ExplorerDS6789
Marsley was dead as a door nail. This must be understood or nothing good can come of the story I am going to relate. Who is Marsley you ask? Well I don't know either, but we'll soon find out. It's Christmas... you can tell by the holographic laser tree and the scattered presents in the Jetsons' living room. But poor George has to work on Christmas eve to bring in money for his family, who were heading to the mall to spend it. While Jane, Judy and Elroy leave to buy out the mall, Astro is told to stay out of the presents. But being the childlike pup he was, he couldn't resist. He finds his present instantly: a robot cat... just the sort of thing every dog wants around the house. The atmosphere at Spacely Sprockets was cheerful, until the boss broke in, sending everyone back to work. He then informs George that he has to work overtime to fill the numerous orders for toys with sprockets. George goes about his task, somewhat graciously, comparing Spacely to Scrooge and wishes some ghosts would pay him a visit.... foreshadow, much? No, I think he pretty much gave it away. Back home, the family is tickled at how much Astro "loves" his toy robot cat until it causes him to crash into a wall, smashing the cat, and he ends up swallowing a piece of it. Instantly he succumbs to horrific stomach pains. Elroy and Judy seek out a vet while Jane comforts Astro with the fact that Christmas is the worst time to be sick. George finally finishes, then he finally makes it home, but instead of coming home to peace, comfort, joy, and opening presents, he joins the family pitying Astro, as no vet was available. Greedy Spacely counted his money and knew how merry Christmas would be for him, until he becomes sleepy, tired from all the counting, and conks out. He's soon awakened by the ghost of his former partner, Marsley. A horrible fate had befallen him for his greed in life and warns Spacely of a similar price to pay. Spacely says he'll pay it and shoos Marsley away. Before he departs, he warns of three spirits who will be visiting before the night is over. The first one arrives soon after, though he's not so much a ghost as he is a robot. He's the Robot of Christmas Past who shows Spacely his childhood days- running a lemonade stand, or rather paying young George Jetson to run it, or rather UNDER-paying young George Jetson to run it. But instead of remorse, Spacely finds it amusing. He's then shown a vision from his teenage years dating his future wife, and you have to wonder what she ever saw in that bozo. Back to the present, Spacely meets the Robot of Christmas Present... who looks like a Christmas present. He shows him the Jetsons who have little choice but to watch Astro suffer in excruciating pain, but the sight of the dying dog didn't phase Spacely. This calls for some heavy artillery: enter Robot of Christmas Future who actually succeeds in terrifying Spacely with his presence and shows him a Christmas where the Jetsons are loaded. They literally have piles of dollar bills raining from the ceiling. Apparently what had happened was that Astro, who was sadly dead at this point, accidentally swallowed a Spacely sprocket in the robot cat, so they had sued Spacely (for not putting a "harmful if swallowed" sticker on his sprockets apparently), forcing him into utter poverty and bankruptcy. Absolutely horrified of this possible future, Spacely finally sees the error of his ways and jumps up to right his wrongs. Early Christmas morning, Mr. Spacely pays the Jetsons a visit with his personal vet, who removes the ingested sprocket very easily and Astro is instantly cured. Hooray! But that's not all. Spacely also brought gifts for the family: rocket roller skates for Judy, silver apron for Rosie, edible aliens for Orbitty, an electric guitar for Elroy (he'd been dropping hints), perfume for Jane, and for George, a fat raise. Cosmo Spacely had learned an important lesson that day- the spirit of Christmas, the joy of giving, and being good to your fellow man...and dog. He was as good as his word, and he was a nicer, gentler, kinder Mr. Spacely... but in the next episode he seems to have forgotten, so enjoy him while you can. A Merry Jetson Christmas. This episode was pretty good. Another Christmas Carol adaptation in a long line of many, and many more to come I assure you. Astro playing the part of Tiny Tim was good, though Elroy would have worked just as well. I guess if they went with Elroy, it would have been too dramatic and sad. Having a dying child and all, so I guess they thought a dying goofy dog would work better. Sure it would be sad, but more tolerable. I would have used Elroy had I written the episode. But other than that, it's really good. It conveys emotion and it shows that even the meanest, nastiest of men, like Mr. Spacely, have some compassion hidden deep down. And so, as Tiny Astro observed, "Rod Rress us, Revery-Rone."
