NBC knows Christmas can’t be without Dolly Parton, so here it is Dolly Parton’s Mountain Magic Christmas. This sample of a live special within a scripted special is two hours of old-fashioned Dolly magic presented by the Queen herself alongside Jimmy Fallon, Miley Cyrus, Jimmie Allen and the seasonal spirits of Willie Nelson, Zach Williams and Billy Ray Cyrus. But can Dolly Parton still deliver the holiday items, or has she run out of magic?
The essentials: It’s impossible to summarize Mountain Magic Christmas with mere words, because this spectacle is a mood in itself and a precursor for holiday special formats. The narration revolves around Dolly getting the itch to put on a big Christmas special that captures the hilltop magic she had as a kid. Unfortunately, the production team – led by Tom Everett Scott, who plays a fictionalized version of the special indeed Producer Sam Haskell – only has a few weeks to scratch that itch.
This brings us to the day of live recording and a disastrous rehearsal where set pieces fall from the sky and a choreographer demands more and more. It’s a mess and, like Charlie Brown before her, Dolly wonders if in the midst of all this glitz and glamor she’s lost the true meaning of Christmas (and oh lord, there’s a lot of glitz and glamor). Then Dolly’s country friends appear as ghosts (don’t worry – Billy, Willie, and Zach are alive) to get Dolly back on track. Along the way we still see “rehearsals” of the staged numbers with guests like Jimmy Fallon and Miley Cyrus (who play themselves), but these numbers aren’t actual rehearsals, they are the actual numbers performed perfectly for us, the real viewers. Does that make any sense? Listen: It’s Dolly, so it works.
Which movies will it remind you of?: This special is as if directed by Dolly Parton RuPaul’s Drag Race acting challenge but with all of Dolly’s unique magic and charm (as well as a big NBC budget behind it).
Notable performance: I’m sorry for all the very talented guests and actors who help bring this special to life, but the must-see performance is part of Dolly Parton’s wardrobe. From a satin pajama set with a satin bustier and heels to a green velvet leisure suit with a hippie holly blouse, Dolly serves up more elegance than a prom episode Drag Race.
Memorable dialogue: Dolly storms into the control room with a lot of eyes and says, “Whose big idea was that fat hoop skirt?”
A holiday tradition: The special itself is tradition. It wouldn’t be Christmas without a new Dolly Parton special!
Two lovebirds: There’s nothing quite like it this season, so why not step back and watch Netflix again Dolly Parton’s Christmas on the Square?
Does the title make sense?: “Mountain Magic” is said as often as “Christmas” in this special, so they really nailed it.
Our opinion: What can you say other than “It’s Dolly”? As you watch this special, you’ll be left wondering how this special exists, why it’s airing on NBC, and why it all somehow works despite its incredibly confusing premise. The answer to all of these questions is, of course, Dolly Parton. The entire special is a testament to Parton’s powers of persuasion – and the audience’s willingness and sheer love to be persuaded by her. Dolly Parton is probably the only entertainer living with the personal mythology to fill a two-hour Christmas special (and theme park too) every year, and she definitely has a public figure loved enough to have a major network say : “Yes, we’re going to air a Jets vs. Sharks-style musical showdown about a country singer and her chorus gang who send Satan – yes, Satan – back to Hell.” Dolly can’t go wrong – and I mean that in the best sense of the word, because so much of what Dolly does here is so right.
To bring this review into the comments section, straight, Christian, and most likely conservative fans of Dolly Parton, realize that what she’s doing here, in this very special, song-by-song about the Nativity, is pull? Every minute of this special is as campy as a special can get, from the ubiquity of the rhinestones – even on her robe! — to the hilariously obvious use of a backup dancer for all of Dolly’s dance numbers. There is so much misinformation and misguided hatred towards drag queens and the queer community right now that it feels like thinking wildly – know! — that this is something special is the common ground. Dolly Parton is as much queer culture as country culture. That’s what this special conveys, especially when compared to all their previous specials.
And what makes this special even more special is the fact that Dolly Parton knows it exactly what she does. She dedicates two entire numbers to staring into the camera, into the eyes of everyone who’s watching, and saying, “Love everyone just the way they are.” One of those numbers, a standout performance of a tune entitled “Be That” (like in “whoever you are, be that”) made me, a gay man from Tennessee who has very complicated feelings about the Church, roar.
I’m sorry, but it’s impossible to be an unbiased critic when you see one of the world’s biggest, multi-generational, multi-community celebrities telling her entire audience to get in shape during a National Broadcasting Company Christmas special – especially now.
And to give you an idea of this special’s tonal whiplash, she tells her viewers to stay true to themselves no matter what, then sings a soulful acoustic number asking if God hears their prayers — and then smashcut to Dolly in antlers and a jeweled reindeer jumpsuit. Treasure, that’s dragging.
This is a variety special, so while it’s a cheesy movie about making a variety of a special, some numbers are better than others — and your opinion on it will vary depending on your tolerance for Jimmy Fallon or Your love of new country music will vary. But the glue that holds it all together is Dolly Parton and her desire for everyone to just get along. And that’s the magic of Dolly, you kind of feel like everyone could listen to reason for once.
Our appeal: STREAM IT, especially if you’re looking for something – anything – to entertain your whole family and hopefully spark some positive conversations.