TGI – Episode 611 “Santa’s Little Helpers”

So as we oftentimes discuss here on our lovely podcast.

We get it's pretty good meets World. Yes, thank you. In case people didn't know.

What it was.

You're not confused if you're listening to pod meets World.

Who played to Panga?

I am.

Not.

Uh.

We we try to get in depth with our what I like to call PSC or pre show chatter, and today's PSC is going to be no different because this is one that sparked a conversation at dinner the other night that then brought waiters and everybody else into the conversation. So I'd like to bring this to my two best friends, but they're out of town this week, so I'm bringing thank you very much.

He got me, You got me.

There was a farmer who had a dog and Bingo was his name. O is Bingo the farmer or the dog?

Oh?

It's the dog.

But it starts there was a farmer you had a dog and Bingo was his name. O.

So isn't the song about the farmer? Yeah, I'm going farmer.

I think it's still the dog. I mean, Bingo is.

The name for a dog. But then where everybody's name was like Michael and Bob.

But That's my question then is is would the whole song then change if it was there was a farmer who had a dog and John was his name, o, then is it clearly about the farmer and is just changing the name then changed the whole who the song is about. That's that's what the question, because then another waiter would walk by and be like, no, it's got to be the dog.

And then I mean, I just, I just somebody has to like open a place called like Bingo's farm, right, and it's the name of the farmer. The farmer is the farmer, Like, I think it's the farmer too, a dude named Bingo, Like that's and I feel.

Like this farmer now for what one hundred years, has been like wait.

A minute, it's a song about me.

This song is about me. Dude.

My dog's name was Jeff, Like you know, that's that's my question.

Yeah, okay, well I think it's the dog, and writer thinks.

It's the farmer.

Getting deep, guys, that's what I'm saying. Well, I think it's the farmer.

You think it's the farmer too, I do.

I think this guy has been overlooked now for like a century. This poor farmer, farmer Bingo who worked as off and is.

He related to Old McDonald?

Like, are they like McDonald's son, So it's mcbinga McDonald.

He's bing McDonald McDonald the greatest.

Yeah, yeah, Old McDonald had a farm. Wait, how does old like Thenald McDonald confused me.

Too, McDonald had a farm. Yeah, yeah, that's what it is. The chicks, he has all the stuff.

Yeah okay, but Bingo is the son who's next door with his farm.

God, he's got a dog that nobody knows the family.

Mcdonald'srominga McDonald McDonald.

I didn't know if it sounds more porn or more like highlander character, Like I'm Bingle McDonald's.

Which is which one sounds better? McDonald's.

I think I think we need to have our own Chubbies pop up, but instead of Joby's, it's just called Bingle McDonald and we serve all the animals on the farm except dog.

Oh.

I love that. Oh it's such a great way to start. Well, are we still gonna do the Chubbies pop up?

I think we still should do it. It's one of them fifty ideas we toss out.

You have to do that. Been doing episodes of our sitcom.

If any one of us could run a restaurant, if anyone has had like any ability to make a restaurant, Yeah.

It's got to be a way.

Gotta be one of our listeners whose name is like pop up Jim and that's what he does.

And so his business.

Guys, there was a guy who's done.

That would be great.

I don't know.

Again, hard hitting, I get it. I know sometimes I go philosophical.

But it was into this.

We had this.

I'm really glad we had this guy needed some in de ps just the way it is. Welcome to Pod meets World. I'm Daniel Fischel.

I'm being strong and I'm his dad. Will you a writer?

He's will my two best friends and you're gonna stay that way.

How dare you? Uh?

And I'm writers derailed? We have official?

Oh someone sent me my friend Brooklyn sent me uh an Instagram post the other day that was just like some funny screenshots between people and one of them was like.

Hey, thanks for you know, I had a really great time with you tonight, and the response back was like yeah, me too, and the other person wrote back, so are we a letter? A? And then official My last name, and the person was like huh and they were like, you know, are we official? It was like, I'm sorry, I'm very confused. He's like, will you be my girlfriend? And so then another one that was on there that made me laugh way more than the official. Of course

The one I saw that made me laugh that I couldn't stop thinking about was she just said, guy, Colin, you know, it comes to a point in a relationship where you've seen the other person's butthole more than they've seen it, And I think that's really special. Priest, and Sally has decided to write her vows as well, laughed.

Gosh. Okay, Well, welcome to this episode of Pod Meets World. It is our season six, episode eleven cap of Santa's Little Helpers. It originally aired December eleven, writers birthday eight.

Yeah so I turned nineteen.

Wow.

The synopsis, well, celebrating Christmas, Corey and Tapanga accidentally bring Sean and Angela back together, while Eric takes a job as a mall Santa and finds a higher calling. It was directed by Lynn McCracken. Yes, oh nice. Yeah, you have heard us talk about her brother, mister Jeff McCracken ad nauseum on this podcast. We love him, We love Lynn. This was was this her first episode of directing ever?

Yeah, well ever television, I don't know, but she she was our stage manager for the entire first season.

And maybe half second season.

Yeah, for Steve Hayfer, so before Steve's having a baby, right, Lynn was.

Our stage manage, stage manager.

Yeah, so she really yeah, set the tone for our show on our backstage and all of that, and then kind of disappeared and we didn't see her for a long time until she came back to direct.

To this, which sucks because she was like one of the first people I met when I came out here and was just so sweet, so welcoming and control.

Yes, she really did. Yeah, she was wonderful.

Michael and everyone else involved in the decision making was really good about giving people an opportunity to direct on this show. Yeah, we've talked about Rusty directing. We've talked about you know, Fred. He gave Fred his first opportunity to direct Lynn, Steve Hayfer, So, you know.

And I feel like these last couple of seasons we had a lot of first time directors, a lot of actors trying it out or people that were in other positions.

We had Mickey Mickey Dolan's came it didn't also start from mister.

Mac Yeah, oh right, Jerry Levin, Jerry and Jerry Levine came on.

Jerry, Yeah, he came and he ended up He's been a full time director basically ever since.

