Ep 21. Born Again Virgin Christmas Special

As the title suggests, "Born Again Virgin Christmas Special" is a holiday-themed episode of the stop-motion animated sketch comedy series, Robot Chicken. In this episode of the seventh season, the show's writers take on various pop culture references and tropes associated with the festive season and re-imagine them in typically irreverent Robot Chicken fashion.

The episode begins with a skit that sees Santa Claus being arrested by the FBI for a sting operation. The Children's Christmas Council decide to intervene to help save the day, highlighting the absurdity of the scenario with their childish logic and action skills.

In another segment, a group of famous horror movie villains, including Freddy Krueger and Jason Voorhees, sit down to watch their own Christmas special. As you might expect, things don't go quite the way they planned, with some of them meeting unexpected ends.

Later in the episode, a disgruntled black man decides to end the commercialization of Christmas by hijacking a mall Santa's costume and stealing all the presents. However, he soon regrets his actions when he is confronted by a group of equally disgruntled homeless people, who want to share his 'loot'.

Another sketch sees a teenage girl enjoying her new smartphone on Christmas morning, only to be sucked into the device and ending up in a virtual Christmas wonderland. Her distracted family barely notice she is gone, as they continue to interact with their own tech gadgets.

"Born Again Virgin Christmas Special" also includes a host of comedic musical numbers, including an amusing take on the classic carol "The 12 Days of Christmas" and a hilarious spoof of festive films, featuring the Grinch, Scrooge, and Frosty the Snowman.

Other segments include a parody of the movie Die Hard, where John McClane has to save Christmas from a terrorist group, and a Star Wars-themed skit that sees Darth Vader struggling to get the perfect gift for the Emperor.

As with previous episodes of Robot Chicken, "Born Again Virgin Christmas Special" features a mix of puppetry, stop-motion animation, and CGI, bringing to life a range of characters from popular culture. The show is known for its skewering of everything from superheroes to sitcoms, and this Christmas-themed outing is no exception.

While the humor can be crude and often verges on the absurd, the show's writers always manage to find new angles on familiar holiday tropes. From the commercialism of Christmas to the sentimentality of holiday movies, no aspect of the festive season is safe from Robot Chicken's irreverent brand of humor.

For fans of the show, "Born Again Virgin Christmas Special" is a welcome addition to the Robot Chicken canon. Featuring a mix of old favorites and new characters, it's a festive treat that combines holiday cheer with a healthy dose of satire. For those who are new to the show, this episode is a good introduction to the show's unique style and approach to comedy.