Arthur’s Perfect Christmas is the most underrated holiday TV special
If Arthur’s Perfect Christmas weren’t interrogating every notion of the holiday enough, the characters candidly discuss the fact that Jesus wasn’t born on Dec. 25.
“The holiday’s in December probably because that’s when the Romans celebrated the Winter Solstice,” says Brain, when Arthur laments about how Christmas isn’t Christmas without the snow.
Arthur, meanwhile, anchors the special for anyone worried about tradition. While Francine combats casual discrimination and Muffy encounters world views that don’t match her own and Buster and his mom navigating the single-parent lifestyle, Arthur’s whole schtick seems to be his own incompetence at finding (and not breaking) a gift for his mother.
But Arthur’s quest is broader. He wants the perfect Christmas, but everything is going absolutely wrong. Arthur’s father is swapping out a traditional Christmas dinner for something more kooky. He’s had to resort to some low-budget gifts for his family. His wacky Uncle Fred is trapped with them when his car breaks down. And it isn’t snowing.
It’s a holiday special, though, so things work out — not necessarily in the ways that the Read family wants, but in the ways they probably need.
Arthur’s Perfect Christmas is a gem of a holiday episode. Sure, there’s some cheesy songs and stilted animation, but there’s heart and soul within that makes it a worthy addition to the holiday episode pantheon.
Arthur’s Perfect Christmas is available to stream on Amazon Prime.
GameUP24 