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WeirdTop Christmas TV Shows on Netflix, Ranked by Rotten Tomatoes Scores
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Happy Christmas to all, and to all, this collection of Christmas TV specials that are currently available to stream on Netflix. We picked out the cream of the crop, based on the Rotten Tomatoes scores of the specials themselves (or, when that wasn't available, the RT scores of the shows themselves).
Photos: Everett Collection, Getty Images ; Illustration: Dillen Phelps
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Cheers "Christmas Cheers"
Season 6, Episode 12
Aired December 17, 1987
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 100%
With the Cheers staff all working on Christmas Eve, and the patrons in an especially glum mood, a chance encounter with a stranded motorist named Kris Kringle ends up bringing a bit of that holiday-special magic to the Boston bar.
[Watch Cheers "Christmas Cheers" on Netflix]
Season 6, Episode 12
Aired December 17, 1987
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 100%
With the Cheers staff all working on Christmas Eve, and the patrons in an especially glum mood, a chance encounter with a stranded motorist named Kris Kringle ends up bringing a bit of that holiday-special magic to the Boston bar.
[Watch Cheers "Christmas Cheers" on Netflix]
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The Great British Baking Show Holidays
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 98%
Four beloved Great British Bakers -- Beca, Paul, Selasi, and Val -- return to the tent for a Christmas competition that includes a mince-pie technical and some snow globes made out of sugar.
[Watch The Great British Baking Show Holidays on Netflix]
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 98%
Four beloved Great British Bakers -- Beca, Paul, Selasi, and Val -- return to the tent for a Christmas competition that includes a mince-pie technical and some snow globes made out of sugar.
[Watch The Great British Baking Show Holidays on Netflix]
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Crazy Ex-Girlfriend "My Mom, Greg's Mom and Josh's Sweet Dance Moves!"
Season 1, Episode 8
Aired November 30, 2015
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 98%
Rebecca (Rachel Bloom) has to put up with a visit from her eternally disapproving mother (Tovah Feldshuh) this holiday season, but it's the conspicuously sunny "California Christmastime" production number that really puts CXG's stamp on the holidays.
[Watch Crazy Ex-Girlfriend "My Mom, Greg's Mom and Josh's Sweet Dance Moves!" on Netflix]
Season 1, Episode 8
Aired November 30, 2015
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 98%
Rebecca (Rachel Bloom) has to put up with a visit from her eternally disapproving mother (Tovah Feldshuh) this holiday season, but it's the conspicuously sunny "California Christmastime" production number that really puts CXG's stamp on the holidays.
[Watch Crazy Ex-Girlfriend "My Mom, Greg's Mom and Josh's Sweet Dance Moves!" on Netflix]
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Mad Men "Christmas Comes But Once a Year"
Season 4, Episode 2
Aired August 1, 2010
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 94%
The return of the odious Lucky Strike executive Lee Garner Jr., not to mention crises of their own making in Don and Peggy's personal lives make "Christmas Comes But Once a Year" a more typical Mad Men-styled Christmas than most, but the office Christmas party, complete with Joan leading the conga line, is pure pleasure.
[Watch Mad Men "Christmas Comes But Once a Year" on Netflix]
Season 4, Episode 2
Aired August 1, 2010
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 94%
The return of the odious Lucky Strike executive Lee Garner Jr., not to mention crises of their own making in Don and Peggy's personal lives make "Christmas Comes But Once a Year" a more typical Mad Men-styled Christmas than most, but the office Christmas party, complete with Joan leading the conga line, is pure pleasure.
[Watch Mad Men "Christmas Comes But Once a Year" on Netflix]
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Frasier "Frasier Grinch"
Season 3, Episode 9
Aired December 19, 1995
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 94%
A Christmas Eve visit from Frasier's son Frederick is cause for celebration, but when the mail delivery brings the wrong presents, Frasier and Niles have to scramble to get new gifts. Classic Frasier farce for the holidays.
[Watch Frasier "Frasier Grinch" on Netflix]
Season 3, Episode 9
Aired December 19, 1995
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 94%
A Christmas Eve visit from Frasier's son Frederick is cause for celebration, but when the mail delivery brings the wrong presents, Frasier and Niles have to scramble to get new gifts. Classic Frasier farce for the holidays.
[Watch Frasier "Frasier Grinch" on Netflix]
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BoJack Horseman Christmas Special
Aired December 19, 2014
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 92
BoJack and Todd watch an old episode of "Horsin' Around" titled" Sabrina's Christmas Wish." This leads to further watching of all the "Horsin' Around" Christmas specials, which means that, yes, Netflix made a Christmas special about binge-watching.
[Watch BoJack Horseman Christmas Special on Netflix]
Aired December 19, 2014
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 92
BoJack and Todd watch an old episode of "Horsin' Around" titled" Sabrina's Christmas Wish." This leads to further watching of all the "Horsin' Around" Christmas specials, which means that, yes, Netflix made a Christmas special about binge-watching.
