A Carol Christmas

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Synopsis

“The Carol Cartman Show,” a popular daytime talker, is a flurry of activity, preparing for the taping of the holiday special.  In her dressing room, the star of the show, Carol Cartman (Tori Spelling), watches pop psychologist “Dr. Bill” (William Shatner) on TV while consulting with her beleaguered assistant, Roberta Timmons (Nina Siemaszko), about what to give the staff and crew for Christmas: soap!

Picking up a newspaper, Carol spots an article about her former boyfriend, John Joyce (Jason Brooks), founder of a food pantry and homeless shelter, whom the mayor has presented with the “Good Guy Helping Hand Award.”  “Just imagine if we would have stayed together,” the self-centered, stingy star muses.  “Can you picture me ladling soup to some guy who lives out of a shopping cart?”  Roberta can’t!

Carol intentionally keeps the entire production waiting, following the mantra of her aunt and manipulative manager, Marla Jacobs (Dinah Manoff), now deceased:  “Show them who’s boss.  That’s the only way they’ll respect you.”  When she finally deigns to leave her dressing room, she is escorted by good-natured producer Jimmy Fields (Michael Landes), whose Yuletide cheer is tested by testy Carol.  As they walk, crew members scatter at the sight of Carol, who throws a fit when executive producer Hal Harris (Holmes Osborne) informs her that she’ll be interviewing The World’s Largest Santa Claus.  “If Marla was still around, you wouldn’t be getting away with something like this,” Carol grouses.  “If Marla was still around, there’d be two of them,” Hal responds.

Carol’s sister, Beth Fredricks (Paula Trickey) unexpectedly shows up on set, bearing Christmas gifts handmade by her children.  Carol makes disparaging remarks and callously tosses them aside.  From their strained conversation, we learn that Aunt Marla pulled Carol away from the family – and that their parents allowed it because they believed in Carol’s talent and wanted what was best for her.  But Carol has always believed that Aunt Marla was “the only one who ever showed me any love or concern.” She refuses an invitation to join Beth and her family for Christmas Eve dinner, mocking their middle-class life and claiming, “I lost my family a long time ago.”

Roberta, a single mom, and her six-year-old daughter, Lily (Holliston Coleman), are inside a discount store, shopping for the tokens Carol intends to give for Christmas presents.  Carol contacts Roberta on her cell phone and tells her to pick up a couple of cheap gifts for her niece and nephew.  After berating another crew member or two, Carol tells Jimmy that she’s going to take a nap before taping.  When Roberta returns, she and Jimmy steal a moment together and make plans to put up Roberta’s modest little Christmas tree.  Jimmy tries to convince Roberta, who is obviously struggling financially, to allow him to help her and Lily out.  But Roberta insists that she and her daughter can make it on their own.

          Jimmy, knowing that Carol can’t stand kids, entices Lily with holiday treats from the craft services table while Roberta brings her boss a cup of tea.  She can barely hold back her tears when Carol orders her to get all of the Christmas gifts wrapped and delivered.  “But it’s Christmas Eve!” Roberta protests.  “I was planning on spending it with Lily.”  “You can,” Carol insists.  “Delivering presents.”

          The soothing green tea takes effect and Carol soon finds herself falling into a deep sleep.  When a female voice starts calling her name, Carol awakens to a smoke-filled dressing room.  To her utter amazement, Aunt Marla steps out of a photograph and stands before her – pale, tired-looking and loaded down with jewelry and gold chains.  “I’m doomed to wander the earth like this because of all the ill will I spread while I was alive,” Marla tells her niece.  “I’m here to spare you from a similar fate.”  “But you made me a star,” Carol protests.  “I made you a monster!” Marla replies.  She tells Carol that she will be visited by three spirits, the first at the stroke of twelve.  Marla then recedes back into the photograph with the parting words, “Heed my warning.”

          Unsure of what just happened, Carol decides to play it safe, yanking the clock radio plug out of the wall before falling back asleep.  But the blare of holiday music wakes her up and the clock blinks “12:00” as the Ghost of Christmas Past (Gary Coleman), dressed all in white, introduces himself.  Carol recognizes him as a former child actor who had a successful show of his own.  “The only way to alter your future is to go back to your past,” the has-been star known as Small Fry says.  Scared and reluctant, Carol forces herself to take his hand and be transported back to her grade school.  There, she witnesses Aunt Marla striding into the auditorium and strong-arming the starring role in the Christmas play for nine-year-old Carol.  “How did you get [the teacher] to say okay?” asks the confused child.  “Let’s just say she’ll be able to buy number two pencils for a loooong time,” Marla answers, insisting that Carol miss the school Christmas party to study for the role.  “You’ll have plenty of time for other parties in your life, kiddo,” Marla assures her niece.  “You do what I say and your whole life will be a party.”

