The 4 Best Specials of the Season

1. "A Charlie Brown Christmas" 

Winner of both an Emmy and a Peabody Award, this Christmas special is truly one of a kind. The show features Charlie Brown, Snoopy, and other recognizable characters from the original Peanuts comics. Charlie Brown, not feeling the holiday spirit, is encouraged to direct a school nativity play, and in turn, causes everyone to learn what the real spirit of Christmas is all about. "A Charlie Brown Christmas" has been around since 1965 ans undoubtedly will be shown annually for many more years to come. Its permanent success is proof that classics can never be replaced. Tune in to the show on December 5th, on ABC.

2. "Frosty the Snowman"

This 1969 special, based on the song "Frosty the Snowman", features a living snowman and a young girl as they struggle to keep a magical hat away from an evil magician. The hat animates Frosty to life and the magician, realizing its power, wants it back at all costs. Though the plot is undeniably cheesy, the Christmas special is truly endearing and nostalgic. Since its release in 1969, the film has been redone a number of times and seen key aspects changed, but remains a classic. A sequel entitled "Frosty's Winter Wonderland" was released in 1976. Look for the show to air on December 8th, on CBS.

3. "Elf"

Will Ferrell stars in "Elf", a 2003 American Christmas comedy unlike any other. Thought it was only recently released, the film is just as noteworthy as the older specials because of its contagious holiday enthusiasm. Ferrell plays Buddy, one of Santa's elves who learns that he is actually a human (perhaps the size and inability to make toys gave it away?). Upon this realization, Buddy travels to New York to find his real parents and ends up spreading a good deal of holiday spirit around the city. The lovable characters, creative plot, and excellent costuming are what make the film so memorable and perfect for the holidays. "Elf" will air on December 15th, on CBS.

4. "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer"

Though the film was first released in 1964, it is among the select few of classic Christmas specials that continues to air every year because of its popularity and timelessness. The film is centered on Rudolph, a reindeer who is ridiculed for having a glowing red nose and told he cannot be part of Santa's deliveries. Together with the other misfit Christmas characters, Rudolph searches for a more tolerant place to live. When he learns his family and love Clarice are in trouble, Rudolph and his newfound friends band together to save them from the Abominable Snow Monster. This Christmas special, in addition to spreading holiday cheer, teaches children that being different does not make anyone less capable of anything they want to do in life. Rudolph's story will air on December 4th, on CBS. 

The 4 Worst Specials of the Season

1. "Larry the Cable Guy's Christmas Spectacular"

This Christmas "special" takes the cake as being the tackiest and most awkward show to watch during the holiday season. Not only is Larry the Cable Guy a terrible act on his own, he enlists the help of Jamie Kennedy and Flavor Flav to help his show become even more of a trainwreck. No, this show is not child-friendly and does not instill a warm, Christmas mood. The "Christmas Spectacular" takes the original "Ghosts of Christmas Past, Present, and Future" concept and warps it into something without class or good humor. If this first special was not enough of a mess, Larry also had "Larry the Cable Guy's Star-Studded Christmas Spectacular" - which was just as horrific to sit through as the other.

2. "I Want a Dog for Christmas, Charlie Brown"

As endearing as the Peanuts are, even Charlie Brown and his crew are not spared from a case of too many spinoffs. This particular Christmas special is the fourth of the collection and was made in 2003. The film was unsuccessful in capturing the timeless magic of the original film and tried too many unecessary innovations to retain viewer interest. For one, the special did not feature much of Charlie Brown, Lucy, or Snoopy... instead it revolved around Lucy's brother Rerun's desire for a dog for Christmas. The holiday cheer was also noticeably absent from this edition and brought the film to its knees.

3. "Pee-Wee's Playhouse Christmas Special"

First airing in 1988, this Christmas special is far from being a memorable classic. From its empty plt (Pee-Wee makes an obnoxiously long Christmas list and is forced to choose between his needs and the needs of others) to its barely tolerable celebrity guests (including Magic Johnson and Cher), the special requires a good deal of patience to spare an audience from deadly boredom. As usual, a cheey line promoting selflessness is incorporated. Usually, such cheesiness is to be expected... had the rest of the film been bearable to sit through, as well.

4. "Frosty Returns"

Perhaps it is the film's blatant need to promote environmentalsm that makes "Frosty Returns" such a displeasure. Yes, some aspects of the original "Frosty the Snowman" concept are present in this Christmas special. However, the idea has been stretched to caricature means and warped into something entirely less spirited. With its heavy allusion to climate change, the film was basically turned from a carefree story about a living snowman into a burdensome social campaign aimed at pushing the younger population towards eco-friendsly behavior. The film claims to be a Christmas special, but is structured more as a war against ending snow and a disappointment to the holiday season. 

Reach Staff Reporter Kathy Zerbib here. Follow her on Twitter here.