It's Christmas Eve and Who Are You?'s 200th episode! What better way to celebrate than with friends watching Hallmark movies next to a toasty fire? Maestra Kristin Roach joins Laura and Xhafer for some holiday merriment and music while reviewing 2021's Christmas Sail, starring BSG's Katee Sackhoff.

You can find more of Kristin on Facebook and Instagram @kristinconducts or kristinroach.com.

Musical arrangement and piano by Kristin Roach

Original themes composed by Bear McCreary

Lyrics by Hugh Martin and Ralph Blane

Discord: https://discord.gg/MUHKDDk6TN

Merch: https://www.etsy.com/shop/WhatHappenedHerePods

Hello.

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Laura: Hi,

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Xhafer: Hi, Laura.

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How are you?

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Laura: I'm wonderful.

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I've brought a friend over.

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Xhafer: Awesome.

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I'm glad you could make

it to the 200th episode.

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Who are you?

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Christmas party that I'm hosting

in my actual house and definitely

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not over A call on the internet.

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Come on in.

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Hello, friend.

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Kristin: Hi.

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It's great to be here.

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Thanks for having

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me.

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Xhafer: I'm J Fair.

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Kristin: I'm Kristen.

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It's nice to meet you.

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I'm conductor Kristen in the

Discord for anybody who's there.

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Xhafer: Awesome.

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Nice to meet you, Kristin.

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Well, come on in.

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Watch out for the dog.

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She's going to lick your hands a bunch.

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That's just her way.

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Yeah, she's, she's adorable.

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you know, come on in.

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I got cookies in the oven and,

uh, we're gonna watch, a movie.

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Laura: Yeah, we have a special movie.

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Kristin: Is it one of

those holiday movies?

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Xhafer: It is.

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We're gonna watch a, a Hallmark movie,

but we can't just watch any old movie.

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Of course.

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So, you know, we had to

find someone involved.

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So we're gonna watch, uh, what was it,

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it's got boats technically.

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Laura: and she looks great.

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Xhafer: Yeah, yeah.

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She's, uh, she's running

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around.

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It's definitely

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a Hallmark movie and we'll

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talk about that.

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I'm sure.

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As

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Kristin: Good because, uh, I can't

believe you all actually got me to

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watch a Hallmark movie.

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Let's just start

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with that

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Laura: Oh yeah.

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Let's talk about

everybody's Hallmark movies.

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How much experience do we have with

the Hallmark Christmas phenomenon?

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Kristin: one.

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Xhafer: First

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one?

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Kristin: one I've watched also had

one of my favorite actors and it, it's

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called a Biltmore Christmas, and it stars

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Xhafer: Oh.

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Oh.

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Kristin: That's the only reason

I watched it is 'cause of

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freaks.

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Xhafer: If, if the, if

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Biltmore Christmas is.

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one.

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I've

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seen that

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Kristin: It is

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one

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Laura: is.

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Xhafer: Uh, okay.

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That movie was fantastic.

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That led me

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Laura: That movie was a

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lot of

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Xhafer: I thought that, I thought

that was a really good movie.

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Uh, I, that was quality above

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that I thought

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possible

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of the hallmark.

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I didn't, I just

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dismissed it as related

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in

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my brain.

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Laura: Yeah.

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No, it is a

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hallmark.

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And, uh, so is the, well, actually,

I don't know, there's the Netflix

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phenomenon from last year.

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I'm pretty sure it's

a hallmark if it's not

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like literally a Hallmark.

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It is a

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Hallmark esque.

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Uh, hot Frosty was one

I watched last year.

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Uh, it, uh, on Netflix looks like

it's gonna be a very sexy thing.

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It is not.

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Kristin: no horny break for

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Laura: it's pretty cute and

innocent actually, He just happens

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to be a frosty the snowman who is

turned into a very hot gentleman.

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That's all.

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Xhafer: Oh, good for him.

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That's the dream.

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If you're a snowman, I imagine.

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I did not watch Hot Frosty.

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I liked Biltmore Christmas.

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yeah, it's funny 'cause I heard

about that through two channels.

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So I heard about it from Star

Trek people because Franks.

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But also it was filmed at the Biltmore

in Asheville and one of my very good

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friends from college was living in

Asheville at the time and was all like,

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Hey, they're filming this Christmas movie

here right now, and it looks kind of good.

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We should make a point of watching it

because he was living down there, but was

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going to have moved up by the back up to

Michigan by the time the movie came out.

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And so he is like, oh, well when

it comes out we'll watch it.

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Uh, 'cause you know, it

looked interesting and it had

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some people I recognized

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in it,

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Kristin: I liked it

too, I thought, and the

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' Biltmore

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is beautiful.

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If you're ever in that area,

you should definitely go.

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It's one of those historical

places that is really kept up

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well, and it's a really interesting

tourist stop if you're in that area.

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It's,

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Laura: Didn't, didn't the movie have also,

Robert Picardo was in it for like a second

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Kristin: A hot second

at the very beginning.

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Yeah.

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Laura: was there anybody

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else tracking that or

was it just those two?

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I can't remember.

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Xhafer: I'd have to look it

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Laura: Yeah, I, I, for some reason

in my brain, there's like a third

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Xhafer: I don't see

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Laura: No, it's just the two of them.

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But it's funny, the way that Franks,

Franks was definitely like in the movie,

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but they also build Robert Picardo as

like in the movie, and he's really not.

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Kristin: He's just a one scene cameo,

but Franks, he had so many lines.

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Oh my gosh, he's the butler or whatever,

the concierge guy, and he just chatters

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and chatters and chatters, and I was like,

dude, you earned your money on this one.

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Laura: Yeah.

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Xhafer: Picardo is

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built

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above freaks in this movie.

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Laura: That's what I thought.

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Xhafer: That's wild.

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Picardo is third

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Laura: How?

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How did he arrange that?

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Xhafer: I wonder if there's a

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lot of stuff on the

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cutting room floor with

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him.

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Laura: Could be.

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Xhafer: That happens sometimes.

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Laura: Or, you know, Franks is just like

a cool guy who was like, yeah, sure.

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This will be hilarious.

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Xhafer: Let me, let me just get in here.

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Yeah.

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Yeah.

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That was a fun one.

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Well, that's not what

we're watching today.

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'cause you know Battlestar,

so we got Christmas sale.

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You, you guys ready to turn

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this movie on?

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Kristin: Sure.

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Xhafer: All right.

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So, uh, we open in 1990 as a family

and their awkward self excluding plus

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one take a photo before trying to

catch the wind, get out on the sea.

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Laura: Mm-hmm.

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Xhafer: there's not a lot of

this, this whole, like, first.

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30 minutes when our characters are not

all co-located is very jarring to me

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because it's just like this thing, this

thing, this thing, this thing, this thing.

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And it feels like it's just like a

train rushing to get us all together,

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Laura: Uhhuh.

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Xhafer: but a very slow moving,

awkwardly plotted, poorly scripted.

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And most of the people, this is

their only acting credit train.

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So there's that.

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Laura: Yeah.

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The Hallmark movie has to like

get us quickly into its universe.

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Like, uh, you feel it like, but

hey, remember mom's sweater?

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You're gonna need that for later.

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Uh, yeah.

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But then none of these

actors are coming back.

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Xhafer: No, I, I looked up these actors.

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Only one of them has, was

even credited for this movie.

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The entire, the entire young

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uncredited, except for dad.

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Laura: huh.

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Xhafer: Dad is in like 700

episodes of Days of Our Lives.

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Everyone else is, isn't even on

the IMDB page has uncredited.

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They're just like completely non-existent,

I guess I didn't count their lines, but

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I'm guessing they're under the SAG count.

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So,

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Laura: Yeah.

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Mm.

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Xhafer: uh, we move

forward to the present day.

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Nice Christmas plan.

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I see you Hallmark channel where

Katie Soff, uh, isn't looking forward

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to spending Christmas with her dad.