[Watch BoJack Horseman Christmas Special on Netflix]
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Parks and Recreation "Christmas Scandal"
Season 2, Episode 12
Aired December 10, 2009
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 92%
Leslie has to endure a sex scandal for the holidays and also spends a lot of time with her boyfriend played by Louis CK, so let's ignore all of that and focus on the subplot where Andy helps April shop for a Christmas gift for her gay boyfriend, one of the early but crucial first steps towards Andy and April as a couple.
[Watch Parks and Recreation "Christmas Scandal" on Netflix]
Season 2, Episode 12
Aired December 10, 2009
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 92%
Leslie has to endure a sex scandal for the holidays and also spends a lot of time with her boyfriend played by Louis CK, so let's ignore all of that and focus on the subplot where Andy helps April shop for a Christmas gift for her gay boyfriend, one of the early but crucial first steps towards Andy and April as a couple.
[Watch Parks and Recreation "Christmas Scandal" on Netflix]
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The Office "Christmas Party"
Season 2, Episode 10
Aired December 6, 2005
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 89%
Michael orders that the office Secret Santa gift exchange must be played as a yankee swap instead, which throws everything into chaos, and which puts Jim's carefully curated teapot full of quasi-romantic inside jokes intended for Pam (because he GETS HER) in jeopardy of ending up with someone else.
[Watch The Office "Christmas Party" on Netflix]
Season 2, Episode 10
Aired December 6, 2005
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 89%
Michael orders that the office Secret Santa gift exchange must be played as a yankee swap instead, which throws everything into chaos, and which puts Jim's carefully curated teapot full of quasi-romantic inside jokes intended for Pam (because he GETS HER) in jeopardy of ending up with someone else.
[Watch The Office "Christmas Party" on Netflix]
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Supernatural "A Very Supernatural Christmas"
Season 3, Episode 8
Aired December 13, 2007
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 88%
Sam and Dean Winchester celebrate Christmas by dispatching a demon dressed as Santa Claus. We also get some sweet flashbacks to their childhood, where Dean telling Sam that their father is really a demon hunter is a nice mirror to normal kids learning that Santa isn't real.
[Watch Supernatural "A Very Supernatural Christmas" on Netflix]
Season 3, Episode 8
Aired December 13, 2007
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 88%
Sam and Dean Winchester celebrate Christmas by dispatching a demon dressed as Santa Claus. We also get some sweet flashbacks to their childhood, where Dean telling Sam that their father is really a demon hunter is a nice mirror to normal kids learning that Santa isn't real.
[Watch Supernatural "A Very Supernatural Christmas" on Netflix]
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The West Wing "In Excelsis Deo"
Season 1, Episode 10
Aired December 15, 1999
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 81%
Toby (Richard Schiff) is contacted by the Capitol Police when a homeless man turns up dead wearing a coat Toby had donated to Goodwill that had his business card in the pocket. Toby's quest to get the man -- a veteran -- a military funeral gets noticed by Mrs. Landingham (Kathryn Joosten), who earlier told Charlie the story of her two sons who died in Vietnam, together, on Christmas.
[Watch The West Wing "In Excelsis Deo" on Netflix]
Season 1, Episode 10
Aired December 15, 1999
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 81%
Toby (Richard Schiff) is contacted by the Capitol Police when a homeless man turns up dead wearing a coat Toby had donated to Goodwill that had his business card in the pocket. Toby's quest to get the man -- a veteran -- a military funeral gets noticed by Mrs. Landingham (Kathryn Joosten), who earlier told Charlie the story of her two sons who died in Vietnam, together, on Christmas.
[Watch The West Wing "In Excelsis Deo" on Netflix]
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Pee-wee's Playhouse Christmas Special
Season 3 Episode 1
Aired December 21, 1988
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 80%
The special guest stars were lining up for Pee-wee's very special Christmas, including Joan Rivers, Grace Jones, Cher, Oprah, Whoopi Goldberg, Little Richard, and Charo.
[Watch Pee-wee's Playhouse Christmas Special on Netflix]
Season 3 Episode 1
Aired December 21, 1988
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 80%
The special guest stars were lining up for Pee-wee's very special Christmas, including Joan Rivers, Grace Jones, Cher, Oprah, Whoopi Goldberg, Little Richard, and Charo.
[Watch Pee-wee's Playhouse Christmas Special on Netflix]
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Glee "A Very Glee Christmas"
Season 2, Episode 10
Aired December 7, 2010
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 80%
When Artie (Kevin McHale) learns that Brittany (Heather Morris) still believes in Santa Claus, he rallies the glee kids to help keep the fantasy alive for her, even when her wish to Santa is to make Artie be able to walk again.
[Watch Glee "A Very Glee Christmas" on Netflix]
Season 2, Episode 10
Aired December 7, 2010
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 80%
When Artie (Kevin McHale) learns that Brittany (Heather Morris) still believes in Santa Claus, he rallies the glee kids to help keep the fantasy alive for her, even when her wish to Santa is to make Artie be able to walk again.
[Watch Glee "A Very Glee Christmas" on Netflix]
