[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/misfit_christmas_specials_6146.png]]
[-[[caption-width-right:350:A piece of the index's backdrop, inspired by the "Grandpa's Gonna Sue the Pants Off of Santa" number from ''WesternAnimation/GrandmaGotRunOverByAReindeer''.[[labelnote:*]]From left to right: [[http://www.platypuscomix.net/darkvault/misfits/misfit23.html IM Slime]], [[http://www.platypuscomix.net/darkvault/misfits/misfit1.html Curtis Calhoun]], [[http://www.platypuscomix.net/darkvault/misfits/misfit16.html Robbie the Reindeer]], [[http://www.platypuscomix.net/darkvault/misfits/misfit19.html Ted E. Bear]]. Not pictured, [[http://www.platypuscomix.net/darkvault/misfits/misfit27.html Opus]] and Cousin Mel.[[/labelnote]]]]-]

->''"99.9 percent of all new holiday specials fail--it's a cold fact. When Christmas Day is here, the most wonderful day of the year, these specials WON'T be eagerly devoured by yet another generation. "''
-->--'''Peter Paltridge''', preface beginning in 2012.

''[[http://www.platypuscomix.net/darkvault/misfits/index.html The Island of Misfit Christmas Specials]]'' has been an annual feature at Website/PlatypusComix since December 2006. Every year, Peter Paltridge reviews some {{Christmas Special}}s that don't receive much attention from the general public anymore. Some of these include gems that the major networks have stopped playing, but most of them simply don't measure up to the classics, to say the least. The majority of specials covered on this site are from the 70's through the 90's, though it has increasingly covered specials from the 2000's and even the 2010's; as of 2019 the oldest special covered is ''WesternAnimation/CricketOnTheHearth'' from 1967, and the newest is ''Film/AnnaAndTheApocalypse'' from 2018. Among all the series of articles hosted at Platypus Comix, this probably has the most installments, even exceeding the comics themselves.

----
!!''The Island of Misfit Christmas Specials'' provides examples of:

* ActuallyPrettyFunny:
** The [[http://www.platypuscomix.net/darkvault/misfits/misfit37.html review]] of ''ComicStrip/ForBetterOrForWorse: The Bestest Present'' dismisses most of the special as sappy and predictable, but praises some of Mike's snappy remarks.
** Peter confesses when [[http://www.platypuscomix.net/darkvault/misfits/misfit56.html reviewing]] ''Music/LadyGaga & Franchise/TheMuppets' Holiday Spectacular'' that even though most people seem to hate the special, he ended up thinking it compared better to classic ''Muppet'' productions than most endeavors following Creator/JimHenson's death do, with the caveat that viewers who dislike Lady Gaga probably won't enjoy it.
* AesopAmnesia: Peter accuses Ted E. Bear of this in the Christmas half of ''[[http://www.platypuscomix.net/darkvault/misfits/misfit22.html Ted E's Thanksgiving]]'':
-->'''Ted:''' I can't go down there....what can one bear do against all those monsters?\\
'''Peter:''' They're "nothing," remember? I guess he ''doesn't'' remember.
* AnalogyBackfire: At the beginning of "[[http://www.platypuscomix.net/darkvault/misfits/misfit53.html Will Vinton's Claymation Christmas Celebration]]":
-->To put the times in perspective, the late 80's were the peak of animator Will Vinton's career. Anything he made was instantly popular -- the California Raisins, the Noid, [[WesternAnimation/TheAdventuresOfMarkTwain a trippy movie about Mark Twain]] that didn't get a wide release [=--=] well, almost everything.
* BadBadActing: Peter admits the following in his [[http://www.platypuscomix.net/darkvault/misfits/misfit28.html critique]] of a 1979 recording of ''WesternAnimation/RudolphTheRedNosedReindeer'':
-->I have yet to see an ad from the 1970's where anybody knew how to act.
* BearsAreBadNews: A 2008 installment deems ''[[http://www.platypuscomix.net/darkvault/misfits/misfit19.html The Great Bear Scare]]'' "the [[WesternAnimation/RudolphTheRedNosedReindeer King Moonraiser]] (sic) of the misfits" due to its ''very'' cheap animation and nonsensical story elements. Many of the networks that syndicated it didn't even air it during the proper holiday, as it was originally intended for Halloween:
-->How do you do worse than broadcasting ON THE WRONG HOLIDAY?
* BigLippedAlligatorMoment:
** Invoked in the [[http://www.platypuscomix.net/darkvault/misfits/misfit23.html review]] of the ''WesternAnimation/GrandmaGotRunOverByAReindeer'' special, when Peter displays the logo over [[http://www.platypuscomix.net/darkvault/misfits/grandeer17.jpg a scene]] from the irrelevant "Grandma's Spending Christmas With the Superstars" number.
** Invoked again in the [[http://www.platypuscomix.net/darkvault/misfits/misfit55.html review]] of ''John Denver & The Muppets: A Christmas Together'', in response to the scene in which Miss Piggy sings "Christmas is Coming" ad nauseum while other Muppets suddenly enter to join in.
--->If this was 2010[[labelnote:*]]Peter wrote this review in 2015[[/labelnote]] I would call it a Big Lipped Alligator Moment, and....that's still the definition on [=TVTropes=], so let's go with that.
