Twitter

Where to Stream:

3rd Rock from the Sun

The Christmas season is here and that means one major thing for TV devotees: re-watching all of your favorite festive sitcom episodes! In celebration of the season and the tradition of TV comedies getting all holly jolly for one episode a year, Decider presents our very first Sitcom Advent Calendar. Every day leading up to Christmas, Decider’s resident sitcom elf Brett White will share one holiday-themed sitcom episode for you to stream to make your days merry and bright.

Decider’s Sitcom Advent Calendar Day 14

3rd Rock From The Sun, “Jolly Old St. Dick”

Season 2, Episode 12
Original Airdate: December 15, 1996
Written By: Bill Martin and Mike Schiff
Directed By: Robert Berlinger

Imagine how crazy Christmas would be if you were hearing about it for the first time right now. What is an elf, and why are people cool with a giant man stomping through their homes, and who puts junk-covered trees indoors? That’s exactly the headspace the Solomon family (secretly an away team of disguised aliens) are in in this festive 3rd Rock From the Sun installment. And believe me, Christmas ain’t too kind to them!

Christmas Trope Count: 15 (All About Christmas, Decorating Indoors, Perfect Gifts, Tree Disaster, Carolers/Choir, Terrible Gift, Christmas Party, Mistletoe Joke, Santa Believer, Last Minute Shopping, Cops & Crime, Someone’s A Grinch, Decorating Outdoors, Secret Santa, Carols)

This is the most tropes you’re going to see in any Christmas episode on this list, and possibly in all of TV history. As 3rd Rock’s lone entry into Christmas’ TV canon, it covers all the bases. Harry has a harrowing experience as a mall elf, Sally gets a job at a mall and gets in customers’ faces, Tommy stresses out about finding the perfect gift for his girlfriend, and Dick goes on a full Scrooge-ian journey.

Christmas Carol Count: 4 (“Deck the Halls,” “Jingle Bells,” “Joy to the World,” “Silent Night,” “12 Days of Christmas,” “O Christmas Tree,” “Jingle Bell Rock”)

A Second Helping: Sabrina the Teenage Witch, “Sabrina Claus” (Season 2, Episode 12)