Tis the Podcast

You Can Take Away My House, All My Tricks And Toys, But One Thing You Can't Take Away - I Am Iron Man. (Iron Man 3)

We're back, covering another superhero film that's set during the holidays and debating whether or not it's a Christmas movie, or merely a film set at Christmas. But this time, we're far from the streets of Gotham, and take to the skies with Tony Stark in this 2013, Shane Black directed vehicle, Iron Man 3. Join Julia, Thom, and Anthony as they discuss the Marvel Cinematic Universe overall, share their histories and preferences when it comes to Marvel and DC comics, examine the similarities between Batman and Iron Man, talk about Shane Black's proclivities for using the holiday season as a backdrop in his movies, debate about that twist, and discuss their theories for the just-released Avengers: Endgame! (Don't worry - no spoilers for the film in this episode, as it was recorded before the grand-finale of the MCU up until this point hit theaters!) This is one super fun episode you do not want to miss! 

Ain't No Hole In The Washtub! (Emmet Otter's Jug-Band Christmas)

Happy Monday, Christmas Fanatics! We hope you all had a wonderful Easter (and/or Passover!)! Though it doesn't include the Easter Bunny, this week Julia, Thom, and Anthony discuss a beloved holiday classic starring a bunch of cute, furry animals - 1977's Emmet Otter's Jug-Band Christmas! Does this Muppet Christmas film elicit all of the comfort and joy for our three elves, or do we have a Grinch in our midst this week? Tune in to this fun episode to find out!

Christmas Comes Whether We Like It Or Not. We Must Do Our Best To Enjoy It. (The Nutcracker and the Four Realms)

Happy Tax Day to our American listeners! To help you over that hurdle, the elves are back this week to discuss Disney's 2018 The Nutcracker and the Four Realms, a modern take on the classic ballet, The Nutcracker. Does Disney have a new classic on it's hands, or does this film join the long list of attempts to bring The Nutcracker to the big screen over the years that can't quite capture the magic? Find out for yourself as you settle in for a fun-filled episode!

Here We Come A-Wassailing. (A Claymation Christmas Celebration)

This week, at long last, the elves cover the [in(?)]famous and much beloved 1987 claymation classic, A Claymation Christmas Celebration! How does Will Vinton's clay version of London's Christmas Square compare to the stop-animation settings of Rankin/Bass? Can Rex, Herb, and the California Raisons even compare to Rudolph, Frosty, and the Miser Brothers? And, perhaps most importantly, is this another case where nostalgia plays a huge role when it comes to this special's final rankings? The amount of Christmas music discussed this is almost reason enough to tune into this rollicking, joyful, fun-filled episode! So settle in with your holiday beverage, and enjoy! 
A Claymation Christmas Celebration website that we discuss in the episode, which features music and behind-the-scenes images and stories and was brought to our attention by listener Gerry Davilla. Thanks, Gerry! 

Life Isn't About Endings, Is It? It's A Series Of Moments. (The Office: U.K.)

This week, take a sleigh ride with Julia, Thom, and Anthony as they fly across the pond to Slough, England in order to discuss how the employees of Wernham Hogg Paper Company celebrate the holidays in The Office Christmas Specials. As enormous fans of the American version of The Office, which spawned from this original British version, this series finale has a lot to live up to in the minds of the three hosts. There's plenty to talk about here, from the famous (baby!) faces of the main cast, to comparisons with its US counterpart, in addition to plenty of debate over whether or not this two-part episode is actually a Christmas special, amongst many other things. This is one international field trip you most definitely do not want to miss!Also in this episode, the elves take a detour into the realm of Halloween, and geek out over the new Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark movie trailer in addition to the three anthology books which inspired it.

Chestnuts Roasting On An Open Fire

Happy first day of April, Christmas fanatics! This week, pull up a comfy chair and have your holiday beverage of choice ready, because Julia, Thom, and Anthony are warming themselves up in front of Douglas Chick's Crackling Fireplace! It might be warming up outside, but inside Tis the Podcast's Headquarters, our the three elves can't stop gushing about this particular Yule Log - or roasting chestnuts over it either, for that matter! 

A Flintstone Christmas (1977)

This week, journey back in time to the town of Bedrock with Julia, Thom, and Anthony as they discuss the 1977 holiday special, A Flintstone Christmas. So settle in with your favorite holiday beverage and tune in, because you're sure to have a yabba-dabba-doo time with the elves as they debate the holiday traditions of the Flintstones and the Rubbles. 

I'm Following In The Path Of My Christmas Heroes: The Grinch, The Sticky Bandits, Hans Gruber From Die Hard. (The Night Before)

And after an unintentional week off, we're back and covering the 2015 comedy-film, The Night Before! Will Julia and Thom make like Miley Cyrus and come in like a wrecking ball when talking about this movie, or is there enough underlying heart to it where Anthony can make a convincing case in its favor? Did Thom's trip to New York make Anthony change his mind about whether or not his co-host is "the worst"? Will the elves agree about the use of Christmas in Hollis in this movie? And will Thom's new derivation of the word "Rudolph" become a thing, or is it never going to happen? All of this and much more are discussed in this fun episode dissecting a movie about three childhood friends who become three wise men over the course of one Christmas Eve night in New York! So settle back with a cup of hot cocoa, enjoy, and get excited - because as of next week, we are officially under 40 weeks until Christmas! (And Tis the Podcast has a lot of fun stuff coming up on the horizon very soon, besides our normal weekly episodes, so stay tuned!) 

"He Does Exist!" "They Do Exist!" (Christmas Commercials)

Due to some things that came up in the personal lives of the elves this week, they were unable to record a new episode as planned. So, to make up for that fact - and not wanting to miss a week - we're releasing our last Patreon episode of 2018 for all to hear! Join the elves as they dive into the realm of Christmas commercials, both foreign and domestic, and discuss all of their personal favorites – from iconic classics, to ones that transport them back to childhood, and modern day fare that gives them all of the feels. This is one of our favorite episodes we've done, and definitely one you do not want to miss - so settle back with a cup of hot cocoa and enjoy! 
 
*Note: As this was originally a Patreon episode, there are two instances in it where some questionable language is used. Nothing ridiculously bad that you wouldn't hear on Network television during Primetime, but we just wanted to give you fair warning in case you normally listen with children.* 

Put On Your Yarmulke, It's Time For Chanukah. (Eight Crazy Nights)

For the first time ever, the hosts of Tis the Podcast delve into the realm of Chanukah with 2002's musical-comedy, Eight Crazy Nights.  Join Julia, Thom, and Anthony as they discuss this awful, animated Adam Sandler film, the discussion of which yields some personal revelations from the elves and the biggest rant that Anthony's gone on in a while. There's lots of fun in this episode, despite the movie that's being covered, so settle in, put on your yarmulke, and get ready for this Christmas podcast to celebrate Chanukah!