New Year’s may not be the most popular
holiday to devote a sitcom episode on, but there are still plenty of
them out there. They usually always revolve around making resolutions or
finding a date for the night. Or both. What I love is that these are
all almost all honorary Christmas episodes, since most of these shows
decorate the sets with Christmas decorations seeing how the episode is
set days later. And the theme of the holiday season is still very much
present.
Here are some of them. And since it seems like every list I see forgets that TV shows happened in the 70’s, 80’s or early 90’s, these are mostly from that era.
Laverne & Shirley, “New Years Eve 1959”
Penny Marshall was the best. I failed to find a clip of the Christmas episode last time, but this episode I did find. And there isn’t much to it. It’s just the gang finding dates for New Year’s. Which doesn’t end well for poor Laverne. But give Garry Marshall credit that final scene of them all singing Auld Lang Syne is pretty cool, he really knew how to hit the sentimental button.
Kate & Allie, “New Year’s Eve”
There was a time when I discovered this show and just loved it. Not sure why, and that didn’t last long. It was still good. This was the Jane Curtain/Susan Saint James vehicle of course. When the kids want to have a New Year’s Eve party the duo end up in the basement. There’s also a bit about resolutions which for some reason lots of these episode seem to forget about. It’s a talky episode, par for the course for this show.
Murphy Brown, “What are you doing New Year’s Eve?”
This was an important episode, when it first aired, because it was the first real test Murphy faced being and ex-drinker. As we know New Year’s Eve can be a very tempting time for people to drink. But of course, after surviving a boring party at Corky’s, she resists that temptation.
Oh, and what about the new episode that just aired? Ughh, well let’s just say that the rebooted Murphy Brown wasn’t great and leave it at that.
Full House, “Happy New Year”
This is a huge Joey episode, and a good reminder why he is not my favorite character on this show. His scenes, unless he is being funny, are so dull. The story is about Joey needing a date on New Year’s. And it’s clear the writers had no idea how many days there were between Christmas and New Year’s Eve because the episode starts clearly after Christmas and somehow Danny and Jesse have to time to record a dating video, get it out and have responses come back just in time. Joey falls in love immediately but the girl vanishes right after the episode never to be seen again so need to even discuss her. The only cute touch is Michelle all excited about the holiday without really understanding it.
And yes Fuller House had a New Year’s episode which actually wasn’t that bad.
The Wonder Years, “New Year”
(yeah no pic for this one, sorry about that)
This episode comes around during the final season when the show was on its way out. As a result it isn’t quite as sentimental as earlier shows. It involves Wayne dating, and being dumped, by his girlfriend. Kevin spends most of the episode bummed because he’s stuck with his family and he cant do what he wants. Even though his girlfriend is happily with the family also. Yeah that makes no sense to me, but still a good episode.
Designing Women, “New Year’s Daze”
There were actually two. One I like, the other I CANNOT STAND. Let’s discuss the one I like. The episode is basically the girls hanging out, wondering who Charlene’s secret date is doing to be. Then it turns out to be an escaped prisoner. That sounds cool but is sappy and boring. If you take away that Charlene plot it’s a solid New Year’s episode. And points for being one of the few episodes to show New Year’s Day!
What about “The First Day of the Last Decade of the Entire Twentieth Century” (and yes that is the title)? I need a whole article to go into my problems with that bloated, boring and just plain depressing episode. Before people who are familiar with that show think I am heartless, the problem isn’t how the stuff in this episode is performed but that it was here at all. It was just the wrong show for it.
Night Court, “New Year’s Leave”
This is an odd episode, since it’s established in other episodes that the group gets the week after Christmas off. But we can ignore that. The plot is about an older gentlemen trying to get to Time’s Square by midnight, because he is dying and it’s his last chance to. All well and good, but there is one real problem with the episode. John Larroquette directed it. Which not only means Dan is hardly in it (and his breaks for some laughs always help) but Larroquette clearly cannot direct comedy as his two outings on this show feel so much slower. Seeing as how his only other directing work was in a couple drama’s, I feel safe saying that. Stars directing their own shows is a topic I have wanted to discuss for awhile now. But as for this episode, not the best but far from the worst.