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Her, her character name is Liz.

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I'll be referring to her as

that for most of the episode.

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Uh, so Liz is Katie Sack baseline.

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Laura: I think it's really fun that our

Battlestar Galactica actress has dad

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problems at the start of this episode.

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Xhafer: I referenced that numerous

times throughout the episode.

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Kristin: I also think it's fun that her

character's full name is Liz Darling,

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so whenever she's referred to, it's Liz

Darling, and that's actually her name.

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Laura: Yeah.

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I was like, damn, if there is

a Hallmark Christmas name out

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there, Liz Darling, is it?

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Xhafer: Oh, and her dad is

Deedee Dennis Darling, can you

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imagine doing that to your child?

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You are already giving them

darling as a last name.

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And then you choose Dennis.

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Laura: Mm.

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Yeah.

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Xhafer: we cut over to Luke,

who, uh, is very proud that

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he, uh, dressed himself today.

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Yeah, good for him.

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Get this man a gold star.

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He found the bare minimum.

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Laura: Luke is this actor from something.

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Do we know him?

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Xhafer: Um, I looked him up and

then didn't make any notes, so,

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Laura: Okay.

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One of these actors is from

Lost, but I don't know 'cause

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I didn't watch

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Kristin: The

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Xhafer: that is, that's, that's Terry O.

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Quinn Fire

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up Chips.

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Laura: is from Lost.

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Gotcha.

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Kristin: Well, I made a joke to

Jair in the Discord chat when

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you were saying like, this is the

movie and this is who it stars.

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And I replied, are we gonna

have a shot of just his eyeball?

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Because that's the very first shot

of the very first episode of Lost.

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Laura: Oh, is is Terry Quinn's eyeball?

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That's funny.

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Kristin: Yeah.

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It's like a zoom out from

the, from the eye while

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he's on the beach.

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Yeah.

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Xhafer: I'll talk about Terry O.

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Quinn for a minute.

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Uh, I mean, I, I, I

really like Terry Quinn.

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I think he's a very good actor.

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Um, I thought he did a

great job in this movie.

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Uh.

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Laura: Yeah.

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Considering.

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Xhafer: Considering for sure.

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Um, he's great and lost.

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He's great.

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I mean, he is.

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If you haven't seen Lost, and you haven't

seen this listener, but you have seen

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Star Trek, the Next Generation, he

is the Bad Admiral from the Cloaking

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device, episode from Rikers Old Ship.

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Do

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you remember that one?

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The one that's the enterprise

finale on accident?

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Um, yeah.

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That, that guy, uh, that's Terry O.

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Quinn.

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Um, and I threw out a Fire Up chips

there because he went to my alma mater.

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Uh, so yeah.

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Laura: neat.

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Kristin: Yeah.

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He usually plays creepy, bad

guys, like not just villains,

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but high on the creep OID factor.

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So I was really impressed, like

I bought him as this loving

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dad, and he didn't learn.

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lean too much into the

creep factor for this.

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I mean, he could have been like

the weird small town guy, but he

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was just a, a, a guy dealing with

grief, which I, I really appreciated.

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I mean, in terms of the most

believability, like he's the actor

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that really sold this movie for me.

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I have lots of questions about

this movie as we go forward,

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but I really liked him and I, I mean,

I, he felt like that guy in town that

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you want to hang out and play chess.

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Laura: Yeah, for sure.

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Xhafer: Yeah.

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Yeah.

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I feel like he's got some stories.

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I think that'd be a good hang.

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Laura: Yeah.

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Xhafer: Um, Luke, by the way, I

looked him up while we were talking.

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Uh, is, uh, Patrick Sabin, I'm

probably pronouncing that wrong.

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he is a Egyptian immigrant from Montreal.

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Laura: Okay.

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Xhafer: Uh, and he was

in the averse on the cw.

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He was, uh, a policeman in the Flash, the

police chief eventually, and, uh, in lots

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of the other averse shows from there.

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Uh, I see he was in six

episodes of Homeland.

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He was the Persian general in 300.

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Laura: Wow.

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Kristin: Hmm.

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Xhafer: Um, let's see.

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He was a mercenary in the Predator,

which I think is the bad one.

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Is that the predators?

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I don't, I forget which is the bad one.

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Laura: Yeah.

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It felt like, because we have

Katie Soff, we have Terry O.

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Quinn, like we're not gonna put

just a total noname dude up as

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the third in this main cast.

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Xhafer: I mean, he's got some no name

credits, like elevator guard in the cabin,

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in the woods, but that's still a credit.

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He's in.

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He was in Tron, legacy man.

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Laura: Good,

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Xhafer: He was in five episodes

of Star gated Atlantis.

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The more I scroll anyways.

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Good for him.

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Yeah.

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Laura: All right.

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Xhafer: So, yeah, uh, yeah, he, we, he's

interacting with his mom a little bit.

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He makes a joke about barely

being able to dress himself.

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And then we cut back to Liz giving

us a little info drop about living

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at a swanky hotel because her

house in Seattle had caught fire

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and needs to be repaired to

be livable, but also didn't

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like completely burned down.

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It's that middle ground where the house is

damaged and you can't stay there, but also

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did not just get erased from everything,

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Laura: Mm-hmm.

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Yeah.

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This house fire is pure plot device.

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We don't ever see anything about it.

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Xhafer: Mm-hmm.

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All we know is she's waiting

on the insurance money.

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Kristin: But what we do see in this

scene is a lot of really bad hairdos,

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and I am not at all a fan and, and

I'm sorry, ladies who have long hair,

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just set my comments aside right

now, I'm not at all a fan of the fake

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blonde with all the roots showing.

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I mean, if you're gonna be blonde, like

go blonde, but don't show me your roots.

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And I'm also not a fan of the giant,

like six in diameter curling iron that.

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Applies curls willy

nilly to everyone's hair.

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But for Katie Soff only at the

ends, I mean, what even is this?

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So I really like how later in the

movie, she just lets her hair go.

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She wears it in a ponytail or under a cap.

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But the other thing that I had to

laugh in this scene is that everyone

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is trying so hard to have the best

Christmas ever, that everyone's face

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is plastered in this incredibly fake

smile, including our darling Katie.

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and I just kept thinking in

this scene like, am I looking

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at her having work done?

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Is it that her face has been

pulled tight by something else?

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No.

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It's just her smile.

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Laura: It is just her

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smile.

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Kristin: really how fake she looks.

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And I wondered if that was.

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A choice or if she really was filming

this scene like late at night and just

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dying to get out of there or what, but

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Laura: Hey.

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It works

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Kristin: made me laugh so much.

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Xhafer: Yeah.

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It's a real cheek.

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Cheek to cheek her.

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Like really push it up there,

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Kristin: And the lip, like

her upper lip kept going up.

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Xhafer: Like I can't smile that big.

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Like it's, it hurts

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Laura: Hey.

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Xhafer: it.

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Laura: As a, a fellow big mouth

Katie, like, I, I can also

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really stretch it up there.

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So

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I, I identify with Katie

Ackoff smile for sure.

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But I mean, it's, it's that, it's

probably got some notes of that hallmark.

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Like we're in the big city right

now, so everything is fake and

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we're all just putting on an act.

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But when we go home, we're gonna be

genuine and we're gonna find genuine.

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Luke.

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Kristin: Yeah.

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Xhafer: Ah,

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Laura: Yeah.

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No, it's, it's all the formula.

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Xhafer: Okay.

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That checks out.

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So, uh, we cut back to the small town

of Portside, which is a weird name

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for a town as far as I could tell.

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There is no actual town named Portside.

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It only exists in fiction.

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Um, it's actually prevalent

in the Kaul mythos a fake

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town, which I thought was fun.

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Uh, I didn't dig into it, but

I saw that and just kind of had

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a chuckle and kept scrolling.

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Laura: So Christmas sale is in

the greater HP Lovecraft universe.

