“Xmas story” Futurama episode (Fox, 1999)
A homicidal robotic Santa who charges around on Xmas Eve in a sled powered by huge, snarling, fire-breathing reindeer and whose main objective is to kill everyone seen as “naughty” on his list, ie everyone: what’s not to like? Once again “Futurama” take a well-known and loved character and evil him up, turning the whole premise of Santa and even Christmas on its head. In this episode, Fry is looking forward to Christmas (now officially called Xmas) but everyone else fears being attacked by the robot Santa, something he does not understand until he foolishly gets caught out on the streets after dark looking for a present for Leela…
This may not be an actual staple of Christmas TV but it should, and if you get a chance to see it make sure you do. Lines like “Their mistletoe is no match for my TOW missile!” and “Santa Claus is gunning you down!” in addition to the appearance of the mad robot Santa, an army of homeless robber robots led by Bender doing a passable
Fagin, and some iconic movie scenes recreated all make this worth seeing. Truth is, though nobody has confirmed it, I think the robot Santa made his first real appearance in the Simpsons episode “Homer’s phobia”, when John, the gay toyshop owner, used one very similar to rout the reindeer that were attacking Homer.
There was a followup story “A tale of two Santas”, in which Bender takes over the role of the robot Santa, but for my money this is the best, being the original. Mind you, if you get a chance to see that one don’t miss it either.