Kribble Krabble
The Calvin family is back and this time, Scott Calvin is determined to ensure his time as Santa Claus is a family affair. Building off the popular The Santa Clause trilogy of films, Disney+ unveiled The Santa Clauses just before Christmas 2022. The show garnered a big enough following in its first season that a second season was greenlit and filmed just in time for November 2023. Tim Allen and Elizabeth Mitchell returned as Santa and Mrs. Claus, but this time there’s an evil Santa from the past who is returning to try to wreak havoc on the North Pole and Christmas, at large.
Pros
NOT A MONEY GRAB
While the idea of revisiting a franchise that’s third film wasn’t as well regarded as the first two may have been questionable, Disney+ delivered with the first season of this holiday series. In The Santa Clause 3: The Escape Clause, Tim Allen looked like he only took the job for a paycheck. But, in the series, he has genuinely seemed to relish the role since returning. After knocking it out of the park in season one, he continues to play jolly old St. Nick in a kind and compassionate way while still making mistakes along the way. He’s affable and charming. It could be easy to see this show as a money grab, but those behind it have made it feel authentic.
THE MAD SANTA
Season two also introduces a proper villain. Season one’s villain wasn’t evil; he was just someone who got easily swept up in his own way of doing things. Kal Penn’s character started as someone who was easy to support until he tried to make everyday Christmas which removed what is special about it. In season two, Eric Stonestreet steps in as the Mad Santa. A Santa Claus who turned the world against him in the 14th century and was turned into a nutcracker until being released by Christmas magic. While the Mad Santa doesn’t do much in the season premier, Stonestreet still plays him with the right mixture of joy and delusion. My wife and I were late to the Modern Family craze, but we’ve really enjoyed Stonestreet’s portrayal of Cam on that show and he’s bringing a similar infectious personality to the Mad Santa that makes me happy to see him on screen.
SANTA’S FAMILY
While season one introduced fans to the younger children of Santa and Mrs. Claus, Cal and Sandra, season two is exploring more about these humans who are developing magical powers. Santa wants Cal to be the next Santa Claus and while Cal has some powers directly connected to Christmas, it’s obvious that it’s not the same as Santa’s magic. Meanwhile, Sandra understands animals which is very important when it comes to communicating with reindeer. These powers are sure to present themselves in wild and crazy ways throughout the season.
Cons
The cheese factor is incredibly high. While a movie series about a man who becomes Santa Claus because the previous Santa fell off the roof is cheesy on its own, each successive film upped the cheese factor. While the series has brought it back down to a manageable level following the third film going all out in cheesiness, it’s still a cheesy series that won’t appeal to everyone. The series is cute, but there is a cuteness overload when interacting with the elves and the other magical creatures at the North Pole. I enjoy it, but it’s easy to understand why some others might not.
Conclusion
When The Santa Clauses was first announced, I was hesitant. While the first film is one of my favorite Christmas films, I wasn’t a big fan of the second one when I saw it in theaters. As I’ve aged, I’ve developed a fondness for the sequel and can tell it was meant for either children or parents of children and not a 17-year-old who was becoming more angsty and cynical by the day. While the third film is not high on my list, I can still see its appeal to others. But, I wasn’t sure how Disney would recapture the magic. I’m glad to say I was wrong.
The first season defied my expectations. I was still reluctant to accept a second season. We’ve all seen those shows that were intended to be limited series but were so popular, the studios greenlit more seasons and the shows couldn’t live up to the hype of the first season. I was worried that would happen here. So far, that’s not the case. I’m hooked and ready to go.
Check out new episodes of The Santa Clauses on Disney+.
Rating
By Jeremy Brown 2023
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Comments
Great article! I'm looking forward to seeing where this story line goes.
I completely agree, this show is a bit cheesy but still fun to watch. There is some nostalgia to it, growing up watching the movies and getting to watch the show with my family is really nice.
This show is fun to watch. Thanks for your review.
Great article! I agree that the first was better than the second movie. I haven’t seen the 3rd and am looking forward to seeing it. Thanks for sharing your review.