‘Agatha Raisin: Kissing Christmas Goodbye’ Recap

Written by John Edward Betancourt

It is definitely safe to say that each and every one of us, have some specific expectations in mind when we settle in to watch a holiday television special. In that, said holiday episode should be fun and engaging, and of course… it should be heartfelt and wonderful and inspiring. Since the holidays is a season filled with joy and wonder and what we are watching should reflect that through and through and thankfully… holiday specials stick to these criteria no problem, so that audiences everywhere can have exactly what their hearts desire. But believe it or not, every once in a while, you run into a holiday special that looks to surprise viewers with some elements that go outside of those rules, to shake things up and tell a special tale, and it just so happens that Acorn TV is now host to a special that accomplishes just that.
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For Agatha Raisin: Kissing Christmas Goodbye is a holiday themed special that defies convention, by injecting murder into the season, courtesy of a unique case for Agatha. For when we catch up with her and Roy in this tale, they’re preparing for a grand holiday party, one that all of their friends will thoroughly enjoy. That is until a request comes in for Agatha, one demanding protection at a tenuous time. Because a filthy rich older woman is about to hand over her estate and an entire town to charity, an act that brings forth her untimely end. Springing Agatha into action to solve the crime before the big day arrives and well… that’s all we are going to say about the plot. Because you need to experience the incredible detail that goes into this case on your own.

Instead, it’s best we focus upon what makes this special so unique and obviously, the first storytelling element that helps it accomplish that goal, is the murder in question. Because you just don’t expect a holiday story to feature an intricate murder right before Santa’s big day, since that really doesn’t scream ‘holidays’ in the slightest. But it happens here and what’s wild… is that it works. Because not only is the case incredibly engaging, but it also adds a strange realism to this particular special. Because sadly, crime doesn’t schedule vacations during the season, it still occurs, we just tend to put it out of mind and oddly enough, having Agatha work hard on solving a murder case days before Christmas… oddly adds hope to this story.

Because it goes to show that good people are genuinely working hard during this season to keep people safe and bring the bad folks to justice and her desire to solve this case and put a killer behind bars, oddly fits in with the season and has you rooting for good to prevail. Making this quite the delightful and powerful special for certain and believe it or not… a fun one as well. Because all the dark humor and wonderful gags that Agatha and Roy take part in, are present here, and there are some delightful side stories involving Agatha’s friends that leave you laughing and while that seems morbid to find here… it is needed. In part to lighten the mood but to also stay true to the characters and really in the end, this is nothing more than a refreshing take on the holiday special.

For it really does buck the super sweet tradition by demanding that the audience engage with a different kind of story. One that takes you off guard sure but is filled to the brim with all the purities of the season. They just come forth in an unconventional manner that no one is expecting and that genuinely makes this holiday special, a must watch. In part because Agatha Raisin is back on the air and that’s always wonderful but also because, you have to celebrate a story that bucks the norm and tries something new and succeeds in its mission. Plus, you simply cannot go wrong with the fun factor present here and if this writer has done enough to pique your interest regarding this special, then swing by Acorn TV when you have a chance and give this one a look. You’ll be glad you did.

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