25 Best Christmas-Themed Episodes On Netflix

One of my favorite parts of the holidays is curling up on the couch and watching all the classic Christmas movies and TV episodes that air. Thanks to Netflix, we don't have to wait for all of them to air. We can pick and choose when we want to watch which classic Christmas episode we want. I've gone ahead and ranked the 25 best Christmas-themed TV episodes available on Netflix for you.

25. Mad Men: "Christmas Comes But Once A Year (Season 4, Episode 2)

Not exactly a sitcom classic, but nothing makes you feel more classy and traditionally Christmas than by spending it with Don Draper in the 1960s. In this episode, Sterling Cooper Draper Pryce hosts an office Christmas party for one of their biggest clients. However, things don't go according to plan, as they end up hosting an unexpected visitor.

24. 30 Rock: "Ludachristmas" (Season 2, Episode 9)

In one of my favorite 30 Rock episodes, Liz's parents come for a visit, and Jack instantly feels a bond with them. Meanwhile, the office gets ready for another racy Christmas party, that of course does not go according to plan.

23. The Office: "Christmas Wishes" (Season 8, Episode 10)

Admittedly, this was probably the worst season of The Office, but they really know how to do Christmas episodes right. Throwing his first Christmas party as office manager, Andy sets out to make everyone in the office's Christmas wishes come true. Robert California visits, and gets a little creepy with Erin, much to Andy's dismay.

22. Futurama: "Xmas Story" (Season 2, Episode 8)

There are a couple good Christmas-themed Futurama episodes. This one sticks out because it's the first time Fry (and us as well) learn how Christmas has changed over the past thousands years, and he gets nostalgic for the 20th-century Christmas traditions. Meanwhile, a giant robot Santa voiced by John Goodman attacks New York.

21. That '70s Show: "Christmas" (Season 6, Episode 7)

When Jackie gets kicked off the cheerleading team, she brings Hyde and the gang to the high school Christmas party to show off her older boyfriend and friends. For some reason, Eric is all of a sudden really popular with the high school girls, and Fez hides from the football team.

20. How I Met Your Mother: "Symphony of Illumination" (Season 7, Episode 12)

While kind of a darker episode, this Christmas-themed HIMYM episode still gets you in the holiday spirit. We follow Robin's narration as she tells her hypothetical kids how she met their father. The great thing about this episode is how Ted is determined to keep her in the holiday spirit.

19. The West Wing: "In Excelsis Deo" (Season 1, Episode 10)

After the tragic death of a US veteran with no close family or friends in the National Mall, Toby sets out to make sure he gets a proper funeral. As it turned out, the homeless man was wearing a coat that Toby had donated to Goodwill, making him the man's only known connection. Meanwhile, Josh and Donna argue about what they're getting each other for Christmas.

18. New Girl: "The 23rd" (Season 1, Episode 9)

In the first Christmas episode of the series, the gang attends Schmidt's office Christmas party before all going home for the holidays. At the party, the ladies of the office turn Schmidt into a sexy Santa. Meanwhile, Jess and Paul exchange gifts, and Paul drops the L bomb, leaving her speechless. Schmidt tries to get CeCe a romantic gift and Winston gets bummed about being unemployed. The gang goes caroling, and Christmas wishes come true.

17. That '70s Show: "Hyde's Christmas Rager" (Season 2, Episode 9)

After Hyde moves out of the Foreman's and in with his dad, he decides to throw a Christmas party. Wanting to seem like the "cool dad", his dad allows it, and Eric gets wasted. Meanwhile, Jackie and Donna go on a double date with older guys, only to discover they have something (or someone) in common with them.

16. The Office: "Benihana" (Season 3, Episode 10)

In the second Christmas episode of The Office, the Stamford branch and the Scranton branch try to bond while planning a Christmas party. Angela's dictatorship causes Karen and Pam to plan a separate Christmas party. Meanwhile, Michael (drunk and brokenhearted) brings two Asian waitresses back to the party, but has trouble telling them apart. One of my favorite episodes ever.

15. Everybody Loves Raymond: "All I Want For Christmas" (Season 2, Episode 12)

Raymond is feeling romantic as the holidays roll around, and for a strange turn of events, so is Debra. Not surprisingly, at every turn they make to have sex, Ray's family ruins the moment. When Ray hints that they need some alone time, the family won't let him live it down.

