It appears as if the days of the wholesome family Christmas movies we’re used to seeing each year are over, at least when it comes to Netflix, whose 2024 holiday offerings are filled with sexual innuendos and bare-chested hunks meant to evoke a tingly feeling. You’ll find no plotlines of big city girls moving to quaint towns to fall in love with handsome veterinarians here, as this year the streaming service has opted to bring us male strippers and snowmen-turned-studs, which begs the question: Why are Netflix’s Christmas movies so freaking horny this year?
Before we answer that, let’s take a look at Netflix’s first holiday film to debut on November 13, titled Hot Frosty. Starring Lacey Chabert (Mean Girls) as Kathy, the movie centers around a woman still grieving the loss of her husband two years after his death, who magically brings to life a buff snowman played by Dustin Milligan (Schitt’s Creek). In a plot reminiscent of Cinderella, Milligan must help Chabert discover the true meaning of Christmas – and love – before he reverts to his original form and melts away forever.
Based on the trailer, along the way, we’re treated to a naked Milligan running through the streets of a town filled with holiday cheer, streaking in front of senior citizens, uttering sexually charged sentences, and naively offering to take off his clothes, because, you know, he’s not really a human and doesn’t know any better so it’s okay. While the movie does look cute in its own way, it’s certainly not something you can gather the whole family together to watch if you don’t want your kids asking you, “Mommy, why is Frosty naked?”
The Innuendos Continue in The Merry Gentlemen
Next up on Netflix’s slate of raunchy holiday movies is The Merry Gentlemen, starring Britt Robertson (Scream 4, Tomorrowland) and Chad Michael Murray (One Tree Hill, Sullivan’s Crossing). Premiering on November 20, this one does feature a big city girl returning to her small town, only she’s a Broadway dancer who devises a plan to save her parents’ performance venue (The Rhythm Revue) by gathering together a group of reluctantly hot townies to strip off their shirts and gyrate on stage. The trailer (seen above) makes it look like a toned down version of Magic Mike with tinsel.
We’re not complaining, mind you, but as we circle back to our original question, we’re speculating as to why some (not all) of Netflix’s Christmas movies this year are more suggestive than usual. Yes, there’s the old adage that sex sells, and what better way to attract viewers than with shirtless men with abs of steel, but there’s got to be more to it than that. Last year, Lifetime debuted A Cowboy Christmas Romance featuring swearing and the first ever sex scene in one of their innocent holiday movies, which was met with an overwhelmingly positive response from viewers for daring to break from tradition and try something fresh. We suspect Netflix caught wind of this and decided to spice things up themselves this year to deliver a more diverse array of movies, and that’s really the key point here. They can’t all be wholesome family affairs if you want to keep your subscribers happy, and as such, the streaming service offers something for everyone.
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There’s still lighthearted fare being presented by way of Meet Me Next Christmas (November 6) and Our Little Secret (November 27), so it’s not all innuendoes and biceps, but we suspect this trend will continue in the years to come. To that we say bravo, because honestly, we’re a little sick of the same old clichés being thrown around, and want a more varied menu of movies to choose from. So good on you and your adventurous Christmas spirit, Netflix. Now, it’s your move, Hallmark.