* BlahBlahBlah:
** The [[http://www.platypuscomix.net/darkvault/misfits/misfit32.html review]] of ''The Toys/CabbagePatchKids' First Christmas'' replaces Xavier Roberts' speech about the Christmas Spirit with, "no, the Christmas Spirit is when you blah blah blah!"
** In [[http://platypuscomix.com/darkvault/misfits/misfit8-old.html his original writeup]] for ''The Wish That Changed Christmas'', Peter summarizes the ending like so:
--->Ivy...gets her doll and her family and blah blah blah.
* BookEnds: In a way. The first article related to Ted E. Bear is ''[[http://www.platypuscomix.net/darkvault/misfits/misfit19.html The Great Bear Scare]]''. The third and final article is ''[[http://www.platypuscomix.net/darkvault/misfits/misfit22.html Ted E's Thanksgiving]]'', which features a back-up Christmas story called ''Christmas Comes to Monster Mountain''. Both of these specials feature {{Dracula}} as the BigBad.
* BuffySpeak: His take on the original songs in "[[http://www.platypuscomix.net/darkvault/misfits/misfit6.html A Walt Disney Christmas]]":
--> "The holidaaaays are heeere, preseeeents and....sleigh riiiiides and....stuuuuuffffff...."
* CallBack:
** Both ''[[http://www.platypuscomix.net/darkvault/misfits/misfit41.html 12 Wishes of Christmas]]'' and ''[[http://www.platypuscomix.net/darkvault/misfits/misfit49.html The Little Troll Prince]]'' feature the line, "Up is down, black is white, and Radio/RushLimbaugh and Rosie O'Donnell are each other."
** In [[http://www.platypuscomix.net/darkvault/misfits/misfit64.html his review]] of ''[[Series/PeeweesPlayhouse Pee-wee's Playhouse Christmas Special]]'', after Miss Yvonne explains why she decorated her hair with mistletoe, Peter asks, "Why didn't [[WesternAnimation/YogiBear Cindy Bear]] think of this?" This is in reference to ''WesternAnimation/YogisFirstChristmas'', [[http://www.platypuscomix.net/darkvault/misfits/misfit63.html which Peter reviewed prior that year]].
** The "Does ''Creator/ChristopherWalken'' like it?" section of [[http://www.platypuscomix.net/darkvault/misfits/misfit65.html the review for]] ''The Moo Family Holiday Hoe-down'' begins with thus: "For today's second opinion, we asked this hairy yellow monster from a 1970s box of British cereal [=--=] sorry, that was last week." This references the "Does the Sugar Puffs thing[[note]]the Honey Monster, in other words[[/note]] like it?" section from the ''Pee-wee's Playhouse'' article.
* CelebrityEndorsement: From 2014-2021:
** The [[http://www.platypuscomix.net/darkvault/misfits/misfit51.html review]] of ''A Mouse, a Mystery, and Me'' begins with a DrugsAreBad [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LUWnboT-WZo PSA]], in which gymnast Mary Lou Retton bowls with kids who sing about how she likes bowling, but doesn't like smoking. Peter then explains that each future review will end with the special in question facing similar approval or disapproval from her, and enthuses that "You won't find a system this reliable anywhere else." The [[http://www.platypuscomix.net/darkvault/misfits/misfit53.html first time]] Peter showed Mary Lou Retton enjoying a Misfit special occurred in the review of ''Will Vinton's Claymation Christmas Celebration'', though he wasn't sure if that was actually the case. ''Series/ChristmasEveOnSesameStreet'' BrokeTheRatingScale, as the first misfit that Mary Lou Retton gave her [[http://www.platypuscomix.net/darkvault/misfits/misfit54.html outright approval of]] ("It's [=SUPERcharged=]!", to borrow a quote from [[https://youtu.be/cTVvsVkAqUY a 1984 Energizer commercial]]). After that, Peter reduced her appearances to occur on a more sporadic basis, until ''WesternAnimation/RapsittieStreetKidsBelieveInSanta'' killed her off.
** After ''Rapsittie Street Kids'', Peter went to a variety of random things such as "Grave Twerker", Sugar Puffs' Honey Monster mascot, and [[CameBackWrong Zombie Mary Lou Retton]] for their two cents on whatever special he just reviewed.
** In 2021, Peter took second opinions from "[[WesternAnimation/StevenUniverse a TOP SECRET MYSTERY GUEST]]", who even gave his thoughts on the last two Misfits Peter reviewed in 2020.
* ChristmasCreep: Mentioned in ''[[http://www.platypuscomix.net/darkvault/misfits/misfit5.html Snowden's Christmas]]''. When Peter explains that Snowden the Snowman was once Target's traditional Christmas character whose presence officially means it's Christmas, Peter asides in parentheses, "So ideally, Snowden would start appearing in September, right?"
* CluelessAesop: Peter [[http://www.platypuscomix.net/darkvault/misfits/misfit32.html questions]] ''The Cabbage Patch Kids' First Christmas'' having a scene where the Kids sing that children shouldn't worry about their differences...to a girl who wears a leg brace, and presumably has mobility concerns that people shouldn't ignore.
* ContinuityNod: A 2011 update to the menu (pictured above) added references to ''WesternAnimation/GrandmaGotRunOverByAReindeer'', ''Up on the Housetop''[[note]] The first "Misfit" Peter reviewed[[/note]], ''WesternAnimation/RobbieTheReindeer'', ''The Great Bear Scare''[[note]] Peter's least favorite special on the list[[/note]], and ''Literature/AWishForWingsThatWork''[[note]] which starred the cast of ''ComicStrip/BloomCounty''[[/note]].