14. Frasier: "Merry Christmas, Mrs. Moskowitz" (Season 6, Episode 10)

While out doing his Christmas shopping and minding his own business, a Jewish woman approaches Frasier and begs him to take her daughter on a blind date. After reluctantly accepting, Frasier is pleasantly surprised at how charming the woman actually is. However, when they come visit him on Christmas Eve, Frasier has his family pretend to be Jewish to win over her family.

13. That '70s Show: "The Best Christmas Ever" (Season 1, Episode 12)

Tired of attending his family's boring Christmas party year after year, Eric asks Red for permission and money to throw his own in the basement. Red gives him money to go buy a tree, saying the rest can be used for his party. Instead, the gang steals a tree and keeps all the money. Annoyed Eric got his way, sister Laurie spikes his party's punch. Meanwhile, Hyde tries to figure out how to get Donna a romantic gift on a low budget.

12. How I Met Your Mother: "How Lily Stole Christmas" (Season 2, Episode 11)

During their first Christmas back together, Lily excitedly decorates the apartment as a treat for Marshall after his finals. While in the process, she finds an old voicemail from Ted to Marshall, in which Ted calls her a "grinch", and she freaks out.

11. The Office: "Moroccan Christmas" (Season 5, Episode 11)

Phyllis is finally head of the Party Planning Committee, much to Angela's dismay. She plans a Moroccan-themed party, but things go sour when Meredith's drinking problem causes a fire. On her head. The office tries to figure out how to confront her about her problems, while Dwight hustles Christmas toys and Phyllis blackmails Angela.

10. Futurama: "The Futurama Holiday Spectacular" (Season 6, Episode 13)

What I like most about this episode is the way it's split in three different segments, so as to hit three different holidays. We first cover "Xmas" (the 31st-century version of Christmas), then "Robanukah" (Bender's version of Hannukah to avoid doing work) and lastly Kwanzaa, when the gang searches for beeswax to make traditional beeswax candles.

9. Family Guy: "A Very Special Family Guy Freakin' Christmas" (Season 3, Episode 16)

After hours of Christmas shopping, Peter manages to accidentally give away all the family's gifts to charity. While out trying to replace them all on Christmas Eve, Brian is left at home and accidentally sets fire to the house. All of these mishaps cause Lois to freak out and wreak havoc on the town Christmas tree.

8. Scrubs: "My Own Personal Jesus" (Season 1, Episode 11)

Just as JD is getting ready to tell a family that their son isn't going to make it, the son makes an unexpected recovery. Turk is convinced it's a miracle, and tries to get JD and Carla in the Christmas spirit. But after spending Christmas Eve performing one tragic surgery after another, Turk begins to question his faith. 

7. Arrested Development: "Afternoon Delight" (Season 2, Episode 6)

The Bluth Company hosts its annual Christmas Party, where roasting the boss has been known to get you fired. With GOB in command, the employees are even more afraid, especially after he warns them to stay away from Lindsey. Meanwhile, Michael tries to bond with Maeby, but things take an awkward turn when they sing a song with sexual connotations.

6. How I Met Your Mother: "False Positive" (Season 6, Episode 12)

After Marshall and Lily receive a positive pregnancy test, the rest of the gang starts to evaluate where they are in their lives and start to make big life decisions. After realizing that Marshall and Lily aren't actually pregnant, they don't feel as bad about what they're doing with their lives.

5. That '70s Show: "An Eric Forman Christmas" (Season 4, Episode 12)

Bummed that Christmas isn't fun anymore, Eric doesn't mind when his mom signs him and the gang up to put on a Christmas play at the church, as he thinks it'll get him in the spirit. When the gang isn't interested, Eric is discouraged by the lack of Christmas spirit in his friends and family.

4. Malcolm In The Middle: "Christmas" (Season 3, Episode 7)

Malcolm, Reese and Dewey misbehave one too many times, so fed-up Lois moves all the decorations and presents to the garage to hold them hostage. Francis gets shipped off to his grandmother's for Christmas, who's cranky and out of booze.

3. That '70s Show: "Winter" (Season 7, Episode 11)

When Kelso accidentally takes all the Christmas gifts that the police department collected for needy children over to Eric's basement, the gang ends up opening and playing with almost everything.

