Think Christmas TV has always been warm and fluffy?
Think again, as we revisit some disturbing vintage festive specials…
This article originally appeared onDen of Geek UK.
The festive season holds long-held ties to the macabre.
Its a masterclass in subtly mining comedy from the darkest of subject matters.
The more cynically satirical live-action comedies have done well to turn the season on a disturbing head, too.
Its here that the disturbing side of the festive TV landscape rears its ugly, half-remembered head.
The BBCs family drama department has a lot to answer for when it comes to those memories.
Arriving alone via train and unidentified chauffeur, the outside world is cold, dark and oppressive.
Oh, and theres room for one creepy-looking witch, who deems the Moomins too nice to associate with.
Difficult to know whether five-year-old me wouldve interpreted that as a funny joke or a direct threat.
Its a complex story; theres some kind of danger lurking at every one of its twists and turns.
Halfway through, the Smurfs sing a song entitled Goodness Makes The Badness Go Away.
Amidst such a relentlessly distressing special, that message is cold comfort.
The team travel back to Victorian England, the home ofA Christmas Carols Ebeneezer Scrooge.
(Admittedly, romance among carved wood is a challenging theme at the best of times.)
Nightmare fuel at its most potent, its tonally and morally dubious.
The inherent otherworldliness of formative low-frame-rate stop-motion enhances the nightmarish nature yet further.
), a battle with mean Herr Burgermeister, conflict with meanie wizard Winter.
So far, so disturbing.
Frankly, its hard to imagine there was ever a time when that didnt sound threatening.
In terms of virtuous principle, its down there with the climax ofGrease.
No matter how hard it might have tried,Dexters bloody Christmas is no match for Billy Blizzard.