Yeah, but he did. I mean a lot of these people have that we just named. Steve Hayfer went on to be a yep, full time director. Yeah, a lot of people went on. Lynn has done like thirty episodes of TV, so you know, quite a lot of people who started their careers with us. This episode was written by Laura Ohlsen and Patty Carr and guest starring Penny

Well it's Mario van Peebles.

She is also the niece of different Strokestar Todd Bridges, and her dad was an actor as well. If you guys want to feel old, she has a beautiful young daughter herself.

Now, oh man, yeah, it does make me feel old.

Then we have the legendary character actor Patrick Cranshaw as the Penbrooke Custodian, best known as Blue from Old School, as in You're My Boy.

Blue, You're My Boy Blue.

That would catapult him into pop culture infamy. His distinctive old man look landed him in movies like Peewee's Big Adventure, Bonnie and Clyde, Sergent, Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band, Best in Show, Bubble Boy, and the list goes.

On and on.

He was twenty four when he did our episode. That's how much great man he looks like. That's just so good at it. Title casting All the Toads wasn't available for this.

Exactly. Unfortunately, Cranshaw died in two thousand and five at the age of eighty six. So yeah, two thousand and five, this was ninety eight, This was seven years he was seventy nine here, okay. And then we have JB. Gaynor as Tommy. JB started his career at just seven years old, appearing on shows like Frasier, Mad About You, and Party of Five. This is just the first of three Boy

That's how I know him.

I was sitting there watching and I was like, what I even said to Sue him, like the he looks so familiar to me.

That's that's okay, all right? His first job he ever had. Okay. He also appeared on Beverly Hill's nine oh two, one Oh Mister, Show Star Trek Voyager, Charmed, and podcast favorite Hangtime. But he left the business in nineteen ninety nine and Dorian Wilson as the mall manager. Dorian is best known as Professor Stanley Ogilvie from upn sitcom The Parkers. He also was Chandler's boss on Friends and appeared on the early HBO adult comedy dream On.

He was awesome on all of those.

So before we jump into our recap, does anyone have any overall thoughts they'd like to share?

I'll start if you want, Okay, go for it. I loved it, Yeah, I did.

I think I'm to the point of I saw so many moments in this episode of just us trying to make each other loud and entertain each other fun that I just let everything else go. I'm like, Eric is Santa with little kids?

Great? I love that.

You know, Ben is hysterically funny.

Once again, he did several things that I just kept rewounding and were laughing my ass off, and I just kind of let everything else go, and I enjoyed it for twenty two minutes.

Yeah, but you kind of had to let everything else go. Yeah, there wasn't much else there.

No, it's true, but again Bill Daniels reading something for Christmas and all it was all little moments.

I was like, fine, this episode is a vibe. This episode is like an.

It's a holiday thing that I really liked like I was kind of like, yeah.

Just turn the Christmas lights on and let's chill out, Like there's.

Not much story, Like I don't care about Sean and Angelo. I'm sorry, I'm one half of that couple, and I just didn't care.

But I like seeing they've let it go and Dan'll have fun.

They're too long, who cares the story?

All?

Both stories were just kind of like, really, is this even a story? How does Eric?

Like Eric doesn't just he doesn't really change that much, like you have this monologue to God.

But I was like, but you've already You're already doing all.

The right stuff, Like I know, Eric's already got a heart of gold, Like he doesn't need to learn anything.

He's not being mean to anything. None of these and Sean and Angela do love each other, so there's no conflict.

I don't know, but it was a nice vibe, like you want.

Next to a Christmas tree?

Nothing wrong with that, I know, I agree with both of you. I didn't even allow myself to overanalyze anything pertaining to the story. I just went right, we need to have this conversation about what's going to happen now that we know that Sean and Angela both love each other. Still. I find it shocking, truly that that Sean still doesn't know what he what he wants.

And nonsense, it's nonsense theater.

I think I know, but I think I know the reason why they're doing it, and I think we get to it later and they allude to it at the beginning where he says, your dad's disappeared again, that Sean.

Lean into it, have seans some of thatship because and instead it's just they do eventually.

Also, I would love to know a little bit more about what does cause him fear. Does he think he's going to be like his dad and he's gonna always leave? Because honestly, he's been nothing but present in He's always been in greed we have, He's never gone anywhere much to right or Strong's dism He write me off this show when they're like you are loyal, so you know, like he's not going anywhere?

Well you did you do all the time and doing all that stuff.

So yeah, but I.

Should just be me like running my hands in my hair, angsty.

I'm not saying anything. My character stands for nothing. It's so weird.

We've also said this We've brushed on this a number of times, but I'd like to once again point.

Out Trina is really good, so great.

Trina is a really good actor.

And I don't know if I was fully aware of how good she was because I never worked with her, which we make a joke about in this We fall on make a great joke about in this episode on my show.

And see these guys.

With each other dying.

Also, I was trying to figure out what I say.

I'm like, what do I do?

Because you're talking like but that was us just screwing with each other.

Let's make this a thing.

Let's let's make it a thing, because here we are the two storylines A and B storyline crossing at the door.

I mean, how much Ben was having so much fun this season? This season Ben.

Ben arrived as like a confident actor in a different way, and you can I mean, I just this is the Ben I remember the most, is like, this is Ben is just having the best time.

He was having so much fun playing this character. And we are just dying.

With Ben and I in the student union when we realize and he snaps and I stand up. I remember those moments of us just playing like and and it is so much fun because the mind meld that writer you and Ben had, Ben and I also had from being in all the you know, all the when you think about how funny it is that I do really think all those storylines of angsty relationship Corey into Penga stuff bonded us as people, not even just the characters, but they It bonded us in a way that we

It is really nice to have Corey and Tapanga played for comedy. I to have that you guys doing hijinks and like having your own it's a very Corey Shawan dynamic finally.

And you know, it's it's really nice to see it.

Yeah.

I've had this shift though that I think is going to affect the rest of my rewatching the episodes, which is I'm not really watching it as a TV show anymore. I'm watching it as us working together, right, And so I'm seeing the changes in us as people and the little mouth turns that rider does that I recognize from one hundred feet away, and us ad libbing and us having fun, and it kind of I'm like just watching

I just didn't care anymore.

Yeah, I just didn't care. It was fun for me to watch you all and together.

