Home Alone usually airs in most households during the Christmas season. But curiously, while the holiday classic was in Freeform’s Countdown to the 25 Days of Christmas lineup, it has since disappeared from the current 25 Days of Christmas block.
This decision makes one look at the lineup with a more critical lens. The 2017 slate features Christmas classics such as Elf, The Polar Express and The Santa Clause. But a rising trend in this Freeform (nee ABC Family, nee Fox Family) ritual has seen non-so-seasonal movies seep in. The likes of Toy Story and Frozen are getting repeat play in what is ostensibly a holiday-oriented block.
Based on the network’s decision to rebrand as Freeform two years ago, these movies were most likely added to cater to the 14-34 demographic.
Granted, having a mix year-round and seasonal programming hardly ruins the enjoyment of the holidays. Still, Freeform made some egregious errors in selecting its 25 Days roster for this year. It once again includes films that barely touch on Christmas themes at the expense of bona fide Christmas classics.
Take the case of Home Alone. Instead Home Alone or its sequel, Freeform is screening Disney/Pixar’s Toy Story, as well as its sequel. Those movies combine for one short Christmas scene at the end of the original.
Home Alone, its sequel and The Santa Clause 2 are conspicuously absent from this year’s 25 Days of Christmas. If they got a share of the spotlight, Freeform could have remedied the undue repetitiveness plaguing its programming lineup.
What is perhaps most surprising, though, is the priority for Christmas movies that did make the Christmas cut. Home Alone: The Holiday Heist is in the mix while the series’ most popular films sit out.
Beyond this example, viewers will see Tim Allen’s Santa Clause and The Santa Clause 3: The Escape Clause are in the rotation. Yet The Santa Clause 2 is left off.
If those sidelined movies got a share of the spotlight, Freeform could have remedied another undue issue. As it is, repetitiveness is plaguing the programming lineup.
While Will Ferrell’s antics in Elf are hilarious, the movie airs daily from Monday, Dec. 18 until Christmas Day. That is simply too much screen time for one movie.
Beyond that, National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation airs 21 times during the holiday run. Back outside the seasonal realm, viewers can see both 1971’s Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory and 2005’s remark.
In addition, Freeform has situated older animated classics like Rudolph and Frosty’s Christmas in July, Frosty’s Winter Wonderland and ‘Twas the Night Before Christmas in the late-evening or early-morning hours. For older generations, these Rankin/Bass specials characterized their childhood. But a family movie night could be made complete if there were a blend of older and newer Christmas classics.
This week, ABC comedies such as The Middle, Fresh Off the Boat and black-ish will premiere holiday-themed episodes. If only Freeform could embrace some of that novelty rather than rely on the same rinse-and-repeat formula.
Even when the lineup attempts to add new flair to the repetitive lineup, it falls flat. Freeform will air an original movie called Angry Angel starring Brenda Song, who is known for her role as London Tipton in The Suite Life of Zach and Cody series. The original has been met with mostly poor reviews.
While the movies Freeform shows are Christmas and family favorites, there are others that the channel neglected. Some may enjoy the repetitiveness. But others could turn to single-digit networks, Hallmark or Netflix to find more variety in Christmas programming.
This week, ABC comedies such as The Middle, Fresh Off the Boat and black-ish will premiere holiday-themed episodes. If only Freeform’s lineup could embrace some of that novelty rather than rely on the same rinse-and-repeat formula.
While these critiques may seem too critical, Freeform does make some good choices to conclude its run. On Christmas Eve, the block will pack The Polar Express, National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation, How the Grinch Stole Christmas, Elf and ‘Twas the Night Before Christmas. These are some of the best movies in the 2017 lineup, and they will be well-timed right before Christmas.
In the end, decisions to leave out certain films will not turn many people away. The 25 Days of Christmas is a staple in many households, as it rightly should be. But viewers will have to surf, mixing and matching their viewings to ensure the entertainment aspect of the holiday season remains vibrant and joyful.
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