“Brooklyn Nine-Nine”
“Brooklyn Nine-Nine’s” holiday episodes always feature eccentric and festive crimes for the 99th precinct to handle. For “Die-Hard”-loving protagonist Jake Peralta, getting to save the day on Christmas is excitingly close to John McClane’s fight to save hostages at a Christmas party. From breaking up a Latvian crime ring that has Charles’ son’s Christmas present to the return of the Pontiac Bandit Doug Judy, it’s always interesting to see how the quirky personalities of “Brooklyn Nine-Nine” react to the holiday season. Season 1, Episode 11; Season 2, Episode 10; Season 3, Episode 10; Season 4, Episode 10
“Friends”
“Friends” is particularly well-known for its holiday specials. With a total of eight winter holiday episodes, it’s hard to pick one that tops them all. There’s “The One with the Holiday Armadillo,” in which Ross, in lieu of the sold-out Santa Claus costume, dresses up as an armadillo. He proceeds to teach his kid about Hanukkah as “the Holiday Armadillo.” Then, there’s “The One with the Routine” where Ross and Monica perform a dance routine they choreographed as children on “Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve.” Season 2, Episode 9; Season 3, Episode 10; Season 4 Episode 10; Season 5, Episode 10; Season 6, Episode 10; Season 7, Episode 10; Season 8, Episode 11; Season 9, Episode 10
“The Office”
Every holiday episode of “The Office” involves hilarious drama at a messy office Christmas Party, which sometimes spills into two episodes. What’s more, Mindy Kaling, who plays the cast member Kelly Kapoor, wrote four of these episodes. Unlike many sitcoms, “The Office’s” holiday episodes are almost never disconnected from the rest of the season and often contain important plot points. For example, in the first Christmas episode ever, Jim chickens out of giving Pam a note he wrote her which becomes significant to their relationship in Season 9. Season 2, Episode 10; Season 3, Episodes 10 & 11; Season 5, Episode 11; Season 6, Episode 13; Season 7, Episode 11 & 12; Season 8, Episode 10; Season 9, Episode 9
“Gilmore Girls”
Many people associate the “Gilmore Girls” aesthetic with autumn, but Stars Hollow is especially charming when all lit up for the winter holidays. In the first season of the show, Lorelai Gilmore says she has always believed that snow is the universe’s little gift to her. She swears she can smell the first snow when it is about to come on. There are remarkably tender moments, such as when Luke builds Lorelai an ice skating rink and we get to see the whole Stars Hollow ensemble brought together at a Dragonfly Inn Christmas party. Season 1, Episode 10; Season 2, Episode 10; Season 3, Episode 10; Season 4, Episode 11; Season 5, Episode 11; Season 6, Episode 12; Season 7, Episode 10