* {{Contrived Coincidence}}s: Peter [[http://www.platypuscomix.net/darkvault/misfits/misfit8.html writes]] that he thought ''The Wish That Changed Christmas'' had too many of these.
-->[[Series/{{Heroes}} Hiro Nakamura]] [[http://platypuscomix.com/darkvault/misfits/wish6.jpg teleports in from the future]] and remarks, "It is interesting how all our destinies are intertwining so perfectly, isn't it?" Sylar comes up from behind and eats Ivy's brain.
* CouchGag: Peter's [[http://www.platypuscomix.com/darkvault/misfits/misfit77.html review]] of 1977's ''Yes Virginia, There Is a Santa Claus''[[note]]the title of which he shortens to, ''Yes, Virginia''[[/note]] includes a transcription of Virginia O'Hanlon's letter to ''The Sun'' at the start. His reviews of the [[http://www.platypuscomix.com/darkvault/misfits/misfit78.html 1991]] and [[http://www.platypuscomix.com/darkvault/misfits/misfit79.html 2009]] dramatizations of Virginia's story instead transcribe letters from "[[Recap/RenAndStimpy2x11AVisitToAnthony A Visit to Anthony]]" and "[[Recap/TheSimpsonsS7E10TheSimpsons138thEpisodeSpectacular The Simpsons 138th Episode Spectacular]]," respectively, with her name attached at the end.
* DepartmentOfRedundancyDepartment: The review of the ''WesternAnimation/MagicAdventuresOfMumfie'' Christmas episode closes on a short FilkSong that starts this way:
-->Youare the Tangled-Antlered Reindeer\\
Had Some Very Tangled Antlers\\
And if you ever saw them\\
You would say "Boy, those are some tangled antlers"
* DesignatedHero: [[invoked]] Peter labels Laura from ''[[http://www.platypuscomix.net/darkvault/misfits/misfit41.html The Twelve Wishes of Christmas]]'' as being one of these. He calls her out for using the wishes to fulfill her selfish desires and for being an unsympathetic person in general.
* DumbassHasAPoint: In his review of ''WesternAnimation/GrandmaGotRunOverByAReindeer'', he admits that the villain's lawyer bringing up the question of why Santa would commit a hit-and-run ''is'' a valid point that he did not expect the special, which he found otherwise execrable, to address.
* EarlyInstallmentWeirdness: Four of the first five reviews have incomplete plot summaries. ([[http://www.platypuscomix.net/darkvault/misfits/misfit1.html The first]] apparently used to have it since so little information existed about it at the time, but Peter rewrote the whole thing after coming into contact with the special's creator, who filled in a bit of WordOfGod.) ''[[http://www.platypuscomix.net/darkvault/misfits/misfit2.html Jingle Bell Rock]]'' and ''[[http://www.platypuscomix.net/darkvault/misfits/misfit3.html The Story of Santa Claus]]'' are {{justified|Trope}}, since Peter did not have either of these specials when he made their articles (all he had for ''WesternAnimation/JingleBellRock'' was an advertisement for it) and was going from memory, admitting he didn't know how the reindeer were involved in ''The Story of Santa Claus''.
* EvenTheSubtitlerIsStumped: In ''[[http://www.platypuscomix.net/darkvault/misfits/misfit44.html Why the Bears Dance On Christmas Eve]]'', Peter transcribes part of the bears' rallying song as, "''Get it together, (unintelligible)!''" (Justified since the only known copy of that special has slightly muffled audio so he had to work with what he could.)
* ExactWords: How Peter describes seeing a ''A Merry WesternAnimation/{{Mirthworm|s}} Christmas'' at Blockbuster.
-->By "seeing it" I mean I saw the cover. It was always there, resting on the Kids shelf, gathering dust.
* FranchiseOriginalSin: [[invoked]] The ''Cricket on the Hearth'' [[http://www.platypuscomix.net/darkvault/misfits/misfit46.html review]] takes time to note that a contrivance in the final scene, [[spoiler:the miserly Tackleton undergoing a change of heart after receiving a compliment from the blind Bertha,]] came from original author Creator/CharlesDickens, and not from Creator/RankinBassProductions.
* FridgeHorror: [[invoked]] Peter finds some regarding the ending of ''[[http://www.platypuscomix.net/darkvault/misfits/misfit20.html The Bear Who Slept Through Christmas]]'', in which Ted E. Bear gets adopted by a human girl who experienced ChuckCunninghamSyndrome in the sequels:
-->...uh, she must've died in between this special and Bear Scare. Or been kidnapped. [[WesternAnimation/ToyStory2 Or maybe she grew up and left Ted E. behind in a box at Tri-County Charities]].
* FormulaBreakingEpisode:
** In 2010, Peter announced that he would take a break from reviewing rare specials by writing [[http://www.platypuscomix.net/darkvault/misfits/misfit28.html an article]] about ''WesternAnimation/RudolphTheRedNosedReindeer'', the most rerun Christmas special of all time. Instead of giving an actual review of ''Rudolph'', the article shares and critiques some commercials found on his recording of a 1979 telecast, as well as the edits that Creator/{{CBS}} made to the special.
