New Girl Thanksgiving episodes
Nozizwe Msipa
Let’s face it, New Girl is a wacky show. It follows quirky characters who are just charismatic enough to carry the show. Together they make choices that would never play out to such a degree of hilarity in real life, which is why their loyal audience loves them so much. Never is this more evident than in the show’s Thanksgiving episodes. Nothing is more delightful than watching Schmidt attempt to maintain control of his kitchen while Cece makes every move to undermine his authority over the thanksgiving meal in season one, or the gang’s attempt at a Thanksgiving in the wilderness in season three. The best thing about these episodes is the feeling that no matter how inane their situation gets, the roommates (and Cece) will always weather the storm together. The joy they get just from being together radiates throughout each scene. It’s that camaraderie that keeps the audience coming back to New Girl. There are five Thanksgiving episodes for your enjoyment, so I encourage you to temporarily escape the craziness this time of year can bring and laugh at/with this group of 20 somethings attempting to navigate the holiday season together.
Thanksgiving episodes are S1e6, S2e8, S3e10, S4e9, and S6e7 (available on Netflix)
“HOLIDAY"
Trent Brown
After breaking chart records in 2019, Lil Nas X returned to the music scene with his new single “HOLIDAY.” With a smooth beat and catchy hook, “HOLIDAY” is brimming with Lil Nas X’s signature charm but with a festive twist.
“HOLIDAY,” the lead single from his upcoming debut album, is full of clever writing and guaranteed to get you moving. The accompanying music video features Lil Nas X himself as a futuristic Santa Claus as well as several lively Christmas toys. Like his past music videos, “HOLIDAY”’s features interesting choreography and interesting CGI; it’s clear Lil Nas X is putting his “Old Town Road” profits to good use. For a jolly ol’ time, give the song a watch or listen!
The Office Christmas Episodes
Elizabeth Yoon
From Jim and Pam’s relationship and Jim and Dwight’s epic pranks to Michael’s daily shenanigans, The Office is known and cherished for many things across its nine seasons. One of these things, and my personal favorite, is the Christmas-focused episodes that always focus on the annual Dunder Mifflin Christmas party. These episodes provide a break from the daily workings of the paper company and allow the office to let loose, have fun and spend the holiday season together. Much to the stress of the Party Planning Committee, and much to the delight of viewers, things rarely go as planned and there’s never a dull moment in these episodes. There’s Secret Santa gifts, Christmas karaoke, Santa Claus, snowball fights and plenty of holiday spirit and shenanigans to go around. If Meredith’s lucky, there’s even some alcohol to share, which always makes for an exciting, and sometimes fiery, time … if you know, you know. These Christmas episodes are a huge part of why I love this show so much and, with the announcement that The Office would no longer be on Netflix by the end of December, I know I’ll be bingeing these episodes as much as I can until then (after that, you’ll still be able to watch in on NBC’s streaming service, Peacock). Come for your favorite paper company employees, stay for the laughs and wild festivities during this Christmas season!
The Taylor Swift Holiday Collection
Bailey Richards
Whether you are a new Swiftie or a fan whose childhood was defined by Taylor Swift’s early country-pop era, you should add The Taylor Swift Holiday Collection to your holiday music playlist this year. The 2007 EP that followed the release of her first album, Taylor Swift, consists of four covers and two original tracks. As a fan of the classics she covered, I was hesitant before my first listen but was pleasantly surprised, especially by the first track. Nothing can top the original “Last Christmas” by Wham!, but Swift’s take on the classic is unique and fun. Rather than trying to encapsulate the high-energy synth feel that George Michael created with the original, Swift uses her iconic early country sound and her expressive voice to make it feel as though she’s singing directly to you.
As someone who grew up on Taylor Swift, I was also pleased to hear lots of similarities to her self-titled album on this project. In fact, the EP’s original songs, "Christmases When You Were Mine" and "Christmas Must Be Something More,” are incredibly similar in sound to “Invisible” and “I'm Only Me When I'm With You” respectively, which are arguably two of the best songs from Taylor Swift. The holiday season has, at least for me, become a season of nostalgia, and this EP plays into that feeling perfectly. And if you really aren’t a fan of her early sound, Swift did release a Christmas song last year, but I highly recommend at least giving this EP a shot! (Please do not be deterred by the EP’s cover — I know it bears a striking resemblance to that one Miley Cyrus meme.)
“I Think You Should Leave” Sketch
Jayna Kurlender
“I Think You Should Leave with Tim Robinson” is one of if not the funniest sketch comedies in recent memory. The frenetic energy that fills each segment, the extremely quotable dialogue and the trademark cringiness of creators Tim Robinson and Zach Kanin combine seamlessly for a near-perfect show.
There’s one sketch I can never get out of my head when the weather turns colder and people start putting up twinkly lights: the new printer sketch. The segments don’t officially have names, but mention “the printer” to anyone who’s watched the show and they’ll understand. The premise is simple, like most of the sketches. A group of office workers are making small talk about their new printer, and one (played by comedian Patti Harrison) makes a joke that doesn’t land. That should be the end of it, right? But, in true Tim Robinson form, she takes it twenty steps too far. Harrison delivers corny joke after corny joke about how “Christmas came early this year” and becomes increasingly desperate to please her coworkers, leading to the ultimate payoff at the end of the two-minute sketch.
The sketch isn’t the most Christmassy of the show — that honor goes to a “Christmas Carol” homage that adds in robots and flaming skeletons. Yet, the preposterous writing and perfect overacting have me saying each line over and over, trying to imitate Harrison’s delivery. You might have a hectic holiday Zoom, but thank your lucky stars you’re not in this office.
Adventure Time: Distant Lands
Meher Yeda
Adventure Time fans were thrilled to hear that HBO had picked up the series for four hour-long specials two years after the show’s finale. The two episodes released so far, “BMO” and “Obsidian” do not disappoint at all. “BMO” is a classic adventure-filled episode, in classic BMO fashion. It reminded me of Adventure Time’s strong world-building skills; the way the show is able to grip viewers even through unfamiliar characters. BMO goes on wacky space missions, meets new interesting friends and even reveals a thrilling new piece to the pretty convoluted Adventure Time timeline. I was extremely delighted to watch this episode, and I wouldn’t have wanted an Adventure Time special any other way.
But my favorite episode by far has to be “Obsidian.” And I mean favorite episode of Adventure Time like, ever. “Obsidian” is chock-full of the cottagecore, couple-y, cuteness that is Bubbline (Princess Bubblegum and Marceline the Vampire Queen). I mean, who didn’t yearn for more of the two after the finale? Through “Obsidian,” we get to see more of Marceline’s past and are treated to some classic Adventure Time tunes. It’s a celebration of love and life and togetherness and if that’s not Adventure Time, IDK what is. The episode is a perfect depiction of how messy love can be, but how we can grow too. Watching Distant Lands brought the same comfort the original series did, and I can think of nothing better than a trip back down memory lane, into The Land of Ooo, this winter season.
Happy holidays and happy streaming!
Thumbnail photo "Christmas Ornament" by Creativity + Timothy K Hamilton is licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 2.0