2. It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia: "A Very Sunny Christmas" (Season 6, Episode 13)

 Every Christmas, Frank has bought Dennis and Dee's dream gifts for that year, and kept them for himself. This year, it was a lamborghini and designer purse. Pissed that he's taken it too far, they enlist the help of Frank's old business partner to set him up in a Scrooge-type scenario to look at his life. Meanwhile, Mac and Charlie learn some disturbing truths about their beloved childhood Christmas memories.

1. The Office: "Christmas Party" (Season 2, Episode 10)

The office hosts their first Christmas party (that we've seen), and Michael, excited about the huge bonus he made from letting someone go, buys an iPod for secret santa. When he's given a homemade oven mitt, he throws a tantrum and turns secret santa into yankee swap. This upsets everyone, so Michael solves the holidays in the best way possible: with alcohol. This episode is one of the all-time classics of the series, and my favorite Christmas episode ever.

Shawn Hunter Is Back! 'Girl Meets World' Reunites Cory and Shawn

 If you spent any time watching TV in the ‘90s, you were without a doubt a fan of the hit show, Boy Meets World. If not a “fan”, you at least knew it existed. This ‘90s staple engaged kids and young adults of many different ages and helped them relate to the world. This summer, its protégé Girl Meets World (also created by Boy’s Michael Jacobs) premiered, now following the lives of Cory and Topanga’s 13-year old daughter, Riley (Rowan Blanchard) and best friend Maya (Sabrina Carpenter). While it was great news for BMW fans that the hit series was being re-launched in some way, the first season has been almost impossible to stay connected to now that we’ve grown up.

This hasn’t necessarily been a bad thing. The show is meant to relate to kids of the new generation, which it certainly does. It handles modern-day struggles that kids are now dealing with, which is a testament to Jacobs’ societal observations. However, die-hard Boy Meets World fans like myself have still stayed tuned in, mostly for the hopes of seeing our old favorite characters being revisited, and learning where everyone ended up.  So far, we’ve only really gotten to see what’s been going on with Cory, Topanga (Ben Savage and Danielle Fishel) and Mr. Feeny (William Daniels). Kind of. It was a little dark, and left us wondering if Feeny’s even still alive…

While that’s been great and all, I think we’ve all been waiting to hear from the rest of the Boy Meets World crew, Not taking anything away from Cory and Topanga, the couple that made us all believe in love in the corniest way possible, but the excitement of Girl Meets World for me was the idea of seeing Shawn and Eric again. Tonight, our dream partially came true!

In tonight's episode of Girl Meets World, "Girl Meets Home For The Holidays",  the Matthews family hosts a Christmas dinner. Its guests? The original Mr. and Mrs. Matthews (Amy and Alan), their youngest son Joshua, and the one and only SHAWN HUNTER. Alas, no return of the legendary Eric Matthews (Will Friedle) just yet. But have no fear...

As far as expectations go, I tried not to keep mine too high with this episode. I knew there were a lot of familiar faces coming up, but didn't want to get too excited in case it was a just a 5-second cameo return (like Steve Carell in The Office or Chad Michael Murray in One Tree Hill). Luckily, it was awesome. It was everything our inner-90s kids could have hoped for with this particular bunch.

Aside from the sometimes over-the-top mannerisms Cory seems to have developed as an adult, (seriously, Disney, calm down on him. Cory was never that insane) this episode was quite clearly a nice tribute to us die-hard fans that have been sticking with this story for this long. It was awesome to see Cory's parents and Joshua, and learn how their relationships have developed with Cory and Topanga as they became adults. We were given a nice look at the relationship that Topanga and Amy have developed, a somewhat relief after how pissed Amy got when Topanga and Cory first got engaged back in Boy Meets World.

The great connection made in this episode to help new fans understand why all these weird older people are so into this show was the friendships between Riley and Maya and Cory and Shawn. As clearly pointed out, Riley and Maya are "the new Cory and Shawn". While it was cute how they made it seem that Riley and Maya have a stronger connection, let's be honest. There are no better friends than Cory Matthews and Shawn Hunter.

Of course, we can't have Shawn Hunter without a little drama. Right off the bat, we can see a little bit of reservation between Maya and Shawn. I secretly always hoped there was going to be a twist where we learned that Maya was actually Shawn's daughter, but unfortunately, no go. Besides, if GMW will be anything like BMW, the soap-opera type drama like that won't start until season 5. Anybody who's seen GMW can tell that Maya is clearly based off of Shawn. From the parental abandonment to the rebel without a cause attitude, the two are one in the same. That's what made their talk in this episode that much greater, because it allowed Shawn to sort of become Maya's mentor in a way that he never had growing up. Hopefully this means Maya doesn't make as many ridiculous decisions as we've seen Shawn make.

