy
- Alec Sulkin as Jesus Christ
- Fred Tatasciore as Concert Hall Announcer
- Ursula Taherian as Gina Devereaux
Director
- Julius Wu