“A CHRISTMAS CAROL” EPISODES OF WKRP, ODD COUPLE, FAMILY TIES & TEDDY Z

Balladeer’s Blog’s 2023 Christmas Carol-A-Thon continues! This particular blog post will examine episodes of television shows where the Carol was adapted to incorporate the program’s regular cast of characters.

WKRP IN CINCINNATI

Episode Title: Bah, Humbug

Original Broadcast Date: December 20th, 1980

Comment: Mr. Carlson (Gordon Jump), the station owner, is the Scrooge stand-in in this fairly good sitcom version of the Carol.

Eating some of DJ Johnny Fever’s drug-laced brownies, a stressed-out and grumpy Carlson dreams about visits from the Ghost of Christmas Past – sexy Jennifer (Loni Anderson), Present – black DJ Venus Flytrap (Tim Reid) and Yet to Come – Dr. Johnny Fever (Howard Hesseman)

Obviously, as with all such television episodes adapting A Christmas Carol, major liberties are taken, but that’s part of the fun. Johnny Fever’s Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come closes out his time with Carlson/ Scrooge by telling him “They say you can change your fate just by missing a bus” to encourage him in his efforts to reform.    

FAMILY TIES

Episode Title: A Keaton Christmas Carol

Original Broadcast Date: December 14th, 1983

Comment: Alex P Keaton (Michael J Fox) is his usual money- loving, selfish jerk of a character. Needless to say he is the Scrooge surrogate here.

He had no business partner so the story jumps straight to visits from the Ghost of Christmas Past – Jennifer (Tina Yothers), no ghost for the present and then Yet to Come – Mallory (Justine Bateman). 

Especially funny are the gifts Alex finds during his Christmas morning conversion. Finding only a convenience store open he buys his family members coffee, TV Guide, batteries and beef jerky.  

THE ODD COUPLE

Episode Title: Scrooge Gets an Oscar

Original Broadcast Date: December 17th, 1970

Comment: Perpetually grouchy Oscar Madison (Jack Klugman) refuses to portray Ebenezer Scrooge in a stage production being put on by his roommate Felix Unger (Tony Randall).

After chowing down on his usual spicy and bizarre combinations of food Oscar dreams that he gets visited by Felix as a Christmas Ghost. This is the only ghost who appears and he shuffles Oscar through the usual visions of his past, present and future. 

THE FAMOUS TEDDY Z

Episode Title: Season’s Greetings from Al Floss

Original Broadcast Date: December 11th, 1989 

Comment: The Famous Teddy Z was a cult sitcom that still has its champions who insist it was one of the greatest shows to only last 20 episodes.

Teddy Z (Jon Cryer of all people) and his co-worker Laurie (Jane Sibbett) are ordered to work on Christmas Day just to wait for something to be delivered. Al Floss (THE Alex Rocco), their grumpy boss, gets visited that night by the ghost of his dead partner Maury Chekoff (Bill Macy). Maury warns Al that he will be visited by three ghosts and you can fill in the rest from here.

This was my least favorite of these episodes but I agree the show had a certain oddball appeal. It just wasn’t the best vehicle for a Dickens adaptation. But I concede that my lack of familiarity with the nuances of the characters may mean I’m missing some of the humor and heart of this particular episode.         

FOR MORE VERSIONS OF A CHRISTMAS CAROL CLICK HERE:  https://glitternight.com/category/a-christmas-carol-2/