All in all, the episode was really a great callback to Boy Meets World fans everywhere. Even if you've never seen the new series, if you liked Boy Meets World at all, this episode was worth checking out. The writers did a great job of bringing back classic BMW jokes, and it made me hopeful for the future of the new series. Luckily, this isn't the only chance we'll have to visit old characters. Will Friedle is set to return next season as well, and by the looks of Ben Savage's Instagram, Mr. Feeny as well! HE LIVES! (Though they are digging holes, so hopefully it's not his grave)

My interview with 'Transcendence' director, Wally Pfister

‘Transcendence’ Director says, “It’s more than artificial intelligence”

By Kartik Chainani

 Most well known as an Oscar-winning cinematographer for his work on Inception, as well as his nominations for The Dark Knight, The Prestige, and Batman Begins, Wally Pfister makes his directorial debut with the new science-fiction film Transcendence (April 18^th, 2014). The film features a star-studded cast including Johnny Depp, Morgan Freeman, Rebecca Hall (Iron Man 3), and Paul Bettany (Iron Man 1, 2, 3). Long time director/producer Christopher Nolan (The Dark Knight Trilogy) also joins the team, stepping on as producer. Incidentally, Nolan has directed most of the films for which Pfister’s cinematography is so critically acclaimed. Having worked so well together in the past, it will be interesting to see if Nolan’s directing techniques have rubbed off on Pfister.

The movie follows brilliant artificial intelligence scientist Will Caster, who is determined to create technology that can collect massive amounts of intelligence. When a group of anti-technology radicals poisons Caster, he becomes terminally ill. As a result, he and his wife use his new technology to upload his brain into the super computer.

I got a chance to interview Wally Pfister this morning and discuss the film Transcendence in detail, as well as his experience directing for the first time:

How did your experience as a cinematographer help in your directorial debut?

“I think what you’ll find in life is that everything that you do kind of contributes to what you’ll do later on. Everything I’ve done as a cinematographer, all of that experience came in to play when I was directing this movie. One of the greatest things I got out of my work was just a little less intimidation stepping on set as a director.”

What do you think is the most important thing about directing that you’ve picked up from working with Christopher Nolan?

“One of the great things about Chris Nolan is his discipline on set. To observe somebody who really considers every minute of your time to be precious, I’ve just learned how important your time on set really is. Having spent 14 years around Chris, where he doesn’t waste a second of his time and has a great appreciation for the fact that it’s somebody else’s money, and it’s a responsibility. He takes on that responsibility, and that’s one of the greatest things I’ve learned from Chris.

Audiences have seen artificial intelligence as a theme in film many times, so what sets Transcendence apart from the rest of these films?

“I think partially what sets it apart is that it’s not strictly about artificial intelligence. Part of what they’re working on early in the film delves into that, but I think I can say without any spoilers (laughs) that it’s actually about human consciousness. I think that also sets off the emotional journey that Johnny (Depp) goes on.”

With the open-ending of this movie, what is it you hope that viewers will eternalize?

“There are a lot of things I would like people to be thinking about when the movie concludes. I think probably the biggest thing is that, if we are going to be so reliant on technology, it’s good to know whose hands its in (laughs). It’s also kind of a wink to the notion that it’s not always so bad to turn these devices off every now and then and, you know, embrace nature.”

What was it like to have your first chance at directing to be working with top-billed actors like Johnny Depp and Morgan Freeman?

“Oh, its mind-blowing (laughs). I feel incredibly fortunate to be lucky enough in my first outing as a director to have the likes of these incredible actors. And honestly, this isn’t just bullsh*t (laughs), they were all a joy to work with. Obviously I’ve known Morgan and Jillian for ten years, we’ve done three Batman pictures together, so I was already comfortable working with them. But Johnny is just a joy to work with, he’s a really smart guy. Having this kind of talent to back me up on my first effort feels really phenomenal, I feel very privileged.”

Warner Bros. Pictures’ new film Transcendence releases this Friday, April 18^th.

