The joy of holiday specials.

[rogueslayer452]

++ With YouTube attempting to block anyone from using adblockers, it just really highlights the absolute capitalistic bullshittery that's been happening online over the recent years. Listen, websites need money to continue to exist, we know and understand this. At best, it's an inconvenient annoyance. However, bombarding people with an endless string of unnecessary and oftentimes unskippable ads isn't going to win people over. And forcing people to see them by taking away their choice to block it just so you can get money is going to repel them even more.

++ Because it's nearing Halloween, this is something that's been on my mind recently. I absolutely love holiday special episodes in television shows, which is something I think has been lost in the recent years of streaming that has drastically reduced episode numbers per season. Aside from losing the episodic factor, it doesn't allow us to get these amazing holiday-centric episodes that can be silly and ridiculous or just overall festive in tone. It can be plot-related or just something completely separate. Sure, not all of them are winners, but the joy comes from seeing what the writers can come up with to accommodate to the holiday themed episode, and if nothing else let us be entertained. Halloween and Christmas special episodes are my favorite, though Thanksgiving episodes can also be just as good too, if nothing else than for the autumn aesthetic. And I think that's what I like about these special holiday episodes, it's the aesthetic. Whether it advances the seasonal plot or not, you can always count on those holiday episodes of providing some kind of festive aesthetic vibe.

(Similarly, while I don't really watch them, I can understand the appeal of Hallmark holiday movies, since they provide a similar dedication to the aesthetic of the holiday they're centering the story around. Every scene, every location, every frame is filmed with lights and decorations so you don't forget what holiday they're in, lol.)

Comments

[corvidology]

I have fond memories of specific holiday-centric episodes but I think they'd started to disappear even before streaming due to the whole 'too religious/not religious enough/there are other holidays you know' thing. I totally get it but why not some seasonal episodes at least?

My MIL has a weakness for the Hallmark holiday films and while they only have 3 plots that they all share, hence the McSweeney pastiche, it's fun to past through the room and see all those actors sweating in coats and fake snow as they film them in summer. ;D

[rogueslayer452]

Yeah, if nothing else seasonal episodes to show the passage of time is such a fantastic storytelling feature, too. It doesn't automatically have to be holiday specific, but just episodes that surround the change of the seasons with the hint of possible holidays but not really centering around it.

it's fun to past through the room and see all those actors sweating in coats and fake snow as they film them in summer. ;D

Heh, yeah. Once I learned that they filmed those Christmas movies in the summer so they can be aired during the winter it made me a bit more aware of how the actors are presenting themselves on the camera, and feeling kind of bad knowing that they are probably very much sweating underneath all those layers and having to pretend to be shivering cold. It's the same when actors are filming in colder environments and they have to pretend they aren't freezing their asses off.

[blackcatofmisery]

I know what you mean about the holiday specials. They're just fun, especially if they're a series that doesn't surround a holiday time. Holiday aesthetics just have a nice feeling, and while I am someone who will watch them outside of their actual holiday time, I also like the marathons channels will have of holiday movies or specials. (But maybe not the countdown to Christmas ones that start in like October. Ease up, my dudes.)

=^..^=~

[rogueslayer452]

and while I am someone who will watch them outside of their actual holiday time, I also like the marathons channels will have of holiday movies or specials.

I'm the same way, sometimes it's nice when a channel does those kinds of marathons so whenever you're feeling in the mood for the spirit of whatever holiday it is you'll be all set. Even if it's just to put it as background noise.

[night_owl_9]

Whether it advances the seasonal plot or not, you can always count on those holiday episodes of providing some kind of festive aesthetic vibe. - I totally agree!

[sultrybutdamaged]

I love a holiday special. I agree, the aesthetic is just fun. There’s also something about the way that they make a show feel grounded in the real passage of time, even if the episode itself is fantastical or silly. “It’s time for the annual Halloween episode and that means it’s been a fully year since the last one, look how much has changed” kind of thing.

