Telling the stories of a group of co-workers, The Holiday Shift is pretty dang cute, and one of those unexpected Christmas production pleasures.
The Holiday Shift (2023) Roku Review
Life is simple and easy for Sam (Varun Saranga). Working at a local mall in his hometown isn’t the dream, but it pays bills, and he’s able to work with his best friends. His orderly world goes upside down when he sees her again. Tess (Devyn Nekoda) is back. At least for the holidays while on break from school, and with her, she brings her boyfriend. Thing is, Sam loved her first. A former high school classmate and Tess’ best friend, Sam hasn’t seen her in four years, and seeing her now inspires him… he’s going to tell her how he really feels. But that was before he knew about Trevor.
Now, with the help of his friend Ronnie (Jean-Luc Bilodeau), who disgusts new employee Marissa (Nadine Bhabha); the upbeat Summer (Brielle Robillard); and the salesman Devon (Michael Delleva), who cannot interest anyone in his fire prone luggage, Sam just has to get through the holidays, and then Tess will be gone…
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🎄🎅🏻‘THE HOLIDAY SHIFT’: A CUTE ROKU FIVE-PART SERIAL🎄🎅🏻 Review of the #Roku original with Jean-Luc Bilodeau (Baby Daddy) and Varun Saranga. #Christmas #ChristmasMovies #ChristmasShow #TheHolidayShift #TheRokuCHannel Click To Tweet
This is one of those unexpected serials that you expect nothing of, and then find it’s all kinds of cute. A Roku original, it’s an ensemble piece broken into five 25-minute installments, so it’s easy to binge. The show has likable characters, and a mostly fresh group of talent (I loved seeing Bilodeau again after Baby Daddy) that may not all match their character’s age, but do present us with likable characters. Plus I love that the show is corny but uses them as a strength.
I really liked Marissa and Ronnie’s I-hate-you back and forth; the story for Summer surprises; and of course we have a feel good love story in Sam and Tess. What I also like about the serial is that while the normal tropes do crop up, the story kind of veers off and makes them their own. For example, there’s the interrupted kiss, but it’s because the two people decide it’s wrong rather than a cell phone, and for this, it all works. Even the narrator. I also really like the setting. Because of all the people (extras) moving around in the background, I think the series moves faster too.
Primarily a comedy, The Holiday Shift does also tiptoe into more dire territory but remains upbeat. Bottom line, this is a concept not unlike Netflix’s 2019 Merry Happy Whatever and is one of those bingeable stories that while not “classic” material is all kinds of good and cheery fun.
You can stream The Holiday Shift on The Roku Channel
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Content: There are some crude jokes (a guy “humps” a snowman as a joke for a TV camera) and innuendo about sex. There’s kissing and one character is engaging in an affair (we hear about the “codes” they use and see them together once). One true love naysayer likes the same sex and ends up finding a match (they share kisses).
Photos: Roku / CBS Studios