Jason Bateman's 'Bad Words' Review

‘Bad Words’ Review

by Kartik Chainani

            Arrested Development and Horrible Bosses star Jason Bateman makes his directorial debut in the new Focus Features film, Bad Words. In the film, Bateman also stars as main character Guy Trilby, a 40-year old proofreader with a major chip on his shoulder. Being so well known for his many roles as “the nice guy”, Bad Words is a refreshing change of pace for Bateman, as we get a chance to watch his acting skill flourish when playing a world-class jerk.

            The story follows a middle-aged man (Bateman) who finds a loophole in the Golden Quill National Spelling Bee, a contest for middle-school students, which allows him to be a contestant.  Despite being such a hateful human being and having dropped out of middle-school himself, Guy is actually quite brilliant when it comes to the English language, and has a strong, strange desire to beat all the children competing. 

Angering all the contestants and infuriating their parents, Guy is clearly completely unwanted at the competition. Unexplainably, young contestant Chaitanya Chopra (Rohan Chand) immediately seems to take a liking to Guy, and desperately tries to be his friend. Hateful and profane Guy, however, pushes him away at every turn. Chand’s character couldn’t be more lovable. A stereotypical spelling bee nerd, Chaitanya has no friends and spends most of his time buried in his books. However, his enthusiasm and warmth are things that even Guy can’t resist.

           

Bateman’s character, Guy Trilby is the kind of guy you never want to run into, as his clear hatred for the world seems to be taken out on anyone in his way. While being an overall pessimist who seems to have no filter on his potty mouth, you can’t help but crack up at just about everything he has to say in this movie.

            Admittedly, some scenes and camera work throughout the film feels a little awkward at times, and gives off a bit of an indie-vibe. However, that’s not necessarily a bad thing, as it just breaks out of the norm a bit, as Bateman finds his footing as a director.

            This being Bateman’s first chance at directing a feature-film, he seems to have started off strong. While it may be a different experience when he’s directing himself, the chemistry and feel given by the rest of the characters, particularly Chaitanya and love interest, Jenny Widgeon (Kathryn Hahn), offers hope that Bateman will make a success of his next project, The Family Fang (2014).

Overall, Bad Words may not be the funniest movie you’ll see this year, but it is, without a doubt, worth checking out. The nasty humor and tone of the movie present sure-fire laughs, and the dynamic between Bateman and Chand has an underlying warmth to it. As Bad Words is only currently released in select theaters, if it’s near a theater near you, it’s well worth your time.

(INTERVIEW) Aaron Paul Discusses 'Need For Speed', Journey From 'Breaking Bad'

From Meth Heads to Muscle Cars: Aaron Paul Takes on The Big Screen

By Kartik Chainani

(Interview at bottom)

 After watching an actor shine as a lead on a hit TV series, it's often difficult to picture them as anyone else when seeing them in other roles. This is not the case for Aaron Paul. Aaron's performance in the new Need For Speed film is proof that his post-Breaking Bad career is sure to be a success, and he has the talent to make it in film as well as television.

The movie follows the story of street racer Tobey Marshall (Aaron Paul) as he gets released from prison after serving 2 years for a crime he didn't commit. Hell-bent on revenge against the man who framed him, Tobey races across the country to prove his innocence. 

Action movies don't normally have me on the edge of my seat during action-packed scenes, but perhaps it was knowing that none of this movie was computer-generated and was all actually done that had me biting my nails throughout. Director Scott Waugh, who has a heavy background in stunts, was dead set on creating a racing movie that was 100% real. Knowing this prior to watching the movie really makes it that much more incredible, as there are many intensely crazy moments throughout. Because nothing was done with CG (computer generation), this meant Aaron Paul had to attend stunt school himself in order to really learn how to do the things he did in this film.

Like me, when Aaron first heard of the NFS project, he thought of Fast and the Furious. After watching the movie, I'm happy to say that it's nothing like the Fast series. Not to take anything away from the action-packed Fast franchise, but viewers will be happy to see that Need For Speed stands on it's own in the street racing film genre. Writers George and John Gatins developed a strong storyline of a racer's quest for redemption against all odds, and each scene is unique to the film. That being said, director Scott Waugh did pay homage to many classic car movies throughout the film that any car enthusiast is sure to enjoy when noticing them. Additionally, much of the camera work is very similar to racing video games, which is a nice nod to Need For Speed games that this film has been adapted from.