Frasier, “RDWRER”
Um, the title makes sense in the episode. New Year’s plans go awry for Frasier, Niles and Martin in one of the few sitcom episodes to acknowledge the turning of the Millennium. Friends sort of did, and Seinfeld did too but that episode doesn’t count as a true New Year’s Eve episode. Oh and yes The Simpsons also did but that’s another discussion my friends. Frasier, Martin, and Niles end up on the Winnebago and hi jinks ensue. My favorite thing in the episode is a running bit about a lady who accidentally stole a waitress’s cigarette lighter and wants to return it. I guess she never heard of mailing it back before, rather than turning around and driving fifty miles in the opposite direction. This is needed for the plot to work though, and the three celebrate the Millennium in the middle of the dessert.
Boy Meets World, “Train of Fools”
This is an interesting episode for a few reasons. I am amazed how relaxed Amy is about the kids running around the city at night. She sure is progressive. She’s nostalgic but has no issue with it. So when the gang can’t get a ride to any New Year’s parties they end up on the subway. And since it’s a sitcom, we all know what has to happen. Seriously why is this such a cliche? The subway train breaks down and they have to improvise to have a fun New Year’s Eve. Oh and there’s a Mr.Turner subplot which makes me understand why he would vanish from the show never to be seen again. Unless he was talking to Cory, who cares? Aside from that the episode is good.
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Mad About You, “New Year’s Eve”
This was in the middle of the “jump the shark” season, but despite that manages a decent episode. It’s shows all our regulars doing different things, and how time stops for a few minutes to allow Paul and Jamie to kiss when the ball drops. Yeah I know that’s not much of a re-cape, but the episode is really just are characters being our characters no real issues or problems arise. Aside from Jamie and Paul not being together at Midnight. We do get to really see Time’s Square and even get a Dick Clark cameo, which I am shocked isn’t in more of these!!!!
3rd Rock From The Sun, “Happy New Dick”
This episode has a little Christmas Day in it which I like. But the main plot involves Dick realizing he hasn’t done anything worthwhile at the end of the year, he gets depressed about it. We also see Sally learning she can only manipulate Don so far, and I like how she is understanding about it. There’s also a subplot involving some classmates of Harry’s when he took night school..which may have meant more if I ever saw those episodes. It does have the sweetest ending, I’ll give this episode that.
Friends
Oh man, we knew this one was coming! We got not one, but three episodes surrounding New Year’s! Since I reviewed them in length for my episode guide, let’s just go through them real quick:
“The One With The Monkey”
This is a quasi Christmas episode with the holiday coming, and going, through the plot. But the main focus is the Friend pact about having no dates on New Year’s Eve. Which doesn’t work out quite the way the six expected.
“The One With The Routine”
Again, this episode is almost more of a Christmas episode as we see the B story all abut finding presents. But the main story involves Joey getting to a chance to kiss Janine at a taping of Dick Clark’s Rocking New Year’s Eve. Where Moncia and Ross act like fools.
“The One With The Resolutions”
No Christmas in this one, and in a way no New Year’s either technically as we only see New Year’s Eve in the start and the episode goes on for two more days. But the plot of the episode involves the six making resolutions which is enough to qualify. And it’s one of Chandler’s funniest episode in his attempts to keep his resolution about not making fun of friends.
The Big Bang Theory, “The Justice League Recombination”
Hey, a title that doesn’t have and of the words “happy” or “new year” in it. Maybe that’s because the holiday barely plays a part. You could have set it at Valentine’s Day and had the exact same episode. They didn’t even put any Christmas decorations on the set! The premise is the gang attending a costume party at the comic books store (on New Year’s?? Yeah this was a Halloween script that came in to late I know it!!) Anyway, the main drive of the story is that Leonard is upset that Penny is still with Zack. And that’s about it aside from the group squabbling about costumes. And they do the countdown to midnight bit that every one of these does, so that’s something.
PLENTY more I didn’t mention, even some more from the 70’s like Barney Miller and Maude. I know I’m old but people do remember these time periods, right? More recent examples include That 70’s Show, Modern Family, Louie, The Office, and 30 Rock. It does seem like these kind of episodes are less the exception they were back in the day. If I missed your favorite comment and let me know.
And of course, Happy New Year my friends! Here’s to a happy and healthy 2019!!!!
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