Christmas specialsare normally a time for TV shows to spread some holiday cheer, although some festive episodes have leaned into the darkest sides of the season. Whilebeloved classics likeA Charlie Brown Christmashave become annual viewing for families around the world, other viewers would much rather watch a Christmas special that doesn’t shy away from the challenges of the holidays. While it can sometimes be jarring to watch a particularly dark Christmas special, it’s also important that TV shows don’t lose their individuality just because Christmas is considered a time of joy and togetherness.
Many of thegreatest Christmas specials of all timeaddress dark subject matters and aren’t afraid to tackle terrifying themes or produce stories of sad sentimentality. While hopeful holiday specials have their merit, there’s something enjoyable about a Christmas special that pushes back against the conventions of the genre and tries to stand in opposition to the typical festive formula. Whileall these Christmas specials were surprisingly dark, that’s no reason they shouldn’t go down in history as some of the best Christmas episodes television has to offer.
10"The Doctor, The Widow And The Wardrobe"
Season 2, Episode 8: Doctor Who (1963 - Present)
The iconic BBC sci-fi seriesDoctor Whohas had plenty of Christmas specialsthroughout its long and illustrious history. While special episodes were not a mainstay of the original series, after the show was revived in 2005, they became a regular occurrence around Christmas and New Year asDoctor Who-loving families would gather together to watch this annual occurrence. WhileDoctor Who’sChristmas specials were often lighthearted affairs, they occasionally leaned into more dark subject matters, such as in “The Doctor, the Widow and the Wardrobe.”
This Christmas special saw the Doctor crash landing on Earth in 1938and introduced Madge Arwell, who helped take the Eleventh Doctor back to his TARDIS. As the years passed, Madge’s husband went missing in the Second World War, and the episode dealt with themes of loss, grief, and sacrifice. While there were some lighthearted moments and sentimental Christmas scenes, “The Doctor, the Widow and the Wardrobe” showcased the bittersweet circumstances many face at Christmas and the sad realities that stop families from being reunited over the holidays.
Doctor Who
Cast
Doctor Who: Doctor Who is a British sci-fi television series debuting in 1963, following The Doctor, a time-traveling alien Time Lord. The Doctor explores the universe in the TARDIS, accompanied by companions, confronting various adversaries and striving to save civilizations while addressing injustices.
9“Abed’s Uncontrollable Christmas”
Season 2, Episode 11: Community (2009 - 2014)
Communitywas a sitcom that was never afraid to tackle all types of genres, and it was thrilling to watch its creative spin on the tropes of a Christmas special. “Abed’s Uncontrollable Christmas” brought to mind beloved specials of the past as it utilized astop-motion animation style similar to classics like the 1964 TV specialRudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer. However, rather than acting as a fun change of pace for this live-action series, the stop-motion style was written into the episode’s premise as a psychological delusion that Abed underwent after learning his mother was not visiting for Christmas.
This unique blend of holiday cheer and mental health emergency made theCommunity’sChristmas special a dark homage to beloved stop-motion specials while also highlighting themes around the loneliness of Christmas. This thematically rich concept leaned into theCommunity’sfocus on found families, as the study group all gathered together to help Abed in his time of need. As a clever way of parodying the ridiculousness of the overly sentimental Christmas specials,Communitymanaged to maintain its signature style while delivering its own heartwarming festive episode.
Community
Community is a comedic television series that chronicles the lives of diverse students at Greendale Community College, a fictional and notoriously underperforming educational institution in Colorado. Released in 2009, the show explores the quirky interactions and relationships among the eclectic group navigating their academic and personal challenges.
8“Xmas Story”
Season 2, Episode 4: Futurama (1999 - Present)
The sci-fi animated seriesFuturamaused its futuristic setting of the 30th century to satirize contemporary culture, and Christmas was not immune to this. The season 2 Christmas special ofFuturamashowcased Fry’s feeling nostalgic for the Christmases of his past and learning the new traditions of Xmas, which had lost Christian association years before. The job of Santa Claus has also been automated in the world ofFuturama,as a robotic St. Nick was developed by the Friendly Robot Company to distribute toys around the globe.
However, in a dark twist, the robot Santa turned into a mad murderer as his internal programming was too strict, and he plotted to kill everyone he deemed was on the naughty list. With plenty of references to famous Christmas specials of the past, like the ice-skating children ofA Charlie Brown Christmas, “Xmas Story” mixed festive fun with violent excess. Asthe first Christmas that Fry spent in the future, “Xmas Story” was anything but calm.