And that's so I have officially entered the Danielle as dating Lance Era and so for all for the next for the rest of the season, you'll probably see a really happy, like giddy Danielle. Yeah, unless it unless the episode calls for something else, you'll probably see a really like.

I don't know, sexually frustrated, like six or seven months and you're gonna start seeing confused Danielle.

You know the truth I said this though. The truth of that was I probably would have been more of that had I also not been such a late bloomer that the safety of that was perfectly fine for me. I was, like I was, I was perfectly comfortable. Did it eventually confuse me? Yeah? Maybe I was a little confused.

I remember having a couple of conversations with you about that.

Yeah, but like also it was okay, it was okay. So anyway, okay, here we are jumping into our recap. We start in the student Union, We've got a Christmas episode. Pay is singing, Oh come ye faithful in Latin.

And Latin lat. Can't just be going to be singing in Latin Latin.

Gleefully places a tiny Christmas tree near Jack and Rachel. Also, Rachel is wearing a shirt that reads snow Bunny.

Does it really that.

It says snow bunny?

Snow across the chest?

Get back to, get back to, get back to. That's where all the hot women are, That's where they are.

Gotta get him on the got to get him on the slopes.

And oh my god, my brain is now such officially not seeing stuff like that anymore, Like I can't, I can't see it anymore.

Jack asks what he's doing, and Phoene explains that one of his favorite duties his high school principal was overseeing holiday decoration. You know, when you when you apply for a job as a principle, one of the first things ask you is to see your look book, your holiday.

Christmas Christmas. Plus you said duties, which is great duties.

So he's carrying on the tradition here. Rachel admires the tree until someone dismissively plucks it off the table. It's the janitor, and he threw it into the trash bin. Phoene asks what he's doing, and the janitor calmly responds, university policy. Happy enough, denominational holidays.

It's a war on Christmas joke.

They would let us say Christmas. They're taking the bike at a Christmas defeated Phoene asks Jack and Rachel if they're going home for the holidays, and Rachel says no, and Jack says he was supposed to meet his parents in the Bahamas, but somehow the airlines messed up his ticket, which means he's stuck there. Then Santa bursts through the door. Ho Ho Ho, Merry Christmas. Though it's pretty obvious. He pulls his beard down to reveal his face. It's me.

So that raised the second family Bahamas trip that she has not been able to go on.

Correct because he says Family the Bahamas and Rachel cannot get over her boyfriend. She it's like, at some point, you're like, dude, it is now six years. Seriously, Kay, I wanted to be you really you were going to spend with your ex boyfriend.

It does that.

Yeah, I know we don't know how long they were together, do we. I'm sure we said please don't send us your emails. I'm sure they said it.

We do know.

I just tell her they did. I don't think they did.

It was thirty years.

That's what.

Half the time, half the time, half the length of time you're together. That's how it takes to go.

Is that how long it takes?

That's what they say.

So if you were together, who are they? The first thing I would ask?

It's they and and I don't know, but they know it and it's right.

Was the thing you said?

The best way to get over somebody is to get under somebody else. That help speed it up. If you do that, it's like half that time. So it's a half life. It's like six months.

My god, I don't understand the math.

I'm just waking it up as I go, based on based on what they say.

It seems scientific.

But Rachel convinces him it'll be fun. She puts the hat on his head and giggles about how cutie looks once she walks away. Eric Thomson, plus, you're only going to be making like five bucks an hour. Jack wonders why he's getting ripped off, and Eric points out the obvious. I'm saying, you're just an helf read your Bible. Whenever we make a joke about the Bible, it's so funny it works. Yeah, writers reading the Bible as Sean wat a Bible.

Corey grabbing it next to the to the stand, but when he's going to have sex for the first time. Yeah, I just reading this book like it just always works. Jokes on one joke but gets another.

Oh, thank you very much, thank you.

They all leave just as Corey and Sean are walking in mid lecture, Sean adding a purple scarf to his leather jacket. Corey is asking his best friend, the dorms are closed. Your father's missing again. Real throwaway line there, just toss that in. Why wouldn't you come to my house for Christmas? Sean says it's because he hates being the third wheel, but Corey points out he's been the third wheel with him and Tapanga for so long he

Sean responds, A bicyclecle a little optic of your mouth.

You.

Sean agrees to go with Corey and thanks him for the offer, then to Panga and Angela walk in to Panga and Sean say hello, leaving him face to face with Angela. They give each other an awkward embrace, and Sean leaves, and Angela warns Topanga, maybe you should ask Corey if it's okay for me to hang out with you guys this Christmas. Topanga reminds her that since they

Is this inviting?

I knows. I couldn't believe it. Honestly, it was like, this is just as bad as Tapega was for the Topanga Christmas episode.

Serious, I'm just going to.

They're my family now we are engaged, but this is the first time we mentioned that Angela's dad is in the service, right, Okay, so this is planting a seed so she can't spend Christmas alone. Angela agrees to spend the holiday with them. Thankful for the offer, she leaves to pack her bags and Corey runs up, excited to give to Panga the news there's a change of plans and their first Christmas is an engaged couple. He explains,

I was a fifty times because just he does like two shoulder things and then goes back to the sex is even just the way he says sex. It is such a great comedy. Beele, God, it's funny.

It's so funny, and so I'm sexy in the funniest way possible.

He was so much, so much fun.

To Benga, somehow unmoved by the thrusting, focuses on the fact that he invited Sean and she invited Angela. Corey shouts, who said you could invite Angela? Valid? Cool question?

Thank you, valid question. It's my family.

Now she's gonna kill me to Pega starts to freak out as well, but then they both realize why would Angela want to kill him and why would Sean blame her? They both know something the other doesn't, so Tapanga convinces him that on the count of three, they'll say that thing aloud. They count down in unison one, two, three, but Corey's the only one to blab his secret. Angela

It's becoming he's like nine different people in one line.

I know he's an old Jewish Man's they love each feminine and.

It just keeps going through all these different It's so funny. It is just random and so Ben and God, it's funny.

To Penga desperately asks him, you won't interfere.

