A Colbert Christmas: The Greatest Gift of All!

TimeJames Poniewozik

The Christmas-special parody is impeccable, but as on Flight of the Conchords, what really sells the parody is how well written the music is.

Chicago Sun-Times

The Second City alum goes all Bing Crosby in a four star yuletide special with a surprisingly game lineup of guests.

Kansas City StarAaron Barnhart

The holiday TV season officially begins tonight with a new hourlong special from cable satirist Stephen Colbert, whose Colbert Christmas: The Greatest Gift of All! sets the bar very high.

Washington PostTom Shales

You have to say one thing for A Colbert Christmas: It is merry. Definitely merry.

Chicago TribuneMaureen Ryan

In this amusing, music-driven holiday special, Stephen Colbert lovingly parodies those Bing Crosby and Perry Como holiday specials of yore.

Hollywood ReporterBarry Garron

If you're looking for something to get you into the Christmas mood fully four days before Thanksgiving Day, here it is.

New York Daily NewsDavid Hinckley

Some of the rest gets silly, but more often it gets humorous.

Orlando SentinelHal Boedeker

There's never been a Christmas special like this. That's a compliment--and a warning.

Philadelphia Daily NewsEllen Gray

More than a parody of every special made with a host in an Irish knit cardigan, it's a happy hour of insanity, musical guests dressed as bears and goats dressed as reindeer.

Pittsburgh Post-GazetteRob Owen

The show is not a family affair due to scattered innuendo--including a reference to Colbert's Yule log--but it should be a hit among fans of "The Colbert Report" and anyone who enjoys off-kilter parody.

VarietyBrian Lowry

Colbert's ability to improv within his smug, bombastic TV personality is one of primetime's most dazzling highwire acts--and here he exhibits a sweet singing voice on top of that. Nation, you are in for a treat.

New York PostLinda Stasi

So in the spirit of inappropriate early Christmas promotions, decorations, sales and TV specials, I decided to review this one five full days early. I'm still laughing.

San Francisco ChronicleTim Goodman

All told, it's not a classic, but there are worse ways to spend an hour (and for a good cause, maybe).

TV GuideMatt Roush

The applause is canned in A Colbert Christmas: The Greatest Gift of All!, but the laughter at home is likely to be genuine.

Los Angeles TimesRobert Lloyd

Wearing blue jeans, a red turtleneck and a white cable-knit cardigan, along with a manic grin, he overacts appropriately, sings (very well) and "dances" and juggles.

Boston GlobeMatthew Gilbert

A Colbert Christmas, is a mildly amusing creation designed as a hokey Perry Como or Andy Williams holiday fantasy.

The New York TimesAlessandra Stanley

Mr. Colbert is delightful, a few of the song parodies are clever, but over all, the show is too long and more than a little strained, much like the holiday specials it mocks.

NewsdayVerne Gay

A Colbert Christmas is pretty awful. Oh, sure, there are some funny lines, and at least two songs that are guaranteed some airplay, although I do wonder if the producers' intentions may backfire