So this one will be different. In the past, any Christmas episodes I’ve discussed on the blog or the podcast have been from series I’m mostly familiar with. King of Queens, Full House, and Fresh Prince, for example, are all shows that I remember very well and even still watch from time to time.
Lately, however, I’ve been thinking of going back to shows that I either didn’t watch or at least do not remember well at all. We were recently talking about the restaurant named Mel’s Diner in Gatlinburg, Tennessee, so Alice popped in my head. I figured a Christmas episode would be as good as any to check out.
This feels more like a Rusty show to me (although I have no idea if he really ever watched it or not). I know I’ve definitely seen episodes of it, I feel like maybe at a certain relative’s house or something, but I don’t think it was ever appointment viewing in my house. In fact, when I went to pull up an episode, I was searching for a show titled Mel’s Diner and didn’t even recall that the title of the series was actually Alice.
But eventually I got a hold of episode 11 from season 4 (December 23, 1979), titled “Mel, the Magi,” and will share my thoughts here about a show that I remember absolutely nothing about. I’m just jumping in for some Christmas cheer here at the end of June!
I’ll try to keep my comments and reactions related to this specific episode (and mainly how it relates to Christmas), but first… Did people actually like this theme song?
Anyway, we quickly learn that money is tight for everyone this year and that everyone affiliated with this diner will be spending Christmas Eve alone, including two random truckers who stumble in off the streets. So these waitresses, who seem to have way more time to sit around and talk than any diner waitresses I’ve ever seen, decide to all gather at the diner and spend Christmas Eve together. Even the two potential-psycho strangers!
The “Gift of the Magi” bit comes in as Tommy sells his guitar to buy Alice a pitcher that matches her coffee pot. Of course, Alice had to sell her coffee pot to buy a case for Tommy’s guitar. And when Flo sells her Johnny Cash oil painting to buy Vera’s Burt Bacharach records, you can probably guess that Vera pawns her record player to buy Flo a frame for the Johnny Cash painting. It’s all very forced, and I hope the writers didn’t spend a ton of time coming up with this stuff, but it works.
Looking at the title of the episode, you also don’t need to be a genius to know what Mel will be getting each of them for Christmas.
All the tropes are here. Alice is practical, Mel’s a grump, Vera is goofy, and Flo is loud. You’ll recognize all the sitcom archetypes within the first 8 minutes.
As a Christmas episode, I think it’s pretty good. The diner is decorated, the characters are singing lots of songs, and all of the plot revolves around the holiday. There is even a mysterious Santa Claus who appears. (And maybe he’s also a Grinch?) I even laughed out loud during the scene when Flo describes the possible thief (Santa Claus) to the police over the phone.
I’m awarding bonus points for the Bacharach records. And while I still think it’s absolutely weird that the two truckers are invited to hang out with them, I guess things were just a little different there at the very end of 1970s.
I recommend this episode for both fans of Alice and fans of Christmas on TV.
8/10
Snow in Southtown Christmas Podcast 
Is Rusty an *Alice* fan? No. It is one of the earliest shows I remember having a negative opinion about. I have a memory of rushing to the TV when it came on (before the days of remote controls) so that I didn’t have to listen to the depressing theme song. I did, however, find Flo funny, and I still say “Kiss my grits.”
(Fun Fact: *Alice* is adapted from the Martin Scorsese film *Alice Doesn’t Live Here Anymore*.)
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A few years ago I was trying to explain “Kiss my grits” to my kids, but all comedy was lost in my explanation.
And yeah, I knew about the film, but I’ve never seen it. I should watch it this summer.
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