** The reviews for ''The Twelve Wishes of Christmas'', ''Film/GrumpyCatsWorstChristmasEver'', ''WesternAnimation/YogisFirstChristmas'', ''Film/AnnaAndTheApocalypse', and ''Twice Upon a Christmas'' bear the header, "The Island of Misfit Christmas MOVIES", because, to quote the first review, "It takes four times as much commitment to sit through a bad Christmas movie as it does to sit through a bad Christmas special."
** ''Anna and the Apocalypse'' itself is the first-ever theatrical film covered under the Misfit Specials banner.
** Peter's [[http://www.platypuscomix.net/darkvault/misfits/misfit42.html coverage]] of ''The Flight Before Christmas'' notes that most of the Christmas Specials he reviews are in two extremes, [[SweetnessAversion saccharine]][[invoked]] and [[AnimationAgeGhetto stupid]], or [[DarkerAndEdgier "edgy" and un-cuddly]]. ''The Flight Before Christmas'' is different as it's actually an EpicMovie.
* {{Glurge}}: [[invoked]] The site's general opinion of ''Series/{{ALF}}'s Special Christmas'', with its subplot about a dying girl. No matter [[EsotericHappyEnding how happy they try to make the ending]], that girl is ''still going to be dead'' not long after the show plays out. The fact that said girl [[InMemoriam was based on a real fan who died]] doesn't help.
* GuiltyPleasures: Peter [[http://www.platypuscomix.net/darkvault/misfits/misfit56.html admits]] that Music/LadyGaga's music and videos are this in his review of hers and The Muppets' "Holiday Spectacular". He calls her music "snappy", comments on how she doesn't need/use {{Autotune}} to make her singing sound nice, and admires how daring she seems whenever she puts on weird costumes.
* HarsherInHindsight: [[invoked]] When Peter comes across an ad for a Creator/BillCosby stand-up video on his copy of ''Series/SiskelAndEbert Holiday Video Gift Guide'', he sarcastically agrees that the video would make a good Christmas present. (In fact, the review was published not long after the allegations against Cosby came to light.)
-->I hate knowing what I know now.
* SugarWiki/HeReallyCanAct: [[invoked]]
** In the ''Hooves of Fire'' review, Peter praises Music/BritneySpears' performance as Donner, despite normally disliking anything she's in.
** He also has this to say about Creator/DonKnotts' turn as Professor Nidaros in ''The Little Troll Prince'':
-->In every other part I've seen Knotts play, he's a wide-eyed man with a shaky, yokely voice. He's making a completely different type of voice this time and it works; who knew the old coot had such range?
* ItMakesSenseInContext: The [[http://www.platypuscomix.net/darkvault/misfits/misfit57.html review]] of the ''WesternAnimation/BumpInTheNight'' episode "Twas the Night Before Bumpy" ends with [[http://www.platypuscomix.net/darkvault/misfits/bumpy43.jpg the return of Mary Lou Retton]], [[spoiler:who Peter says loves the episode so much, her eyes bugged out like Bumpy's.]] Underneath the picture, Peter advises readers, "If you have no idea what this is about, go back a few pages."
* ItsAWonderfulPlot: In 2007, Peter consecutively reviewed two specials that copied ''Film/ItsAWonderfulLife'': ''Film/ItsAVeryMerryMuppetChristmasMovie'' (reviewed [[http://www.platypuscomix.net/darkvault/misfits/misfit17.html here]]), and ''[[WesternAnimation/TinyToonAdventures It's a Wonderful Tiny Toons Christmas Special]]'' (reviewed [[http://www.platypuscomix.net/darkvault/misfits/misfit18.html here]]).
* ItsBeenDone: The [[http://www.platypuscomix.net/darkvault/misfits/misfit13.html "review"]] of ''Film/TheStarWarsHolidaySpecial'' only has two sentences (one if you don't count the header of the "Why was it such a misfit?" section) because negative reviews of the special had already become numerous by that time. It doesn't even get a "Why didn't it fit in?" section like the other specials. He ''did'', however, do a [[http://www.platypuscomix.net/videos/lifedayads.html write-up]] of the commercials that aired during it elsewhere on the Platypus Comix site.
* ItsPopularNowItSucks: [[invoked]] Ever since its rediscovery, ''WesternAnimation/RapsittieStreetKidsBelieveInSanta'' was the most requested Misfit special for a few years. Peter noted that it's becoming more and more popular each year, and so he figured he'd hit the nail on the head before this trope began to set in. (Which became HilariousInHindsight anyway since the review was posted the same day WebVideo/TheNostalgiaCritic and WebVideo/{{Phelous}} posted theirs[[note]]though the latter kept his video exclusively available for his Patreon supporters for a time[[/note]].)
* LamePunReaction: In reaction to a particularly shitty pun in ''[[http://www.platypuscomix.net/darkvault/misfits/misfit19.html The Great Bear Scare]]'', Peter posts an [[http://www.platypuscomix.net/darkvault/misfits/phailbq8.jpg image collage]] of various characters {{facepalm}}ing.
-->[-[[FootnoteFever *]][==]image stolen-]''
* MondegreenGag: Peter was hardly paying attention to ''[[http://www.platypuscomix.net/darkvault/misfits/misfit44.html Why the Bears Dance On Christmas Eve]]'' leading him to mishear "the evil Snurfs" as "the evil [[Franchise/TheSmurfs Smurfs]]".
