The Christmas Show

[Nighthawk76]

I love "Christmas In the Big House" because it is a lot of fun to watch and really touching as well. I love the skit with Jo and Natalie. Still, my favorite scene is when Blair is singing "I'll Be Home For Christmas" solo before the others joined in. Lisa has such a beautiful voice.

[raya]

Originally Posted by canuckkidd

I did however find it hard to believe the prisoners being so well behaved and singing along to the Christmas tunes. But maybe that's what the Christmas spirit does to people.

I like this episode, but the prisoners are funny. They certainly don't act like hardened criminals. Of course they were very tv sitcom type prisoners--meaning about as far from reality as possible. Hee.

I also think it's funny that the girls perform their 3 numbers--Jo/Nat, Mrs. G and Tootie--and then expect the show to be over. How long was the show? Five minutes? Didn't they think they might have needed to come up with a few more acts off the top of their heads?

But in regards to the discussion, I like the first two Christmas episodes. The ones I don't care for are the Bailey being born one (sorta cheesy) and the Beverly Ann "It's a Wonderful Life" take off one (been done to death).

[JO jr]

Originally Posted by canuckkidd

I saw that episode for the first time yesterday as well, although I enjoyed "The Christmas show" much more, I still thought "Christmas in the Big House" was not that bad. We did get to see the singing talents of all the girls and Mrs. G. I had my family over yesterday helping me decorate the house and they all were singing along with the girls, especially Blair's number.

I did however find it hard to believe the prisoners being so well behaved and singing along to the Christmas tunes. But maybe that's what the Christmas spirit does to people.

Anybody know if Nancy Mckeon was really playing the Piano? Seeing that made me want to start taking lessons again.

OK. FIRST, NANCY SAID IN AN INTERVIEW THAT SHE TOOK PIANO LESSONS WHEN SHE WAS LITTLE, SO THAT COULD VERY WELL BE HER. I'VE ALWAYS WONDERED IF SHE REALLY WAS PLAYING, SO AFTER HEARING THAT, I'M ASSUMING SHE WAS. ALTHOUGH, IN THE SUMMER OF 84, IT DOESN'T LOOK AS IF SHE'S PLAYING THE PIANO FOR REAL ALL THE TIME.

NOW...ONTO MORE SERIOUS BUSINESS

DID YOU KNOW THAT CHRISTMAS IN THE BIG HOUSE WAS SUPPOSED TO BE A TWO-PARTER? ACTUALLY WHEN THE GIRLS WENT TO THE PRISON, ONE OF THEM WAS TO BE TAKEN HOSTAGE, BECAUSE THE PRISONERS WERE INDEED HOSTILE. THEY WERE TO BUM RUSH THE STAGE AND TAKE BLAIR.

OF COURSE, THIS BEING A COMEDY, SHE WOULD MAKE SOME COMMENT ABOUT HOW EVEN MURDERES FIND HER IRRESISTABLE; AND JO WOULD FOLLOW UP WITH, "YEAH. WELL HAVE A NICE TIME PRINCESS. I'M SURE THEY'LL BE REAL INTERESTED IN ALL YOUR HARVEST QUEEN STORIES."
ALTHOUGH EVERYONE WAS AGAST AT JO'S INSENSITIVETY, THE WRITERS HAD A PLAN.

JO SHOUTED THAT BLAIR WAS FILTHY RICH, AND THAT HER DAD WOULD DO ANYTHING FOR HIS LITTLE GIRL. SHE SUGGESTED THEY ASK FOR $1 MILLION
EACH, TO BE WIRED INTO THEIR BANK ACCOUNTS, AS WELL AS PROVIDING ONE OF HIS PRIVATE JETS FOR THEIR ESCAPE.

THE PRISONERS AGREED. BUT JO, FEELING GUILTY OVER PRESSURING BLAIR TO GO TO THE PRISON IN THE FIRST PLACE, DEMANDED THAT SHE BE TAKEN INSTEAD. BESIDES, SHE THOUGHT IF SHE COULD TELL THEM ABOUT HER FATHER, THEN THEY MIGHT HAVE SOME LITTLE BONDING EXPERIENCE AND SYMPATHY, SO AS NOT TO HARM HER IN ANY WAY. BESIDES, WHO BETTER TO FIEND OFF THESE MEN?

SO IN THE END, BY USING HER WITS AND SHOWING HER LOVE FOR GOD JO COMES OUT OF THE PRISON UNSCATHED. THE MEN, HOWEVER, DON'T FARE AS WELL. SINCE JO WAS ABLE TO STALL FOR JUST ENOUGH TIME, THE SWAT TEAM WAS ABLE TO (WELL, LET'S JUST SAY IT'S A COMEDY, THEREFORE THE WRITER'S DECIDED NOT TO SHOW THE PRISONERS' REMAINS) TAKE CONTROL OF THE SITUATION.

AFTER MUCH THOUGHT BETWEEN THE WRITERS, PRODUCERS AND CAST, HOWEVER, IT WAS WISELY DECIDED TO KEEP THIS A NICE, LIGHT CHRISTMAS EPISODE. THEREFORE, THEY NIXED THE WHOLE SECOND PART.

I DON'T KNOW ABOUT YOU, BUT I'M KINDA GLAD THEY DIDN'T DO A PART 2. ALTHOUGH, IT DEFINITELY WOULD HAVE BEEN INTERESTING. AND THEN...WHY I'M SURE THEY WOULD HAVE TO BRING IT UP IN OTHER EPISODES, WOULDN'T THEY?

LONG LIVE JO

[Nighthawk76]

I think that "Christmas In The Big House" is perfect just the way it is.

[80schild.com]

Ok, so i guess i am almost alone on disliking this episode here... But come on guys - the plot is quite thin. the girls get hooked into performing for prisoners - thats it - absolutely no sub plots! The musical numbers were embarassing for me to watch (although Jo and Nat's skit was kinda funny - kinda). Mrs G didn't sing well in this ep IMO and Tootie could have had a stronger performance too. The Christmas eps that came before and after this season in S5 and S7 were so much better. absolutely no entertainment value was in this - come on, watching bad singers sing is boring (althought i'll give Blair a credit- she was the best for by far) . You all know i love Season 6 - but this just seemed to be one of the worst eps ever. EVER. i put this with The best sister, and Brian & Sylvia....sorry but i was very dissapointed in the quality here...

[candycandy]

i like the XMAS SHOW best: it highlight the strong friendship of BLAIR & JO, as well as how MRS. G is closest to both her 2 older girls (you see how happy & surprised MRS.G is when BLAIR appears), i love the ending when the 3 of them kind of hug each other......Very magical & make me wanna have friends like them!