I'm really I really want to, like, how did this translate to people? Like, because to me, it's all in jokes, Like to me, I am seeing Ben as an actor. Take you know, because these these lines are very witty, Like the back and forth is very witty, but actually could be played just kind of dead pan. Like the way it's written, it's funny enough to just be like I don't want to be predictable about but.

When Ben is doing all.

This extra work, I feel like it's for us, yes, And yet it must have also translated to the audience because everyone loves his performance.

So like, yeah, it's it's because it's real because him.

I can't imagine turning on my TV and seeing this guy without knowing it.

Like I just don't know. That must have been I'm so curious what that was. Like all I see is Ben and that's but I guess that's what was coming cross.

Like people must feel the way about Corey that we do about Ben because there's all these weird little lilts and in jokes and things, and that those layers added up to it's so it's so.

Interesting, so good. It doesn't really make sense, but it's so funny. But yeah, that's great. Though.

At some point during this Ben snaps and I jump up like it's like a Pavlov's dog. It just it's where you're where I'm supposed to be, and and and I remember us like doing those things, and then the way we stand up and he puts his arm around me and he says it's way too early to tell, and then we fall back onto the couch together. It was just so much fun. So then we're in the Matthews living room to Panga, Corey and Angela walk in

Well, thank god was still the Wilderness store from isn't like the tree is supposed to.

Have like it's supposed to be an aluminum tree and.

Get it on Christmas Eve?

To Canada? What is it?

And then we also have like what the popcorn thing? Yes, of course, sure you strung popcorn.

Really, I mean yeah, back in like elementary school and stuff like, of course you'd string popcorn.

Yeah, yeah, it's fun for the Christmas. As he leaves the room, Sean walks in from the kitchen. He apologizes for taking so long, and then stops in his tracks when he sees Angela. She tries to play it off cool, saying she didn't know he was coming. Corey tries to explain to Pega, didn't tell me. She invited Angela and I didn't tell her I invited Sean. Huh nutty. Angela whispers under her breath Corey, I'm gonna kill you. Corey assures her it was an innocent mix up and begs

Why couldn't we have an actual game boy? What it had to be like a bizarro game boy?

Yeah, we probably weren't allowed to use it. Why not? I don't know who owned Nintendo?

Okay, so did that have I wonder if they just weren't a sponsor of ABC or.

Yeah, I don't know if you're allowed to use like straight up. I mean, it's the same reason we couldn't eat cheerios. We had to eat Chario's, you know, stuff like that. So it's probably the same thing.

Jack asks Eric what he's playing. Susie shops a lot. Jack calls him a freak, but Eric insults him back. At least my shoes don't point up. Rachel chimes in, if I wanted to hear two people fight for Christmas, I would have spent it with my ex boyfriend. Give you girl something else, anything, give her anything? Does she not have any family? It's just the ex boyfriend is the only person she had in her entire life.

Yep, and a snow bunny shirt.

Right, She took that well because in the future episode she ends up marrying her.

They the ex boyfriend, so she goes back to him anyway, Yeah really, yes? Right? Then she goes to class. She wears robes and.

She's just snow Bunny. She has snow Bunny, and she's obsessed a lot of death. Yeah you're talking about right. Then a little boy runs up while Santa is still playing his video game. Ho ho ho, Hold up one second, I'm almost on level two the two while okay, Then he screams, die die Die dead. Jack the elf suggests, why don't you put the game down, Santa? Missus claws ads there's a little boy that wants to sit on your lap. Eric finally lifts the boy onto his lap

Did you do you guys notice anything really weird about the entire Santa thing?

No, not anything out of the ordinary.

They're putting kids on my lap.

She's then taking a polaroid and keeping that polaroid?

So who is the picture for.

The entire time She's like teaching smile and then then next to her and the kid walks away.

It's like, are we.

Keeping these for our weard scrapbook for ourselves?

Like what is actually happening here?

They come back later when they're developed to pick them up. They're polaroids, I know, but it takes at least a minute and a half for a directly to hand.

The kid the polaroid. I'm like, you're going, who the pictures for? The Why are we keeping these? What's happening?

I thought? I did think of it, and I was like, whatever.

These pictures for?

In my mind, my justification was that it was like a modern day system where the you take the picture and it prints out a copy but also a digital copy gets sent, and so they're going to a digital copy on the court. Rachel takes a picture of the two and the little boy turns on the charm, well hello missus Claus No.

No, and then actually sexually assaults her.

She grabs her butt yep, pikes.

She rolls her eyes, and as the kid leaves, he pinches her butt.

Yikes.

She gasps at the audacity. Then the mall boss runs up and says, a busload of kids from Saint Mary's just arrived. They are children without parents and no money at all, if you know what he means. The three of them nod until the boss angrily explains they're not going to buy anything, so get rid of them as fast as you can.

Now, I this did not land, Like, this joke did not work. The audience didn't laugh. Yeah, And I feel like it's an issue of casting, Like this guy is like perfectly likable, and like you you want to cast somebody who's awful. Just second you see the person, you're like, I don't like that guy. But this guy walks in

Also any one line before this to make us not like him, if they had just had him at the top of the scene instead of it being about the video game, they have him saying something nasty about the little snotty nosed kids in the line, then the next time you see him, you're like, oh.

This jerk. Yep. Yeah, orphans are very rarely funny.

By the way, it's a hard things.

It's a tough joke to break into.

Yeah, he spots the kids and sneers, here come the little darlings now. He quickly puts on a smile and acts like he's thrilled to see them now with their heartstrings tugged, Santa Eric suggests they give these kids a little extra attention. Missus Claws and the elf agree. Eric lifts Lucy, the first little girl, onto his lap. When asked, Lucy says she doesn't know what she wants for Christmas, but then Lucy spots Eric's Susie shops a lot game. Santa suggests that she might want one of those, but

So funny. A great throw line.

I mean I made her happy. He's got the photo to prove it.

Actually, what is this storyline? Okay, so here's the pitch, right. The pitch was, oh my god, we gotta Eric is Sannah. It's a Christmas episode. What are we going to do?

