Fan-Favorite Christmas Special Isn’t Airing on TV at All This Year

One fan-favorite classic Christmas special is absent from TV this year.

The 1992 animated special Frosty Returns is nowhere to be found.

Premiering on CBS in December 1992, it is the fourth special in a series beginning with 1969’s Frosty the Snowman. Frosty Returns is directed by Bill Melendez and Evert Brown and stars Jonathan Winters as the narrator and John Goodman as Frosty the Snowman. In the special, Mr. Twitchell, a greedy old businessman, has invented Summer Wheeze: a spray that instantly removes snow and slush. Holly has to keep Frosty from melting while trying to convince everybody that snow’s a good thing.

Frosty Returns aired annually on CBS since its premiere, but 2023 was the final year that the special was aired on the Eye network. After NBC acquired the rights for Frosty the Snowman, CBS opted not to continue airing Frosty Returns. NBC, meanwhile, opted not to carry the special. Additionally, the special is not available on any streaming services.

It’s unknown when and if Frosty Returns will ever return to television, but as of now, no other network has acquired the rights. It’s possible CBS could change its mind in the future, though not airing the original Frosty might defeat the purpose. As for NBC, it’s unknown why the network decided not to take on Frosty Returns, especially since SNL creator and producer Lorne Michaels, who also serves as a producer on The Tonight Show, was an executive producer on it.

That being said, fans wanting to get their Frosty fix can still watch Frosty the Snowman. The beloved special has been part of NBC’s lineup since last year, and it’s not going anywhere. It will be airing on the network on Thursday, Dec. 4, and again on Tuesday, Dec. 9. Additionally, it’s streaming on Hulu and Disney+, while Peacock is not only home to Frosty the Snowman but also 2005’s The Legend of Frosty the Snowman. It’s never too early to get into the holiday spirit.

Frosty Returns not airing on TV is definitely a disappointment, but there is always Frosty the Snowman and other means to watch it. There are also a handful of classic Christmas specials airing this year that can take the place, and who knows? Maybe a Christmas miracle will happen.