[rogueslayer452]

Yeah, exactly! That's something that most shows these days don't do, because having only six episodes per season doesn't allow the story to progress naturally, not allow us to see how much time has actually passed and the development of the characters and their relationships with one another from the beginning of the season. Also, I like it when shows still have the lingering moments of the holidays in the next episode too, it's the little details like that which make it worthwhile as a viewer, at least for me anyway.

[tabaqui]

Is YouTube *successfully* blocking ad blockers? I have AdBlockPlus and UBlock Origin both running at all times, and see no ads at all on YouTube..... (no pop ups mid-vid, either....)

[rogueslayer452]

I honestly don't know. I've gotten the little "warning" popup before videos sometimes about how YouTube doesn't allow adblockers that I've been able to exit out of (even the "videoplayer will stop working after three videos" if you continued to use an adblocker), but haven't gotten anything beyond that and haven't been bombarded with unwanted ads. I've seen some people say that they were, in fact, affected by having their adblocker extensions no longer working. I guess it depends and is randomized.

[tabaqui]

Huh. I've never seen that warning at all. Sucks to be them; YT shows too MANY ads.

[rhoda_rants]

I'm on Firefox running uBlockOrigin and I was coming in here to say the same thing: I never see those pop-ups. It's a VERY different YT experience, and every time I have to use it for work I remember why I installed all that in the first place.

[tabaqui]

Dear gods, yes, this.

[rogueslayer452]

I'm on Firefox too and I had recently just got uBlockOrigin before all this happened, and I still saw them. Although recently I haven't seen anything since (and I hope it remains that way). I only got several of those popup messages and not on every video, it was totally random.

[rhoda_rants]

There *might* be additional steps/scripts you need to add to YouTube specifically: https://www.reddit.com/r/uBlockOrigin/comments/178yasm/youtube_antiadblock_and_ads_october_16_2023/

Oh wait--you're not logging in, are you? I haven't logged into YouTube in years. A lot of crap doesn't work if you log in. That's Google's fault, I think.

[rogueslayer452]

I am logged into YT, yes, although aside from the initial messages I haven't had much of a problem lately. I do have that link saved in case I might need it should anything change.

[rhoda_rants]

Okay yeah. I don't subscribe or ding the bell or whatever else; I memorize all my favorite creators' names and type them into the search bar by hand. It just occurred to me most people probably don't do that.

[rogueslayer452]

I only just subscribe to certain channels, which isn't that much I'll be honest. Otherwise I don't do much of anything else. I also use the search bar for most things anyway, which memorizes what I looked for.

[goodbyebird]

I think it depends on what browser you're currently on, and how up to date your ad blocker is.

[rogueslayer452]

Interesting. That would make sense, actually.

[svgurl]

I really love holiday specials too. They're just fun and can often be a break in the tension, even, as you said, they may not be a winner.

My family has gotten into Hallmark movies over the past year and they're cheesy but also light hearted enough that you can watch without thinking much. The Christmas ones are my favorite though. :D

[rogueslayer452]

The Christmas Hallmark movies, from what little I have seen of them, are essentially formulaic fluff pieces that you can just have them for background noise and just appreciate the aesthetic for what it is. At least they know what they are and lean heavily into that, as well.

[pianogurl330]

I love holiday specials too and I agree with the aesthetic and for me it's also the nostalgia and memories attached to them. :)

[author_by_night]

YouTube got really annoying. I miss being able to just watch or listen to things.


I miss holiday episodes, too! You're right that they're so much fun, and yes, you have the aesthetic. Honestly, while in some ways shorter seasons have served current shows better, that is one of the things you lose.

I think sometimes the tropes/motifs also make them fun, as cheesy as they can be. Like A Christmas Carol or It's A Wonderful Life parodies. That may also be the appeal of Hallmark movies for people - you know what's going to happen, but that makes it fun if it's your thing.

[rogueslayer452]

I remember when YouTube had no ads at all, and now they're just everywhere, constantly, all the time, in your face with no warning at all. And they're so loud, too, which is so disruptive. Ads are not like commercials on television because at least we know when a commercial break is going to happen (more or less, I do wish that there was the old school, "we'll be right back after these messages" kind of things), but YouTube, and every other platform that has unskippable ads have made it impossible to enjoy anything without having some kind of blocker to actively avoid them.

