Fun
Frisky
Nostalgic
Intense
Adventurous
Choked Up
Curious
Romantic
Weird
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 22
Community, “Abed’s Uncontrollable Christmas”
Season 2, Episode 11
Original Airdate: December 9, 2010
Written By: Dino Stamatopoulos and Dan Harmon
Directed By: Duke Johnson
This cult favorite sitcom pushed its appreciation for genre to a whole new level with this claymation-style Christmas special. Troy and Abed go full Rankin/Bass in this joyous ode to one of the most emotionally demanding times of the year.
Christmas Trope Count: 7 (All About Christmas, Someone’s A Grinch, Religion!, Holy Crap This Cast Member Can Sing, Christmas Card, Gingerbread House, Carols)
There may only be seven tropes in this episode, but I cannot overstate just how thoroughly Christmas-y this ambitious special is. From the hilarious original songs to the nostalgic character designs and Abed’s complex Christmas character arc, this “Uncontrollable Christmas” needs to be let loose on your TV every year.
Christmas Carol Count: 4 (“Deck The Halls,” “Silent Night,” “We Wish You A Merry Christmas,” Original Song)
A Second Helping: “Regional Holiday Music” (Season 3, Episode 10)
Day 1: Full House, “A Very Tanner Christmas”
Day 2: How I Met Your Mother, “How Lily Stole Christmas”
Day 3: The Golden Girls, “‘Twas the Nightmare Before Christmas”
Day 4: Black-ish, “Black Santa/White Christmas”
Day 5: Step By Step, “Christmas Story”
Day 6: Home Improvement, “Yule Better Watch Out”
Day 7: Fresh Off the Boat, “The Real Santa”
Day 8: Cheers, “Christmas Cheers”
Day 9: Family Matters, “Have Yourself A Merry Winslow Christmas”
Day 10: The Odd Couple, “Scrooge Gets An Oscar”
Day 11: The Office, “Christmas Party”
Day 12: Friends, “The One with the Holiday Armadillo”
Day 13: Brooklyn Nine-Nine, “Captain Latvia”
Day 14: 3rd Rock from the Sun, “Jolly Old St. Dick”
Day 15: Will & Grace, “All About Christmas Eve”
Day 16: The Bob Newhart Show, “I’m Dreaming of a Slight Christmas”
Day 17: That Girl, “Christmas and the Hard-Luck Kid”
Day 18: 30 Rock, “Christmas Special”
Day 19: Roseanne, “No Place Like Home For The Holidays”
Day 20: Frasier, “Frasier Grinch”
Day 21: Bob’s Burgers, “Bob Rest Ye Merry Gentle-Mannequins”
