12x10 Gene's Christmas Break

[7.0/10] Nothing special, but a perfectly amiable episode. Gene breaking his favorite Xmas record and trying to track down another copy is as good a story engine as any. He’s just not a great character to lead his own A-plots, so there’s only so much juice to squeeze from that orange. But the family being annoyed with his holiday DJing, and yet banding together to recreate the Xmas record on their own for him is sweet. And Gene himself bristling at how their take is different from the one he cherished, only to see the kindness of the gesture and put his own spin on the tunes he loves is a wholesome end to the story.

All that said, I actually liked the B-stories better on this one. Teddy organizing a secret santa, only to blanche when the circle gets bigger than he wanted, is a solid plot. Both him and Bob tearing their hair out over how to get gifts for people they barely know is worth some laughs. And everyone’s weirdo gifts ending up as exactly what their recipients wanted is a low-key heartwarming finish to it.

Likewise, Tina striving hard to improve her gift-wrapping skills is more of a running background gag than a full blown C-plot. Nevertheless, her receiving affirmation from Mike the mailman, a veritable package expert, that her wrapping has more character and heart than exquisitely wrapped gifts ends in a place of warmth as well. The same goes for the gags about Courtney and her dad trying to decorate their home for the holiday.

Overall, there’s nothing here to put the episode over the top, but everything is sweet and cute enough to get by on yuletide pleasantness.