Whereas yearly there are moans and groans in regards to the Christmas TV schedules being filled with repeats, there’s one present that we positively don’t thoughts watching many times – the unique Gavin & Stacey Christmas particular.
The BBC sitcom had been operating for 2 seasons by the point we received the primary festive episode in 2008, and what a Christmas particular it was.
Whereas we’d seen loads of interactions between the whole Shipman and West clan within the years earlier, there was an actual second of pleasure seeing all of them put together for his or her first Christmas collectively following Gavin and Stacey’s marriage ceremony.
Not solely did the hour-long episode ship on comedy and plot, however it additionally highlighted all these little Christmas foibles that go on in households up and down the nation come 25 December.
And whereas it was a burst of nostalgia having the gang again collectively in 2019 for the much-anticipated reunion episode, there’s one thing magical in regards to the unique that made it such a festive masterpiece.
Right here’s why it’s a present that’s worthy of repeat viewing each December…
1. Pam’s stance on Christmas playing cards
Previous to 2008, we had been at all times baffled as to why some folks would ship their Christmas playing cards earlier than December had even rolled round, however Pam Shipman imparted some severe knowledge on us that made us fully reverse our stance.
“What’s the level of sending playing cards that arrive on Christmas Eve? They’ll get taken down in a couple of days. That’s why I ship all mine on the primary of November. Offers folks seven weeks to take pleasure in them,” she mentioned.
You must admit, she has some extent, proper?
2. John who?
Talking of Christmas playing cards, Pam and Mick additionally tapped into one thing we’ve all heard our dad and mom say once they obtain a festive greeting from somebody they can’t fairly place.
“Oh, take a look at that, ‘From John’… It might be mechanic John… It received’t be John from Ann and John.”
3. Doris being “completely twatted” earlier than lunchtime on Christmas Eve
4. Nessa within the grotto
“Oh! Oh! Oh! Merry Christmas” was an impressed piece of writing from Ruth Jones and James Corden.
5. Gavin and Smithy’s sing-a-long
It’s the scene that impressed James Corden’s Carpool Karaoke, and regardless of the actual fact he’s had the likes of Adele, Britney Spears and Girl Gaga be part of him in his automotive to sing alongside to their largest hits, it’s nonetheless Smithy’s duet down the telephone on Do They Know It’s Christmas? that is still the unique and one of the best.
We’ve additionally by no means been in a position to say Midge Ure’s title the identical means since.
6. The mint Baileys scene
The scene the place Gwen and Bryn share their first ever mint Baileys earlier than boarding the coach to Essex wasn’t large or flashy, however it had a quiet consolation and poignancy about it, which Gavin & Stacey at all times nails so completely.
7. Mick’s turkey saga
Are you basting it? Are you soaking it in a single day? Are you doing it the Nigella means? Or are you sticking to Jamie Oliver, since you “know the place you might be with him”?
Via the characters of Mick and Pete, the Christmas particular managed to completely encapsulate the weird obsession and competitiveness dads have with different males about their turkeys annually.
8. The battle
Pam’s eruption after discovering out her “little prince” was planning on relocating to Barry set off a sequence of occasions that made this scene one of the crucial memorable in Gavin & Stacey historical past.
Not solely did Alison Steadman completely decide to the second, however we additionally noticed Gwen lastly stand as much as Pam, Nessa threaten to “see her exterior” (and Pam stupidly consider she might take her on), earlier than Pete went toe-to-toe with Dave Coaches to defend Daybreak’s honour.
Admittedly, there’s some language that we’d hope wouldn’t make it into the script in 2021 and we had been more than happy once they all put the row behind them. Nevertheless it must be mentioned, this scene shook up the dynamic between all of the characters and likewise despatched up these fights that occur in each household every festive season.
9. Pam and Mick’s royal romp
We realized that Pam’s obsession with the Duchess of Cornwall translated into the bed room as she ready to be “knighted” with Mick’s “particular sword” whereas he was sporting a comedy pair of Prince Charles ears.
10. Pam’s vegetarianism comes unstuck
As “Three Steaks Pam” confronted the prospect of a turkey-less Christmas after her long-standing lies about being a vegetarian, it transpired she hadn’t fooled anybody along with her stance on meat – aside from Gwen that’s, who had purchased her a vegetarian cookbook for Christmas.
11. The opening of the “presents”
By no means earlier than had we been so desperate to see which Celebration somebody was consuming, and we positively nonetheless relate to Smithy wrapping all his presents in tin foil for ease.
Doris gifting Gwen talcum powder, regardless of her nonetheless having a stack of it unused at house from earlier years, was additionally a foible we’ve seen play out throughout current openings over time.
12. The Nessa and Smithy sexual stress
Years earlier than we received the 2019 Christmas proposal, there was a particular second between Nessa and Smithy that gave followers hope that the characters would end up collectively as Smithy urged her to not marry Dave Coaches.
13. The top music
All episodes of Gavin & Stacey can be found to observe on BBC iPlayer.