When I heard there was going to be a tv series continuing the Santa Clause film franchise on the small screen, I was… bemused. I watched the first film a long while back, and thought it was okay, but hadn’t got round to watching the next two so it obviously wasn’t that special. And I didn’t know they were popular enough to warrant a return of the characters to the world of Santa, elves, and the North Pole.

In preparation, I quickly got through the next two films - they weren’t my favourite - which only served to lower my expectations even further. But wait a minute, the TV show is amazing! Six episodes of half an hour each, with Santa dealing with yet another crisis that might see the end of his reign as gift-giver. This time, though, the situation makes perfect sense in context and isn’t as contrived as the whole Jack Frost problem in that last film.

I loved the different threads - a family having to deal with growing up at the North Pole and then faced with trying to fit into real life, the problem of the spirit of Christmas gradually fading amongst society, and what happens when you try to commercialise gift-giving just that couple of steps too far.

It’s funny, the acting’s great, and it’s worth having worked through the films for the references and cameos and surprises that are in store. It’s a lovely story that restores your faith in humanity, whilst also being hilarious along the way. And it’s been renewed for a second series that will hopefully be next year. Perhaps it will become an annual Christmas thing!