When a heat wave leaves the entire family on edge, Doc takes them and Marty to Dickensian England to escape the high summer temperatures. However, while there, the Browns wind up in double trouble when a pickpocket steals Doc's watch from Jules and the local Tannen throws Clara in prison.
This episode includes examples of the following tropes:
- Bait-and-Switch Sentiment: Marty, claiming to be the Ghost of Christmas, takes the local Tannen on a midnight flight to show him the miserable sights of the city so maybe he'll change for the better. After one incident, said Tannen starts crying, but when Marty comments on it, he reveals that it's because what he saw reminded him of a child who still owes him a small amount of money.
- Break the Motivational Speaker: A variant appears. Marty tries to get Clara out of prison by using the Yet Another Christmas Carol trick to appeal to the local Tannen's good nature. Unfortunately, none of the miserable things Marty shows him have any effect. Finally, Marty, in disgust, admits defeat. (Fortunately, he manages to find another way around the man's stubbornness.)
- Chekhov's Gun: Early in the episode, Marty appears watching a holographically projected kaiju film while hoverboarding. After his failure to get through to Tannen, the projector accidentally activates, allowing Marty to Scare 'Em Straight with the claim that the movie shows his fate if he doesn't change.
- Christmas in July: The Brown family and Marty decide to visit late 1800's London during Christmas to beat the heat, as it's currently a very hot summer in Hill Valley.
- "Eureka!" Moment: Marty gets the idea for the "Christmas Carol" trick when the jailkeeper calls Tannen a "Scrooge."
- Let's Split Up, Gang!: After finding out what happened to Clara and the boys, Doc and Marty split up, with Doc going after his sons and Marty attempting to get Clara out of prison.
- Musical Exposition: Doc takes his family and Marty to Dickensian England to beat the heat wave that's currently roasting Hill Valley. While there, they encounter a group of Christmas carolers, who have a tendency to respond to any question asked with an improvised verse to the tune of "We Wish You a Merry Christmas." Eventually, Marty tells them to stop it, and they do give the next explanation in speech, but it doesn't last.
- The Pardon: Marty originally tries to get Clara out of prison by bluffing that she's received a royal pardon, but the jailkeeper doesn't fall for it, forcing Marty to go for Tannen directly.
- Pre-emptive Declaration: Doc gives a woman some cash, explaining that it should cover any damage he causes to her house. He then takes out the bad guys with some rolling barrels.
- Running Gag: The local Tannen once again ends up buried in something he dislikes as a result of going after Marty, although luckily for Ebiffneezer, it's fig pudding rather than manure this time.
- Shout-Out: Marty complains that Tannen hasn't been affected by "things that would make the Terminator cry."
- Yet Another Christmas Carol: With a few subversions and a little Oliver Twist snuck in too. One of the B plots of the episode features Ebiffneezer Tannen, who forecloses on the owners of a toy shop and sends them to debtors' prison. Clara, who was in the shop at the time and refused Ebiffneezer's advances, is sent too. Marty, attempting to break Clara out, is told Ebiffneezer is a real "Scrooge," which inspires him to pull the Ghost act on the Tannen. Ebiffneezer is a hard sell, though — even after seeing stuff that "would make the Terminator cry," he refuses to change. It's only through Marty dropping and accidentally activating a projection movie system that he was watching on his hoverboard at the beginning of the episode that Ebiffneezer is inspired to change — the Tannen is terrified by the Godzilla movie and swears to be good. The episode may be unique in having the lesson also not STICK — Ebiffneezer reverts near-immediately to his nasty self once he sees Marty at the end and realizes he's not a ghost. There's an amusing bit of lampshading when Marty first appears as the ghost — Ebiffneezer asks him if he's "Past, Present, or Future," and Marty, being a time traveler, admits to being all three.
