The 7 Darkest Christmas Specials to Unleash Your Inner Scrooge
Christmas has a way of lighting up all of our hearts and filling it with holiday mirth, regardless of whether we choose to observe the holiday or not.
A festive time of the year where people are encouraged to come together and embrace each other’s company, Christmas helps provide seasonal warmth during the coldest, darkest time of the year.
Of course, not everyone buys into the festivities surrounding the holiday season, fostering a cynical view of Christmas that can almost be described as Scroogean in its intensity. For all those looking for an alternative to the feel-good Christmas specials we usually see on television, here are seven dark and disturbing holiday specials we recommend checking out this season.
A Very Sunny Christmas (It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia)
The final episode of It’s Always Sunny’s sixth season, “A Very Sunny Christmas” brings the holidays to Philadelphia in characteristically grim fashion. From its satirical take on A Christmas Carol to Charlie’s violent brawl with a mall Santa, every moment of “A Very Sunny Christmas” is packed to the brim with sheer holiday-themed anarchy at its most chaotic. Whether witnessing a naked Frank rip his way out of a couch or watching a young Mac rob innocent families of their Christmas presents, “A Very Sunny Christmas” is brimming with scenes you’ll feel guilty laughing at – but that you’ll heartily laugh at all the same.
Woodland Critter Christmas (South Park)
What, did you expect South Park to produce a heartfelt Christmas special? Subverting expectations around every corner, “Woodland Critter Christmas”’s disturbing content hasn’t prevented the episode from becoming a cult favorite among fans and longtime viewers of the show. Satirizing family-friendly holiday programs featuring adorable, rosy-cheeked animals in the lead role, “Woodland Critter Christmas”’s final act literally turns the Christmas season upside down, ushering in an offensive, uncomfortable, laugh-out-loud holiday celebration unlike any other.
Road to the North Pole (Family Guy)
Like It’s Always Sunny and South Park, Family Guy has never shied away from controversy, frequently tackling otherwise family-friendly subject matter for the sake of a few dark laughs. With that in mind, it isn’t entirely surprising that Family Guy’s Christmas episode, “Road to the North Pole,” is so remarkably grim, conjuring up a more cynical view of the holidays that would leave even the Grinch bewildered. Yet at the end of the day, “Road to the North Pole” ends on a surprisingly thought-provoking final note, encouraging viewers to steer clear of the materialist mindset that dominates the holiday season.
And All Through the House (Tales from the Crypt)
Deep down, all of us share the irrational fear of an intruder breaking into our house in the middle of the night (a relatable concern made even more terrifying by the prospect of an ax-wielding killer Santa chopping his way through our front door). Such is the simple but haunting premise behind Tales from the Crypt’s “And All Through the House,” a suspenseful horror episode featuring escaped mental patients, dastardly murder plots, and the single scariest yuletide home invasion you’ll ever see on television.
Amends (Buffy the Vampire Slayer)
There’s a reason Angel earned enough avid popularity to warrant his own spin-off series. With episodes like “Amends,” the creators of Buffy the Vampire Slayer found a way to further focus on Angel’s dueling personalities, juxtaposing his troubling past with his guilt-ridden present. It may not feature an altogether heavy exploration of Christmas, but as an effective character study, “Amends” is a must-see episode for dedicated Buffy fans. (Not to mention the fact that it marked the official debut for the First Evil, a dangerous entity that grew into the seventh season’s main antagonist.)
Unholy Night (American Horror Story)
To this day, most fans continue to cite American Horror Story’s second season as the most disturbing in the show’s continuity. With that in mind, it’s no great shock that Asylum’s Christmas episode, “Unholy Night,” winds up being as horrifying as every other episode in the season. With Ian McShane handing in an award-worthy performance as a Santa Claus-obsessed serial killer, “Unholy Night” is guaranteed to capture and hold audiences’ attention from the moment McShane begins his yuletide reign of terror.
White Christmas (Black Mirror)
When held up to the grislier content of Tales from the Crypt and American Horror Story, “White Christmas” seems almost tame by comparison. However, this early Black Mirror special proves every bit as unnerving as the aforementioned Christmas episodes – if not more so. Featuring remarkable performances from Jon Hamm and Rafe Spall, “White Christmas”’s headier atmosphere never fails to leave viewers cringing in discomfort, culminating in a nauseating plot twist Rod Serling himself might approve of.
