DIRECTOR'S CUT: Villain Therapy: EBENEZER SCROOGE from The Muppet Christmas Carol

Great analysis as always. A couple of my take aways: It's easier to keep up than catch up - I need to remember this when I go to the gym. These are the shadows of what has been, they are what they are - events can cast shadows that obfuscate what we see, and we must shine a light upon them to see them as they are. Then we can properly choose how we they effect us.

Asymetra

I cry every time Beaker gives Scrooge his red scarf... because it's the first time Ebenezer gets a present.

Jen

Muppet Christmas Carol works bc Michael Caine acts as though the muppets are serious human actors, and Muppet Treasure Island works because Tim Curry acts as though he's a muppet.

Magnus Taliesin

Marvelous classic.

Cinema Therapy

It’s a family tradition of mine to watch this movie each year for Christmas. It’s my favorite Christmas Carol.

Deborah Olsen

Disney cut a song from the breakup scene. It's a shame because it really highlighted the moment when Scrooge sees how he contributed to it. Towards the end while Belle is singing, his younger self walks away and Scrooge gets this look on his face like "What are you doing?" You can tell he's finally seeing what Belle saw, that he didn't care at the time. The older Scrooge then walks up behind Belle and starts singing with her, like he's doing what he thinks he should have done back then. It's really beautiful. A shame Disney cut it.

Marie Gliva

Excuse me, you forgot the best ghost therapy movie of all time, the 6th sense

Amelia Hansen

I have never seen this adaptation of Scrooge, (and I've seen almost ALL at this point!) So I'm glad you guys did a video on it. However, my favorite adaptation of this story will always be the one with Jim Carrey! Not just because it has JC of course, but because it, in my opinion, tells the story of Ebenezer Scrooge in the most terrifying yet heartfelt way ever. The entire movie just feels so real, even though it's animated! I think my second favorite adaptation though would be the newest one on Netflix!

AllieMnokey1

Michael Caine is a true gem.

Kimberly Luttenbacher

In Alan's defense, the absolute worst nightmare I've ever had was after watching the movie "Hitch". I was 20. So no judgment about an 11-year old getting nightmares from Muppet Christmas Carol

Meredith Webb

What is interesting is that Dickens didn't intend this as a story of personal transformation, but a commentary on the children's homes, children employees and the way the society treated and viewed the poor.

Deb Kunkel

Jono, you went over and above the ugly Christmas sweater. The bar has set higher than any mortal can reach. You are a legend.

My favorite Christmas movie hands down. I used to be so scared as a little kid of the moment where Marley becomes the doorknob and screams "Scrooooge" to the point where I used to have my dad/brothers/whoever cover my ears while I covered my eyes for the like 5 seconds it lasted.

Rayne Stringfellow

I relate to Alan’s irrational fears as a child. When I was a kid, I saw like a half hour of Anaconda on tv and it still affects me when I go swimming. Ghibli movie trailers also terrified me for some reason, just completely unsettled me.

Andrew Feistner

That version always scared the *crap* out of me as a kid!

LISAMACnCHEESE

Back in the days of celluloid, I used to manage a movie theater. Always had an internal chuckle when people came in on major holidays & told us they felt so bad we had to work instead of being with our families. Oh, the irony lol But we always tried to make it as fun, festive, and lucrative for our employees as possible, you know? …………God, I miss those days…..

Lucy

I love the Muppet version of a Christmas Carol but my number one favorite version is Scrooge with Albert Finney. Love this channel! Thank you again!

Victoria Hudson

I'd love to see A Muppet Christmas Carol directed by Christopher Nolan. It's already got Michael Caine AND a Time theme, right?

LISAMACnCHEESE

Yes! I'm so worried that they watched the version without Belle's song.

Megan Rizzo

I NEVER fail to cry when Belle is singing, when Ebenezer pleads with the ghost of Christmas future, or when the whole cast gathers together to sing “When Love is Found,” and I did it here with those short little snippets you showed us. Between this and It’s a Wonderful Life, Christmas is pure waterworks for me. (Aside … I’m a pharmacist, so the Mr. Gower parts of IAWL really hit me. Mr. Gower! Mr. Gower!). Anyway, Michael Caine: TOP SCROOGE! If you can reform after being mean to a Muppet, then you have done the work.

Darcie Daniels

It is the best version of A Christmas Carol! Thanks for doing this one.

Kris Mahoney

Fave episode so far. “Muppet hell”, “ham would be in poor taste”, “character traits gained from poverty”, and explaining muppet filmmaking were all *chefs kiss

Omen the Black Cat

YAY! Excellent timing: 30th anniversary of The Muppet Christmas Carol this year + excellent article published in The Independent UK just yesterday about how TMCC saved the Muppet crew humans as well (coping with the sudden death of Jim Henson). <3 <3

Trina Cairns

Jono, your suit is perfection and sparks much joy. Wear it proudly. And you should totally bust it out for Christmas in July, just to mess with Alan. I currently work in an outpatient office that primarily treats individuals with substance use disorders and whoo boy, all this change talk is speaking my language. You might even say that Scrooge's ghostly visitors are, in fact, the Spirits of Motivational Interviewing. 🤣 But in all seriousness, I tell my clients as often as I can that they are my heroes. They come into my office trying to change how they've coped with pain, stress, any and all emotions, and just life in general, often for most of their life, and change is HARD. But, as a wise man once said, "The hard is what makes it great."

Kristine Amdor

The BEST Christmas movie!!! 🥰🎄 We watch this one every year! We quote it incessantly throughout the year too! 😂 "Light the lamp, not the rat!"

Meghan and Daniel Clark

This is the BEST version of A Christmas Carol - I'm so glad you picked this one.

Jes

This is one of my favorite Christmas movies!

Rob Foster