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Cool,

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Xhafer: I mean, it can't

be that far from Seattle.

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Because Katy Ackoff arrives

by boat to this town,

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Laura: Mm-hmm.

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Xhafer: which I thought

was a weird choice.

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So, um, it can't be, it's,

it's boats move slow.

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Like just the nature of like sailing in

general, your speed is typically capped

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by the amount of water you can physically

displace in the size of your boat.

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So it being a not large boat means

that that thing took hours to go miles.

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And it's just like, 'cause it's

like a little dinky boat she's

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Laura: It's not a fairy.

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Yeah.

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Xhafer: So I wonder, uh, but I was

just wonder about like the town of port

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side, like, so if we're in Seattle and

we're sailing south, then technically it

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could be on the port side of the ship.

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Maybe that's why it's named that.

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But if it's a port, wouldn't it

just be port and not port side?

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It'd be port something.

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And then I'm like, but isn't it two words?

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And then we see that it isn't

two words, it's one word.

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And then I'm wondering if

this bit is going anywhere.

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And then I realize it's not

because neither is the plot.

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Laura: Yeah.

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Xhafer: but anyways, Luke gets,

uh, casually propositioned for

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someone's niece as he goes to play

chess with Terry o Quinn's dentist.

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Laura: Yeah.

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For throughout this movie, we are

trying to set Luke up with ladies

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Xhafer: Anyone?

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Literally anyone.

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Laura: Yeah.

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But he's not interested.

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For some reason

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I.

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Xhafer: Yeah.

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I mean, he's gay, right?

425

That's what's going on here.

426

That was my assumption the

entire time until, until he

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started kissing Katie sag off.

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It was just all like, oh, well

he's just the gay best friend.

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Of course that's what's going on.

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That's why he is turning down all

these women constantly, not the case.

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enter Liz's daughter, Hannah, who

tells the worst joke I've ever heard?

432

Didn't you know some of

the company that I keep?

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Laura: Looking at you, Ben

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Xhafer: I didn't say it.

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Kristin: I just wanna stop here and

acknowledge that I started a Carol

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count as in Christmas, Carol, and one

of the advantages to watching with.

437

Titles on is that often in

parentheses it will say, please

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join to the world, please.

439

We wish you a Merry Christmas.

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So there were a couple that were

really hidden that I would've missed.

441

Um, but this, I saw three ships

come sailing in, often plays

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when they have a water shoot.

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So I just thought that was

fun and not super creative.

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But I did start watching for like,

okay, well are we gonna have deck

445

the halls now that we're like

hanging Christmas decorations?

446

And sure enough, yes.

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So there were a couple of other places

that I noted extremely obvious placement

448

of Christmas carols in the soundtrack.

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Xhafer: Fantastic.

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Laura: That's very good.

451

Yes.

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So are you gonna have a

tally for us at the end?

453

Alright.

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Kristin: up.

455

Why not?

456

Xhafer: after this we're at the

Christmas market, which tennis says

457

he would never go to throughout the

course of the movie until he decides to

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later, but he's there now before anyone

gets there anyways, for some reason.

459

And, uh, he jumps in front of a

little girl to save her from a

460

falling Christmas tree like she

was in any danger whatsoever.

461

Laura: Right.

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Xhafer: She might be mildly

inconvenienced by this like three

463

foot tree falling down near her.

464

Laura: yeah, this was a like

not convincing setup of, I don't

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wanna call it special effects.

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Like, what is it?

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I don't know,

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Xhafer: It's like they just tied

a fishing wire to a tree in bold.

469

It's, it's rough.

470

Kristin: I mean, let's be honest

though, it's not like that much

471

else exciting happens in this plot.

472

So a little fake Christmas

tree falling drama.

473

Was not a bad thing.

474

Xhafer: I'm just wondering if like

that girl is a stunt person, like how

475

early can you get into that profession?

476

Or did they just say, get someone

who agreed to let them drop a tree on

477

their like fi if your old daughter.

478

Like, so here's the bit.

479

It's like I can't imagine being

a parent hearing this setup

480

like and going, yeah, sure.

481

Okay.

482

Yeah.

483

Get that acting cred.

484

Get your SAG card.

485

Um, but also like watching it, I can't

imagine that child being in any danger,

486

Laura: Nope.

487

None.

488

Kristin: It reminded me of going on

a Disney Park ride, like it's a small

489

world or one of these other things.

490

Like there are things that quote

unquote scare you and things that

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pop out and these animatronic

trees or that go back and forth.

492

Like I'm convinced that was on some sort

of pulley and you know that the shot

493

of her was actually some sort of cut.

494

I mean, we could go

back and watch it, but.

495

Xhafer: yeah.

496

Kristin: No, she was

definitely not in any danger.

497

Xhafer: but I also can't imagine being

a parent and agreeing to let my child

498

be in remotely that type of situation,

499

Kristin: Well, clearly you've

never met a theater mom

500

because theater moms are crazy.

501

They will put their children up for

literally anything to get them in the

502

door, and then once they've signed

all the NDAs and everything, then

503

they start trying to bargain with the

director about like, well, wouldn't it

504

be better if my child had a line here

and like, I just don't like the color

505

of lipstick that you've chosen for them.

506

Yeah.

507

Oh, this is totally,

the parents totally did.

508

This

509

Xhafer: yeah.

510

There are no stunt people

on this, on this cast.

511

I just checked the extended credits,

512

so, so, I guess Terrio Quinn

did his own stunt here as well.

513

Kristin: is, do we know, is this

kid someone's daughter, like one

514

of the directors or one of the

515

Laura: Oh, probably right, right.

516

Xhafer: It has to be, if they didn't give

credits to the family at the beginning

517

of the movie, you can best believe that

this child is completely uncredited.

518

Laura: Yeah, it's, uh, I would would even

go so far as to think maybe some of those

519

family at the beginning of the movie were

just like relatives of people involved.

520

Xhafer: Yeah.

521

Kristin: asking, 'cause one thing we

didn't mention at the top is Katie Soff is

522

actually one of the executive producers.

523

So like, I'm wondering if this

isn't like one of her kids.

524

Xhafer: oh

525

Laura: That would be cool.

526

That would

527

Kristin: But I mean, it's something to

keep in mind as we keep reviewing is

528

that I, I wondered when I saw that right

up top, if this is just her trying to

529

do some kind of role where she's not

in makeup and where she's not having to

530

punch and fight and shoot weapons and.

531

Do pushups all the time and you know,

I, I'm just wondering if this isn't

532

a way for her to make her own fun

and try out a different kind of thing

533

than she usually gets hired for.

534

Xhafer: Yeah.

535

Laura: Yeah, I, I definitely, felt

happy for her that she was getting

536

to like, be a normal person.

537

Like, because I, I don't follow

anybody from Battlestar on social media

538

because I don't want to be accidentally

539

exposed to like spoilers.

540

Uh, but somehow something did come

across my feed that was from her

541

and she had posted this picture.

542

I think she was in an

advertisement, just like a, a

543

print advertisement in a magazine.

544

And she talked about how the

team made her feel awful about

545

herself because she was the fat

546

one in the ad.

547

She was the plus size girl.

548

Uh, air quotes on all of these things.

549

And like her distorted image

of herself for a long time.

550

'cause she was, she said,

said she was like 21 or 22.

551

She was very young when she did this

print advertisement and just had a, a bad

552

relationship with herself and her body.

553

And you know, as I watched Battlestar

and as I watched this movie, I was

554

thinking about like that kind of thing

and like how I just want her to be happy.

555

Like Starbuck, her

character is so unhappy.

556

Kristin: Yeah.

557

And that, that's an interview

that you would enjoy watching

558

when you get to the end.

559

I, I don't remember enough of it

to say if it's okay for you now,

560

but she talks a lot about how even

the dressers and the costumers

561

would say, you need to lose weight.

562

You're getting big, these clothes

aren't gonna fit you anymore.