* MoodWhiplash:
** The ''Cricket on the Hearth'' [[http://www.platypuscomix.net/darkvault/misfits/misfit46.html review]] follows up an unexpectedly dark scene of [[spoiler:the BigBad shooting two of his {{Mook}}s]] with the words, "A [[Creator/RankinBassProductions Rankin-Bass]] Production". The gag is repeated in ''[[http://www.platypuscomix.net/darkvault/misfits/misfit48.html Mr. T and Emmanuel Lewis in A Christmas Dream]]'' when Billy shoots a group of toy soldiers (played by the Rockettes) with a cannon during a DreamSequence.
** The ''A WesternAnimation/TomAndJerry Christmas'' [[http://platypuscomix.com/darkvault/misfits/misfit70.html review]] mostly involves reviews of various Christmas-themed Creator/{{MGM}} shorts (only one of which, "Night Before Christmas", actually involves ''Tom & Jerry'') and poking fun at the hilariously cheesy framing sequences featuring two inexperienced kid actors who would clearly rather be anywhere else. It's after all of this lighthearted Christmas cheer that the special makes the rather odd choice to end on the [[DarkerAndEdgier very dark]] and kid-unfriendly Harman & Ising short ''WesternAnimation/PeaceOnEarth'', a choice that leaves Peter himself floored.
* MoralEventHorizon: [[invoked]] The [[http://www.platypuscomix.net/darkvault/misfits/misfit45.html review]] of ''Christopher the Christmas Tree'' has Peter reacting with horror when a fox and a weasel set Christopher on fire.
-->[...] They bring out a cigarette lighter and SET HIM ON FIRE -- HOLY COW. Making fun of Chris is one thing; trying to kill him is on another level.
* {{Narm}}: [[invoked]] The [[http://www.platypuscomix.net/darkvault/misfits/misfit34.html review]] of ''WesternAnimation/RudolphAndFrostysChristmasInJuly'' lampshades this by pointing out some "Golden Lines" that Peter found "...so bad [he] can't help but love."
* NauseaFuel: [[invoked]] Not any literal examples, but in the [[http://www.platypuscomix.net/darkvault/misfits/misfit56.html review]] of ''Lady Gaga and & The Muppets' Holiday Spectacular'', Peter cites a need to avoid this as the reason he couldn't take a side in the debate over whether or not she deserved her Golden Globe for ''Series/AmericanHorrorStoryHotel'', "since I have no plans of ever watching that, for reasons that I prefer shows that don't cause me to vomit."
* SugarWiki/NeedsMoreLove: [[invoked]] Peter believes [[http://www.platypuscomix.net/darkvault/misfits/misfit7.html this]] of ''A WesternAnimation/PinkyAndTheBrain Christmas'':
-->'''[''Why was it such a misfit?'']''' Because there's no justice, that's why. If the world were fair, ''A Pinky and the Brain Christmas'' would be sitting on the same pedestal as WesternAnimation/{{Rudolph| The Red Nosed Reindeer}} and [[WesternAnimation/HowTheGrinchStoleChristmas the Grinch]], forever beloved by children and adults alike. Yes. It's that good.
* NonindicativeName:
** He [[http://www.platypuscomix.net/darkvault/misfits/misfit9.html accuses]] ''Mr. Willoughby's Christmas Party'' (aka ''Literature/MrWillowbysChristmasTree'') of having one, since Mr. Willoughby/Willowby doesn't appear often, and only the last scene takes place during his Christmas party.
** The [[http://www.platypuscomix.net/darkvault/misfits/misfit35.html review]] of ''A Merry WesternAnimation/{{Mirthworm|s}} Christmas'' makes it seem too depressing to have the word "mirth" in its title.
* NoOntologicalInertia: Peter uses this exact phrase, and a link to its TV Tropes page, in the ''WesternAnimation/RudolphAndFrostysChristmasInJuly'' [[http://www.platypuscomix.net/darkvault/misfits/misfit34.html review]], when explaining that the demise of King Winterbolt undoes all the effects of his magic.
* NotHyperbole: In his review of ''Creator/ChuckECheese in [[http://www.platypuscomix.net/darkvault/misfits/misfit52.html The Christmas That Almost Wasn't]]'', after describing how Nolan Bushnell's habit of starting new business and letting them run themselves screwed him over, Peter presents "a moving GIF that depicts the lovely animation in this cartoon with 100% accuracy". [[http://www.platypuscomix.net/darkvault/misfits/misfit52-3.gif The GIF]] consists of an image of Chuck E. with two robots, and another image of Jasper T. Jowls with two robots. None of them are actually moving at all -- not even dissolving from one pose to another a la ''[[http://www.platypuscomix.net/darkvault/misfits/misfit19.html The Great Bear Scare]]''. As it turns out, the cartoon suffered a TroubledProduction when Bushnell's Kadabrascope production company (which was supposed to animate the cartoon with motion tweens, a la UsefulNotes/AdobeFlash) went under, resulting in not only the animation sinking to the lowest end of the SlidingScaleOfAnimationElaborateness, but also setting back computer animation for two decades.
* NotMakingThisUpDisclaimer:
** In his [[http://www.platypuscomix.net/darkvault/misfits/misfit41.html review]] of ''12 Wishes of Christmas'', Peter describes a scene where Noel reminds Laura of a bizarre dream she once had featuring people with forks for hands trying to eat food. He proceeds to provide a video of the scene "Just in case you think I'm making this up". He also says this when saying Laura and Eddie bond by sharing jokes, with Eddie [[DontExplainTheJoke having to explain his to Laura]].