One of the writers is like, okay, great, but he wants to be Sannah, enjoys being Sana, keeps wanting to be Santa. Like there's no story, there's like it's like the way to set it up is like he takes a job of Santa because he wants the money and actually doesn't want to do it and that. But it's like they keep writing against the actual story. So because Eric is so likable, and Eric is so lovable, Eric is good with kids, like all the things that would make this a story they can't write to.

I think it's just really story.

I think this story, though, is actually more about like how we think, uh, you can solve you can. Like he thinks he can this problem by buying gifts, saying, oh, wouldn't Christmas be wonderful if all the kids had a gift under the tree and and and he manages to make that happen by stealing.

But then the conflict of the stealing never pays off, like I can't waiting for like his parents to know.

But the conflict is when the kid looks you in the eyes and says, I want a mommy and a daddy right and you can't buy them and I can't do that for them, And that's then can when he says he does, what more can I be doing? I could be donating my time on weekends to be a big brother to these people.

But that's not a problem.

Like Eric first going to kidnap a kid.

No, but I mean, like, but.

Every step of the way, there's no there's no conflict. Like literally, Eric would just hear the kids say that and be like, I will give you everything.

Because he keeps doing it.

So we have to monologue to God for a crisis that doesn't exist, you know, and he has a crisis about being Santa that isn't a crisis here. Like it's like the character doesn't turn, he's just it's just more of Eric doing more of the same thing you would have anyway.

So there's no actual turns in his storyline.

It's weird.

It's like they kept writing against the very thing, and I know what happened. They kept writing these storylines in these plots, but then it was like.

Well, we can't have Eric actually feel that way. He's too likable. So it's weird.

It's like the character doesn't actually change, doesn't do anything, doesn't fit the storyline that.

He's going through. It's it's a weird I don't know, it doesn't but I'm just like Santa. But you're Sanna and you superpowers exactly the thing. It's it's fine, like it's just you. It's a vibe. It's a vibe. We're just hanging out with you.

Eric tells Elf boy to go buy toys for all the kids with Santa's Santa's Dad's credit card. Jack wants to contribute to He's going to use his Bahamas trip money to help. Rachel wants to help too, but she doesn't have any money, so she'll just help Jack shop. The next kid gets on Santa's lap, and Eric is happier than ever. We transitioned later in the day with

That set it up. Eric's gonna get crazy, but nothing's gonna happen. Hey, we don't know that yet. They know, but I kept being like, oh, now he's gonna get in trouble with his parents.

Cut a car, here's a bunch of fruitcake and presents, and go okay, no, Bradley.

Well, then we're in the Matthews living room. Eric is still wearing his Santa outfit and stealing presents from under the tree. He's even taking the entire stockings off the fireplace and putting them in his big red bag. Then Feenie walks in holding an array of individually wrapped fruitcakes. He wasn't able to give them to his new colleagues, so they had to go somewhere. Eric happily will take them.

Christis they run out, run out in pendak, give me fruitcake.

They run out. Apparently the tradition is to run out as fast as humanly possible.

We're still not good at that accident.

For the record, apparently the tradition at Penbrooke is to beat it out of town as fast as humanly possible, but he's excited to partake in the sacred tradition of hanging his Santa ornament on the Matthews tree, but just as he goes to find it, Jack accidentally hangs it himself. Jack apologizes and Phoene's disappointment is palpable, but he decided.

Jack and Feenie interaction twice now this episode, as it started with Jack and Feoenie and I sow at the beginning, I just I occasionally will throw out little lines at the screen of how I wanted it to be and it should have just been.

When Jack stands up, he goes, hey, mister Feenie, Uh, you know, what do you do? I just wanted FENI to go what.

Was your name?

Again? Which is the first time second time we've spoken in the nine years.

Jack apologizes and Poene's disappointment is palpable, but he decides he can just find a substitute. He picks up a shiny, meager red ball and sarcastically prizes it how special. Eric's ready to go all aboard for sand to land, and Amy objects it's Christmas Eve. Alan adds, we were going to spend this together as a family, but Eric is focused.

Christmas eve Day. Why doesn't she say.

It Christmas Night?

Now we have to go to our treaty. I love how say Christmas eve Day like it's such a weird thing. Is a weird thing.

It's nobody doing for Christmas eve Day.

No one says that it's just collecting polaroids. That's how we do it.

As he heads out with Missus Claws and his elf, Corey and his friends are just getting back.

All all week each other. We decided to make a huge deal I'd like.

And we are living.

We are, we are And the only thing that makes it passable to be able to be aired on TV is because imagine if we didn't act excited to see each other, and it's Christmas eve night.

The day, it's Christmas evening and we are passing each other in the door, and what if we didn't.

Just each other?

Are they in a fight?

We just gave each other dirty looks as we watch. I'm sure.

I'm sure that at one point, but just it's just the last thing you hear is just Ben, just go.

It's just something fun.

It makes me laugh. So I literally watched it like five times trying to figure out what I say, and I can't figure it out. I'm trying to read my lips. But maybe if I turn off the volume. I didn't do that. Maybe if I just turn off the volume and read my lips. But like trying to read my lips and hearing those guys at the same time, I was like, I can't figure it out.

So great.

Amy asks the kids how ice skating went, and Corey cheekily responds, yule tides of fun, Mom, But who knew it would be couples only? And then I did think for one second, wait, what there's there's a skating place that has a rule that the only people allowed on the ice.

A couple.

Well you know that they hold her. Here's the thing they did that in roller skating.

Well they have a couple one song, didn't.

You remember, Like you'd hear the guy going, all right, ladies and gentlemen, is couple skate?

Now?

Couples skate one song?

Yeah, maybe it's just a long song.

Actually just thought about that because I remember it was one Moment in Time by Whitney Houston and I had to get off and I'm so in love with Lindsay Cheerheart, and I did not get to skate with her.

Why couldn't you skate with by the way, is a completely made up But she was my girlfriend, I mean, but we never talked to each other.

You also had a grade okay, all right, okay grade.

Maureen was actually the one who came to me and told me that Lindsay Chehart liked me. So that's how Moreen and I like met and started talking in third grade.

We we we went. We didn't say we went. You go with somebody, that's what you going going out?

Or we're going.

