What A Cartoon! - The December 2022 Schedule (Patreon)

No, the calendar isn't lying: the holiday season is upon us once again. And unlike the so-called hero of the Yuletide season, your pals at the Talking Simpsons Network are hard at work for more than just a single day per year! This year, we'll be filling your stockings with podcasts about Fox Kids' dog and rabbit duo, a particularly revelatory and emotional episode of Futurama, and the thrilling conclusion of King of the Hill's Mega Lo Mart explosion. And to close out 2022, we'll be discussing Satoshi Kon's holiday film about miracles and homelessness in modern Japan.

And remember, if you'd like to listen to this month's episodes of TalKing of the Hill and Talking Futurama, as well as our ongoing miniseries, Blabbin' Bout Batman: The Animated Series, you'll need to sign up at the $5 level or higher on the Talking Simpsons Patreon. Once you subscribe, you'll get to hear our miniseries episodes as soon as they go live, and also access our extensive back catalog of Patreon-exclusive podcasts—over 100 to date!

Here's what's on the schedule for December:

The Adventures of Sam & Max: Freelance Police - "Christmas Bloody Christmas / Bad Day on the Moon" [Patreon: 12/5/22 - Free Feed: 12/12/22]

Though the two were popularized by their 1993 adventure game, Sam and Max have been around in some form since 1987—or the early '70s, if you want to get technical. So fans of the cult series were shocked to see these two beloved, verbose characters get a Saturday morning cartoon, and then not-so-shocked when said cartoon ended after its first season. Join us as we explore two episodes from the duo's creator: a Christmas caper, and an adaptation straight from their indie, black-and-white comic!

You can currently steam The Adventures of Sam & Max: Freelance Police on Tubi.

Talking Futurama - "Leela's Homeworld" [Patreon: 12/12/22]

From the very beginning, Futurama presented Leela's origins as one of its key mysteries. (A fact that's easy to forget since the secret's been out for two decades.) The truth comes out in this heartstring-tugging episode, penned by none other than the daughter of Al Gore! So, of course, there's an environmental message somewhere in there too. Come for the emotional payoff, stay for the unnecessary slams on The Truman Show!

TalKing of the Hill - "Death of a Propane Salesman" [Patreon: 12/19/22]

When we last left King of the Hill, the Mega Lo Mart exploded in a Buckley-based accident, leaving viewers wondering for months who would survive. Well, since he's the star of the show, Hank remains very much alive, but now he's dealing with a problem much worse than 1000 Twig Boys put together: PTSD. Listen in as we kick off our exploration of King of the Hill's third season with an episode that'll leave you weepier than Bill Dauterive!

An Extended Free Preview of Tokyo Godfathers [Patreon: 12/26/22 - Free Feed: 1/2/23]

Satoshi Kon was mostly known for his trippy, out-there works, which makes Tokyo Godfathers somewhat of an anomaly. A down-to-earth film about three unhoused folks, inspired by an old John Ford movie? If anything, this movie proves Kon could work well even within boundaries. Celebrate the holiday season with our discussion of this hilarious and touching story about a rarely explored strata of Japanese society!

And remember: $5 patrons and folks on the free feed will hear an extended preview of the podcast, but if you want the whole thing (and access to all other episodes of What A Cartoon Movie) you'll have to bump your subscription up to the $10 level.

That's all we've got for you this month. Thanks so much for giving us a fantastic 2022, and stay tuned for more great podcasts as we enter the brave new world of 2023!