People not getting it

You are not alone. I enjoyed it for what it was.

I watched the three trailers first so I had a hint of what to expect, I knew it was going to be a little different.

Some of the singing was quite good (Miley and that black lounge woman). Even Bill Murray sang pretty good.

I was just glad to see Murray since he's getting up there in age and we don't know how long he'll be acting.

Exactly. I saw it as an anti-Christmas Christmas special.

MM

You're correct, OP. I think this special is weak by Murray's standards, but it doesn't deserve to be judged as if it's aim was to be a holiday classic like "Miracle on 34th Street."

I'm with you. I think this is getting way more hate than it deserves.

It's satire with a loving nod to the source material. It's weird. It's, I have to say it, very Murray; very Murray, indeed.

I thought it was hysterical. I loved the duet with Chris Rock -- it was natural, awkward, and very funny.

I do agree that the mix of celebrities playing themselves with comparable ones playing fictional characters was odd. Amy Poehler is too recognizable and famously SNL-related to play someone else while other SNL alums (Paul Shaffer, Rock) aren't.

Bill Murray gives a sincere performance as himself as self-important performer wanting to create an idealized Christmas Special -- perhaps, to impart what humanity he can from the otherwise fake, remote confines of celebrity. Murray has always represented this aspect of fame: the unnatural and distant idol who understands the human condition all too well, and with some empathy.

I got I got I understood it was a sort of parody thing, but at the same time I was expecting comedy... And I think I only lightly chuckled once. All the hype about this special made me think this would be special, but it just didn't deliver and I was bored through most of this thing... And Miley Cyrus? Why? No one over the age of 12 actually likes her do they?

I honestly never ever want to see this again and consider it to be something that should only be mentioned when talking about the Star Wars Xmas special

I can look at a piece of crap and understand that it's supposed to be a piece of crap. Just because I can manage my expectations doesn't mean it's anything more than a piece of crap.

I was not a huge fan of Lost in Translation (though I liked it better than this because at least that felt original) and probably should have realized Sofia Coppola only had that one note before I turned this on... Some of the shots in the hotel room and lounge looked as cut and paste from Lost In Translation as the Golden Globe audience shots would have been in the pretend Christmas Special... but what can I say? Bill Murray always deserves a shot to entertain as he very often does.

Calling this a companion piece to Lost in Translation is like handing someone a spool of black thread and calling it a companion piece to a black suit they were wearing.

I loved the whole thing. Murray was excellent as usual.