No, we're just going together for you know, a couple of weeks or whatever. But you never spoke to her. Nope, she was too shy to talk to me, so I would talk to Maureene. So that's why I.

So I'm curious you never spoke to her. I'm guessing you didn't kiss, you didn't do anything.

So we passed. How were you going?

We passed everybody, And I'm saying everyone in school knew that we were going together, but you never spoke. No, And then I remember, and I just I was just listening to Whitney Houston with India, and I was still hearing one moment in time and I was like, oh yeah, I remember the skating rink, the roller skating rink, and the couples dance and just feeling feeling all the feels.

See, that's why this is real. That's why this is real.

This is.

Did you then break up? Did you have to stop going together? You have to officially end it? Oh my gosh, writer, you are you have to you this is a bottle, this is illegal.

Well think about it.

You're literally putting the same effort into the relationship now that you were in the third grade, so you're essentially still together.

One moment to Panga reiterates to Sean, I didn't I swear. Then she wants to have a word with Corey. She insists that he stays out of this, but Corey explains, when you and I broke up, Sean did everything in his power to get us back together again. With gritted teeth, he whispers.

It's Christmas.

Can you think of a better gift than doing the same for them? Topanga now grits her teeth to respond, I know your intentions are good, just don't push so hard. Corey sighs. All right, I'll be more subtle. Alan comes barreling into the room holding a bowl, who wants to string some popcorn. Corey can't hold it in. He shouts at the top of his lungs Sean and Angela with hands up.

God.

He grabs the bowl and Morgan tries to tell him I always string the but before she can get it out, Corey throws a few kernels at her. He hands the popcorn over to Sean and Angela.

Was that her whole part this week? Does she say I always string the and that's it?

Does she speak? I don't think she says anything else the whole week? Yeah?

And she gets cut off?

Yeah literallycorn on.

Sean breaks the silence with Angela. So you and me string and popcorn. They both reach their hands into the bowl and thenquickly pull them out. It's awkward, but they're being respectful. Sean smiles. I'm not sorry that we're spending Christmas together. She agrees, I'm not either.

Her whole episode, I just want to see Corey be funny. I God, you're.

Such a down or just like any I mean, it's not it's just I don't care. You just feel all the energy to evaporate, and that's like, just listen, just go quit.

Just get to the next scene. Jesus.

Meanwhile, Alan announces that the tree is ready. It's time for him to light it up. Corey, not so subtly, says Sean and Angela the tree looks so much better from right up here, and points to the staircase that just happens to have mistletoe hanging right above it. What's that mistletoe? Sean looks at his goofy friend who's giving him a big thumbs up. Could he be any more obvious? Angela agrees, like the ice skating and caroling weren't bad enough.

Kismas very quickly.

Sorry going to go off on a tangent, but it led to a discussion in our home last night because I grew up a certain way and Susan grew up another way.

Colored Christmas lights yeay r nay, I'm a yay and my way. Let me do it.

Thank you same you, and I will Christmas light yes, yes, yes, thank you, colored Christmas lights.

Thank you. I want to.

And my wife thinks it's cheesy and and I'm like, and no, give me the big bright lights.

I want to see you. Thank you. Ko.

I agree with both of your wives, except since I've had kids, having kids, I see Christmas lights through their eyes now, and you're right, like, yes, classy Christmas is boring. Come on, I get it. White is beautiful, the white, the white lights, and you can and it glows off the silver and the gold and the whatever. Bright multi colored Christmas lights scream Christmas.

Thank you.

So we have a tree that alternates, We have lights that alternate. You can do whatever you want, and my kids usually pick it, and they pick like sometimes the slow blink colored ones. Sometimes they pick the ones where just a couple of them go on and off. Outside our house we do red, and we do red and white alternating on our fence, and then on the house we do all white. But I'm thinking this year we switch.

It up and do big multi My wife is one hundred percent wrong, and please don't tell her.

I said that we'll keep it. See, are you going to win this argument? No, it's not about last year.

She goes, if you want to do colored lights, you can put colored lights in the tree.

But I saw a single tear roll down her tree.

You want to break you want to break my.

Heart exactly, And she didn't say it like that, but that's what she meant.

And so here's what I recommend. Get another tree. So we we have we have a big tree, and then we also have like a small tree. But I, for a while in my house had a regular before I was married, I had a regular tree. And then I had an all white Christmas tree and it was every all the ornaments were white.

When by yourself you had two Christmas trees?

Correct?

Wow, life was good when I lived alone.

Christmas tree so much free space. Oh my god, a whole house to my house. Yeah, Christmas trees in every room.

Yeah? So do it?

Do another tree? Do a tree, do a wheel tree. Have your wife likes a Charlie Brown tree, you do that? Get a second tree, Okay, And decorated.

However you want to see, I'm just gonna put it in front of her tree.

Well you put it in your room?

Yeah, Oh, she'd love that.

Later in the Matthews living room, Corey and Sean are making some adjustments to the tree ornaments, and Corey's can't stop grinning at Sean. You kissed Angela. Sean begs him not to make a big deal out of this, but Corey reminds him it is a big deal. Shawn isn't sold, not this time. She's over me. We're over each other. Why won't you let this go? Corey finally blurts out,

What.

Corey, now shocked, looks at ta Pega. You didn't tell her anything, did you? Tapega shakes her head. Corey lets that sink in, then suggests that now is a good time. Angela's not laughing. Somebody better start talking. She looks at Sean. I think it should be you and me. Sean agrees, let's get out of here. Corey tries to stop them, but they slam the door in his face. He asks Topanga, I couldn't see their faces. Did they look angry? Was he mad? To Pega gives him an angry look of

Because there's forty two people in a very small home. There's no place anymore.

We could go to our dorm rooms, like we have dorm rooms.

What I know, what well we've yeah, I don't.

Know what might you know? What might have been cute?

I know it's kind of ridiculous, but if you did it in like the treehouse, right, I mean there's still a treehouses there in the backyard, in the side yard, so yeah.

You know, because then you come back to the house, you don't even like to choose to stay.

Why do you go all the way to this?

How far is the student union?

Did all that? Do you think everybody has a car? Teleportation? Sitcom teleportation?

You borrowed Corey's car?

