Who Killed Santa? A Murderville Murder Mystery
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Who Killed Santa? A Murderville Murder Mystery
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A Lot or a Little?
The parents' guide to what's in this TV show.
What Parents Need to Know
Parents need to know that Who Killed Santa? A Murderville Murder Mystery is a Christmas special episode of the hit comedy Murderville. The series brings in well-known celebrities who have not seen the episode's script. They improvise at the guidance of Will Arnett, who plays the main character Terry Seattle, a homicide detective. This episode features Jason Bateman, Maya Rudolph, and Pete Davidson, and Marshawn Lynch makes a cameo. There's strong language like "ass" and "s--t." The murder that takes place isn't shown, however, the victim – a man dressed up as Santa – is shown with a large, sharpened candy cane protruding from his chest. The cast is diverse in ethnicity and age, and characters like the mayor and chief of police are portrayed by Black women.
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What's the Story?
WHO KILLED SANTA? A MURDERVILLE MURDER MYSTERY celebrates Christmas Murderville style. Detective Terry Seattle is called to work security at the mayor's Christmas event for orphans. Jason Bateman has been hired to be Seattle's backup, and after a tumultuous introduction, they arrive at City Hall. At the event, someone turns out the lights and stabs the man dressed up as Santa Claus to death. Maya Rudolph and Pete Davidson are also hired to be backup to solve the murder mystery. The team is put into one bizarre situation after another as the mystery unfolds. Will they figure out who killed Santa in time to save Christmas?
Is It Any Good?
This special doesn't do much to bring the holiday spirit, but it offers plenty to laugh about. Who Killed Santa? A Murderville Murder Mystery follows the same unique premise as the Murderville series, bringing in high profile celebrities to help solve a murder mystery using improv. Here Jason Bateman, Maya Rudolph, and Pete Davidson find themselves in an absurd situation, and they don't disappoint viewers as they question, improvise, and at times, start cracking up themselves. The parodies of the holiday special and the crime/detective genres are equally hilarious, and viewers are in for a bunch of surprises as they also try to figure out who killed Santa.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about teamwork in Who Killed Santa? A Murderville Murder Mystery. In what ways do the celebrity guests work together to solve the mystery? How do they hold each other back? How do their unique acting styles work together to create a funny viewing experience?
How does the scripted element make the show funny? How does the improv make the show funny? What else makes you laugh?
Which celebrity guest is your favorite? Why? What celebrity would you like to see in another Murderville special?
TV Details
- Premiere date: December 15, 2022
- Cast: Will Arnett, Jason Bateman, Maya Rudolph, Pete Davidson
- Network: Netflix
- Genre: Comedy
- Topics: Holidays
- Character Strengths: Teamwork
- TV rating: TV-MA
- Last updated: December 19, 2022
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