          Christmas Past then takes Carol to the small theater where she made her professional debut – and fell in love with fledgling humanitarian John Joyce.  Carol softens as she observes the couple on a series of dates, obviously in love.  “My whole life someone has been telling me what to do.  You’re the first person in my life who’s ever asked me what I care about,” Young Carol tells John.  “No one has ever asked me to help them serve soup to people who haven’t eaten in days.  I really got to experience what it feels like to do something for someone else.”  “Feels good, doesn’t it?” John smiles warmly.  They kiss.

          Later, Aunt Marla tells John that his relationship with Young Carol will never last.  “You’re nothing more than a brief stopover on our way to the top.”  Observing the scene with Christmas Past, grown-up Carol winces.  She grows sad when she realizes that

John’s intentions to propose were also undermined by Marla.  “Why did he stay with me?” she muses.  “Maybe he was waiting for the Carol he fell in love with to show up

again,” Christmas Past suggests.  He then transports Carol to the set of her hit sitcom, “The Tillys of Bel Air,” where Marla encourages Carol to keep cast and crew waiting.  “That’s the only thing these idiots around here are really good at.”

          When John gently confronts TV Star Carol about how she’s changed, she vehemently defends herself – and Marla.  “At least I’m not living in some dream world thinking I can make a difference,” she blurts out, immediately regretting her words.  “I think the only dream world I’ve been living in is thinking this could work,” says John, walking out as a stunned TV Star Carol watches him go.

          Christmas Past then has Carol witness an exchange between Marla and Hal, in which the two conspire to make Carol the host of a talk show that will gradually evolve into a ratings-grabbing freak show.  “You’re sure she’ll go along with it?” Hal asks.  “Carol will go along with whatever I tell her to go along with,” Marla says.  “As long as she remains high profile, she’ll be happy.”  “This is going to make you rich,” Hal says.  “That’s what it’s all about,” Marla replies.  “That’s what I’ve been working for ever since she was a kid.”

          Shaken to learn that her aunt was only using her to make money, Carol is even more devastated to witness Marla’s funeral, at which hardly anyone shows up to mourn.  “You live your life not caring about anyone but yourself,” Christmas Past explains, “You die alone.”  “Take me back!” a distraught Carol pleads.  “Take me back.”  As if on cue, she is back on her dressing room couch, awakening as if from a bad dream.  “That’s it!  No more green tea – ever!”

          On television, a phony Santa removes his beard and wig to reveal himself as Dr. Bill.  Carol watches in awe as the pop psychologist materializes out of the set, stands in the middle of her dressing room, and introduces himself as the Ghost of Christmas Present.  In a swirl of fairy dust, Dr. Bill transports Carol to a low-rent apartment where Roberta and her “Tiny” Timmons decorate a miniature Christmas tree while Jimmy makes an earnest but inept attempt to wrap all of Carol’s pathetic presents.  “How can they be so happy?” Carol marvels.  “They have nothing!”  “If only someone would pay Roberta a decent living wage,” Dr. Bill suggests.  Carol frowns.

          When Roberta’s ex unexpectedly shows up, Jimmy and Lily go to the store for cider mull so the estranged parents can talk.  Roberta is distraught when Frank, an absentee father up until now, informs her that he’s going to court to get custody of Lily.  “I want to take her away from all this,” Frank says, gesturing to the rundown apartment.  “He can’t do that, can he?” Carol asks.  “Perhaps if she’d been making what she was worth all of these years, she could fight it,” Dr. Bill suggests.  “But who knows?  Only the future will tell …”

          Christmas Present then takes Carol to her sister’s home, where the family is lovingly engaged in playful activity.  Beth assures her children that Aunt Carol loved their

handmade presents.  They, in turn, open the gifts she bought for them.  But it’s obvious

that Roberta spent way more money than the $20 Carol had allotted.  “Roberta used some of her own money,” Dr. Bill confirms.  “She didn’t want the only family you’ve got in the world to think you were cheap – or didn’t care.”

          Carol is then transported to a local homeless shelter where John and a group of volunteers are preparing a massive Christmas dinner.  “Why are you showing me this?” Carol asks.  “You were depressed.  I thought it might cheer you up to see that your friend John ended up happy.”  Carol watches as John joyously moves around the kitchen, helping the volunteers.  He really is happy.

          Finally, backstage at “The Carol Cartman Show,” Carol witnesses Roberta and Jimmy having a heated argument.  “You’ve got to let me help!” Jimmy pleads.  “You’ve got to put your pride aside for the sake of Lily.”  “Lily and I have always been okay on our own, we’ll be okay now,” Roberta insists.  “Let him help,” Carol whispers to herself, as she watches the couple separate.  “Don’t let him go.  Don’t let him go.”

