When we’re talking about The Santa Clauses, “Chapter Three: Into the Wobbly Wood,” I have to say that it’s definitely better than the first two episodes. But I also have to say is that this show is moving so fast.
And that’s a little confusing. It’s confusing because I am not sure why this is a televisions show when it obviously would have been better as a movie. Do I understand the point to want to drag it out? Sure. It’s sometimes easier to edit into a television show.
But it doesn’t make the show any better.
The best part of the show is the North Pole. It’s one of those things that plays into kids dreams and reminds an adult of what it was like to dream. Most of us wanted to go to Santa’s Village when we were kids and see Santa, the elves, and figure out where they made toys. It was the things that we saw in movies that propelled us forward and made us dream.
At least that was the way it was for me.
Santa and Mrs. Claus are preparing all of their things to move. Opening and going through boxes. Santa is realizing that he’s going to have to get a new wardrobe and well, that a lot of things that he owns are not appropriate. Then again, Mrs. Claus finding her jeans and being happy over them, is something we can all relate to.
Jeans. Comfort. A good set of pajamas.
It’s Santa interviewing potential replacements that this episode was about. Right as I was set to dislike Simon forever, him heading to the North Pole and interviewing Santa that made him more likable. But it was also seeing how afraid he was that something happened to his daughter that made me see that he wasn’t just a man focused on work, he was also focused on making a better life for his baby girl.
Simon wanted Grace to always know that she was taken care of and loved, because that’s what he wants, but also because it’s what her Mom would have wanted. The first two episodes, I felt like Simon was so focused on his job and wanting to make this big company, that he wasn’t fully in tune with his daughter. He’s highly paranoid and neurotic, but I do feel as though he’s thought that was good parenting.
It’s not until we see him react when his daughter is missing and she’s gone into the wobbly woods, that we see him react to something. We see him talk about how he’ll go through anything and do anything for his little girl. It’s the Dad energy that we’ve wanted to see.
Scott and him going into the wobbly woods – where the Christmas witch lives is entertaining. But it also shows us shows us just how dedicated that Simon is to his daughter, which is part of what has made me warm up to him.
The thing is it also makes Scott look bad, because he doesn’t even know what his daughter has been up to. When Scott and Simon find the Christmas witch and want to find their kids, the interaction is kinda funny because we see just how alike these two are, but also the mistakes that Scott/Santa has made.
Santa doesn’t know this daughter. He’s not known that she’s been visiting the Christmas witch. It’s just another sign that he doesn’t know his kids. She doesn’t want to leave the North Pole and though he’s got plans of what he wants, but needs to figure out who he’s going to be with his kids.
I have to admit that I was shocked that Simon took the job of Santa Claus so quickly and didn’t seem to think about it. His little girl was excited, she didn’t want to leave, but with how dead set her was on his business, I am confused.
The Calvins are transported to Chicago, where a life is set up for them. The kids are shocked that their Dad looks so different and are excited that the temperature is above freezing. However, what the kids are confused about is what Scott looks like.
What I’m confused about remains why it’s moving so fast and why it wasn’t a movie. I guess Tim Allen wanted more time to ruin the original franchise.
The Santa Clauses is streaming now on Disney Plus.