563

And you know, we're

not, I mean, it, I just.

564

It hurts that that's something that

women still have to put up with.

565

Um, and on her podcast she also talks

about her process after a Battlestar of

566

learning to love her body because one

of the things she talks about on there

567

is that she's got autoimmune symptoms

and that she treats her body differently

568

now and, you know, does regular massage

and eats differently and does cold

569

plunges and special kinds of exercise

in order to maintain the level of

570

fitness required for the roles she does.

571

And that's also very interesting to

me that she's found a different way of

572

maintaining her physique that's more

healthy for her and, and that she's also

573

trying to be open about what she does to

try to model a different way for women

574

who want to be fit and be strong, but not

punish their bodies in order to do so.

575

Laura: Mm-hmm.

576

Yeah, I can't wait to be able to like.

577

Partake in some of the, the

cast commentary from the show.

578

Uh, but right now I don't, uh,

even if they, they don't say

579

anything about actual plot stuff.

580

I don't trust the comment sections to

581

not say something

582

about

583

plot stuff.

584

Yeah,

585

Kristin: Well, and then the

algorithm will get you too if you

586

start clicking on these things.

587

Yeah.

588

Xhafer: So when we're done,

I'll send you the book.

589

I think that's a good place to start.

590

'cause there's some crazy takes in that

that we haven't been able to talk about.

591

Laura: Oh no.

592

Kristin: Except in the

spoiler feed on the discord.

593

That's fun.

594

Laura: And I can't wait to

595

Xhafer: Discord channel.

596

They can't wait for, you

597

Laura: Yeah,

598

Xhafer: can confirm

599

Laura: I gotta say one before we leave

this scene, uh, that I do appreciate

600

that Terry Quinn's character throughout

the rest of the movie does treat the

601

little girl rescue as kind of a joke.

602

He's like, I don't know.

603

Why these fools are so impressed.

604

I was like, yeah, we needed that.

605

'cause we're not impressed either.

606

Xhafer: Liz tells Hannah about the old

sailing ship decoration contest, which

607

is the most hallmark sentence in history.

608

Laura: Uh

609

Xhafer: I'm, so I'm watching this

with Beth sitting next to me, and

610

at this scene she goes, this is a

Kennedy Christmas in Martha's Vineyard,

611

but with lay less, way less cocaine

and inappropriate sexual advances.

612

Laura: hmm.

613

This is the wholesome version of that.

614

Xhafer: Yeah.

615

Kristin: Well, and it's also a version

of eel and hilderbrands novels.

616

Like if, if she wrote a Christmas

novel, this would be it in

617

Nantucket.

618

Xhafer: it's all fun and games

here though, until we get a call

619

saying that Pee Paw threw out

his shoulders, saving that girl.

620

Laura: Mm-hmm.

621

Xhafer: And, uh, Liz and Hannah

have to run to port side.

622

Uh, Luke greets them as they arrive and

she tells him that he looks healthy.

623

Kristin: Awkward much.

624

Xhafer: Fuck, I have been thrown some

sideways shade and greetings in my life.

625

Never have I been told I look healthy, and

I don't know if I'm, when I say it like

626

that, it sounds like it's a bad thing.

627

It is a good thing.

628

Kristin: I almost greeted you that

this morning when I signed on.

629

I almost greeted you with that.

630

Xhafer: I would've

631

Laura: Oh,

632

Xhafer: so

633

Laura: good.

634

We're we're all looking very healthy guys.

635

I think so.

636

Yeah.

637

Xhafer: Oh, that's some mean-spirited

sociopathic bullshit right there.

638

You look healthy.

639

Dear God.

640

At least he does throw it back to

her towards the end of the movie,

641

which I did appreciates 'cause

I hadn't forgotten about that.

642

Slight, Luke and Liz talk about

her dad saving that girl and

643

it seems like it's a big deal.

644

Uh, and the boat decorating contest

now has a $25,000 cash prize.

645

Damn.

646

Kristin: How much does this little

town charge for parking if they

647

are gonna raise $25,000 every year?

648

Because you can't tell me that the

residents are the ones contributing.

649

Like we're talking tourists who come

over on that very slow boat and spend

650

the day at the Christmas market, which

presumably the town also taxes a bid.

651

But I mean, I didn't see $25,000

of revenue available in this town.

652

Xhafer: If, if the town owns the dock,

653

Laura: Ooh,

654

Xhafer: po the marina?

655

might generate a fair amount of income if,

if it's, uh, publicly owned by the town.

656

Kristin: There were some good drone shots

of lots and lots of boats, so yeah, maybe,

657

Laura: There were a lot of

658

Kristin: fees.

659

Xhafer: Especially if this is like a

quaint little sailing town for fucking

660

rich people just outside of Seattle.

661

There could be

662

some money here.

663

This isn't like Port Townsend or something

where Port Townsend is a sailing town

664

right outside of Seattle that is one

of the few places that still builds

665

wooden sailing boats in the world.

666

There's a school there and everything.

667

They've got shipyards.

668

It's really cool.

669

Um, shout out to, uh, Samson Boat Company

on YouTube where you can watch them.

670

Restore a historic boat over

five years and then sail it.

671

Um, great fucking channel.

672

Go check that out.

673

but yeah, it's like

this is not that place.

674

No one is work.

675

There's no shipyard here, no one is

working or repairing a boat here.

676

Laura: mm-hmm.

677

Xhafer: So I gotta imagine that this

is a little, uh, upper class in turn.

678

Laura: Yeah.

679

And somehow they're also making a ton

of boat fees, docking fees off of, uh,

680

Liz's dad because he didn't sell the boat.

681

Like he said.

682

He sold the boat.

683

Xhafer: that's right.

684

She has to run down

and see it immediately.

685

And we're led to believe that this thing's

gonna be like dilapidated and untouched.

686

This boat is fucking pristine.

687

Laura: It's fine.

688

It's just covered in crap.

689

Kristin: Except for the sale.

690

the sale.

691

has a big hole in it,

692

which is an important

plot point for later.

693

Checkoff sale hole.

694

Xhafer: Yeah.

695

Um,

696

Kristin: Not

697

Laura: There's the title, ding

Aaron, check off Sail Hole.

698

Xhafer: uh, there's a lot of

checkoffs devices in this episode.

699

We'll, we'll get to it.

700

Um, but yeah, it's, it's not even dirty.

701

Like if a boat has not been

sailed in a while, there would

702

be like algae and mold growing on

703

the side

704

and stuff.

705

Laura: Oh yeah.

706

Barnacles famous.

707

Yes.

708

Xhafer: Well, I think you only

get barnacles from sailing.

709

I don't think you get

barnacles from sitting still.

710

Barnacles will pass by when you're

sailing and attach themselves to the boat.

711

It's like algae from sitting still would

be all over the sides of this thing.

712

And it is pristine.

713

This boat has just been touched

up in power washed, like it's

714

about to be in a Hallmark movie.

715

Laura: Uh, yeah, it's just a little junky.

716

There's just junk on it.

717

I was like, Hmm, I'm not very convinced.

718

This is a dilapidated boat.

719

You could have.

720

I mean, they could have fooled me

better if they had two different boats.

721

Like if you just got a dilapidated

boat and told me this was the boat,

722

and then later you fix it up and

you tell me that's the same boat,

723

I probably would've been fooled.

724

Kristin: What I found interesting is

that the reason it's full of junk is

725

it's basically all of mom's stuff.

726

And when mom died, which is to me the

most interesting part of the movie,

727

is dealing with what does it mean?

728

That mom who loved Christmas and

made Christmas special every year

729

and kind of made life special

when mom died, dad couldn't deal

730

with any of her things anymore.

731

And so he put all of her things

on the boat, which is also why he

732

hasn't been able to sell the boat

because selling the boat would

733

mean dealing with the things and.

734

So, you know, the, the corollary

plot point is that dad has not

735

effectively dealt with mom's death.