And this is why I'm so thankful for getting an adblocker.

That may also be the appeal of Hallmark movies for people - you know what's going to happen, but that makes it fun if it's your thing.

Exactly, they're fluff pieces that play with those very specific tropes and themes and it delivers on providing just that. Like, aside from Hallmark, shows that have these kinds of episodes they know precisely what they are go hard with that. Sure, it's cheesy and silly and predictable but that's the fun of it, especially when you see how they try to tie that particular element into the show itself, the characters, etc.

[author_by_night]

Also... I feel bad saying this, because I know it's how a lot of people make money, but I'm so sick of long sponsor bits. Especially when the video isn't long, or if there's more than one per video. I can do two minutes at the beginning, or a brief break, but sometimes it goes on so long, or there are so many, that I lose interest in the whole video. It's especially frustrating when combined with YouTube ads. I'm not sure how much say they have in how long their sponsor bits are, though.
Sometimes you can kind of tell they hate every minute of it. (Though that kind of makes it worse, actually.)

That said, I recently watched a YouTube video that was nine minutes long, and five minutes of it was a sponsor bit. That just felt like clickbait. I can at least understand if it's a five minute sponsor bit for an hour-long video.


Also, the old school in me can't help but remember when people just did this stuff for fun, not for money. This may not be entirely accurate -Channel Awesome was an actual company, and I think it was when it was TWTG as well. But I think YouTube monetization is pretty new.

[rogueslayer452]

I can do two minutes at the beginning, or a brief break, but sometimes it goes on so long, or there are so many, that I lose interest in the whole video.

I always skip them, honestly. Even if it seems like it takes over half the video, once they go, "but now for our sponsor" which these days is always in the middle of their videos I'll just move right pass them. I know that many of them hate doing it too, you can see how they're so dead inside having to read the required scripts that you hear so often (and it's very repetitive, too, the same wording the same fake enthusiasm, it's both annoying and sad at the same time). The more you watch/listen the more you become accustomed to pinpointing the bullshit in their words, too. It's sadder because we know it's fake and done simply for money, and they know we know, and it's a vicious cycle.

(I'll be honest, as much as I don't like the sponsored ads at least some people can make it entertaining, even by reading a script they can make it somewhat tolerable that isn't the cookie cutter thing you see/hear so often. Critical Role, for example, if frequently sponsored by various companies but the cast member who often reads the sponsorship ad scripts is always doing his own bits that's less about the sponsor and more about just the creative ways he can make his friends laugh with his outrageous bit/skit concepts. So it's less repetitive script reading and dying inside to get money but more for the benefit of seeing what crazy nonsense this person is going to do. It's always right at the beginning before the episode starts so we know what to expect.)

But I think YouTube monetization is pretty new.

Yeah, I think it is, as well. YouTube is still pretty young in general, but I do think that monetization became nearly a requirement in order to get pushed and noticed for whatever shitty algorithm they set for the site is quite new. I miss the days when that wasn't the case, because I think monetization of videos/channels has led to a myriad of issues (ex: family vlogging channels, for one, exploiting and pimping out their own damn kids for money).

[author_by_night]

. I know that many of them hate doing it too, you can see how they're so dead inside having to read the required scripts that you hear so often (and it's very repetitive, too, the same wording the same fake enthusiasm, it's both annoying and sad at the same time). The more you watch/listen the more you become accustomed to pinpointing the bullshit in their words, too. It's sadder because we know it's fake and done simply for money, and they know we know, and it's a vicious cycle.

I agree. You can usually tell. I also love when they come up with fun ways of working them in!

I hadn't considered that the algorithm is another reason for monetization, but you're absolutely right. It's also why they're always asking people to subscribe and get notified, so that if the algorithm doesn't catch their audience, at least their notifications will.

Family channels need to not be a thing.