Okay, I just finished watching Rudolph and Frosty`s Christmas in July, a 90-minute spinoff/crossover of Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer and Frosty the Snowman that should never have been made in 1979...if ever. (To prlong the agony, ABC Family puts in enough ads to stretch it to 2 hours.) The plot is more like a handful of micro-plots knotted together into one insipid, slow mess with characters from almost all of the Rankin/Bass Christmas special as well as the most well-known songs thrown in for no good reason. So, I was wondering, what do you think is the worst Christmas special you`ve ever seen on television?

Any Hallmark Christmas movie.

Hmm, this is a toughie since I haven't really been watching Christmas specials for a few years now. I have to laugh with Becky's answer since this summer they shot one of those Hallmark Christmas movies here in town. Was so weird to see fake snow and actors in parkas in our little downtown in the middle of a heat wave!

Yup, nothing says Christmas like heat stroke, Chris! LOL This isn't a Christmas special, but I think the worst song out there is "The Christmas Shoes." If I remember right, now that I think of it, I think they did make this into a Christmas special movie, but, yeah, I didn't watch it.

RIgirl- I'm with you- I hate that "Christmas Shoes" song... hmmm... I can't think of any bad Christmas specials at the moment...but some of those old 80s knockoff specials come to mind. You know, the ones that tried to take advantage of whatever toy was popular at the moment? Maybe there was a "He-man meets the Smurfs meets My Little Pony meets the Ninja Turtles and Mr.T's Christmas" out there somewhere... ...and wasn't there one done by the California Raisins? *shiver*

This is only a part of it...but here's the "California Raisins" one...something about that claymation creeps me out... CA Raisins special

Ugh

My vote goes to The Star Wars Holiday Special. The only way I can actually sit through that is if I watch the Rifftrax version (with the guys from Mystery Science Theater riffing on it).

Hi all,

Originally posted by msannomalley My vote goes to The Star Wars Holiday Special. The only way I can actually sit through that is if I watch the Rifftrax version (with the guys from Mystery Science Theater riffing on it).

That was going to be my first answer too. I remember eagerly awaiting that Star Wars special when it was announced... and how completely disappointed I was when it was over. It was not a nice thing to do to kids. For years, the only things I remembered about it were the animated sequence and the scene where Stormtroopers broke in to Chewbacca's house and destroyed his kid's toys. Then I saw it many years later and got to experience the full horror again. But more recently I'll vote for the made-for-TV Christmas Vacation 2 special. Crude, boring and horrendously unfunny. I can't even think of any good snark to throw its way. Avoid at all costs. The Other Jason www.battleoftheplanets.info

Originally posted by The Other Jason Hi all,

Originally posted by msannomalley My vote goes to The Star Wars Holiday Special. The only way I can actually sit through that is if I watch the Rifftrax version (with the guys from Mystery Science Theater riffing on it).

That was going to be my first answer too. I remember eagerly awaiting that Star Wars special when it was announced... and how completely disappointed I was when it was over. It was not a nice thing to do to kids.

To me, listing The Star Wars Holiday Special is like putting the Bible on most bestseller lists -- the book`s been at the #1 position for so long that it`s not even considered for inclusion, so other writers can feel like they have a chance. Having said that, one memory I had as a kid seeing that holiday turkey was wondering why in the heck Maude was wearing fake arms while bartending at a cheap knock-off of my neighbor`s cheap basement bar.

Anyone have a line on finding that special? Hubby says he hasn't seen the whole thing since he was a child and apparently wants to (he's a masochist!)

Hi CW,

Originally posted by ChrisW Anyone have a line on finding that special? Hubby says he hasn't seen the whole thing since he was a child and apparently wants to (he's a masochist!)

