Disney+ Holiday Specials: An Almost Christmas Story & O C’mon All Y Faithful

Gen X'ers remember a time when animated Christmas specials were worth waiting all year to watch (and they were called Christmas specials at the time). Of course, Merry Christmas, Charlie Brown was the king of “holiday specials.” Kids in the 1980s and early 1990s even looked forward to the Dolly Madison commercials. Obviously, streaming changed the way viewers relate to media. “Specials” maybe no longer seem as special when they are viewable 24-7-365. Yet, the quality can still be special, or not. This holiday season, Disney+ released two holiday specials of varying degrees of specialness.

In a way, David Lowery’s An Almost Christmas Story (Oscar-qualified, but not shortlisted for Best Animated Short) indirectly revisits the question whether Die Hard is a Christmas movie when the Folksinger narrator ponders whether a Christmas setting is sufficient to make a Christmas story. In this case, the answer should be yes, given the extent of the Christmas trappings.

Having recently discovered his flying ability, the growing owl chick Little Moon shows far too much enthusiasm and not enough caution. After accidentally wrecking his nest, Moon tries to redeem himself gathering twigs, making himself a target for a predatory bird of prey. Barely surviving with a wounded wing, he waits for his frustrated father to rescue him. However, he takes refuge in the giant tree bound for Rockefeller Plaza, just as they start chopping.

Suddenly, Little Moon finds himself in the strange world of New York, overlooking ice-skaters like young Luna. (Presumably, he must somehow have slept through all the mediocre pop stars performing at tree lighting ceremony, so he is luckier than he realizes.) Nevertheless, he is quite alarmed, especially since the trio of street-smart pigeons led by the tough-talking Pat (Natasha Lyonne, almost, but not quite laying on the gruffness too thickly) greet him with suspicion and hostility rather than compassion. (Naturally, Phil Rosenthal of Somebody Feed Phil has instant credibility as Punt, the pigeon who only thinks about food). However, Little Moon and Luna learn they share an affinity beyond their names.

Partially inspired by Rocky, the owl discovered in the 2020 Rockefeller Center tree, An Almost Christmas doesn’t even get to Christmas. It only takes place during the lead-up. However, Little Moon’s desire to return home (for the holidays) is a classic Christmas theme. The use of the Folksinger (warmly performed by the just folksy-enough John C. Reilly) as an on-camera narrator, sort of like Jimmy Durante in Frosty the Snowman, is another staple of holiday specials.

The third Christmas short produced by Alfonso Cuaron for Disney+, An Almost Christmas Story was computer animated in a style that emulates various stop motion techniques. Appropriately, it has a woody, textured vibe that evokes the owls’ forest environment. Even the character design reflects the wood-work effect, like Moon’s eyes, which charmingly suggest tree-rings.

The resulting visual style is quite distinctive, while the story qualifies as endearing. As a result, An Almost Christmas Story passes the Christmas special test, even though most of its characters do not know what Christmas is.

In contrast, The Simpsons: O C’mon All Ye Faithful talks all about Christmas, but its holiday spirit feels rather Grinchy. Technically, this is episode S36E10 (featuring all the regular continuing members, who should be able to voice their characters in their sleep, by this point), but it has the distinction of being the first Simpsons programming to premiere on Disney+ rather than Fox.

An American Christmas with PJ Rasmussen and the Boardwalk Jazz Band

Christmas just wouldn’t be Christmas without jazz. If you doubt it, just imagine a world without Vince Guaraldi’s a beautiful swinging score for A Charlie Brown Christmas (“Skating” is especially nice) or Nat King Cole owning Mel Torme’s “The Christmas Song.” PJ Rasmussen embraces the jazz yuletide tradition with a swinging set of Christmas carols recorded live at City Winery in lower NYC. Jazz fans get an early Christmas present when An American Christmas Featuring PJ Rasmussen and the Boardwalk Jazz Band (promo here) airs in syndication on terrestrial broadcast networks during the holiday season (including WCBS-TV in New York).

You have to give Rasmussen credit for starting with “Go Tell it on the Mountain,” instead reindeer or snowman. There is no “War on Christmas” here. Rasmussen’s arrangement gives it a hard-charging swing worthy of the vintage Basie band. Vocalist April May Webb brings out the inherent gospel flavor of the lyrics, while baritone saxophonist Andrew Hadro further cranks up the funkiness. One of the cool things about American Christmas is the it identifies each band-member during their respective solos, so everyone gets their due credit.

Rasmussen’s chart for “God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen” has some Oliver Nelson-ish colors to it, which is high praise again. Generally, this is a rather dour carol, but Webb and the band perform it as an upbeat, up-tempo groover. Again, there are legit solos (maybe somewhat brief by club standards, but quite fully-developed for television), in this case, from Dave Pollack delivering on tenor and Richard Polatchek keeping it real on trumpet.

“Deck the Halls” is maybe even a tad too fleet, but it is nice vehicle for Rasmussen’s guitar and Joe Spinelli on drums. “What Child Is This” is probably their gutsy choice, given how many listeners might be familiar with John Coltrane’s recording of “Greensleeves,” but conductor Charlie Dougherty’s arrangement definitely takes it in a brassier, more swinging direction. It is a surprisingly fun performance (devoid of the usual folky moodiness), propelled by the impressive power and clarity of vocalist Candice Reyes’s voice.

“Jingle Bells” is probably the most straight-over-the-plate, sing-along-if-you-want-and-happen-to-know-the-later-verses rendition, but it is followed by an original. “Christmas Card Blues” is a pleasant and sometime rather clever lampoon of the year-in-review letters some people include in their Christmas cards. Rasmussen and Kate Victor perform it with just the right degree of theatricality (a little, not a lot), while Billy Test shows all kinds of taste and touch during his piano solo.

