An Irreverent “70s’ for Christmas

Strange as it may seem, tonight’s episode of “That ‘70s Show” is a Christmas special. At this time of year, how far-out an idea is that?

Yes, the makers of this sitcom that spoofs the decade of bell bottoms and eight-track tapes have delivered a yuletide-themed show as obligatory as the use of cliches from 30 years ago to describe it. But, all sarcasm aside, there are some funny moments that make it worth watching, especially for irreverent fans of holiday television classics.

In a reworking of “A Charlie Brown Christmas,” the episode (8 p.m. Fox) begins with Kitty Forman (Debra Jo Rupp) having volunteered her son Eric (Topher Grace) to direct the church Christmas pageant. Eric, much like Charlie, has lost the holiday spirit but finds himself alternately re-energized and demoralized as he tries to coax his quirky friends into playing the parts of Mary, Joseph et al.

Fashion-conscious Jackie (Mila Kunis) wants to portray the Virgin Mary, who, she insists, absolutely must ride a unicorn with glitter. Resident dumb guy Kelso (Ashton Kutcher) will be one of the three Wise Men, but only if he’s a “space wise man.” Meanwhile, Pastor Dave has his own ideas of how the pageant should proceed. (He is played by Kevin McDonald, who seems almost as if he is reprising one of his uptight, bug-eyed characters from “The Kids in the Hall” sketches.)

All of this is amusing enough, but it’s fairly predictable, and the acting feels stagy at times. Fortunately, one flat-out funny scene toward the show’s end saves the day: a dream sequence reflecting Kelso’s obsession with the stop-motion animated classics “Rudolph, the Red-Nosed Reindeer,” “Santa Claus Is Comin’ to Town” and “The Little Drummer Boy.”