** Also done in his [[http://www.platypuscomix.net/darkvault/misfits/misfit19.html review]] of ''The Great Bear Scare'' where Peter explains why some syndication markets aired the special on Christmas instead of Halloween and provides a TV schedule for proof.
* OffscreenInertia: In [[http://www.platypuscomix.net/darkvault/misfits/misfit78.html Peter's coverage]] of the 1991 TV movie adaptation of Francis Church's Santa essay, he notes that the man who constantly antagonized Church was the only major character who doesn't show up in the final scene.
-->The story completely abandons him after Church knocks him out. Presumably he's still on that bar floor, possibly dead. Oh well, who cares.
* OhCrap: In ''Mr. T and Emmanuel Lewis in A Christmas Dream'', Creator/MrT's character Benny calls in a friend named "Maureen", at one point. Peter initially fears [[http://www.platypuscomix.net/darkvault/misfits/misfit48-12.jpg an appearance]] by obscure ''ComicBook/ArchieComics'' character Marvelous Maureen, whose series Peter had [[http://www.platypuscomix.net/otherpeople2/maureen.html panned]] earlier that same year. [[spoiler:Instead, the special brings in Maureen ''[=McGovern=]'' (whom Peter refers to as simply "a middle aged woman", because his copy was missing the opening credits).]]
* OnceDoneNeverForgotten: Peter [[http://www.platypuscomix.net/darkvault/misfits/misfit56.html jokes]] about pondering if Creator/KristenBell agreed to do ''Lady Gaga & The Muppets' Holiday Spectacular'' under the promise of sloths, then wonders "if she's tired of 'sloth' remarks yet. (Too bad, Bell; this is the rest of your life.)" (The joke here is that Bell has a huge CutenessProximity to sloths, to the point where she was cast as one in a cameo in ''WesternAnimation/{{Zootopia}}''.)
* PersonAsVerb: From the ''WesternAnimation/GrandmaGotRunOverByAReindeer'' review:
-->"NOOOOOOOOOOOOO!" Jake [[Franchise/StarWars Darth Vaders]].
* ThePowerOfLove: Decried by Peter as "THE MOST FOREHEAD-SLAPPING, BRAIN-BASHING, DUMBEST SOLUTION EVER" in ''Literature/RaggedyAnn and Andy in [[http://www.platypuscomix.net/darkvault/misfits/misfit30.html The Great Santa Claus Caper]]''.
* ProductPlacement: Peter's copy of ''WesternAnimation/{{Shrek}} the Halls'' is a first-run airing that includes a [[https://vimeo.com/56070869 tie in commercial]] for Energizer featuring the Shrek cast. He initially mistook it for an actual scene in the special.
* {{Revision}}: In 2021, Peter took [[http://platypuscomix.com/darkvault/misfits/misfit8-old.html his old write-up]] for ''The Wish That Changed Christmas'' and [[http://platypuscomix.com/darkvault/misfits/misfit8.html gave a more in-depth summary]].
* RhetoricalQuestionBlunder: Towards the end of the [[http://www.platypuscomix.net/darkvault/misfits/misfit57.html review]] of the ''WesternAnimation/BumpInTheNight'' episode "Twas the Night Before Bumpy", when Bumpy ends up in a PostClimaxConfrontation with [[TheDreaded the Closet Monster]], Peter dramatically asks, "Is this the final episode??" He then adds, "Well....it is, technically," as he had already described the special as the episode that killed the show (if Disney's takeover of ABC wasn't responsible).
* SequelHook: The review of ''WesternAnimation/RobbieTheReindeer [[http://www.platypuscomix.net/darkvault/misfits/misfit47.html in Legend of the Lost Tribe]]'', closes with mention of a third Robbie special.
-->Did it keep up the streak? …You'll find out someday…
* {{Sequelitis}}: [[invoked]]
** Peter thought this hit Ted E. Bear hard when he reviewed three of his specials for "The Island of Misfit Christmas Specials". Peter deemed the second special, ''The Great Bear Scare'', the worst Christmas [[note]]technically Halloween[[/note]] special he ever saw, as mentioned earlier. He then admitted he found its predecessor, ''[[http://www.platypuscomix.net/darkvault/misfits/misfit20.html The Bear Who Slept Through Christmas]]'', "...much better than ''The Great Bear Scare'', [[DamnedByFaintPraise but most things on Earth are]]." The third, ''[[http://www.platypuscomix.net/darkvault/misfits/misfit22.html Ted E.'s Thanksgiving]]'', had better timing than ''The Great Bear Scare'', but even cheaper production values.
** On the other hand, Peter found [[http://www.platypuscomix.net/darkvault/misfits/misfit47.html the second]] ''WesternAnimation/RobbieTheReindeer'' special a worthy successor to [[http://www.platypuscomix.net/darkvault/misfits/misfit16.html the original]], but [[SequelHook withholds his judgement]] on ''[[ParanormalEpisode Close Encounters of the Herd Kind]]''.
