Christmas-themed TV episodes to seek out, from ‘Andy Griffith’ to ‘X-Files’

Sooner or later, it happens to every series: the Christmas episode.

After nine seasons it’s finally happening on CBC’s “Murdoch Mysteries.” On Monday, in a special two-hour episode, Det. William Murdoch (Yannick Bisson), his wife Julia Ogden (Helene Joy) and the constables at Station No. 4 chase a killer who stole Christmas from several young orphans and patients at Toronto’s Hospital for Sick Children. “A Merry Murdoch Christmas” features special guest stars Brendan Coyle (“Downton Abbey”), Kelly Rowan (“The O.C.”), Ed Asner (“The Mary Tyler Moore Show,” “Up”), CBC news anchor Peter Mansbridge and the St. Michael’s Choir.

Asner, 86, has been involved in countless Christmas-themed movies and series, including playing Santa in “Elf.” Shooting “Murdoch” last summer wasn’t his first trip up to Canada; he also appeared on “Michael: Tuesdays & Thursdays.”

A good Christmas episode can always use a little Asner, but many have succeeded without him. Here, in chronological order, are 10 holiday-themed episodes worth seeking out this Christmas:

“The Andy Griffith Show” (1960, airs Dec. 25 on CBS). A town Scrooge forces Sheriff Taylor (Griffith) and Deputy Barney Fife (Don Knotts) to keep a family locked up over the holidays. When Aunt Bee (Francis Bavier) and Opie (future director Ron Howard) bring Christmas to the jail, you’ll want to be locked up too. CBS’s gift to viewers this season is airing a restored, computer-coloured version of this episode on Christmas Day.

“M*A*S*H” (1972, Shomi). The first season gem “Dear Dad,” written by Larry Gelbart, found Hawkeye (Alan Alda) writing a letter explaining Christmas at his medical unit in Korea. Later, dressed as Santa to distribute toys to orphans, he has to attend to choppers full of wounded soldiers.

“SCTV” (1981, DVD only). The “SCTV Staff Christmas Party” features all the old favourites, including Bob and Doug McKenzie (Dave Thomas and Rick Moranis) exchanging cigarettes as presents and a “sexy” holiday special featuring Dusty Towne (Catherine O’Hara) and Liberace (Thomas) duelling on the piano with Elton John (Moranis). John Candy, however, steals the show when “Street Beat” host Johnny LaRue finally gets his crane shot.

“The Simpsons” (1989, DVD only). TV’s longest-running prime-time entertainment series began with “Simpsons Roasting on an Open Fire.” Homer, who originally sounded like Walter Matthau, takes his mall Santa money and loses it at a race track, but brings home Santa’s Little Helper instead.

“Seinfeld” (1997, CraveTV). The most memorable part of this episode, “The Strike,” is the fake holiday concocted by George’s dad Frank Costanza (Jerry Stiller). Celebrated Dec. 23, “Festivus” takes the commercialism out of Christmas with its unadorned Festivus pole, the “Airing of the Grievances” and labelling easily explained things as “Festivus miracles.”

“Frasier” (1998, CraveTV). Frasier (Kelsey Grammer) has to hide the Christmas decorations when he discovers his new girlfriend (Amy Brenneman) is Jewish — and her mother is coming over. The surprisingly heartwarming episode, titled “Merry Christmas Mrs. Moskowitz,” won several awards.

“The X-Files” (1998, Netflix). In “How the Ghosts Stole Christmas,” Mulder and Scully (David Duchovny and Gillian Anderson) get a Christmas Eve assignment to stake out a house that is supposedly haunted by ghosts (played by Lily Tomlin and, yes, Asner).

“Curb Your Enthusiasm” (2002, CraveTV). Larry David gets up in the middle of the night and eats some cookies. Unfortunately, they were part of a Nativity scene Cheryl’s very religious mother needs the next night in “Mary, Joseph and Larry.”

“The O.C.” (2003, Shomi). In the first season episode, “The Best Chrismukkah Ever,” Ryan (Ben McKenzie from “Gotham”) is introduced to his new fake bro Seth’s blended, Jewish/Catholic holiday tradition.

“Community” (2010, CraveTV, Netflix). Made in the style of those Rankin/Bass stop-motion Christmas specials, “Abed’s Uncontrollable Christmas” finds Abed (Danny Pudi) and his study-group pals in a weird fantasyland, searching for the true meaning of Christmas.

— Bill Brioux is a freelance TV columnist based in Brampton, Ont.