Disney's latest installment of the nostalgia wave taking over Hollywood takes the form of a sequel series to The Santa Clause trilogy. The Tim Allen-led show was released on Disney+ on November 16. With its finale less than a week away, it's a good time to look back on every property in the franchise.
Being a sequel series, The Santa Clauses takes elements from the original trilogy to tell a new story. While fans are split on whether the show does justice to the movies, there are several references and nods to the films that make the watch worthwhile.
10 Falling Off A Roof
In The Santa Clause, Scott Calvin becomes the jolly old man in a red suit when the previous Santa falls off the roof of Scott's house. This The Santa Clause 3 is regarded as the worst of the bunch, it revisits the roof fall when Jack Frost tricks Scott into wishing he had never become Santa.
This is such a powerful and significant plot thread in the movies, it was a shock when Scott himself fell off a roof at the end of the first episode. He was fine, but it certainly threw audiences for a loop and had them guessing what this could mean for the character and for the story that's being told.
9 The Magnifying Glass
The contraption that stores several magnifying glasses is used several times in the movie trilogy. It helps Scott see text so small, the human eye can't possibly comprehend what they're looking at upon first glance.
This machine is used again in The Santa Clauses when Betty shows Scott the Secessus Clause which allows him to name a replacement Santa in the chance Scott decides to retire. This machine is oddly fascinating, and using it again in the series provides another connection to the movies.
8 E.L.F.S.
The E.L.F.S. Security Team is one of the best parts of The Santa Clause. They rescue Charlie from the roof of his home, and they break Santa out of jail, all while maintaining a cool and slick demeanor.
The security team is back, but it's only one elf now. The others left for a different department. The elf that's left is quite different from the ones that were seen in the first movie, and the space they have for work is disappointing. While it won't live up to the coolness of the team in the films, the remaining elf provides some humor with his puns and his behavior that mimics the image of a stereotypical disgruntled cop.
7 Carol's Previous Job
Carol was introduced in the best versions of Mrs. Claus in film, entranced in the holiday magic.
When Scott and his family return to Chicago, Carol revisits the school, and she immediately feels her sense of belonging again. She briefly reverts to her disciplinary voice, and she res the istration. One of the staff even refers to her as a legend around those parts.
6 The Puppet Show
When Scott first came to the North Pole in The Santa Clause, he was introduced to two talkative puppets that lived in his room. Their presence awarded him no privacy, as they gasped and expressed disgust at Scott as he changed into his fancy pajamas.
The puppets tend to be a bit crass, and they offer humor for viewers of all ages. Just like the movie, this show is aimed at kids but isn't afraid to throw some adult humor in there. While the puppets haven't made an appearance, they are referenced when Carol jokes that she and her husband were unable to have children until the puppet show was removed from their room.
5 Sara
Sara first appears in the first The Santa Clause film as a young girl who sees Scott as Santa come to her home with presents. She ed Scott saying he was lactose intolerant, so she set out lactose-free milk for him the next year.
In the first episode of The Santa Clauses, Sara is shown again, but as an adult. The show provided a small flashback as context for the scene before Scott arrives at her home. Sara may not be a huge part of either property, but she leaves a lasting impression and helps to show Scott's character development throughout the franchise. Her appearance in this first episode provides an extra layer of nostalgia to the holiday series.
4 Elves Are Adults With Relationships
The first film tells viewers that elves are thousands of years old and in relationships with each other, despite their kid-like appearance. This is revealed when Scott compliments Judy, and she mentions she's seeing someone in the wrapping department.
Judy's comment in the first film is often considered risqué, but Scott was just being honest about her complexion. Her adult-like response is what throws him off. The show continues with this lore, seen through Betty and Noel's relationship. Disney keeps their relationship tame, not going beyond the occasional pet name and chat about how their work life and home life must be separated.
3 Reverse Work-Out
The Santa Clause sees Scott Calvin do everything in his power to lose the weight he's gaining as a part of his transformation into Santa. He tries everything, but to no avail.
In The Santa Clauses, Scott has a similar dilemma, but instead of working out, he puts forth extra effort to gain weight. His magic appears to be depleting, and with it, his weight. He eats as much as he can and avoids any type of movement or exercise in hopes that putting on more pounds will help him regain some of that Christmas magic he needs to perform his duties as Santa Claus. Similar to the first movie, his efforts fail. It's interesting to see the reverse montage that comes from this plot thread.
2 Questions About Previous Santas
In the first film, the elves didn't seem distraught that their previous Santa died. They welcomed Scott at the North Pole with no more than some skepticism holding them back. More than most hiccups in the first film, this point was criticized by viewers everywhere as being unrealistic or showing that the elves have no emotion.
The Santa Clauses takes this criticism and retcons the entire franchise by confirming a long-time theory thought to ruin the Christmas movies if proven to be true. The show reaches peak meta-humor when Scott is glad the elves are upset about his retirement and not indifferent like they were with the last Santa. It's later revealed that Scott was always supposed to become Santa that night—the first human Santa—and the elves were in on it.
1 Bernard
Bernard is one of the most beloved characters from the movies. He was present in the first two films, and something about his rash outbursts and cool demeanor with Charlie made him very likable.
Fans were anxiously waiting for Bernard to appear in The Santa Clauses ever since it was revealed that he would be back. He doesn't show up until the penultimate episode, but his appearance comes with answers. His absence is explained and the truth about the past Santas is revealed. While these retcons may upset older fans, having Bernard break the news makes it much more bearable.