Abed’s Uncontrollable Christmas, an NBC Christmas Special airing for the holidays in 2010, is not your average holiday TV special. Although it does not contain inappropriate content, it really isn’t suitable for children, and appears to be aimed at adults of college-age and over – the audience of the series Community.
TV Specials for Adults
TV specials for adults are far less common than holiday shows for kids, but it’s possible that Abed’s Uncontrollable Christmas will start a new trend. Sprinkled with wry humor, snappy witticisms and even a few brief snatches of song, this stop-motion holiday special is a completely original take on animated Christmas programming.
Abed’s Christmas Story
Abed is a community college student, (if you’re unfamiliar with the NBC TV series Community) spending the last day of classes before the holiday break wrestling with the fact that he has suddenly begun viewing the world in stop-motion. His friends are concerned, and trick him into attending a group therapy session with his psychology professor by promising to help him find the true meaning of Christmas. During a hypnotherapy session, Abed leads his friends on a long journey through his imagination.
Although there is considerable humor, and the overall message of the story is positive, there is a dark side to the story that I found somewhat depressing. There isn’t anything in this show for young kids, except the fact that it’s animated, but teens may find it amusing.
Voice Cast of Abed’s Uncontrollable Christmas
Abed’s Uncontrollable Christmas is animated throughout – the voices of the various characters are rendered by the actors who play in the regular Community series. Chevy Chase, as Pierce Hawthorne, has a small part in this episode, but is easily recognizable as himself and is (as always) very funny. Each character (except Abed) is transformed during the adventure, with the head of the original person placed on the body of a doll or toy.
- Abed: Danny Pudi
- Jeff: Joel McHale
- Britta: Gillian Jacobs
- Professor Duncan:John Oliver
- Pierce Hawthorne: Chevy Chase
- Shirley: Yvette Nicole Brown
- Troy: Donald Glover
- Professor Chang: Ken Jeong
Abed’s Uncontrollable Christmas
As a stand-alone Christmas TV special, Abed’s holiday show is funny, but not terribly Christmas-ey. If you follow the show, however, the special gives additional insight into the relationship between the characters, particularly between Abed and Britta, while exploring their different holiday beliefs and traditions. It’s worth watching, so don’t forget to tune in!
For more information about Abed’s Uncontrollable Christmas, or other Christmas specials airing on NBC, check out NBC’s Community Site.