FAMILY MATTERS: CHRISTMAS IS WHERE THE HEART IS (TV)
Summary
One in this comedy series about the Winslows, an African-American family living in Chicago next door to their annoying neighbor, Steve Urkel.
The Winslows prepare to celebrate Christmas, and Richie makes some money by receiving bribes to tell the family members where their presents are stashed. Carl is upset because a con man managed to bilk the police department out of a collection by pretending to be a burglary victim. He comes to believe that “Christmas brings out the worst in people.” Later, on Christmas Eve, Carl and Steve wrap presents together, and Steve criticizes Carl’s clumsy and rushed wrapping technique. Carl consents to allowing Steve to wrap his present to Harriet, a glass music box, but cautions him to be careful. However, Carl accidentally breaks the music box, and he reacts with a mixture of horror and shock. Steve offers to take him shopping in order to replace it. They take the train to come home, and the other passengers resent Steve’s attempts to cheer them up with Christmas spirit. Carl is frustrated and miserable, and his mood worsens when the train suddenly breaks down due to a power outage.
Steve refuses to allow the train breakdown to discourage him from celebrating Christmas, but the other passengers resist his attempts to cheer them up. He attempts to lead them in a sing-along version of “The Twelve Days of Christmas,” but this too is met with scorn. The rest of the Winslow family waits for Carl’s return in the midst of the blackout, and Harriet worries about him. Steve receives increasingly violent threats from the other passengers, and Carl attempts to get him to shut up. Steve tries to appeal to the other passengers’ decency, pointing out that all of them want the same thing: to be spending Christmas at home with their families. He gets the other passengers to talk about their families and how much they look forward to seeing them. He inspires them to celebrate the spirit of Christmas even in the middle of their broken-down train. To that end, everyone pitches in and improvises decorations for a small Christmas tree on board the train. This act allows the passengers to put their animosities aside for the time being. Power is restored to the train and it resumes their journey. Everyone wishes each other a merry Christmas and they sing carols together. Carl and Steve eventually return home late that night and are greeted enthusiastically by the Winslows. Carl invites Steve to spend Christmas with them, and suddenly their power is restored as well. Includes commercials.
Details
- NETWORK: ABC
- DATE: December 10, 1993 8:00 PM
- RUNNING TIME: 0:28:57
- COLOR/B&W: Color
- CATALOG ID: B:30887
- GENRE: Comedy
- SUBJECT HEADING: African-American Collection - Comedy; TV - Comedy
- SERIES RUN: ABC - TV series, 1989-1997; CBS - 1997-1998
- COMMERCIALS:
- TV – Commercials – Ford automobiles
- TV – Commercials – K-Mart department stores
- TV – Commercials – Kellogg’s cereal bars
- TV – Commercials – Nice n’ Clear lozenges
- TV – Commercials – Polaroid cameras
- TV – Commercials – Red Lobster restaurants
- TV – Commercials – TV Teddy toy
- TV – Commercials – Visine eye drops
- TV – Commercials – Wal-Mart department stores
- TV – Commercials – “Aladdin” home video release
- TV – Promos – “America’s Funniest Home Videos”
- TV – Promos – “Full House”
- TV – Promos – “Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman”
- TV – Promos – “Phenom”
- TV – Promos – “The New America’s Funniest People”
CREDITS
- Thomas L. Boyett … Executive Producer, Developed by
- Robert L. Boyett … Executive Producer, Developed by
- William Bickley … Executive Producer, Created by
- Michael Warren … Executive Producer, Created by
- David W. Duclon … Executive Producer
- Gary Menteer … Co-Executive Producer
- Jim Geoghan … Supervising Producer
- Fred Fox Jr. … Supervising Producer
- Kelly Sandefur … Producer
- Stephen Langford … Co-Producer, Writer
- Rebecca Misra … Co-Producer
- Sara V. Finney … Co-Producer
- Vida Spears … Co-Producer
- Jeff Luini … Associate Producer
- Richard Correll … Director
- Jesse Frederick … Music by, Theme Music by
- Bennett Salvay … Music by, Theme Music by
- Reginald VelJohnson … Cast, Carl Winslow
- JoMarie Payton Noble … Cast, Harriette Winslow
- Rosetta LeNoire … Cast, Estelle Winslow
- Darius McCrary … Cast, Eddie Winslow
- Kellie Shanygne Williams … Cast, Laura Winslow
- Bryton McClure … Cast, Richie Crawford
- Shawn Harrison … Cast, Waldo Geraldo Faldo
- Jaleel White … Cast, Steve Urkel
- Rick Hurst … Cast, Santa
- Peter Iacangelo … Cast, Man With Tree
- Evonne Kezios … Cast, Pregnant Woman
- Meg Wyllie … Cast, Elderly Lady
- Frank Kopyc … Cast, Sleeping Tenor