Those lyrics of a Christmas song from the musical "She Loves Me" perfectly express the frustration of the season in 1990 just as it did in 1963 when it was written and 30 years after this episode aired. It's the holiday season and while the office is ablaze with decorating and Corky's Christmas carols, they have decided no gifts outside of the regular secret Santa and office party. But Murphy breaks the rule, having been out of town, and as a result, the office staff is now going crazy trying to get last minute presents. It's obvious that some people expect presents and this shows the impersonal aspect of what should be a happy holiday. Even Miles, celebrating Hanukkah, attributes his generosity to his MasterCard, and conversations among other staff members show the wrong side of the Christmas spirit and the love behind giving. At least Blanche from "Golden Girls" had her calendar and Rose her maple syrup spigot as homemade gifts made out of love, and while everybody at FYI means well, they are acting worse than children. A very funny commentary on the commercialism of Christmas and how society has been manipulated by the retail sector. A nice touch by St. Elden in the show's finale wraps everything up nicely and gives us finally the true meaning of the holiday spirit, obviously felt by Elden all year round rather than just from Thanksgiving through New Year's.
Murphy Brown (TV Series)
Jingle Hell, Jingle Hell, Jingle All the Way (1990)
User Reviews
Review this title2 Reviews
"Three days to Christmas, three days to Christmas. Not enough time to do our Christmas shopping."
mark.waltz28 March 2021
Warning: Spoilers
Classic TV Xmas Top Ten Worst - Ep #8
kgraovac21 December 2023
The FYI-ers make a pact to not buy Xmas gifts but give to charity instead. Murphy breaks the pact and the others find out and soon do the same.
This is not a great episode but it's better than the Season 1 offering "Murphy's Pony". The best scene is at the very beginning when Corky goes overboard with decorating and getting everyone in the spirit by singing carols. Murphy makes her entrance and snaps, "Knock it off!".
The rest of it is pretty mundane, with the gang finding out one by one about Murphy's deception, until they all end up in a drugstore with only ten minutes left to do their Xmas shopping. In the end, everyone decides to join Eldin in volunteering down at the orphanage.
Nothing original or especially funny or sentimental here, folks. 5/10.
This is not a great episode but it's better than the Season 1 offering "Murphy's Pony". The best scene is at the very beginning when Corky goes overboard with decorating and getting everyone in the spirit by singing carols. Murphy makes her entrance and snaps, "Knock it off!".
The rest of it is pretty mundane, with the gang finding out one by one about Murphy's deception, until they all end up in a drugstore with only ten minutes left to do their Xmas shopping. In the end, everyone decides to join Eldin in volunteering down at the orphanage.
Nothing original or especially funny or sentimental here, folks. 5/10.
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