Our take
The template for every Two Doors Down Christmas since: a couple who want a quiet day, a house that fills up anyway, and a turkey crown that was never going to stretch. It is a small, sharp half-hour that gets its laughs from rudeness and recognition rather than slapstick. Christine's present-spoiling and Eric's Santa suit are the moments people remember, and the stranded skiers are a lovely piece of festive bad luck.
What happens
It is Christmas Day and Beth and Eric Baird want a peaceful one: presents with their son Ian and his new boyfriend Gordon, then a quiet dinner for two. Their neighbours have other ideas. Christine is babysitting her granddaughter Madison, who cannot wait for her mummy Sophie to get back from Eurodisney. Cathy and Colin are looking forward to a glamorous skiing holiday in the French Alps until an air traffic control strike cancels every flight in and out of France for two days. Cathy does not take it well, and neither does Christine, because Sophie is now stranded across the Channel and Christine is left holding the baby. In the spirit of the season Beth invites them all to dinner. Eric worries that the turkey crown is too small for five; Beth insists they will make do, even when Ian asks whether he and Gordon can stay too, making it seven. Eric digs out his old Santa costume to make the little girl's day, and Beth brightly serves Christmas dinner in tiny portions.
Can the kids watch it?
Rated 15 by the BBFC for strong language, so it is for older teenagers and adults.
Cast and crew
Starring
- Arabella Weir as Beth
- Alex Norton as Eric
- Elaine C. Smith as Christine
- Doon Mackichan as Cathy
- Jonathan Watson as Colin
- Jamie Quinn as Ian
- Kieran Hodgson as Gordon