* ShoutOut: See ShoutOut.PlatypusComix
* {{Smurfing}}: This bit from ''[[http://www.platypuscomix.net/darkvault/misfits/misfit35.html A Merry Mirthworm Christmas]]'':
-->"Wormaline is chairworm of worm festivals in Wormingham, and every time Bert Worm worms things up, Wormaline gets wormier and wormier, until [[DeterioratesIntoGibberish worm worm wormy worm-worm]] [[SuddenlyShouting WORM!]]"
* SoBadItsGood:[[invoked]] According to him, ''A Mouse, a Mystery, and Me'' is this because of the ludicrous plot twists and silly elements (teenage girl who's a famous author, talking cartoon mouse) that are just there without explanation.
* SpaceWhaleAesop: Peter sums up the GreenAesop of ''Why the Bears Dance on Christmas Eve'' as "When you throw that wrapper on the ground, YOU'RE KILLING CHRISTMAS."
* SpoiledByTheFormat: [[http://platypuscomix.com/darkvault/misfits/misfit74.html The article for]] ''WesternAnimation/SantaVsTheSnowman'' has an unusually long "Why didn't it fit in?" section (due to the movie being [[spoiler:[[UsefulNotes/ThreeDMovie rereleased in 3D]] for IMAX theaters, complete with additional footage]]), which is acknowledged by Peter.
-->You might notice the scrollbar to the right still displays a lot of room -- we can't be HERE yet, can we?
* TakeThat:
** When going through some commercials that aired during a 1979 showing of ''Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer'', the first ad we see is [[http://www.platypuscomix.net/darkvault/misfits/rudy1.html this promo]] for ''Film/StarTrekTheMotionPicture'', prompting Peter to mock that movie's emphasis of style over substance.
** The [[http://www.platypuscomix.net/darkvault/misfits/misfit34.html review]] of ''WesternAnimation/RudolphAndFrostysChristmasInJuly'' claims that one can find many uses for the line, "[[ElmerFuddSyndrome I'm twying! I'm twying weal hawrd!]]" It demonstrates by [[http://www.platypuscomix.net/darkvault/misfits/xmasinjuly32.jpg showing]] Creator/StevenSpielberg use the line in response to people's disappointment with ''Series/TerraNova'', while crossing his eyes just like Rudolph.
** ''[[http://platypuscomix.com/darkvault/misfits/misfit67.html Kelly Clarkson's Cautionary Christmas Tale]]'' ends with a potshot at ''Film/{{Cats}}'' and its UnintentionalUncannyValley characters, dubbing the film ''Tom Hooper's Cautionary Christmas Movie''.
** The [[http://www.platypuscomix.net/darkvault/misfits/misfit75.html review]] for ''WesternAnimation/TheChristmasGiftOfLight'' has Peter speculating that [[BigBad Angris McBragg]], who [[VillainExitStageLeft got away at the end of the special]], ultimately fulfilled his goal of making the world more cynical "as the true founder of Website/{{Twitter}}".
* TheyWastedAPerfectlyGoodPlot: [[invoked]] Peter admits that when he first heard that ''Twice Upon a Christmas'' (and its preceding movie, ''Once Upon a Christmas'') involved SantaClaus having an evil daughter, Rudolfa, who wanted to destroy Christmas, he thought it would be a refreshing change of pace from the many other Christmas movies involving Santa having a child or relative who is largely a good egg and helps Santa save Christmas. Alas, ''Once[=/=]Twice Upon a Christmas'' still has a ''good'' daughter, Rudolfa's {{foil}} Kristin, who fills in the usual cliche "Santa's relative" role.
* TooBleakStoppedCaring:[[invoked]]
** Peter presumes this as the reason ''[[http://www.platypuscomix.net/darkvault/misfits/misfit46.html Cricket on the Hearth]]'' fell into deeper obscurity than other Creator/RankinBassProductions specials from TheSixties. However, he sees potential for it to become a CultClassic, considering how many other Christmas stories and movies gained fame by taking their heroes through despair, then triumph. Peter later brings the cartoon up again to contrast with ''[[http://www.platypuscomix.net/darkvault/misfits/misfit62.html ALF's Special Christmas]]'', saying that the latter special's problem is that although it depicts a successful suicide prevention, its other tragic element -- a LittlestCancerPatient -- is impossible to overcome. The best the show could end on is an EsotericHappyEnding.
** Peter cites this as the reason why ''Film/AnnaAndTheApocalypse'' doesn't work. The attempts at Christmas-y antics (despite the {{zombie apocalypse}} going on around everyone) are severely undercut by the fact that it's still a typical zombie movie with [[AnyoneCanDie all that]] [[CharactersDroppingLikeFlies genre entails]], and it ends on a very uncertain note wherein most of the likable characters are dead and the surviving characters are not even sure what to do next.
--->It's too early to tell if ''Anna and the Apocalypse'' will become a cult classic, but it's going to be difficult for it to find that cult. Because of how sad things unexpectedly get in its final act -- which is NOT what you sign up for when you sit down to a zombie-themed Christmas musical from Scotland -- it's not the kind of movie you can play at parties. [[HappilyEverBefore Unless you just stopped the DVD when they reached the Christmas tree warehouse.]] Do that.
* TradeSnark: The [[http://www.platypuscomix.net/darkvault/misfits/misfit25.html review]] of ''WesternAnimation/HolidazeTheChristmasThatAlmostDidntHappen'' does this to lampoon the frequent and obvious {{Product Placement}}s seen in the special. The [[http://www.platypuscomix.net/darkvault/misfits/misfit43.html review]] for ''An Elf's Story'' also does this to a lesser extent since it's an obvious tie-in to the Elf on the Shelf toy.
