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Season: 3
Episode: 7
Production Code: #3M07
First Air Date: December 13, 1999
Writer: David E. Kelley
Director: Rachel Talalay
# of Times Richard said Bygones: 0
Guest Stars:
Vicki Lawrence as a sales clerk
Albert Hall as Judge Seymore Walsh
Gina Philips as Sandy Ingle
Jim O’Heir as Steve Mallory (Santa)
Lenny Wolpe as James Russell
John Short as Newman’s store manager
? as Christopher Kringle
? as Christen Kringle
Amy Castle as young Ally
Nicholas Pappone as young Billy
Ron Taylor as himself (singer)
Renee Goldsberry as a singer
Vatrena King as a singer
Cynthia Calhoun as a singer
Valeri Ross as Security Officer
Paulo Andres as Paramedic #1
Christopher Micheal as Police Office
Tonya Renee Banks as an Elf
Joe Gieb as an Elf
Arturo Gil as an Elf
John Simanton as an Elf
Cindy L. Sorenson as an Elf
Kevin Thompson as an Elf
Synopsis:
So, Sunnydale was invaded by demon elves and that butt-kicking blonde chick made quick work of things. Okay, it was really the less snappily moniquered Georgia, but hey, she was really, really angry, and to top things off they gave us a pointless cameo by that Mama’s Family woman.
What if Georgia and her walking diatribe Billy faced off in Ally’s fave boxing ring, who would win?
The first of two Christmas episodes (overkill, anyone?) centered on a trial that was a twisted up kind of reference to Miracle on 34th Street without the mysticism. Georgia defended a Macy’s clone for wrongful termination when they had the nerve to Lauer-ize their Saint Nick instead of leaving him as a jolly old Al Roker.
Should tradition change with the times? Should we eschew Charlie Brown’s tree for Pokemon downloads?
John argued that if they had no hefty Claus they might as well relieve children of all their fantasy burdens, kill the Easter bunny! This kind of black comedy that is best served by vintage Biscuit, the version we don’t see a whole lot of lately. Georgia was hit hard by life’s realities (mom in Miracle?) and Thorne-Smith did a commendable job of tearing up.
Is Georgia right? Would we be better prepared later if we didn’t have childish illusions to carry with us? Anyone who says yes is a latter day Scrooge, under way too much shopping pressure.
I’m feeling a little miserly myself when it comes to the destruction of Nelle. The Veronica Lake hair is nice for a gala, but wasn’t this bombshell the one lobbing criticisms at Ally last year for appearing sexy at the office? And let’s just pretend she had some out of body experience when she got all Santa-mental on the stand.
The part of this episode with the most potential for an actual future since stories around here are pretty stagnant right now, seems to be the cool little friendship re-developing between Ally and Billy. Her weirdo visions are normally as tiresome as Kathie Lee’s singing, but here seeing the pair as children offered an interesting contrast to where they are today.
If they can keep Billy on the right track (meaning complex, not boring), wouldn’t you maybe like to see these two under the mistletoe next year?
One final note, a bunch of size zeros dancing to a song about being fat and happy? Why didn’t they just paint big red bulls-eyes on these women’s backs?
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