"Lobster Claus is Coming to Town" is the Christmas episode of the Teletoon animated show Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs, spun off from the Sony Pictures Animation films, inspired by the 1978 Simon and Schuster book by Judi and Ron Barrett, produced and aired as the twenty-fifth episode of the show's first season.
Synopsis[]
Part 1[]
Sam awakens filled with Christmas spirit. She bounds around town singing about Santa Claus, greeting Earl who is busy decorating his house for the holidays and frightening Old Rick by telling him "the big man" is coming soon. Sam quickly realizes that despite all the festive Christmas decorations, Santa doesn't feature in any of them.
She asks the Mayor about it, but he doesn't recognize the name. Manny tells Sam about all his ornaments from his family members in Santa Fe, Santa Ana, and Santa Monica. When Sam frustradedly describes Santa Claus as a fat man with a big beard, she offends a man named Norm who looks strikingly similar, save for a jumpsuit and a brown beard.
When Sam describes Santa to Flint, he thinks she is referring to Lobster Claus. Using the Remote Controlled Television, Flint shares the legend of Lobster Claus using a Christmas special: Lobster Claus shimmies up the pipes on Christmas Eve and leaves barnacles and candied shrimp in one's boots. His sleigh is pulled by eight tiny sardines instead of reindeer.
Sam writes an email to Santa Claus, which she then physically mails to the North Pole, telling him to come to Swallow Falls to prove how wonderful he is. When Santa hears that Lobster Claus is taking his credit, he vows to come down to Swallow Falls.
Flint shows Sam around town and reveals that Lobster Claus shares many of the same traditions as Santa, including inspiring charity and selflessness, sitting on his knee and asking for presents, and leaving out seafood instead of cookies at night.
Part 2[]
Sam is slowly warming to the idea of Lobster Claus, recognizing that while the traditions may be gross and weird, that Lobster Claus makes people happy.
As she realizes this, Santa Claus appears. The townspeople recite from 'Twas the Night Before Christmas before declaring that Santa is an abomination. Sam tries to convince the townspeople that Santa is the jolliest man around, but Santa pulls out a megaphone and summons Lobster Claus, who appears from the sea and gives everyone presents.
Santa and Lobster begin to brawl, and the townspeople lambast Sam for "summoning a demon" to their town. Sam admits that she felt left out of the town's Christmas traditions and simply wanted to show them a tradition that is important to her. Flint suggests that spontaneous holiday singing may bring the town together and show the two Clauses that they can work together, but the townspeople don't know any of Sam's Christmas songs.
Just when all seems lost, Gil descends from the heavens singing to the tune of "Hark! The Herald Angels Sing." The song brings tears to everyone's eyes and Lobster Claus and Santa Claus set aside their differences and embrace.
As Santa flies away, Flint reveals the town's tradition for the day after Christmas, where they eat Lobster Claus.
Notes[]
- The Lobster Claus Christmas special Flint plays on the Remote Control Television is animated in the style of Rankin/Bass animated Christmas specials.
- When Santa appears, the townspeople gasp in the same way as when burgers rained from the sky in Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs.
- The doll Gil got is a reference to MC Hammer's "U Can't Touch This".
- The episode title is a reference to the Christmas song "Santa Claus Is Coming to Town"
See also[]
External links[]
- "Lobster Claus is Coming to Town (Part One)" at the Internet Movie Database
- "Lobster Claus is Coming to Town (Part Two)" at the Internet Movie Database