“This is the jolliest special of them all!”
Netflix welcomed the festive show “Nonsense Christmas” by Sabrina Carpenter on Friday. The show, a 49-minute extravaganza, spotlighted Carpenter’s 2023 “Fruitcake” EP and was a potpourri of star-studded appearances, sketch comedy, and a mix of her holiday songs and Christmas classics, all remixed with Carpenter’s unique lyrical style.
Some of Carpenter’s holiday tunes are as unfiltered as her well-known “Nonsense” outros and “Short n’ Sweet” lyrics, yet her Netflix special, under the direction of Sam Wrench (director of Laufey’s concert movie, which was also released on Friday), had to navigate the constraints of a TV-14 rating. As Carpenter crooned, “You can watch with your aunties, I might mention panties, but don’t fret, it’s TV-14,” before declaring, “which means I’m allowed to say ‘fuck’ three times. Fuck! Just one left.”
VIP+
“Yes, there are comedy specials, there are musical specials, and there are holiday specials. But who does musical comedy holiday specials? Quite a few people,” Carpenter humorously commented halfway through her rendition of “It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year”. “But do those specials boast celebrity guests? Yes, they do! Every musical comedy holiday special features celebrity guests, and this one is no exception.”
Popular on Variety
Carpenter might not be the first to create a musical comedy holiday special with A-list guest stars, but she certainly infused her unique style into every facet of the show, making it a potential viral sensation, as she jestingly hopes Netflix anticipates.
Let’s delve into the most noteworthy moments from this eagerly awaited special, as reported by Variety:
A duet between Chappell Roan and Carpenter: The two music stars from Island Records, also close friends, have had a successful year in music. They gifted their shared fans with a rendition of “Last Christmas” while clad in cozy white winter coats and singing the lyrics karaoke-style from a TV. (A blooper reel concluded the special, where Roan humorously commented, “I look so… straight” in her festive ensemble.)
Ghosters are on Carpenter’s naughty list: Carpenter played the lead in several holiday sketches, including one where she introduces her friends (Megan Stalter and Owen Thiele) to her new boyfriend (Sean Astin), who might just be Santa Claus. In another skit, set to an autotune-dominant song, Carpenter struggles to figure out a suitable holiday gift for her sister’s (Jillian Bell) socially awkward husband (Kyle Mooney). A standout sketch featured “Ebby Scrooge” (Nico Hiraga) being haunted by the ghosts of women he had “ghosted” in the past (Sabrina Carpenter), is currently ghosting (Quinta Brunson), and will ghost in the future (Cara Delevingne). The sketch culminated in a public service announcement: “Learn from this, all you ghosters on the naughty list!”
Carpenter is aware of her fans’ viewing habits: She’s watching you while you sleep and while you’re awake. She’s aware of you scrolling through Instagram while watching her Christmas special. “You could have been anywhere tonight — spending time with family, aiding those less fortunate… But instead, you’re here. Half-engaged on a big screen while scrolling through social media on a smaller screen. For this…I am eternally grateful,” Carpenter declared at the beginning of her show, following her opening performance of “Buy Me Presents”.
Credit: variety.com