          Amid another swirl of fairy dust, Christmas Present leaves Carol alone on a deserted road.  Trying to stay calm, Carol frantically spins around looking for some sign of life.  A black stretch limousine is parked down the road.  A driver, wearing a chauffeur hat, holds a placard with a name on it.  He is the Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come.  The placard says, “Carol Cartman.”  Without a word, the limo driver opens the back door and Carol slips into the seat.  After a ride in which she seems to be traveling at warp speed, Carol is let out of the car.  She is relieved to find herself on the set of “The Carol Cartman Show” – until she realizes that the program has truly turned into a freak show.  “I can’t do this anymore,” Talk Show Carol says to Hal, shaking with emotion.  “This is not what I signed on for.”  “Wrong again, sweetheart,” Hal replies.  “This is exactly what you signed on for.  You and Marla both.  You didn’t have a problem when this ‘freak show’ reached number one in daytime.  You loved it.  The magazine covers, the articles, the money.”  “Some things are more important than popularity and money,” Carol cries.

          Carol suddenly finds herself in the back of the limousine, surrounded by lights.  The driver opens the door and she steps out into a grocery store parking lot where an old beat-up car with smoke pouring out of the exhaust pulls into a spot.  The driver getting out is herself – Future Carol – an old, tired, overweight, former shell of herself.  Carol looks on in disbelief as Future Carol slams her car door shut and slowly walks to ward the grocery store, where a sign hangs over the entrance reads: “Special Appearance Today by Former TV Star Carol Cartman.”  Inside the store, Future Carol sits at a card table in the middle of the produce section signing pictures of herself.  “Is this it?” Carol asks The Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come.  “Is this what becomes of me?”         

          In a funeral chapel, Carol and the limo driver watch as a much older Roberta and Jimmy enter.  Carol learns that Roberta, who lost Lily in the custody battle, has also lost touch with her daughter, who “doesn’t have time for me anymore.”  Looking into the casket, Jimmy remarks, “She could have had it all.  If only she would have chosen to be a different kind of person.”  Frightened and panicked, Carol assures the limo driver, “I’m not the same person I was before these visits.  I don’t believe you would show me these things if I was past all hope.  I can change, Spirit.  I will change!”

          In a flash of light, Carol now finds herself lying in the casket.  “I will not forget the lessons that I have been taught tonight.”  The limo driver begins to close the lid of the casket.  “I will not forget the gift that I have been shown …” As the lid closes completely, engulfing her in darkness, Carol screams, “I can change!  I will change!”

          Carol wakes up with a start.  She looks around her dressing room, confused.  She jumps up from the couch and flings open the door where Jimmy stands, bracing himself for one of her tirades.  Carol is overjoyed.  “I didn’t miss it!  I didn’t miss it!”   She assures Jimmy that he doesn’t have to worry about Roberta and sends him to fetch her.  Looking at her photo of Aunt Marla, she smiles and gives thanks.

          When Roberta arrives, Carol asks her how much she spent on the gifts for her niece and nephew.  A sheepish Roberta admits to going over the budget – and using her own money to make up the difference.  Carol thanks her profusely, triples her salary, and offers her a home rent-free.  She then hands Roberta a wad of bills and insists that she buy the biggest Christmas tree she can find – with all the ornaments and lights thrown in.  “And make sure you get something nice for Lily from her ‘Aunt Carol.’”  She also gives Roberta her attorney’s business card.  “If there’s ever a time that something comes up where you think you might need a lawyer, give him a call.  I’ll pay for everything.”  Lastly, she insists that Roberta spend the night with Lily – “and anyone else you want to spend it with” – and forget about delivering any of Carol’s presents.  “They’re all junk.  I’ve got something else planned for everybody.”

          Carol tells Jimmy that she doesn’t want The World’s Biggest Santa on the show because “I don’t think we should make fun of him or the holiday.”  She assures Jimmy that she’ll deliver Hal a fabulous show “without having to reduce ourselves to the lowest common denominator.”  At the end of the program, Carol flabbergasts the staff and crew with the news that she’s treating them all to a holiday for them and their families – to Hawaii.  She also surprises everyone with the announcement that she’ll be allowing different companies to use her name for endorsements – and donating all the profits to the homeless shelters around the city run by “my old friend and ‘good guy of the year’ John Joyce.”  Watching the program, John and his volunteers cheer at Carol’s announcement.  Overcome with emotion, John crosses to a phone on the wall and dials a number.

          After the show, which everyone agrees was the best ever, Hal apologizes for the Santa idea and assures Carol that “You were right, I was wrong.  That kind of thing is not ‘Carol Cartman Show’ material.”  Carol wishes everyone a Happy Holiday and unexpectedly shows up on the doorstep of her sister’s house, bearing gifts for all.  As the family begins to bond, John arrives, looking for Carol.  The two former lovers take a stroll and discover that the connection between them is still strong.  After dinner, Carol and her family join John at the homeless shelter.  As Carol joyously fills a man’s plate with food, John smiles.  She smiles back – full of love, full of happiness, full of hope.  

- HALLMARK CHANNEL -