Christmas Comes Twice: Beware Carnivals

Well, we’ve made it! It’s the halfway point! It’s been six months since last Christmas and it’s six months to this Christmas! And right now, I’m cautiously optimistic that we may actually be able to celebrate Christmas like we did before the pandemic.

(“Cautiously optimistic” because I really want to see what happens when the fall comes and cold and flu season bear down on us again. It’s easy to say we’re almost done with the pandemic now in summer when the weather is nice, ventilation is better in most places and most people are spending more times outdoors).

But for now, we’re going to mark the halfway point with a movie from last Christmas that features a carnival, a magical carousel and a chance to change your life.

They’re singing “Deck the Halls”/But it’s not like Christmas at all/’Cause I remember when you were here/And all the fun we had last SPOILERS!

Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist: Double Date Bust

Last time: Zoey made it her mission to help Emily but it proved more difficult than she expected. Emily rebuffed any attempts by the family to help her and continued to put on a brave face, believing she couldn’t break down and had to be strong. Zoey invited Emily over for a girls’ night in hopes some pampering would get her sister-in-law to open up but Emily just wanted to dance. By the end, Emily did acknowledge she needed help and opened up to Zoey. She also asked David for help and support, which he gave.

Max struggled with keeping his relationship with Rose casual, Simon struggled with finding alone time with Zoey and Mo struggled with not being the center of Perry’s world. They had a boys’ night in and talked about their struggles together. Max and Rose decided not to be so casual, Simon finally got to spend some time with Zoey, and Mo got to meet Perry’s children.

Maggie reunited with Deb, who took her out to a casino where they pretended to be other people to forget about their worries. But it only worked for a little bit and a sad Maggie went back to the casino, no doubt desperate for some connection.

And in the end, Zoey finally went to see a therapist! Yay!

I’m in the final stretch of the season. Time to see how these storylines play out and what help Zoey will get from her therapist.

And as many of you no doubt know by now, NBC has decided not to renew the show for a third season or move it to Peacock, which had been the rumored track for the show given how strong it performs in digital viewings. However Austin Winsburg is not giving up and has vowed to continue to shop the show around. So hopefully someone will pick it up and we are all encouraged to use the hashtag SaveZoeysPlaylist in order to show the other networks how much support and love there is for the show.

I am going to stay hopeful that we can get a third season after all. So please use the hashtag and make your voice heard!

Yes, I’m havin’ a good time/I don’t want to SPOILERS at all!