It's a tale as old as… well, It’s a Wonderful Life. You sit down, turn on the telly to watch a new Christmas-themed episode of your favorite show, and sure enough, you feel like you’ve seen it before. In all likelihood, it’s because you have. In the wellspring that is originality in Hollywood, a number of TV shows have turned to the plots of two holiday classics for inspiration: A Christmas Carol or It's a Wonderful Life. A Christmas Carol begets the miser who is shown the errors of his ways before being filled with the Christmas spirit (for an amazing 180 degree twist on the tale, Blackadder's Christmas Carol comes highly recommended). It’s A Wonderful Life, on the other hand, is responsible for the "what if <insert character> had never been born" trope. Don’t believe it? Check out but a mere handful of TV shows with their own George Bailey (James Stewart) moments.
13 TV Shows That Rehashed 'It's a Wonderful Life' for a Christmas Episode
From 'Friends' to 'The Simpsons,' here are the TV episodes that put their own spin on this treasured holiday classic.
