‘Merry-thon’ unwraps 48 hours of seasonal favorites

With Christmas just a few days away, TV Land has called upon its extended family of shows to provide an early present for viewers with a 48-hour block of yule-themed episodes that it’s calling a “Merry-thon.”

The programming feast, which begins at 6 this morning, is particularly notable for how deep the cable channel has reached into its bag of classic goodies. Along with such long-running, heavy-rotation chestnuts as “The Bob Newhart Show,” “The Jeffersons” and “The Dick Van Dyke Show” are Christmas programs from “Chico and the Man,” “Hazel” and “Fish.”

And it’s not all sitcoms. “Gunsmoke” opens the marathon this morning with an hourlong episode titled “P.S. Murray Christmas,” and later shows include entries from “The Waltons” and “S.W.A.T.” Several of the episodes, including the “Gunsmoke” opener, will be repeated during the 48-hour block.

It’s also interesting to note the downbeat elements of some of these Christmas shows. Everybody is depressed on the episode from “Perfect Strangers.” Fonzie has bitter memories of his father in “Happy Days.” And the title of that “S.W.A.T” episode? It’s “Silent Night, Deadly Night.”

But cheer up; there’s a seldom seen Christmas flashback episode from “I Love Lucy,” and “The Monkees” try to teach a cold-hearted child the true meaning of the holidays.

And for sheer staying power, it’s hard to beat the “The Honeymooners’ ” take on the “The Gift of the Magi” tale, in which a cash-strapped Ralph sells his beloved bowling ball so he can buy wife Alice a present.

When Jackie Gleason breaks character at the end of the episode to wish one and all a merry Christmas, it’s truly a gift that keeps on giving.