Deck the halls with bows of laughter as the holiday treat The Santa Clauses returns for a second season on Disney+. Having saved Christmas again from a poor choice of a replacement Santa, Scott Calvin (Tim Allen), his wife Carol (Elizabeth Mitchell) and children Cal and Sandra (Austin Kane and Elizabeth Allen-Dick) are back at the North Pole.
Cal and Sandra have discovered their Christmas powers, which prompts Scott with the perfect succession plan; Cal will take over as Santa and Sandra will become the head of animal care at the North Pole. The problem is that no one likes this idea but Scott, and none of the elves are in favor, including his head elf Betty (Matilda Lawler).
Fortunately for Scott, Betty is forced into a year-long vacation, leaving Noel (Devin Bright) in charge, and Scott free to do as he wishes. Scott blindly pushes forward with his succession plan while Carol becomes the head of the E.L.F.S. force and learns about a missing nutcracker which imprisoned the ruthless Magnus Antas (Eric Stonestreet), the Mad Santa of the fourteenth century.
As Noel keeps the secret of Magnus Antas, and Scott pushes his son towards being something that he doesn’t really want to be, Magnus and his gnome Olga (Marta Kessler) have been freed from their prison thanks to the kind-hearted Kris (Gabriel Iglesias). Bent on revenge, Magnus Antas plots to reclaim his position as Santa Claus. Scott Calvin is oblivious to the storm that is coming to the North Pole.
The Santa Clause was one movie that I had always caught bits of while flipping channels throughout the 90s (something most 20-year-olds have never experienced) but I had never fully watched the movie from start to finish. I know Martin Short is in the third one, but that is the extent of my experience with this franchise. Sitting down to watch this second season of a storyline that has continued for decades, I was sweetly surprised by the wholesomeness of the story, and the devotion that Tim Allen’s Scott has to his family.
The Santa Clauses season 2 is deeply rooted in the mythology of the titular role, and the acknowledgement and incorporation of other holiday figures, including the Easter Bunny and Cupid, lets the audience know that this is fantasy, but the fantasy will play on the emotional connections that everyone has with these holiday icons.
We root for Santa Claus because at one point we believed, or perhaps we still do, in the power of the position and the history of what this figure has done for billions of people for generations. An all knowing and wise toymaker who wishes to bring happiness to the world on Christmas Eve is something that everyone can get behind.
Tim Allen, Elizabeth Mitchell, Austin Kane, and Elizabeth Allen-Dick, give us a regular family whose patriarch happened to take over the famed position, and now everyone in the family is responsible for protecting Christmas. Allen makes the most of his time on screen by refining his character of Scott into a doting and caring father who just wants the best for his kids, and like other parents, makes mistakes as he tries to help them establish their lives.
Mitchell has the unenviable task of trying to distinguish Carol from Scott, while also making her Mrs. Claus stand out in her own unique way. Mitchell is radiant on screen, and deftly switches from the doting concerned mom to investigative police officer with ease. Mitchell brings a warmth and sparkle to the screen.
While Kane and Allen-Dick continue to explore their place at the North Pole, the real addition to the story is the ghost of Christmas past in the form of Eric Stonestreet playing the Mad Santa Magnus Antas.
Stonestreet is an incredible comedian with the ability to own a scene with a simple turn of phrase and his scenery chewing as the Mad Santa is not only delightful but the perfect avenue for this series to explore. Stonestreet articulates the anger and resentment that someone might have with the self-centered society the world has turned into. His gruff and brutish Magnus is the perfect villain because no matter how narcissistic our world may get; Santa Claus always needs to be consistent and show his love for all.
The comedy of Stonestreet and the wholesome atmosphere that the Calvin family bring to the North Pole will delight audiences and put everyone who watches in the Christmas Spirit. The Santa Clauses season 2 is the perfect start to the Christmas season.
The Santa Clauses season 2 debuts on Disney+ November 8th.