736

Dad has just pushed all of that aside.

737

And having lost both of my parents in the

last couple of years, I really appreciated

738

the way that all of this was handled.

739

Like I felt like the writing

was really good in this area.

740

The acting was incredible and we can

keep talking about it as this plot

741

point surfaces and, and goes away.

742

But it seemed to me such an opportunity

to continue the kind of poor writing

743

that we saw at the beginning.

744

But this was clearly an important

motivation and probably why when these

745

actors read this script, they were

like, okay, I will do this cheesy

746

movie, because all of this stuff is

really meaningful and really well done.

747

So well done Katie and team.

748

Xhafer: It's really well done.

749

It feels very real to me.

750

Um, I mean, my dad passed five years ago.

751

My mom sold her house three weeks ago.

752

So a lot of my life personally

outside of podcast and work and

753

things has been going, helping her

go through his stuff very recently.

754

So, like this is very present

for me in my life right now.

755

And it is handled very, very similarly

in ways that my mom dealt with stuff.

756

So to, I mean, to be very personal about

it, uh, I thought it was very well done.

757

I I did get a little teary

watching it a little bit 'cause

758

Kristin: Yeah, me too.

759

Xhafer: Um, and so, you know, it,

I thought that was definitely,

760

especially 'cause you're right,

this movie starts terrible.

761

Uh, it's really, really rough.

762

The dialogue is really rough for

a while, but when they start to

763

actually get to the things that

they want to talk about and not just

764

setting up to get to those things.

765

It becomes a lot better

766

and it becomes very real and well done.

767

Laura: this, this part was very real.

768

Yeah.

769

Xhafer: Yeah.

770

Um, they get to Dennis's house

and it's fucking gorgeous.

771

I want this kitchen,

772

Laura: Uhhuh,

773

Xhafer: huh?

774

Kristin: And the stairwell too, that open

living room with the double floor ceiling.

775

Ugh.

776

So good.

777

Laura: don't they say later

that he and his wife were both

778

Xhafer: They sure do.

779

Kristin: Yeah.

780

Yeah.

781

Xhafer: Yeah.

782

I'm

783

outta teachers salary and this

house is selling for $650,000.

784

I mean, I'm sure there's some

gentrification in the housing market,

785

changes in there, but fucking come on.

786

Laura: Yeah.

787

In this economy, Andy has a boat.

788

Xhafer: And he has a boat they're like

middle school or high school teachers.

789

Right?

790

Laura: Yeah.

791

he

792

specifically said as a high school

793

Xhafer: Yeah.

794

And what'd she teach to tell us?

795

Laura: I, I don't know.

796

I just caught that she was also a teacher.

797

Yeah.

798

Okay.

799

Xhafer: so Liz is all like,

oh, we were gonna stick around

800

'cause we thought you were hurt.

801

But you know, once you're standing

and he's all like, I'm standing,

802

you know, I'm on my feet.

803

And so she's like, well, we'll

just stick around through

804

Christmas just to make sure.

805

Uh, she asks about the boat when

Joyce shows up with cookies.

806

Luke has some token male interaction

here and then goes to chase down Liz.

807

question for the audience.

808

Uh, what's the Bechtel test but for men?

809

I mean, this is not needed

in any way whatsoever.

810

I'm just asking for a friend.

811

Uh, the friend is the Hallmark channel.

812

Uh,

813

Laura: Luke.

814

Luke and his like best friend who also

works for him, we find out later, like

815

all he ever talks about is trying to

get Luke hooked up with, with ladies.

816

Xhafer: It's literally the only

conversation he has with another

817

male character, the entire movie,

um, even when he's talking to

818

Dennis, that's what it's about.

819

So,

820

uh, Yeah.

821

Laura: must be fun to

play these characters.

822

'cause there's like the best friend

and the best friend does have a wife

823

that shows up a little bit, sort of.

824

But I was like, man, that's, that's

the most fun character to me in the

825

movie, is I wanna be the best friend

who's just badgering you about when

826

you're gonna hook up with somebody.

827

Xhafer: Yeah.

828

Uh, jokes aside, gentlemen, listeners,

if you've never experienced media that

829

wasn't made for you, watch this one.

830

You, you'll understand what people

are, what people, what women are

831

complaining about most of the time

832

Laura: All of the time.

833

Yeah.

834

Xhafer: in media.

835

Yeah.

836

Kristin: There were a couple of other

sort of reverse tropes like that, like.

837

F for example, when Dennis is talking

about how the reason that everything

838

is kind of haywire with the house is

because his wife took care of the finances

839

Xhafer: Mm-hmm.

840

Kristin: and also the whole

thing with the coffee shop.

841

Like the Joyce is the main

breadwinner of the coffee shop.

842

Like the coffee shop

is the center of town.

843

I, I don't know, I just, all, all

of that I felt like were deliberate

844

intense to take these tropes and

mirror image them on purpose.

845

Laura: It is kind of nice to see it.

846

It's fun.

847

Like, ah,

848

Xhafer: I mean, isn't the whole

point of these movies about the big

849

city girl coming to the small town

falling in love and leaving the big

850

city, and at the end of this movie,

isn't Luke ready to leave his life

851

and move to the city to be with her

852

Laura: He's, he's gonna give it a chance.

853

Yeah.

854

Yeah.

855

Xhafer: Well, we'll, we'll get there.

856

Kristin: you didn't see it coming in

the first couple of scenes or the scene

857

where he plays chess with Dennis, it's

like, oh, this is gonna be the boyfriend.

858

The other trope of these movies

is that they are often whitewashed

859

small towns, and I did appreciate

the number of people of color in the

860

cast in prominent positions, not just

in servant or sideline positions.

861

Um, there were three

interracial couples that were

862

prominently displayed, and I just

felt like they'd really made an

863

effort to make this town more

like the rest of America is.

864

And you know, just assume that

you don't have to be white to

865

be able to afford property here.

866

that.

867

Xhafer: See?

868

I have not had enough experience with

Hallmark movies to know that that's how

869

they are, and so I see, and I'm like,

oh, you know, this is nice and diverse.

870

Probably like all of

these movies should be.

871

Right.

872

Kristin: Should be.

873

Yes, R, absolutely

874

not

875

Xhafer: to know.

876

Laura: Here's a fun exercise.

877

Uh, after we watched this movie, I

was curious about what other Hallmark

878

movies are out there easily accessible.

879

I had to watch this on Plex.

880

I didn't enjoy that.

881

So we went over to Netflix and

just put in Hallmark movie.

882

And if you just scroll through that list,

it is always, almost always, there are

883

a couple exceptions to white people.

884

woman is wearing something, red man is

wearing something green on the cover.

885

Like that's, that's the formula.

886

It's really funny to just like, scroll

through it and look and be like, okay.

887

Kristin: yeah, it sucks.

888

If you're colorblind, you

can't tell them apart.

889

My, my dad was colorblind and he

always used to say like, yeah,

890

Christmas is just all brown for me.

891

Laura: Aw

892

man.

893

He wouldn't like my shirt very much.

894

Kristin: Stripes.

895

Laura: It'd just be brown stripes.

896

I'm I listener.

897

I'm wearing like an elf shirt that

has red, green and white stripes.

898

It's, I was being very festive.

899

Kristin: We also, before we leave this

scene, we also get another musical trope.

900

So we've had, Carol Count is going and

we are now up to four because we've

901

got, we Wish you a Merry Christmas,

but it shows up in a music box style.

902

So we have sort of like

organ and choir style.

903

These are tropes of Christmas music, and

then we have kind of like Michael Buble

904

jazzy kind of style, and then we have.

905

The, the, I forgot to mention over

the chess game they played, I saw

906

three ships 'cause they were on

the water, but it was in the kind

907

of peanuts Christmas, Aldi style.

908

So I'm also tracking all the nerdy

musical styles, tropes of Christmas

909

music that are gonna show up.

