Take a look at year’s past and you will see the traditional holiday specials that seemingly take over network television around the holidays, including Rudolph, The Grinch, and Frosty the Snowman. However, entertainment will look a bit different this year with the majority of Christmas specials hitting some of the top streaming platforms.
The Charlie Brown specials were just recently acquired by Apple TV+ this past year, effectively taking them off of ABC (who took them from PBS, their original host). Of course, the Charlie Brown specials are just the tip of the content iceberg. Plenty of cable channels, including Lifetime, Hallmark, and Freeform, are moving their schedules over to the holiday scene.
They’ll have a bit of competition this year, though, as many newcomers have found their way into the onslaught of Christmas programming, some of which weren’t even around this past holiday season. These streaming services will have a wide variety of original movies to get subscribers excited.
The following list is only a taste of what to expect as the next few weeks roll around. Programmers might still feel loyal to “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer,” which hits CBS on December 1st, or “It’s a Wonderful Life,” which is scheduled to air on NBC on Christmas Eve once again, though there will be a brand new batch of special to enjoy this year.
“Dolly Parton’s Christmas on the Square” (Netflix)
This long-awaited Dolly Parton special is set to hit Netflix on November 22nd. It will feature original music from Dolly Parton’s new holiday album and will have all of the sugary goodness that one might expect from anything with Parton in it. Christin Baranski is set to play the show’s “Scrooge” antagonist, trying to evict those who inhabit the small town.
“The Lego Star Wars Holiday Special” (Disney+)
The “Lego Star Wars Holiday Special” is set to be a spoof of the “Star Wars” holiday special from 1978, which received scathingly bad reviews at the time. The animated hour of television will feature characters from the modern Star Wars trilogy, as well as 40 years of cinematic history.
“12 Dates of Christmas” (HBO Max)
“12 Dates of Christmas” is definitely not for the little ones. This Christmas-infused dating show is set in a castle in Austria where singles will look for love.
“The Happiest Season” (Hulu)
“The Happiest Season” is somewhat of a modern twist on classical holiday movies. Mackenzie Davis from “Irresistible” brings home her girlfriend, Kristen Stewart, for the holidays. The twist? She hasn’t come out to her family yet. As one might expect, a mess of drama comes from it.
the supporting cast looks great as well, including the likes of Daniel Levy, Aubrey Plaza, and Mary Steenburgen.
“A Creepshow Holiday Special” (Shudder)
Those looking for something a bit off the beaten path might want to check out “A Creepshow Holiday Special.” This holiday horror anthology series is produced by Greg Nicotero, best known for his work on “The Hills Have Eyes” and “Dawn of the Dead.” In 2020, even Christmas is a bit scary.
