Interestingly, there are modern Christmas specials that networks air, they kind of either make it as traditions or just end up not going anywhere. The special I'm going to be talking about here is one that aired on NBC, but I found to see on AMC, the cable network, during their Christmas event programming.
How Murray Saved Christmas was written by Mike Reiss , who has written a lot of things but I think "The Simpsons" is the best example and will fit with the special we're talking about. He co-wrote with Al Jean a few many classic episodes of the series. Like "Moaning Lisa". It was directed by Peter Avanzino. The special went for the all star voice cast route with Jerry Stiller, who voices the main character, Sean Hayes, Kevin Michael Richardson, Jason Alexander, John Ratzenberger, Dennis Haysbert, and some classic animation voice actors like Tom Kenny, Maurice LaMarchie, Tress MacNeille, and Billy Best, and more!
This special first aired on December 5, 2014 on NBC. "How Murray Saved Christmas" is a musical special with the music done by Walter Murphy (whom you may know for the Disco version of 5th of Beethoven). Dennis Haysbert provides the narrartion for this which will done in rhyme (unlike this post). You might know him from the All State ads.
Spoilers ahead.
It takes place in a village called Stinky Cigars. The town has that name because it's apparently a way for them to make sure people just pass by and not come in. (A Keep Out Sign would be too much) The thing about this town is that its inhabitants are famous holiday characters. The first song is a Christmas classic.. uh wait.... it's the town anthem, there's even an Easter Rabbit rap line. (George Washington, Abe Lincoln, Christopher Columbus live in this town, so does that mean they ended up there when they died? Is everyone dead in this town?) While, it's not a new concept, I do like how it's done here with the town being a place where holiday characters live together, but the town mostly looks like a normal place.
Would move there/ Copyright Universal
The main character is Murray Weiner (pronounced Wine-er) who owns a diner. He's not as happy as rest of the town members and we don't why. (Besides Christmas special plot character development reasons) The character that will become our deuteragonist is Edison Elf, an elf who likes to invent things. (get it Edison?) He invented a boxing glove jack in the box. ( I wonder what will go wrong)
This will be the knock out toy/ Copyright Universal
There's an elf song where apparently Santa in this universe has the elves work all the time. There is one where really see "The Simpsons" edge to it, it keeps it in tune for a family audience but does have something adults would notice more than kids. Back to the boxing glove, that starts our plot of having Santa getting ka-bonked by it and not being able to function for Christmas. (A classic Christmas story plot) Nice touch in finding out by having a doctor sing the next song.
Well, Christmas is in danger. Edison feels bad since his invention is at fault. A bunch of townsfolk come around and the elf tells them that there won't be Christmas unless they work together. Edison gets a song and he does end up getting others to help- minus Murray. There are some questions of what's wrong with Murray. The work for the holidays starts to go badly, like fighting and the other holidays characters really not being into it, but still trying.
My Penny versus my Quarter or My $5 versus my $1 /Copyright Universal
Murray shows up to deliver food and Edison suggests that Murray should do it. Murray says no. Edison tries to convince him. Murray decides to do it. So yeah, this is a Santa can't Santa so someone else will have to do it to save Christmas story. This is not a bad thing.
Murray's trip starts off rocky, but it is funny and creative to see the different things that happen. He meets a kid where things seem to go not well, but there's a nice interaction and it it encourages Murray to want to continue to do Christmas Eve delivery.
Santa having a moustache instead of beard is a change / Copyright Universal
Santa wakes up and he seems to be back to normal and thinks his stuff was stolen and calls a police officer. (That won't come back later, will it?) Murray continues doing the Christmas thing going around the world. Santa worries about Christmas and his dedication is strong he makes up a second sleigh-meaning bike, a new outfit, goes to a convivence store to buy gifts. (Just what I wanted tic-tacs)
Edison finds out about Murray's past (spoilers) that Murray was a milk man , and August 12th was once Milk Man's day. There was even a parade. Murray was like the big milk man. but thanks to milk men being a dying thing he pushed away people and his love for the Statue of Liberty, who is apparently also alive. (Sure) Meanwhile, Murray sees we have like 10 more minutes in this and he was already done so, why not deliver to the "bad kids"?
It's not she was really bad, she probably didn't mean to kill grandpa / Copyright Universial
They reuse a joke, but shorter and Edison agrees. Murray even brings gifts to people who don't celebrate Christmas. Then the police officer shows up when these two end up back in town. Thankfully Edison's invention shows up again and helps them out of a jam. There's another song to wrap this up. Oh yeah, the real Santa has lost his sanity again so that other plotline really didn't do anything. We do get to see Statue of Liberty show up and there's happiness for Murray and he rides off with Edison and Liberty.
Liberty, Murray, and Edison, would watch a spinoff series/ Copyright Universal
There's an epilogue where Edison sells inventions on TV and Murray and Liberty work at the diner. That's it. Fun fact: August 12 really is Mikman day.
I'll guess I point out some negative first. The special is 42 minutes long meaning it was made for a 60 minute network slot (which I mean oh) and it does fell like it kind of needed to padded out. It is based off a children's book by the same writer of this special, and has the same name. It's a short children's book, like the Grinch so there was some padding, mostly the part where Santa's memory pops back and he does the shopping thing, it was not really even important enough where it drops out from existing. Same with the police officer being called to the point where that's easily handled with. They also probably used a song or two to fill it. That's really the only problem I've seen, it's kind of padded there.
Now the positive, it's like a Christmas tradition with a mixture of stories we've seen for Christmas. "Oh no! Santa is out of commission, we have to save Christmas!" There are different takes to this story. There's "The Santa Clause" where Tim Allen's character kills Santa (oops) and he ends up becoming Santa. There's "'Twas the Night" were Santa is kabonked and a guy and his nephew end up delivering gifts. This special does that and it's not bad. It uses Murray, a character who has been drained from happiness in life to find a new spirit. It does it while not being too sappy. It's not a character who hates Christmas or something, it's a character who feels just unhappy because of the past and but he also was willing to help with the Christmas thing. He was even offered an out when things were going not to well, but see he started to value it thanks to seeing a kid get happy. I even liked the part where he wants to give more, and decides to give to "bad" kids and others. It also works since he was a milk man who was proud to deliver. That was a nice touch and something a little different for a Christmas special.
Edison is a good character too, where he just wants to be helpful and noted for his inventions, and he'll put the work in to do it. He works hard to get Christmas back on track after the accident and guides Murray well. Edison isn't a cutesy character, but isn't hype cynical either, and I like that. He's still good contrast to Murray but they bond well.
The world were everything happens is pretty fun too, they really went out for the holiday characters even making up some for random holidays. The special is pretty fun, the songs have their moments too, and it's nicely done. This one bring a nice feeling of a modern Christmas special classic, something that doesn't seem to happen too much. It has some funny moments, with a slight edge and it works well for a family viewing.
That's it for now, tune in next time when we have to save July 29th from angry beavers.
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