910

Xhafer: Yeah.

911

Laura: Yeah.

912

Xhafer: Uh, this is, uh, shortly

after here, Hannah discovers

913

Dennis has listed the house.

914

we quickly find out that the

bank is selling the house out

915

from underneath him, though.

916

Uh, this is where we find out that

they're both teachers as well.

917

Uh,

918

Laura: yeah.

919

Xhafer: so,

920

Laura: I, I questioned the actual

mechanics of whatever's happening with

921

the bank in the house, but it's okay.

922

Xhafer: yeah, it's important for the plot,

923

uh, checkoffs overdue mortgage.

924

Right?

925

Uh, so.

926

Joyce comes over again when Liz or

rather Joyce is there when Liz gets home.

927

And at this point, my notes say, just

tell her that you're banging her dad.

928

Just, just fucking tell her please.

929

Laura: Yeah.

930

Xhafer: Liz looks through the

bills to find out how bad the news

931

is in terms of keeping the house.

932

Uh, and we don't get a number,

but I do wonder if it's checkoffs

933

$25,000 cash price for Christmas

decorations on a sailing yacht.

934

Laura: Mm-hmm.

935

Kristin: Well, she does say that

the insurance money to fix her

936

house from the fire is coming,

937

and she doesn't say it quite yet, but

she, you can see the idea sparking

938

that like, oh, I could help my dad.

939

Laura: Yeah.

940

What about your house though, Liz?

941

Kristin: Well, and isn't

that insurance fraud?

942

Xhafer: um.

943

Well, if you get X amount of money,

like, so when your house burns down,

944

they give you kind of a check for like

replacing personal effects and things.

945

It doesn't all have to go

to rebuilding the home.

946

There's a certain amount for like

damages and items lost, but also like,

947

uh, personals, like they give you money

to pay for your hotel room and stuff.

948

Um, so you get kind of like money

that isn't necessarily for anything in

949

particular that you could probably use

without accounting as insurance fraud.

950

I would think, I mean, she

doesn't have to rebuild her house.

951

She could demolish it and sell the

lot and move on and take the money.

952

Dennis teaches Hannah chess.

953

Before Liz and Hannah Head to the

Christmas market, this is of course an

954

excuse for Liz and Luke to hang out.

955

Uh, when she finds out that Luke has

been playing chess with her dad, she

956

gets real upset for someone with a very

complicated relationship with their almost

957

father-in-law in our normal viewing.

958

That's

959

Laura: Uh,

960

Xhafer: how media works, right?

961

Katie Ackoff is the same

character and everything.

962

Yeah.

963

Yeah.

964

That's totally not like demeaning

to her work as an actress, right?

965

Yeah.

966

Totally.

967

Cool.

968

Laura: One thing about Joyce that I've

noticed as we, as she comes back and

969

forth to Dad's house is every time she

comes, she brings another Christmas thing

970

and just like leaves it at the house.

971

So she brings like a Christmas plant

at some point and all this and like

972

drops it here and she brings like the

Christmas tent of cookies and that's here.

973

And like the house is slowly becoming

more Christmas and it starts with Joyce.

974

'cause Joyce is like bringing in

975

a bunch of stuff.

976

It's real good.

977

Kristin: Well, 'cause clearly

Dennis is not gonna do it because

978

that would require acknowledging

feelings and grieving and things that

979

he's not prepared to do right now.

980

Laura: Uhhuh.

981

Xhafer: to the point where in a couple

of scenes where they come home and

982

the house is decorated, Joyce is

just hanging out in the background,

983

like clearly had done all of this.

984

. Laura: Hannah also picks out a

wreath here at this Christmas market

985

Xhafer: Yes.

986

Laura: that she brings home to Dad.

987

Xhafer: Yeah.

988

And then it's suddenly nighttime.

989

It's like broad daylight and

they're like, oh, it's almost

990

time for the tree lighting.

991

And then it's night immediately.

992

Did anyone else?

993

It was, I don't know.

994

It was very jarring for me.

995

Laura: Time is very weird in this movie.

996

Toward the end, I was like, what?

997

How long is this fucking day?

998

Kristin: That was actually the part

that got me, because if they're

999

supposed to be outside Seattle, there's

not very much daylight at this time

00:46:05,640 --> 00:46:07,350

of year in this part of the world.

00:46:07,380 --> 00:46:12,390

I mean, I'm always appalled

when at 3:30 PM it's Dark Ark

00:46:12,960 --> 00:46:13,050

Laura: Uh,

00:46:14,317 --> 00:46:18,067

Kristin: and then I have to wait until

7:00 AM the next day to see the sun again.

00:46:18,717 --> 00:46:19,007

Laura: Yeah.

00:46:20,420 --> 00:46:23,600

Xhafer: At this tree lighting, we get

a super dramatic setup for Liz to sign

00:46:23,600 --> 00:46:25,610

up for the boat decorating contest.

00:46:27,170 --> 00:46:29,390

It's like, is anyone interested?

00:46:30,080 --> 00:46:37,580

Going once 32nd dramatic pause on

Katie sack off going twice 32nd

00:46:37,580 --> 00:46:40,790

dramatic pause on its, well, I

guess and then she raises her hand.

00:46:40,790 --> 00:46:41,570

It's just like,

00:46:43,265 --> 00:46:45,635

Laura: I did like her facial

expressions throughout it.

00:46:45,635 --> 00:46:47,105

I was like, yeah, sell it.

00:46:47,315 --> 00:46:48,455

Sell it Katie,

00:46:51,510 --> 00:46:54,290

Kristin: But did anyone doubt that

she was actually going to enter?

00:46:54,630 --> 00:46:54,850

No.

00:46:55,340 --> 00:46:56,060

Xhafer: of course not.

00:46:57,710 --> 00:47:02,960

Uh, well I guess Dennis did 'cause

he is not pleased when she tells him,

00:47:05,375 --> 00:47:06,185

Laura: Boo Dennis.

00:47:06,185 --> 00:47:07,325

He's such a Grinch.

00:47:09,290 --> 00:47:13,010

Xhafer: After this, we go over to the

next morning with the boat, uh, we get

00:47:13,010 --> 00:47:17,300

an interior shot of Luke's boat real

quick and it has a fucking microwave.

00:47:19,175 --> 00:47:20,135

Are you kidding me?

00:47:21,230 --> 00:47:23,000

Laura: Luke's just living on a boat.

00:47:23,000 --> 00:47:24,530

That's a big reveal for us.

00:47:25,355 --> 00:47:30,425

Xhafer: I mean if he's like house boating,

which he has to be like you're just

00:47:30,940 --> 00:47:36,365

you, you have built your kitchen, your

galley designed to be a in a dock all

00:47:36,365 --> 00:47:38,345

of the time, you would have a microwave.

00:47:39,215 --> 00:47:41,735

He would never be able to use that at sea.

00:47:42,635 --> 00:47:45,215

Like the boat engine is not

going to generate enough power

00:47:45,215 --> 00:47:46,685

to run a fucking microwave.

00:47:48,305 --> 00:47:51,905

And uh, most of the boat's electrical

systems probably don't carry

00:47:51,905 --> 00:47:53,855

enough wattage to deal with that.

00:47:55,445 --> 00:47:59,555

I was just like the fucking opulence

of having a microwave on a boat.

00:47:59,975 --> 00:48:01,805

It's just astounding to me.

00:48:03,020 --> 00:48:05,150

Laura: Does he have, can he have

like a generator on the boat?

00:48:05,150 --> 00:48:05,810

Is that a thing?

00:48:05,810 --> 00:48:06,440

Do people do that?

00:48:06,935 --> 00:48:09,935

Xhafer: Well, you've got an

engine, you know, especially 'cause

00:48:09,935 --> 00:48:12,635

his is in a sailboat, so his is

running an engine all the time.

