The Simpsons: Simpsons Roasting on an Open Fire
The Simpsons: Simpsons Roasting on an Open Fire (1989) — why this festive episode or special deserves a place in a Christmas television marathon.
The first full-length Simpsons episode is also a Christmas episode, ending with the arrival of Santa's Little Helper.
- Year
- 1989
- Best for
- animated sitcom Christmas
Why watch it at Christmas?
The best seasonal television does more than hang tinsel on an ordinary episode. It uses Christmas pressure—family, expectation, loneliness, food, gifts or forced togetherness—to make the characters more themselves than usual.
Christmas-night verdict
This one earns a place in the annual rotation. Pair it with one or two other short specials rather than letting an algorithm choose the entire evening.