Like just about everything else, it's on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z4CtXcjib4o You haven't really known the holidays until you've heard Princess Leia sing about Life Day. Enjoy. The Other Jason www.battleoftheplanets.info

Here's the Rifftrax version. There's a clip on the website, too. http://www.rifftrax.com/the-star-wars-holiday-special I think I'd blocked most of my original viewing of this out. I remember being supremely cheesed off (as much as an 8 year old kid can be supremely cheesed off) that it was 2 hours of people I didn't care about and not much of the characters from the movie. When I finally saw it after all those years, I was reminded why I blocked out the memory. That said, watching the Rifftrax version of this has become a Christmas tradition in my house.

Wow....just wow... I've heard of the Star Wars Christmas special...but I've never seen it before! Just that one little clip and I am already wanting to claw my eyes out! ROFL!

Originally posted by Springie Wow....just wow... I've heard of the Star Wars Christmas special...but I've never seen it before! Just that one little clip and I am already wanting to claw my eyes out! ROFL!

And that's not even the worst parts of it!

Speaking of holiday specials, I saw this article on my Facebook feed. 12 Most 80s Christmas Specials You Forgot Existed I remember some of these, like Garfield, Pee-Wee Herman and the California Raisins. The rest not so much. Probably because I didn't watch them when they aired.

Hi!

Originally posted by msannomalley Speaking of holiday specials, I saw this article on my Facebook feed. 12 Most 80s Christmas Specials You Forgot Existed I remember some of these, like Garfield, Pee-Wee Herman and the California Raisins. The rest not so much. Probably because I didn't watch them when they aired.

I remember too many of them, I watched a lot of TV. The worst on that list has to be the Alf's Special Christmas. I used to love Alf, but they forgot the funny in that one. I guess it was meant to be uplifting though that had to have been the most depressing Christmas special I've seen. Then again, I liked Emmet Otter's Jug-Band Christmas, which was also kind of a downer for a while. So go figure. El Otro Jason www.battleoftheplanets.info

This is why I was confounded as a kid that they never had a BOTP Christmas special.

Originally posted by Transmute Jun This is why I was confounded as a kid that they never had a BOTP Christmas special.

Hmm...the thought of Zark going around with mistletoe on his antennae, wishing Santa would bring Susan to Center Neptune, only to learn that the evil forces of Spectra had kidnapped Santa and all his elves because one of the Luminous One`s bulbs had gone out....

Originally posted by ElectricWhite

Originally posted by Transmute Jun This is why I was confounded as a kid that they never had a BOTP Christmas special.

Hmm...the thought of Zark going around with mistletoe on his antennae, wishing Santa would bring Susan to Center Neptune, only to learn that the evil forces of Spectra had kidnapped Santa and all his elves because one of the Luminous One`s bulbs had gone out....

Oh, better than that! If I may indulge in a little self-promotion... http://gatchfanfic.com/viewstory.php?sid=1225&chapter=1

Originally posted by ElectricWhite Hmm...the thought of Zark going around with mistletoe on his antennae, wishing Santa would bring Susan to Center Neptune, only to learn that the evil forces of Spectra had kidnapped Santa and all his elves because one of the Luminous One`s bulbs had gone out....

I'd read that.

Originally posted by Transmute Jun

Originally posted by ElectricWhite

Originally posted by Transmute Jun This is why I was confounded as a kid that they never had a BOTP Christmas special.

Hmm...the thought of Zark going around with mistletoe on his antennae, wishing Santa would bring Susan to Center Neptune, only to learn that the evil forces of Spectra had kidnapped Santa and all his elves because one of the Luminous One`s bulbs had gone out....

Oh, better than that! If I may indulge in a little self-promotion... http://gatchfanfic.com/viewstory.php?sid=1225&chapter=1

I read that. Unfortunately, your special would have been too good to air!

Originally posted by ElectricWhite I read that. Unfortunately, your special would have been too good to air!

I find that hard to believe. Did you see the quality of my Ready Room art? But that fic was written because of my desire from childhood to see a BOTP Christmas special.

I Love that fic, TJ! Need to read it again soon! Speaking of the Star Wars special..."Funny or Die" did a spoof for the new Star Wars... The Hypothetical Star Wars Special

Sorry...I know I keep mentioning Star Wars stuff...but this one is really great! Jimmy Fallon and the Roots Star Wars