* UnintentionalPeriodPiece:[[invoked]] After showing [[http://www.platypuscomix.net/darkvault/misfits/misfit50-8.jpg a still]] of a Creator/JaneFonda workout tape commercial from his copy of ''Series/SiskelAndEbert Holiday Video Gift Guide'', which states that the video is available at Erol's Video, Musicland, Tower Records, and Waldenbooks[[note]]all of whom have since closed, with Erol's having been bought out by the also-now-defunct Blockbuster in 1990[[/note]], Peter quips: "Notice how ''nothing'' in this screenshot applies to modern life."
* UnintentionallyUnsympathetic:[[invoked]] Peter feels this way about Youare from ''[[http://www.platypuscomix.net/darkvault/misfits/misfit59.html Mumfie's White Christmas]]'', one of Santa's reindeer that gets passed over year after year. As Peter points out, stealing Santa's sleigh and hitting a bird with it doesn't make him any more likeable.
* TheUntwist: [[invoked]]
** Regarding the mysterious old man from ''[[http://www.platypuscomix.net/darkvault/misfits/misfit46.html Cricket on the Hearth]]'':
--->...everyone watching can guess easily that it's gotta be [Bertha's lost boyfriend] Edward Belton in [[PaperThinDisguise costume]]. These plot elements were fresher a century and a half ago. I think.
** Also in the ''WesternAnimation/AlvinAndTheChipmunks'' Christmas special, an old woman shows up in the special's DarkestHour to solve its primary conflict (i.e. buying Alvin a harmonica he can't afford so he can play a concert... ItsALongStory), at precisely the exact moment Santa would have arrived to fix everything. So the woman must be MrsClaus... and indeed, she turns out to be that. Peter insists that it's not hard to figure that out.
* ValuesDissonance:[[invoked]] Peter observes that [[http://www.platypuscomix.net/darkvault/misfits/misfit77.html the 1974 cartoon adaptation]] of the "Yes, Virginia" essay has aged badly not only due to its production values and low audio quality, but also for its portrayal of minority groups, to the point where Peter doesn't even ''want'' to write about a Cantonese restaurateur's response to the question of Santa's existence.
* ValuesResonance:[[invoked]] In the ''Ted E's Thanksgiving'' review, Peter considers the plot, where Ted wants to make a float for the town Thanksgiving parade but has his plans shot down as floats have to be sponsored by a major corporation to be in said parade, as fitting of this trope.
-->If this was a subtle commentary on the business-driven modern [[UsefulNotes/MacysThanksgivingDayParade Macy's Parade]], it's even more true today.
* {{Wangst}}[[invoked]]:
** Curtis Calhoun from ''[[http://www.platypuscomix.net/darkvault/misfits/misfit1.html Up On the Housetop]]'' is so whiny that Peter made [[http://fragglevision.tumblr.com/post/140084308436/curtis-calhoun-whine-gallery-up-on-the-house-top a video montage of his wangst]].
** The narrator in ''[[http://www.platypuscomix.net/darkvault/misfits/misfit45.html Christopher the Christmas Tree]]'' talks over a scene where the eponymous character was seemingly about to sing an IWantSong. Peter takes this as the production staff getting sick of his complaining.
* WastefulWishing: [[http://platypuscomix.com/darkvault/misfits/misfit69.html The article]] for ''WesternAnimation/AnnabellesWish'' has a ''Manga/DragonBall'' referencing fakeout summary of the climax, when Annabelle is about to wish for Billy's ability to speak to be restored (thus nullifying his spoiled aunt Agnes's custody of him).
-->Annabelle takes a deep breath. "I wish....for THE WORLD'S MOST COMFORTABLE UNDERWEAR!!" A large pair of boxer shorts falls onto Annabelle's face and Santa takes off.
* WaxingLyrical:
** Peter did this when quoting "[[WesternAnimation/RudolphTheRedNosedReindeer1964 The Most Wonderful Day of the Year]]" in the description on the index.
** The "Why didn't it fit in" section for ''WesternAnimation/{{Shrek}} the Halls'' starts off with [[Memes/{{Music}} the first two words]] from [[Music/SmashMouth "All Star"]].
* TheWoobie: [[invoked]] Peter calls Fozzie this in his [[http://www.platypuscomix.net/darkvault/misfits/misfit55.html review]] of ''John Denver & The Muppets: A Christmas Together'', since the special PlayedForLaughs his inability to remember the lyrics of "The Twelve Days of Christmas".
* WrittenSoundEffect:
** [[http://www.platypuscomix.net/darkvault/misfits/misfit42-35.jpg One picture]] in his [[http://www.platypuscomix.net/darkvault/misfits/misfit42.html article]] on ''The Flight Before Christmas'' adds one, along with [[BriffitsAndSqueans motion lines]].
** [[http://www.platypuscomix.net/darkvault/misfits/misfit44.html Why the Bears Dance On Christmas Eve]] adds some to [[http://www.platypuscomix.net/darkvault/misfits/misfit44-12.jpg a picture]] of Bashful nuzzling a deer.
* YouHaveGotToBeKiddingMe: Peter's reaction when ''12 Wishes of Christmas'' features a [[Franchise/StarWars Yoda]] quote that was explained is, "Are they joking?"
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