Futurama
Futurama is an animated science fiction series that follows Philip J. Fry, a pizza delivery boy from late-20th-century New York City. He is accidentally cryogenically frozen for a thousand years and becomes an employee at Planet Express, a delivery service in the retro-futuristic 31st century.
7“Sabrina’s Christmas Wish”
2014 Christmas Special: BoJack Horseman (2014 - 2020)
The depressed, drug-addicted, former star BoJack Horseman does not feel like the best candidate to lead an upbeat sitcom Christmas special. That’s whyBoJack Horsemanmade the clever decision to have an episode-within-an-episode for their holiday special in 2014, which saw BoJack and Todd rewatchingan old Christmas special from BoJack’s highly popular 1990s sitcomHorsin’ Around. This was called “Sabrina Christmas Wish,” and using this clever, self-referential concept, it could comment on the ridiculousness of Christmas TV episodes while also paying homage to them.
BoJack himself summed up the hypocrisies of Christmas specials when he called them “cynical cash grabs by greedy corporations” pushing “sentimental clap-trap for mush brain idiots who’d rather spend their Christmas watching a fake family on TV than actually trying to have a conversation with their own dumb families.” However, thisHorsin’ Aroundepisode ended up being quite sentimental as the young adoptee Sabrina (Sarah Lynne) had never had a Christmas before and heartbreakingly asked Santa to bring her parents back. With equal parts humor and heart, “Sabrina’s Christmas Special” was one ofBoJack Horseman’sbest episodes.
BoJack Horseman
Once the famous star of a hit sitcom, BoJack Horseman has fallen on tough times. Stuck in a major career slump and longing to relive his glory days, BoJack attempts to once more become relevant in an industry that has long since turned its back on him. With a few dysfunctional friends at his side, BoJack begins his long-overdue career comeback.
6"A Very Sunny Christmas"
Season 6, Episodes 13 & 14: It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia (2005 - Present)
It’s hard to imagine a worse bunch of people to spend Christmas with than the gang fromIt’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia. This was certainly the case with their festive special “A Very Sunny Christmas,” which showcased the dark side of the holidays at Paddy’s Pub. From Dennis and Dee reliving the horrors of their childhood as Frank gifted them with empty boxes covered in wrapping paper to Mac learning he used to steal from his neighbor’s houses on Christmas morning, there were plenty of dark revelations in “A Very Sunny Christmas.”
However, the darkest aspect ofAlways Sunny’sholiday special wasCharlie learning the truth about how his mother paid for Christmas, as a litany of ‘Santas’ would visit his mom in the bedroom and gift a young Charlie his present. WithA Christmas Carol-esque scheme from Frank that eventually brought the gang closer together,Always Sunnydid the holidays the only way they knew how, by being absolutely chaotic and unwrapping more childhood trauma than anyone should have to deal with during the festive season.
It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia
It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia is a television series that premiered in 2005, chronicling the chaotic lives of four self-involved friends running an Irish pub in Philadelphia. Their misguided decisions and skewed perspectives often result in amusing and uncomfortable situations, complicating their professional and personal relationships.
5“White Christmas”
2014 Christmas Special: Black Mirror (2011 - Present)
While most TV shows use their Christmas special as an opportunity to spread some holiday cheer, this was never going to be the case forBlack Mirror. This dark anthology series has consistently explored the sinister side of technology and left viewers emotionally devastated with its bleak and existential episode endings. “White Christmas” was no different, as it told three dark stories from Matt (Jon Hamm) and Joe (Rafe Spall) in a remote cabin on Christmas Day.
In typical Charlie Brooker fashion, the script for “White Christmas” wasone of the most intense and soul-destroying episodes in all ofBlack Mirror. From characters being “blocked” in real life as they become totally ostracized from society to male sexual predators peeping on women being seduced, the entirety of the Christmas special made for difficult viewing. However, the most anxiety-inducing aspect of “White Christmas” was its shocking conclusion, which revealed Joe was destined to experience time at 1,000 years per minute in an unimaginably cruel punishment for his crimes.
Black Mirror
Black Mirror is a dystopian anthology series that explores the unsettling and profound impact of modern technology on society. Premiering in 2011, it examines various scenarios where technological advancements intersect with human nature, creating thought-provoking narratives about contemporary and future issues.