00:48:13,355 --> 00:48:14,135

Laura: Uh,

00:48:14,195 --> 00:48:18,875

Xhafer: running a microwave

on a like gasoline or diesel

00:48:18,875 --> 00:48:22,295

engine is still probably diesel.

00:48:22,295 --> 00:48:25,025

Almost all boats are diesel

engines, especially boats like

00:48:25,025 --> 00:48:27,035

this that aren't like zippy boats.

00:48:27,695 --> 00:48:32,135

Um, you know, it's like

that's a lot of power.

00:48:32,135 --> 00:48:35,375

Draw microwaves are a luxury,

00:48:36,245 --> 00:48:36,605

Laura: Uhhuh,

00:48:36,965 --> 00:48:37,895

Xhafer: so I don't know.

00:48:38,880 --> 00:48:39,965

Laura: it didn't occur to me.

00:48:39,965 --> 00:48:40,775

I was fine.

00:48:42,170 --> 00:48:43,010

Kristin: See, I read it.

00:48:43,010 --> 00:48:46,190

I don't know that much about boats,

and I read it as, oh, he's kind of

00:48:46,520 --> 00:48:50,930

bachelor padding it doesn't need

an oven, doesn't, he's got his beer

00:48:50,930 --> 00:48:55,520

refrigerator and his microwave and his

hot pot to make ramen, and he's good.

00:48:55,620 --> 00:48:56,040

Laura: Mm-hmm.

00:48:57,215 --> 00:48:58,655

Home is where my toothbrush is.

00:48:58,655 --> 00:48:59,075

Yeah.

00:48:59,390 --> 00:48:59,810

Xhafer: Mm-hmm.

00:49:00,170 --> 00:49:03,650

Kristin: Well, and also clearly

needs a quote unquote woman

00:49:04,235 --> 00:49:04,535

Laura: Mm-hmm.

00:49:04,820 --> 00:49:05,240

Kristin: because

00:49:05,345 --> 00:49:05,645

Laura: Yeah.

00:49:06,665 --> 00:49:06,965

Yeah.

00:49:07,115 --> 00:49:08,375

this guy can't handle his life.

00:49:08,375 --> 00:49:09,185

He's on a boat.

00:49:12,320 --> 00:49:16,970

Xhafer: God, I love that she questions

him on this and 'cause she questions him

00:49:17,030 --> 00:49:19,010

the exact way I would, we'll get to it.

00:49:19,580 --> 00:49:25,250

Um, but Uh, they get to prepping the

boat for the contest and of course

00:49:25,250 --> 00:49:26,900

Luke lives on the boat next door.

00:49:27,440 --> 00:49:29,030

He gets drafted into helping.

00:49:29,829 --> 00:49:33,544

and then Luke and his best

friend Marcus talk over hot nuts.

00:49:34,409 --> 00:49:41,054

Uh, and Luke gets the day to help them

out as Marcus volunteers to like run

00:49:41,054 --> 00:49:43,214

the construction that they're doing on.

00:49:43,214 --> 00:49:44,834

Is this Christmas Eve?

00:49:45,779 --> 00:49:47,009

Laura: No, not yet.

00:49:48,149 --> 00:49:48,539

Yeah.

00:49:48,809 --> 00:49:51,719

I think it's like a week before

Christmas at this point or something.

00:49:51,719 --> 00:49:52,109

I don't know.

00:49:52,109 --> 00:49:53,909

There's, there's like, time is weird,

00:49:54,064 --> 00:50:00,214

Kristin: I got the feeling they left town

the Saturday after the last day of school

00:50:00,214 --> 00:50:04,084

on Friday, because there was that whole

thing with her daughter about like, yeah,

00:50:04,084 --> 00:50:06,184

I got assigned homework over Christmas.

00:50:06,184 --> 00:50:06,634

Isn't this

00:50:06,719 --> 00:50:06,839

Xhafer: Checks.

00:50:07,654 --> 00:50:08,074

Laura: Mm-hmm.

00:50:08,184 --> 00:50:08,604

Xhafer: Mm-hmm.

00:50:09,149 --> 00:50:09,479

Laura: Yeah.

00:50:09,509 --> 00:50:11,069

So presumably about a week.

00:50:11,069 --> 00:50:14,699

That's usually like ish

what schools do, right?

00:50:15,394 --> 00:50:17,524

Kristin: Yeah, like a week

before and a week after.

00:50:17,554 --> 00:50:18,844

Usually public

00:50:18,844 --> 00:50:19,414

school anyway.

00:50:19,499 --> 00:50:19,979

Xhafer: stuff.

00:50:20,039 --> 00:50:20,339

Yeah.

00:50:20,399 --> 00:50:24,059

Laura: There is a lot of fun comedy

business in here where like Katie

00:50:24,059 --> 00:50:28,469

and Hannah are making a racket and

Luke is like, Hey, it's only 7:00 AM.

00:50:29,249 --> 00:50:34,409

Like, uh, and then like even

the guy at the hot net stand has

00:50:34,409 --> 00:50:36,089

comments about Luke's love life.

00:50:36,089 --> 00:50:36,899

That's fun too.

00:50:37,514 --> 00:50:39,839

Kristin: Yeah, about the

hot nuts, wink, wink,

00:50:39,904 --> 00:50:40,194

Xhafer: Yeah.

00:50:40,694 --> 00:50:41,114

Mm-hmm.

00:50:42,149 --> 00:50:42,599

Laura: Yeah.

00:50:42,599 --> 00:50:43,049

Yeah.

00:50:43,049 --> 00:50:46,319

It's just like, there's some good

little like silly stuff in here.

00:50:46,319 --> 00:50:49,619

Like, no, it's not like

prize writing, but it's fun.

00:50:52,162 --> 00:50:55,462

Xhafer: Dennis goes to get dessert

from Joyce, and Joyce is gonna

00:50:55,462 --> 00:50:56,812

get some dessert from Dennis.

00:50:56,812 --> 00:50:57,622

You go girl.

00:50:57,952 --> 00:50:59,572

She's coming over for family dinner.

00:51:00,337 --> 00:51:00,517

Kristin: and Liz.

00:51:00,517 --> 00:51:01,507

A little something sweet.

00:51:02,302 --> 00:51:05,092

Laura: Yeah, he's gonna cook.

00:51:05,122 --> 00:51:08,842

He's making a whole thing because he

did get kind of parent shammy that

00:51:08,842 --> 00:51:15,142

I was a bit annoyed at, uh, that

Liz is eating like macaroni straight

00:51:15,142 --> 00:51:18,862

out of the pot for dinner and he's

like, family shouldn't eat that way.

00:51:18,862 --> 00:51:21,382

And I was like, this why

she didn't talk to you, dad.

00:51:23,242 --> 00:51:27,082

Kristin: Well, and if that's really the

case, why didn't he cook on day one if

00:51:27,082 --> 00:51:28,702

it's been so long since she's been there?

00:51:28,732 --> 00:51:29,812

Like, come on, pony up

00:51:29,842 --> 00:51:31,012

Xhafer: Mm-hmm.

00:51:32,272 --> 00:51:32,512

Laura: Yep.

00:51:32,512 --> 00:51:33,532

She's a single mom.

00:51:33,532 --> 00:51:36,382

Like we, we've found out at this

point that she's divorced, right?

00:51:36,412 --> 00:51:36,772

Like,

00:51:37,822 --> 00:51:37,897

Kristin: Yeah,

00:51:37,897 --> 00:51:42,202

and she works a hundred million

hours and her kid is remarkably well

00:51:42,202 --> 00:51:44,902

adjusted and you know, it's not a big

00:51:44,902 --> 00:51:45,382

deal to eat.

00:51:45,382 --> 00:51:46,642

Macaroni out of the box.

00:51:46,642 --> 00:51:47,062

Come on.

00:51:47,602 --> 00:51:48,682

Xhafer: At least she cooked something.

00:51:48,682 --> 00:51:49,942

She probably doesn't have time to do that.

