CBS aired two of the beloved Robbie The Reindeer Christmas specials Saturday night, with a few viewers taking particular issue with the holiday show’s adult imagery.
The network aired Robbie The Reindeer: Hooves of Fire at 8 p.m. ET, followed by sequel Robbie The Reindeer: Legend of the Lost Tribe at 8:30 p.m. ET. The show follows Robbie (Ben Stiller), a reindeer who travels to the North Pole to join Santa’s sleigh team, his rivalry with Blitzen (Hugh Grant) and his relationship with co-worker Donner (Britney Spears).
Videos by PopCulture.com
Originally from the U.K., the shows’ cast was placed with popular American actors. Stiller and company lead the cast, which also includes Leah Remini, James Woods and Jerry Stiller.
Many fans of the classic specials were delighted to keep their tradition of tuning in Saturday night.
Robbie the Reindeer in Hooves of Fire!! Hahahahahaha Hooves of Fire pic.twitter.com/HAvbq2TFPk
โ Katie (@katiestereo) November 25, 2018
“Holiday weekend ! And I’m watching Robbie the reindeer in hooves of fire,” one Twitter user wrote.
“I love Robbie the Reindeer,” another user commented.
“This sโ cracks me up every time. They at the reindeer games, blitzen dirty ass taking steroids to win. โ watching Robbie the Reindeer,” another one wrote.
Some of the viewers could not help but notice some problems with the at-times, mature humor on the program.
I had Robbie the reindeer on for 2 seconds- it went off when I heard one of the characters say ‘let’s kill it’
โ Smokey Cat (@Smokey_pawsback) November 25, 2018
FOR THE RECORD AMERICA-
You ripped- you censored and made fun of Bugs Bunny BUT I NEVER HEARD THE PHRASE ‘let’s kill it’ in a Looney tune cartoon!
“I’m trying to watch football. Not ‘”Robbie the Reindeer in the Hooves Of Fire‘!!!!! What is that anyway?” one user wrote.
“My sister (the Boston sister) texting me to watch Robbie the reindeer I assume it’s just a spellcheck problem so I write back oh I love Rudolph and she writes back no Robbie and I’m like what the fโ are you talking about,” another user wrote.
“Robbie the Reindeer shown on TV in the United States should be the British version,” another user commented.
“Robbie the Reindeer #Fail,” another user commented.
Other viewers were disturbed by the character design of Vixen (Remini), a female reindeer who strangely had human-like breasts. They took to social media to comment on the sexualization of the characters on the supposedly family friendly show.
Weโre watching โRobbie the Reindeerโ, and Vixen has huge breasts
โ kayla (@kaylaaoka) November 25, 2018
“Is anyone else watching Robbie the Reindeer on [CBS]? [What the fโ]!!!” another user commented.
OH MY GOD YOU AMERICANS WILL STOP AT NOTHING. You have dubbed the most perfect voices on Robbie the Reindeer–only my favourite Christmas special EVER–with BRITNEY SPEARS. I hope you’re all ashamed of yourselves. Ardal O’Hanlon *IS* Robbie, and don’t you forget it!!!
โ Pip (@pippinmctaggart) November 25, 2018
Hooves of Fire centers on Robbie arriving at the North Pole and getting close to Santa’s sleigh team, which includes Prancer, Donner, Blitzen and Vixen. Robbie first becomes interested in Vixen, though she is in a relationship with Blitzen. The love triangle leads to the beginning of the two male reindeer’s feud.
The program also features Robbie competing in the Reindeer Races to become a part of Santa’s sleigh team.
In Legend of the Lost Tribe, Robbie battles Blitzen in an effort to stop his rival’s launch of a reindeer theme park.
The specials are part of CBS’s official holiday schedule, which also featured The Story of Santa Claus at 9 p.m. ET. The network’s holiday programming will continue on Tuesday airing the classic special, Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer at 8 p.m. ET.