4“Marge Be Not Proud”
Season 7, Episode 11: The Simpsons (1989 - Present)
The Simpsonshave had plenty of great Christmas episodes, with the pilot “Simpsons Roasting on an Open Fire" even being set during the holidays. However, one episode that took a much darker turn was “Marge Be Not Proud” from season 7, which featured Bart stealing a video game from a local store and the shock and devastation of Marge discovering it. While Christmas was usually a joyous time, a dark shadow loomed over it this year asBart struggled to reconcile with his heartbroken mother.
This episode showcased what the early seasons ofThe Simpsonsdid so well, as it blended humor with heart and featured a highly sentimental story about the nature of trust, understanding, and poor decision-making. As Bart tried to make amends with Marge, he was once again accused of shoplifting, only for Marge to discover his gift to her was a framed photo of himself, paid for in full. This kind gesture saw the pair reconcile as Marge gifted Bart the lackluster video gameLee Carvallo’s Putting Challenge, much to his disappointment.
The Simpsons
The Simpsons is an animated series set in the fictional town of Springfield, following the daily lives of the Simpson family—Homer, Marge, Bart, Lisa, and Maggie. Premiering in 1989, the show is renowned for its satirical commentary on politics, media, and American culture, featuring numerous celebrity guest appearances.
3“The Night Of The Meek”
Season 2, Episode 11: The Twilight Zone (1959 - 1964)
The Twilight Zone’sChristmas episodesalways put a dark spin on the holidays as they maintained the show’s unique take on existentialism, philosophy, and social commentary. The best of all of these was “The Night of the Meek,” which followed a drunken department store Santa Claus named Henry Corvin. As a down-and-out man with little to live for, Henry got a chance to spread some Christmas cheer when he discovered the real Santa’s sack of magical toys.
While stories fromThe Twilight Zoneusually start merry and end bleak, this episode was the opposite way around as it contained an uplifting and happy message about the wonders of Christmas. This festive Christmas episode was a true classic from the original series and stood in stark contrast to the grim and downbeat conclusions of so many other non-Christmas-themed installments. “The Night of the Meek” was evenremade for the 1985 revival series ofThe Twilight Zone, although Rod Serling’s original monologue was changed.
2“It’s the Most Wonderful Time Of The Year”
Season 2, Episode 8: Six Feet Under (2001 - 2005)
Six Feet Underwas never the cheeriest of TV shows, as it often delved deep into the darkest sides of human psychology. As the story of the Fisher family, who run a funeral home in Los Angeles, almost every episode opened with death, and the Christmas episode “It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year” was no different. This episode begins with a seasonal Santa Claus working at a mall, only to be distracted by a group of kids as he drives his motorcycle and dies after colliding with a car.
This shocking opening set the tone for the episode “It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year,” as the Fisher family was forced to work on Christmas because the family of the shopping mall Santa paid extra to have the funeral on that day. Christmas also marked the first anniversary of the family’s patriarch, Nathaniel, who also died in a car accident over the holidays. With so many raw emotions and unspoken family trauma, thisSix Feet UnderChristmas episode was truly dark.
Six Feet Under
Created by Alan Ball, Six Feet Under is a Black Comedy and Drama series that stars Peter Krause, Frances Conroy, Rachel Griffiths, and Michael C. Hall. Running for five seasons between 2001 and 2005, the plot revolves around a dysfunctional family that owns and operates a funeral home.
1"Fishes"
Season 2, Episode 6: The Bear (2022 - Present)
No Christmas special has better represented the chaotic nature of dysfunctional families coming together during the holidays thanThe Bear. The second season episode, “Fishes,” wasset five years before Carmy opened The Bear restaurantand highlighted the discomfort and tension at the Berzatto household. With plenty of high-profile guests, including Jamie Lee Curtis, John Mulaney, and Bob Odenkirk, this outrageous episode gave a unique insight into the family dynamics that have informed much of the series and the psychological trauma that practically all the show’s characters carry.
“Fishes” was one of the very best episodes ofThe Bearfor the way it built towards its grand conclusions as characters cried, family members broke down, and dinner guests got extraordinarily drunk. As a truly exhausting TV viewing experience,The Bear’sChristmas specialconjured up memories of every bad Christmas dinner viewers had ever attended, as the tension of too much family together at the same time caused old wounds to open and the darkest sides of family life to be shown with a level of realism rarely seen on television.