00:51:49,942 --> 00:51:50,692

Most days

00:51:51,262 --> 00:51:51,532

Laura: Yeah.

00:51:51,892 --> 00:51:54,532

Xhafer: it's just like,

give it a fucking break.

00:51:54,712 --> 00:51:55,342

Old man.

00:51:56,512 --> 00:51:57,112

Yikes.

00:51:58,094 --> 00:52:01,544

Luke and Liz find some old

photo albums and VHS tapes.

00:52:02,804 --> 00:52:04,844

As the lighting crew earns their fucking

00:52:04,844 --> 00:52:05,624

paycheck.

00:52:06,374 --> 00:52:11,264

I was astounded at how good the

lighting crew does in this movie.

00:52:11,744 --> 00:52:12,074

Laura: And this

00:52:12,224 --> 00:52:19,034

Xhafer: expectations were so low for

what was capable production wise for

00:52:19,034 --> 00:52:21,074

this movie that I'm guessing cost.

00:52:22,124 --> 00:52:25,784

I mean, it has to have, I, I have

no idea what a movie budget for this

00:52:25,784 --> 00:52:31,454

would look like, but I have to imagine

it's as cheap as possible is the

00:52:31,499 --> 00:52:34,239

Laura: but boats are expensive,

like having a boat seems

00:52:34,239 --> 00:52:35,784

like an expensive thing.

00:52:35,804 --> 00:52:38,534

Xhafer: Yeah, like, and I mean

renting that house and stuff, I

00:52:38,534 --> 00:52:41,384

mean, maybe this is all just hallmark

sets that they've got around.

00:52:41,804 --> 00:52:42,794

I don't, I don't know.

00:52:42,794 --> 00:52:43,814

This is this, you could tell me.

00:52:43,814 --> 00:52:47,804

This is the same house from 20 other

Hallmark movies, and I believe you, I

00:52:47,804 --> 00:52:50,024

mean, there's four sets in this thing.

00:52:50,024 --> 00:52:54,884

There's the boat, there's the

hotel, there's the house, and

00:52:54,884 --> 00:52:57,944

then there's the Christmas market,

which is also 10 other things.

00:52:58,259 --> 00:52:58,499

Laura: Yeah.

00:53:00,209 --> 00:53:03,389

Xhafer: Even like when they're

casually walking around town, it's

00:53:03,389 --> 00:53:05,129

always at the Christmas market.

00:53:05,339 --> 00:53:07,559

Even if they're not doing

Christmas market stuff, that

00:53:07,559 --> 00:53:08,909

stuff's clearly in the background.

00:53:09,899 --> 00:53:15,989

So I don't know, uh, it just seems

like they spent a lot of money

00:53:15,989 --> 00:53:20,009

on this lighting or this lighting

crew is just the fucking greatest.

00:53:20,549 --> 00:53:21,779

Either way, respect.

00:53:22,679 --> 00:53:25,409

'cause the lighting in this scene

and a couple of the other ones we

00:53:25,409 --> 00:53:27,809

get is just very, very well done.

00:53:28,565 --> 00:53:30,305

She invites Luke to family dinner.

00:53:30,910 --> 00:53:35,620

and when they get home, the house

is now decorated and they have,

00:53:35,650 --> 00:53:36,940

they have their family dinner.

00:53:37,690 --> 00:53:40,120

After this, there's lots

of conversations here.

00:53:40,660 --> 00:53:44,620

Um, Luke doesn't say the thing,

he hasn't let himself say.

00:53:45,640 --> 00:53:48,310

He almost admits that

he had feelings for her,

00:53:48,590 --> 00:53:49,010

Laura: Mm-hmm.

00:53:49,810 --> 00:53:51,250

Xhafer: but just can't

bring himself to say it.

00:53:51,850 --> 00:53:55,780

Uh, she, uh, asks about why he

lives on a boat when he's someone

00:53:55,780 --> 00:53:57,310

who builds houses for a living,

00:53:58,105 --> 00:53:58,435

Laura: Very

00:53:58,520 --> 00:54:00,080

Kristin: liked that conversation.

00:54:00,110 --> 00:54:03,140

It was very witty and

and it's a good question.

00:54:03,700 --> 00:54:04,060

Xhafer: Yeah.

00:54:04,810 --> 00:54:05,980

That is, that is the thing.

00:54:05,980 --> 00:54:07,060

It's all like, you live on a boat.

00:54:07,060 --> 00:54:07,330

Cool.

00:54:07,330 --> 00:54:08,500

Why do you build houses?

00:54:08,860 --> 00:54:10,060

Why don't you build boats?

00:54:10,060 --> 00:54:10,840

That would make sense.

00:54:11,815 --> 00:54:17,545

Laura: Yeah, it's, it's a nice little

wink at the audience of like, yeah, we

00:54:17,545 --> 00:54:19,285

know this whole thing's kind of silly.

00:54:19,525 --> 00:54:20,275

We know.

00:54:20,395 --> 00:54:24,325

So we're gonna tell you, we're going

to have a little fun here, guys.

00:54:27,315 --> 00:54:31,215

Xhafer: the next morning we find the

sales are in rough shape, as is Luke and

00:54:31,215 --> 00:54:33,075

Liz's conversation about relationships.

00:54:34,425 --> 00:54:34,875

Kristin: Okay.

00:54:35,355 --> 00:54:37,185

Points for the segue Fair.

00:54:40,960 --> 00:54:42,360

Xhafer: I was pretty proud

when I wrote that one

00:54:42,525 --> 00:54:43,785

Kristin: That's a good segue.

00:54:44,509 --> 00:54:48,139

Xhafer: there's a Santa's Elf B plot

I have chosen to completely ignore,

00:54:49,090 --> 00:54:49,310

Laura: Oh.

00:54:49,310 --> 00:54:52,095

That's just so we can

get Dad and Hannah to

00:54:52,185 --> 00:54:55,485

Xhafer: Yeah, they do they do

a little bit and it's grandpa

00:54:55,485 --> 00:54:57,255

being cute and stuff, but like,

00:54:58,245 --> 00:55:00,255

Laura: It is very cute when

he puts on the elf hat.

00:55:00,255 --> 00:55:04,515

Finally, like the part of the elf

plot bit is like, we're gonna go

00:55:04,545 --> 00:55:06,435

get canned goods for the food drive.

00:55:06,435 --> 00:55:06,795

Right.

00:55:07,665 --> 00:55:11,415

And we all have elf hats and

grandpa's not gonna put on the elf

00:55:11,415 --> 00:55:13,575

hat, but then he does, and it's cute.

00:55:14,730 --> 00:55:19,320

Kristin: It also helps break the ice

on him because he's spending all this

00:55:19,320 --> 00:55:23,340

time one-on-one with his granddaughter,

and there's no animosity there.

00:55:24,300 --> 00:55:24,750

There.

00:55:24,810 --> 00:55:32,580

There's so much tension when it's

granddad, mom and granddaughter, all

00:55:32,580 --> 00:55:37,710

in the same room, and without mom

there, it's just people having fun.

00:55:37,710 --> 00:55:42,365

And I mean, one of all of my

favorite memories with my kids.

00:55:43,275 --> 00:55:47,355

Are them telling me all the fun

that they had at their grandparents'

00:55:47,355 --> 00:55:49,185

house when I wasn't there.

00:55:49,725 --> 00:55:51,345

And you know, I love that for them.

00:55:51,345 --> 00:55:55,065

I love that they got to do

all of those wonderful things

00:55:55,665 --> 00:55:57,525

and have those experiences.

00:55:58,005 --> 00:56:04,665

I also love in this plot line that we see

that she is her mother's daughter because

00:56:05,085 --> 00:56:09,345

when they bring the gifts back, the

attendant is like, most people just pick

00:56:09,345 --> 00:56:13,185

like one or two and, and she's like, well,

I thought it was important to do them all.

00:56:14,445 --> 00:56:19,155