Okay, we only we only have a car when it becomes a problem, right, yeah, he gets a driver's license, ye, or a car breaks down and we have.

To take the subway.

Also, I did think it was very interesting you didn't talk at all about the relationship until you arrived at the student union. You're discuss any.

But also like what is the problem?

What is Sean?

Why is Sean not ready to commit? Does he want to be dating other people? Like there's no reason.

So like when he has the moment of kissing Angela, it's like, what are you overcoming?

It's just it's supposed to be about his parents, but they never they never ever address it.

I hate that's what could make it.

I don't know, because they've thrown a nugget about her dad, and they thrown a nugget about your dad and both your families are eventually going to be why and if reserves, that's what happens later.

That's like the great deep motivation. But what is Sean saying?

Actually, Like, the last time he spoke about it, he was like, listen, I made a mistake. I thought I thought I wanted to be free, but I just miss her. I think about her all the time. So the last time we saw him, he was like, that was a mistake. And now he's like, but I don't know if I want to fix it. Yeah, I don't know. They don't want to change the mistake.

Drama for the sake of drama. I mean, that's the it's melodrama. It's a definition of melodrama.

Tipanga gives him an angry look of her own. Oh yes, like that, And then Amy, who we know notice is very pregnant, walks into the living room and asks, has anyone seen my toaster oven? And then we cut to santaland Eric is telling a little girl that the easy bake oven is for rookies. What he as for her is a real toaster oven. The girl leaves with Amy's appliance, and Eric declares Christmas is the greatest idea anybody ever had. He's all out of stuff now, and all those little

Again as a little kid, JB.

The child explains, I was here yesterday. My name's Tommy. Missus claws butts in, Yeah, he came with the other children on the bus. Santa pretend he's an orphan nobody.

We couldn't have the orphan in the previous seat. We had to time it out for the story that he comes back for us.

Yeah, yep o. Santa pretends he's known Tommy his whole life. He actually gave Tommy the truck that he's conveniently holding. Tommy sadly explains, yeah, and I came to give it back. I didn't really believe you were Santa, but all my friends came back with stuff. So now that I know you're really him, I was wondering if I can give this back and ask for something else instead. Eric doesn't think twice he can ask for anything he wants. Tommy asks, do you think I can have parents for Christmas?

Oh?

And then sad music plays, Sam said music, and then Eric looks to his friends for support. Will what do you remember about working with JB.

From this episode? Nothing? I didn't. I didn't.

I don't even remember being Santa very remember the for some reason, I remember the moment of out of everything, but you can have this bag, like, I remember that, but I remembered very little else. The next couple episodes that Tommy's in, those are the ones that I really remember because I think me of ar Dallas is in one of the episodes. She's a social worker, and I remember she and I got along really really well. And I remember just JB and I had had.

A good working relationship. It was a great little kid.

And uh yeah, I remember them trying to take Eric in the more dramatic like they were like, you know, Sean hasn't been dramatic in a long time, so we're gonna.

Make Eric more dramatic.

We need more angst, We need more angst, so they I think the next couple episodes that he's in get pretty drama.

But no, I just remember having fun with him.

He was he was a cute little kid, and I remember his family that was there were very nice and he's obviously was easy.

And then he came back for a Girl World and it was great to work with them. Yeah, that episode didn't I directed it. Yeah, he was. It was just hadn't acted since.

He's basically like one step below a professional golfer. I mean, he's he plays a ton of golf at college, and is I think gonna pursue that maybe, I mean, he's.

Apparently like a very very good golfer.

So but it was great. He was a great guy and it was great to see him again. So cool, we're tracking him down try.

Yeah. I reached out to Barbie Block and Barbie said she would do like a blast through her agent to see if any agents or whoever still has contacts with him. So we'll see. So then we're at the student union at night. Sean and Angela walk up to the closed doors and are met by the janitor from before. I thought just about everybody would be out celebrating by now. He shrugs and lets the kids in. If it's if, why isn't it just unlocked?

Like say what?

They Maybe because there's there's stuff in the student's store they don't want stolen.

Maybe like I don't, Yeah, but why do we need? I guess it's just at the atmosphere of like a lights off.

Yeah, I guess ouch, I don't know, decorated kind of for Christmas.

I guess he threw them all away.

I don't know. Angela and Sean now stand face to face, and she's the first to ask, why can't we just tell each other how we feel? Sean doesn't know, but he does know how confusing it is. Angela agrees, we broke up. We agreed to move on, Sean adds, and next thing you know, we're kissing under the mistletoe. Angela continues on and letting Corey tell us how we should feel. Shon admits when we don't even know ourselves that Angela stops agreeing with him. There, I'm sure I love you.

Ready for what. I know you already dated.

I know you're just monogamous, loss of term, loving relationship.

So ready for what to do that again?

You?

Because marriage, man, is exactly it's just so extreme. It's just and it's like you think that if you are in a relationship, you have to be like Corey into panga and you're not ready for Corey into pango level attachment.

That's what dating means on Boying World. It means, oh, we're dating. We love each other, it's forever, it's and.

We are together in everything. Yeah.

Yeah, well it's like it's the same way that like kissing stands in for a sex. Yeah, it's like, you know, it's that, It's it's all the turmoil of like a real Yeah.

I mean it's just heightened, you know, it's just ya. We just have to make it more dramatic than I think it really would be in real life.

Like, of course, casually dated and break up and maybe date somebody else, but that doesn't make for drama, So we got to amp it up, you know.

Right now, on a snowy bench outside Eric's still in a Santa costume and covered in snow, speaks into the void. I want to make the happiness of the entire world my responsibility. What an idiot? He looks up to this guy and asks, what am I supposed to do? I made those little kids smile, took care of everybody that came to see me, no disrespect. But why would you send me that little boy? Why doesn't that nice little

Yeah, I be just blowing by that, because you're right, it doesn't none of it. I mean, I love a good godolog I really do, but I don't.

It didn't.

It just doesn't make any sense really, the entire scene now, It just I know it wasn't necessary Eric.

You know, he's trying to do the right and he does the right thing, like there's a there's not really a conflict here now because Eric is he has such a good heart, he's always done the right thing. There hasn't been a conflict of him giving too much to kids.