The “We Three Kings/Silent Night” medley is the softest piece of the night, but Webb and the band swing the former pretty hard. Test’s transitional solo and Webb’s bluesey “Silent Night” are about as hushed as the set gets, but they are still quite nice and Christmassy. Rasmussen and company close with a brisk, head-bobbing “Auld Lang Syne,” which is an appropriately celebratory note. It sure beats another rote run-through of “The Theme.”

Holiday music and celebrations are supposed to be fun—and that is definitely true of Rasmussen’s An American Christmas. It will not replace Guaraldi’s A Charlie Brown Christmas or Ellington’s Nutcracker Suite, but it is easily one of the best Christmas musical specials of the season, recommended for everyone in the family. For jazz fans, it is also offer an opportunity to hear all the talented young musicians who make up the Boardwalk Jazz Band. Air dates and times vary by city, but here in New York, it airs on Christmas Eve (12/24) at 12:35am, which would be a tough time slot, but it follows Midnight Mass, so maybe it will catch people in the spirit.

Mr. Stink: No, He’s not French

For their first 3D special, the BBC chose to adapt David Walliams’ mildly gross children’s book.  They should have made it in Smell-O-Vision.  Perhaps more importantly, it stars Downton Abbey’s Hugh Bonneville, which is probably why PBS will also broadcast Declan Lowney’s Mr. Stink (promo here) this Sunday on most affiliates nationwide.

He is not called Mr. Stink for nothing.  The ill-tempered vagrant is not big on hygiene.  He does not think much of kids either, yet he somehow befriends twelve year old Chloe Crumb, a social outcast in the John Hughes tradition.  Shunned at school, Crumb also feels increasingly alienated from her mother Caroline, a neophyte candidate in an important by-election, who serves as a shrill caricature of all things not properly progressive.  Intrigued by his mysterious origins and duly impressed by his power to control huge plumes of stench, Chloe offers Mr. Stink temporary shelter in their back shed.

Of course, Cruella Crumb cannot discover Mr. Stink, which pretty much guarantees she will, at the most inopportune moment.  In fact, his discovery will have political repercussions reaching all the way to Downing Street.  Yes, Mr. Stink is another show that believes the world would be a better place if heads of state just took the advice of tramps sleeping in the park.  Granted, there are millions of people due to lose their health insurance who probably think we would be better off with any randomly selected derelict, but that’s a different matter entirely.

Frankly, the BBC’s Julia Donaldson animated specials (such as the Oscar shortlisted Room on the Broom) are a lot more fun than Stink.  Still, Bonneville (a.k.a. Lord Grantham) develops some pleasant screen chemistry with the reasonably down-to-earth and grounded Nell Tiger Free as Crumb.  Younger viewers will probably focus on Stink’s pooch, The Duchess, doggedly portrayed by the game Pudsey.  At least she is not of those annoying screen pets who constantly mug for the camera, so yes, you can say the dog gives a performance of mature restraint.  The same cannot be said for Sheridan Smith and the author, who shtick up the joint as Caroline Crumb and the PM, respectively.

To be fair, there are a handful of witty lines in Stink, but the major plots points are corny clichés.  Bonneville and Smith can easily be seen in superior projects (like Downton and The Scapegoat), whereas the promising Free surely has better vehicles in her future.  Neither recommended nor truly despised (mostly just kind of meh), Mr. Stink airs on most PBS outlets tomorrow night (12/22), but Bonneville fans should just hold out for season four of Downton premiering on PBS January 5^th.

Call the Midwife: An East End Christmas

The nuns and medical professionals of Nonnatus House are used to surprise pregnancies, so you could say Christmas has special significance for them.  Yet, they are still taken aback by the package left on their doorstep.  The hit PBS-BBC series Call the Midwife delivers a special holiday helping of faith and sentiment in the Christmas special edition, screening this Sunday, just in time for Boxing Day, on most PBS outlets nationwide (promo here).

There is indeed a foundling left for the nuns of the East End convent-clinic.  He was not immaculately conceived.  Rather, he was secretly delivered by the plain but hard working daughter of a parish lay leader.  The infant will be fine in the nuns’ care.  The young girl is another story.

Of course, there is plenty of other drama afoot for the multi-character ensemble.  Fan favorite Nurse Chummy Browne has her hands full planning the neighborhood Christmas pageant, featuring an angel who looks suspiciously green around the gills.  Meanwhile, rookie-nurse Jenny Lee, the protagonist-narrator, is stuck paying house-calls on Mrs. Jenkins, an anti-social derelict with a bad case of the “work-house howl.”  In fact, this is the strongest subplot, giving the special an appropriately Dickensian vibe.  As usual, there will also be plenty of bike riding.

Midwife is sort of like Hallmark television for PBS viewers.  It depicts Christian virtues like faith and charity put into everyday practice in depressed 1950’s London, while promoting the welfare state expansion then underway.  The heavy-handed in-retrospect narration, courtesy of Vanessa Redgrave, is always a mistake, for multiple reasons.  However, the cast is convincingly earnest and committed.  Jessica Raine shows star quality as Lee and it is cool to see Brit TV and movie veteran Jenny Agutter light up the screen as the pious but pragmatic Sister Julienne.

Although it is no Chiller, the seventy-some minute Call the Midwife Christmas special represents safe and relatively pleasant family holiday viewing.  For dedicated series viewers, it is more of the same, except more so, given the Christmas setting.  Recommended accordingly, it airs this Sunday (12/30) on most PBS stations.