Thursday 27 December 2012

Christmas Specials

Twas the night after Christmas, and all through the house, not a creature was stirring, because the entire family was piled onto the sofa in the lounge to watch some poor-quality festive television.

BFBS is lovely, but the quality of its television usually leaves you with an evening selection of second-rate animated movies (Open Season was this week's pick) or last year's reruns of Eastenders.

Thank the lord for Christmas specials.

How very unfortunate that this one had to be Downton Abbey.

The oldest child of the pack, a seventeen-year-old ensonced at the back of the room with a book (she'd been pointedly ignoring a peculiar science fiction movie featuring men with silly haircuts, the Judoon's awkward cousins, and a woman who spoke what she thought might be Elvish) slipped in her bookmark and slunk over to take up her customary perch on the sofa's arm.

"Oh look, it's the Downton special!" said her mother.

"Eh, why not," said their aunt, "better than World's Strongest Man again."

The seventeen-year-old looked quizically at the screen as her father battled with the convoluted remote control. "Didn't someone or rather die on this program not long ago?"

"Lady Sybil, yes. But never mind - it's Christmas, it'll be a happy episode!"

"Tell that to the Merlin fans," muttered the seventeen-year-old.

"Pardon?" Her mother looked around.

"And did we not watch Doctor Who last night? Man-eating snowmen and drops from great heights - very cheery stuff that!"

"Oh, come on Charley, it's Downton! It'll be lovely."

"Harrumph," said Charley - for that was who it was - as she slithered into the sofa and adjusted her youngest cousin so that she could see.

Forty-five minutes, a birth, several vicious rows, two heartbreaks, and a high-speed car crash later, her mother stood up and looked at the television, hands on her hips, looking mildly disapproving.

"Oh," she said. "That was . . . unexpected."

Charley stood up and brushed herself off, and went back to her corner.

"Christmas," she muttered.

10 comments:

  1. Wait, wait, Sybil dies!?!
    She was my favorite! >_>

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Whoops. Sorry.
      Me and my accidental spoilers. I don't watch Downton, so I have no idea how long ago this took place.
      Sorry again.
      Have Apologetic Cookies.

      Delete
  2. Very funny. I like the seventeen-year-old's hurrmph (and the way she removed a small cousin to a better position. I totally understand that). Christmas for sure. ;)

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    Replies
    1. Haha, glad you like!
      'Tis true story, in case you didn't know ;)

      Delete
  3. You missed the bit about how Charley sat wondering what had happened to her Godfather's Christmas present this year!

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  4. For it was not forgotten - but waiting for you on your return having received your address too late for the Christmas post!

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    Replies
    1. Ahaha, hi Johnny!
      Ooooh, thanks for letting me know! I have many excitifications for this!

      Delete
  5. BBC doesn't seem to get the whole 'Christmas = happy' thing, given by the emotional wreck I was reduced to after Merlin (sobbing into my Dad's side when he came to give me a hug, then sat in front of a computer crying for about half an hour).

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  6. I love Christmas special: this year's bests where definitely Call the Midwife and Miranda! (As you can tell, I am a Miranda Hart fan...)

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  7. I don't know, I thought the Doctor Who special was quite happy, considering. :P I mean, Oswin's back.... twice! :D And I don't I've ever laughed so hard for a DW character as I did for Strax. Plus it had Sir Ian McKellen! And Sherlock Holmes! How many things of awesome can you fit in 45 minutes? :D

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