Review:
The Cleveland Show: Episode Nine

109: A Cleveland Brown Christmas

‘This is what happens when you let a Jew organise the Christmas Pageant.’ – Arianna the Bear.

You can thank the UK’s ‘months behind the airdate for US imports’ attitude for this review, a verdict on a Christmas episode in the middle of March. Oh well. To be fair, the episode is excellent in spite of the seasonal differences.

It’s Christmas time in Stoolbend, Virginia and everyone is feeling jolly. Everyone, that is, but Cleveland, who discovers that Donna is lying to Rallo about his real dad being an FBI agent. He tries his best not to let it slip, but, after one too many eggnogs at the Waterman Cable office Christmas party, Cleveland finally tears into Rallo’s dad, right in front of the boy. While dressed as Santa, no less. This forces him to pull out all the stops to try and give the little guy back his Christmas cheer.

Meanwhile, Roberta, inspired by Tyra Banks, frees a captive reindeer from the grounds which proceeds to run amok.

The episode as a whole is an absolute corker, chock full of moments that range from amusing to downright hysterical. While the actual emotional arc of the main plot doesn’t set itself up for many laughs, there is just enough thought that has gone into crafting a cracking series of visual gags and asides, all of which add up to an extremely funny whole.

While the episode feels predictable in places – for instance, you know that Cleveland is going to spill the beans to Rallo the second you hear about the lie and you also know how he’s going to resolve it immediately after the truth is out – it’s the little moments that really make it sparkle. Cleveland stroking his son’s face in spite of Junior saying how uncomfortable it makes him feel, Rallo’s constant put-downs for his step-dad, Cleveland Jr. getting kicked in the face by a reindeer while trying to decide if ‘hoofs’ or ‘hooves’ is the correct vernacular and the ongoing gag of how disappointed Cleveland is with his son.