A Christmas Carol Goes Wrong : A Comedic Christmas So Wrong That Its Right

 I am sure that I will talk more about "The Goes Wrong Show" in the future, both the show itself and the hour-long specials made. It has become one of my favorite shows of all time, bringing me constant laughter no matter how many times I rewatch an episode, and I know the jokes that are coming. For those who do not know, this show follows The Cornley Polytechnic Drama Society, as they put on countless plays that, as the title indicates, go wrong in ways beyond the audience's imaginations. Tons of jokes, great physical comedy, and even some heart, I wanted to end my holiday posts for this year, talking about what I have only recently seen and already love: A Christmas Carol Goes Wrong.

Following their last hour-long special, Peter Pan Goes Wrong, the team is now taking on the classic tale of Ebenezer Scrooge, which I will say to understand some of the jokes, the Peter Pan special must be viewed, as this is very much a sequel. Hijinks ensue in all shapes and sizes, such as not memorizing lines, some behind-the-scenes drama, and some of the special effects. As a fan of the show, I have been wanting to watch this for some time. When it went live on Tubi, I was elated at the cost being free, but then even more so when it came to YouTube and joined the other specials and the episodes of the show. The series is on Tubi or YouTube at the time of this post, and I highly recommend it if you love theater and comedy.

I have now watched this special multiple times, and I still am laughing at many of the jokes as I did the first time I saw it. The gags, both spoken and physical comedy and slapstick, are hilarious. Many moments had me in stitches as a joke would either be spontaneous or have a long-awaited but very satisfying payoff. Some of the jokes are not being paid off until the curtain is about to fall, but they are absolutely worth the wait, and some of the funniest jokes in the whole special. There is one gag that repeats many times involving a coin, and one with reading that had me chuckling; it was so simple yet so effective. Some jokes have amazing call-backs that use the original gag, which could already be funny, in a new way that is equally hilarious. Which is the style I see in the show, matching it in a longer run time, yet going bigger in ways that make great use of the longer run time and the bigger scope, yet still feeling like the works of this incredibly talented team. 

The moments where the character is broken, especially an argument involving who is playing Scrooge, and a couple of attempts at changing that, lead to some amazing physical comedy. Some jokes are big, some are small, but the pacing is well executed, much like many of the other works this team has done. There are even some classic British actors in this that you may recognize.

There is even a heartwarming moment in this special or two. Sometimes even those warm moments lead to more comedy. The Goes Wrong Show is no stranger to Christmas, having two episodes of the television series devoted to such, and both of the hour-long specials taking place on Christmas. The only setback I would say is that if you watch this first, some of the jokes may be lost on you, as there are references to Peter Pan Goes Wrong. Other than that, this is something I will find myself watching every year as long as it is free, and will purchase if necessary, I enjoy it that much. 

To begin, I recommend watching an episode or two of the series first, then Peter Pan, then this. Seeing if the comedy matches your tastes, and if it does, then the first special and its sequel. I did not elaborate too much because so many things in this are wonderful surprises, surprises I believe are worth seeing. Joke after joke landed in a spectacular fashion, some that happened only once, and others came back when least expected. Plenty of great physical slapstick, which even on repeat viewings still makes me laugh. I am so glad I finally was able to see this. I wanted to for so long, and much like Christmas and the joy of the season, sharing it with loved ones, the wait was very much worth it.