Best Holiday Episode of a TV Series

Holiday memories implant deep. You probably still remember your favorite holiday present from your childhood, or hold on to a favored ornament or sweater for decades at a time. And some of our favorite TV shows have wisely clued into that, creating memorable holiday episodes that imprinted on viewers in a big way, and which audiences still return to year after year, even long after that show has left the air. There have been iconic holiday episodes of “The West Wing,” “Seinfeld,” “Saved By the Bell,” “The Office,” “30 Rock,” “Big Mouth,” “South Park,” “Downton Abbey,” “WKRP in Cincinnati,” “Beverly Hills, 90210,” “Will & Grace,” “Master of None,” “The Simpsons,” “Friends,” “Bob’s Burgers,” and many other shows. So for our 2022 Holiday Special, the Great Pop Culture Debate wanted to determine: What IS the Best Holiday-Themed Episode of a TV Series?

Join host Eric Rezsnyak and panelists Amy Pilott, Curtis Creekmore, and Michael Schwarz as they debate the most memorable Christmas-, Hanukkah-, and Thanksgiving-themed episodes from TV series past and present.

Want to play along at home? Click here for the listener bracket. Make a copy for yourself, fill it out, and see if your picks match up with ours.

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Round 1 Match-Ups:

Match-Up 1: "Downton Abbey: Christmas in Downton Abbey" vs. "The Office: A Benihana Christmas"

Match-Up 2: "Bob's Burgers: Turkey in a Can" vs. "Friends: The One With the Holiday Armadillo"

Match-Up 3: "Black Mirror: White Christmas" vs. "The West Wing: Shibboleth"

Match-Up 4: "South Park: Mr. Hankey the Christmas Poo" vs. "WKRP in Cincinnati: Turkeys Away"

Match-Up 5: "Seinfeld: The Strike" vs. "Beverly Hills, 90210: It's a Totally Happening Life"

Match-Up 6: "Big Mouth: A Very Big Mouth Christmas" vs. "Saved by the Bell: Home for Christmas"

Match-Up 7: "Master of None: Thanksgiving" vs. "The Simpsons: Miracle on Evergreen Terrace"

Match-Up 8: "Will & Grace: Queens for a Day" vs. "30 Rock: Ludachristmas"

Have a say in future episodes!

Finally, if you want to have a say in what episodes we tackle next, vote in our Topic Polls! And we would love to have you pick your faves in the polls currently open for your votes!

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EPISODE CREDITS

Host: Eric Rezsnyak

Panel: Amy Pilott, Curtis Creekmore, Michael Schwarz

Producer: Mike Rapin

Editor: Jack Kwait-Blank

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