No Christmas episode?

[jacqui_appleton]

Why was there never a M3S Christmas-themed episode?

Would have been ideal for the Dodie era.

There are some things you can only do with a young female child in a television script, especially in the 1950s and 60s, when gender differences were more distinct.

For a start, if they had done a Christmas episode in 1965-66 with Ernie, they wouldn't have did what they would possibly do with Dodie and have Ernie in a velvet dress, white stockings and black Mary Janes.

[stevea]

That's a good question. They had one holiday episode, a Thanksgiving episode early-on.

For some reason they kept away seasonal references. No references to colder weather, no snow, rarely rain, even in the pre-L.A. years. Most sitcoms of the era were like that. But many of them did have Christmas episodes.

[biffbronson]

I think it's worth a mention that Family Affair did have a Christmas-themed episode, when the ill girl played by Eve Plumb (classmate of Buffy & Jody) celebrates an early holiday with the help of the Davis family.

So knowing that the other Fedderson series did that, you have to wonder how M3S went 12 seasons without at least something comparable. Although I guess one can say that the California climate of the later seasons didn't really lend itself to winter holidays (not that that bothered other series).

It seems that rain usually had to have a purpose for the storyline -- like when heavy rains create a mudslide of sorts from the back yard of a house Robbie tries to sell as a realtor.

[stevea]

I wondered about Family Affair.

The other memorable use of rain was Katie being home alone and the sump pump that sounded like a heartbeat kicked on during a deluge.

[paul.austin]

I think a Christmas episode was a real missed opportunity with M3S. Especially around Season 10, when Dodie was added. But, i guess it would be hard to use most of the usual Christmas tropes in hot, sunny, California.

[torcan]

I love sitcom Christmas episodes and it's disappointing My Three Sons never did one. I read somewhere that Don Fedderson didn't want to have a holiday themed episode because that would interfere with the syndicated reruns. All other episodes could be run any other time of the year.

That excuse doesn't hold water for me. Many other shows have multiple holiday episodes and are still successful in syndication. The stations will either hold the episodes for the holidays, or run them in the summer as a "Christmas in July" type deal.

Although I've never actually seen them, I think the show had one Halloween episode and one Thanksgiving episode in the black and white years didn't it?

Too bad we weren't making the decisions!

[Hazel Anyday]

Yes, I have always wished Sons did at least just one Christmas episode. They did a Halloween and a Thanksgiving show in a season 1 and a season 2 episode both of which I watch every year at the appropriate holiday time I sure would have loved seeing a Christmas ep. each year. Hazel at least did 4 Thanksgivings and two Christmas episodes.

OH and by the way Family Affair (Fedderson's other show) NEVER did a Christmas show, the closest they came is when they all pretended it was Christmas time for a sick Jan from the Brady Bunch. Jan was about to kick the bucket so the family gave her a Christmas so she'd enjoy one last Christmas. But it was not actually a Christmas show.

I only like watching holiday shows at the appropriate holiday time, I don't like those Christmas in July type shows, never watch them. It's a cheat on the whole idea of a special holiday show. They should be saved for the right time so that they will indeed be special.

[jacqui_appleton]

@Hazel Anyday As I said, you could have done a Christmas episode when Ernie was young enough but there are some Christmas episode tropes that can only be done with a little girl character in a show's cast.

[Hazel Anyday]

Well, I can imagine a show where Chip has to buy Polly a present and doesn't know what to get her. Or Uncle Charlie being down and the fiamily figuring out what it is and then they get him a present to make him brighter again. If you use your imagination you can think of Christmas stories for the cast at all ages. I would love to have seen all the kids get Bub a special Christmas present, and then Bub's reaction. Yep, a little imagination and any age Douglas could have been in a neat Christmas show.

[RKORadio]

Uncle Charley as a Mall Santa and meeting a Susan Walker ("Miracle on...") type girl?

[TeeVeeCloset]

Please don't anyone jump on me for this.......BTW I collect holiday themed episodes, have over 200 including Fish, Gloria, New Family Affair, Phyllis, Chico & The Man, Two Of A Kind, Harper Valley PTA, The Ghost & Mrs. Muir & the totally uncut 1st Mary Tyler Moore just to name a few of the unreleased kind.

First so many Christmas themed plot lines for My Three Sons, that take on miracle on 34th Street was great! Especially since William Frawley appeared in the original classic film, so yes "Bub" taking a job as a store Santa would have been a real cool episode!

As for needing a little girl, I say Dennis The Menace did 3 of 4 seasons of the best Christmas themed episodes. Christmas is for all!

I read years ago, please please just a theory, I am not against anyone or ANY religion. But read Don Fedderson was Jewish?, it does seam odd that his two greatest shows, Family Affair & My Three Sons both did not create your standard Christmas themed episodes. Yet on Sons, Christmas was mentioned constantly as in "I got this for Christmas" but just for me since Sons did do Halloween & Thanksgiving episodes in the B&W years, not sure why Sons never did one in 12 seasons.

Please again I do not mean to spread rumors or target any religion with the post. I respect ALL people & Faiths! Just that I read that years ago.....nothing more than that, so I say we all continue to enjoy all what was produced!

Steve any more opinions? You are the MTS expert to me!

[stevea]

Good points--it's possible Fedderson didn't want Christmas episodes. There is a trader whose primary interests are Father Knows Best and O&H (not M3S at all, unfortunately--if so she'd probably have Beta tapes of those). She is in Michigan and I've communicated with her for years, and she has a huge collection of Christmas episodes.

[Hazel Anyday]

The reason I've always heard it that they didn't want to do a Christmas show as they didn't want it to be counted as one less episode to play in syndication as stations USED to hold those holiday shows till the actual holiday time for airing. So a holiday show in syndication to these guys just meant one less episode to run in rotation thru the year. And I've never heard Fedderson was Jewish either. Actually, never thought about it. I do wonder on those who think of it though.