‘The Santa Clauses’ Finally Fixed That Awful Ending 16 Years Later

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  • ‘The Santa Clause’ Trilogy and Weak Third Movie
  • ‘The Santa Clause’ TV Series Fixed the Ending

As someone who grew up with “The Santa Clause” trilogy and eagerly awaited each new installment, I must admit that my heart sank when I saw “The Santa Clause 3: The Escape Clause”. It felt like a disappointing ending to what had been a fun and festive journey. But then came the TV series, “The Santa Clauses“, which not only rekindled the magic of the original but also provided a more satisfying conclusion to Scott Calvin’s story.

Three decades since its initial release, “The Santa Clause” continues to be a cherished holiday tradition. The plotline is familiar: following an unusual turn of events, Tim Allen’s character Scott Calvin inadvertently assumes Santa’s role after the original Santy’s demise. It’s quite daring for a children’s film to kick off with such an unconventional premise, don’t you think? The initial movie spawned two sequels: “The Santa Clause 2” and “The Santa Clause 3: The Escape Clause“. While the first installment generally received favorable feedback, both critical and audience responses softened as the series progressed.

In comparison to the other two films, The Santa Clause 3: The Escape Clause was often seen as the least impressive. As no fourth movie was ever produced, it seemed like Santa’s adventures had come to an end. However, over a decade and a half later, we delved back into this universe with the TV series The Santa Clauses. Although it didn’t receive overwhelming praise, it was praised for revitalizing the franchise. The show performed exceptionally well on Disney+, prompting the commission of a second season even though the initial plan was for it to be a limited series. Although there has been no announcement about a third season, the show certainly managed to provide a more dignified conclusion to the franchise. Let’s explore this new take on Santa’s story.

‘The Santa Clause’ Trilogy and Weak Third Movie

In case you didn’t know, the “The Santa Clause” series features Tim Allen in the role of Scott Calvin/Santa Claus. When a toy company executive unexpectedly assumes the responsibilities of Santa following the previous one’s accidental fall from a roof, he finds himself in this peculiar situation. Supporting actors include Elizabeth Mitchell, Wendy Crewson, Eric Lloyd, David Krumholtz, and Judge Reinhold.

In the initial movie, Scott suspects the meeting with Santa was just a dream. However, this changes when he undergoes a series of physical transformations throughout the film, turning him into St. Nick instead. By the second installment, Scott learns that keeping the Santa role requires him to find a spouse. In the concluding chapter, Scott abdicates his position after being deceived into it by Jack Frost. Jack takes over as Santa, causing Scott to regret his decision. Determined, he manipulates Frost into giving up the job, eventually reclaiming the Santa mantle once again.

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‘The Santa Clause’ TV Series Fixed the Ending

In January 2022, Disney+ announced a new limited series titled “The Santa Clauses“. The storyline unfolds in the first season where we find Scott nearing his 65th birthday and contemplating retirement due to visible signs of aging. However, neither of his sons express interest in taking over the role. Instead, Simon Choksi (played by Kal Penn) is selected as the new Santa. Unfortunately, Simon’s approach to Christmas commercialization doesn’t sit well with Scott, prompting him to come out of retirement. The second season introduces Eric Stonestreet as the Mad Santa, a resurrected medieval Santa Claus. Simultaneously, Scott starts preparing his son Cal for the day when he will take over the mantle of Santa.

The Santa Clauses currently holds a 55% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, which isn’t exactly glowing praise, but it surpasses the dismal 17% for Escape Clause. The show toned down some of the over-the-top comedic elements and centered mainly on the Calvin family, which was a key strength of the first movie and to some extent, the second. Scott, portrayed as an ordinary father, struggled to juggle his new Santa duties with his family life. Unfortunately, the franchise faltered when it introduced too many side characters and excessive magical antics, detracting from the core family storyline. However, not everyone was pleased, as some viewers disliked the new elves or Kal Penn’s character. Nevertheless, most viewers seemed to appreciate that this series paid homage to the original film.

In 2022 and 2023, two sequels of the show were aired, but there’s been no news about a third one. There were talks, but it seems like it might be postponed due to Tim Allen’s busy schedule with his latest ABC sitcom named “Shifting Gears.” However, whispers of Allen causing trouble on set and Disney’s silence aren’t promising indicators. If we hear anything within the next few months, there’s a chance the new season could be out for Christmas 2023. But even if not, the series provided a more satisfying conclusion to the Calvin/Claus family story compared to Martin Short’s cheesy “Jack Frost” movie. And by the way, you can watch all three Santa Clause movies, as well as the TV series, on Disney+ this holiday season!

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2024-12-25 02:34