This scene should have been saved for a future episode where if he's going to.

Adopt Tommy or not.

Yes, that's when that's when this is necessary, not I'm going to be nice to the kid and becoming big brother on the weekends.

This scene could have picked up right where the last scene ended, with JB still on your lap, you making the decision in that moment come home with me and your friend's going what are you doing? What are you doing? And you can say I can be responsible. You could

Yeah, it seemed unnecessary, that's a yeah, it was kind of strangely placed.

I mean, I just think that the story if it had started.

With you not wanting to be Santa, or like hating the idea of having to be up with kids on your lap or something, right, but they couldn't write that because that's not fitting it to.

Meet girls or something like that. There you go exactly like that's what I mean.

There could have been, but I feel like they and there probably was a draft so where it started that way, right, but then they were like, no, that's not likable or that's not eric and so they wrote themselves out of the arc.

It's like, it's actually just more of sound.

Because how do you not then if you do, he does it because he thinks he's going to get girls and he's standing there next to a girl and he's like, man, women love a guy in uniform.

Like how do you? How do you know?

Something like that, and then it becomes about actually bringing happiness.

But yeah, you're right, they never think.

They tried to do that with the twelve I'm making twelve thousand hour and I get to sit on my butt and then he's playing video games and it doesn't matter.

They were trying to show that.

Yeah, you're right, but it was right.

To start there. It just wasn't harsh, right, agreed, It needed to be more heightened than what I mean.

They kind of wrote against the very story they were They were setting themselves up for it.

Yeah yeah, yeah, yeah, that's funny. Well I didn't even think of that. They did try to make it be like, this is the easiest job in the world. Who cares. I sit on my butt, I play my video game, I make twelve bucks an hour, and then it becomes I need to.

Adopt a child, right, yeah, yeah.

So then we're in the Matthews living room to Panga is staring out the window, and Corey wonders what could be taking them so long? I love you, you love me. We're back together. Let's thank Corey and t Bega. That's ten minutes tops. Morgan asks, do we have to wait for Eric to open our presence?

Oh, that's just good. She did have another line, good, good, good.

Alan, Feenie, and Amy are also gathered in the room, and Amy responds, you've been patient long enough. How about each one of us open one. They each open a rapt present, but Morgan realizes hers is empty. Alan's also.

All it would have taken is Fhoenie in that scene in the opening, to be like, this is actually a pretty great job, Eric, this is important, like kids, kids, You're you're gonna be something that these kids will remember forever, and you to be like whatever, And then this monologue could have been a scene with Feenie where he's like, now you know it is important, right.

It's a responsibility, and you and Phoenie cares about Christmas.

Yes, it's full.

It would have taken this one exchange with him being like, I think it's actually kind of an important job, and you'll be like, I get to be sand I wear and then and you mock him, and then this scene would have been like you could be like, yeah, I really care about the kids and I'm in too deep.

Yeah, that would have worked simple, So just took writer like four minutes.

Alan's also has nothing inside beside a little note. He reads it aloud. Your seventy five bit power drill was donated to a child in need love Santa Claus Feene reads his note. He also gave away my breast pump. He's confused and then realizes that was actually for Amy. I'd like it to be said, if you or anyone you know is thinking of buying a pregnant woman a breast pump for a holiday, don't that's not a gift. Do not.

Don't. I gotta, I gotta make a call.

We only have a few minutes, and then you then go and cancel that. What on earth bred Merry Christmas? Here's your breast pump for the child of mine you're having.

Anyway.

Amy doesn't understand, but Alan knows his son well enough. He asks Jack and Rachel where Eric is, and Jack stutters, uh, the kids were just so cute. You know it wasn't just him. Rachel chimes in, have you ever really gotten caught up in the spirit of Christmas so much so that you wanted to steal?

That's a funny line.

Uh huh on cue. Eric walks in, still dressed as Santa. He wishes everyone to Merry Christmas, and we see Tommy peeking out from behind him, too nervous to come in, Eric gives him some encouragement, and Tommy finally walks in. He waves to everyone. As Eric introduces Tommy to his family, Alan walks up and says, hi to the little boy. Do you have my seventy five bit power? Drow Amy asks what's going on?

I feel weird, Like Eric's weird it.

Giving it away?

I mean, just take one of the kids. We got plenty, just take one off.

I know, it's so weird. I don't know who approved this this, yeah, yeah, but I know, and.

Is somebody from the orphanage with you, you know, and like maybe a couple of the kids, and you were just like, oh, I thought we'd have a couple of the field trip for yeah something.

It's just so creepy.

Eric grabs Tommy and sits him on his lap. Tommy doesn't have a family, so I thought it'd be nice if he could spend Christmas with us. If that's okay with everybody else, everyone's more than happy to have him. Morgan offers him a gingerbread cookie, which he happily takes. Eric explains they met back when Eric was Santa. You see, Tommy thought he was the real deal, but Tommy clarifies now he knows he's just Eric. Eric nods and laughs. He said we could still hang out, though. Tommy adds

Yeah. Yeah.

As soon as he reads about Marley being dead as a door nail, Sean and Angela walk into the house, and Corey and Tapanga look at each other, and that's it a cliffhanger. Tommy lives with the Matthews now, Seananangela not together Dune Dune Dunn.

Wow.

So we'll have to wait and see what happens in this two. I mean, it's not a part one, I don't think, but it really it is a cliffhanger on both stories. So join us for our next episode recap, which will be season six, episode twelve, Cutting the Cord, which originally aired January eighth, nineteen ninety eight. So this episode we talked about aired December eleventh. We took like almost a month off, so this ended on this cliffhanger

Pod dismissed.

Pod Meets World is an iHeart podcast producer hosted by Danielle Fischel, Wilfridell and Ryder Strong executive producers Jensen Karp and Amy Sugarman Executive in charge of production, Danielle Romo, producer and editor, Tarasubasch producer, Maddie Moore, engineer and boy meets World Superman Easton Allen. Our theme song is by Kyle Morton of Typhoon. Follow us on Instagram at podmets World Show or email us at Podmeats World Show at gmail dot com