Surprise Santa differences
The episode LazyTown's Surprise Santa has a few differences between the US and UK versions.
The main difference is the exclusion of the song "Good To Be Bad" from the UK cut, but there are a few other minor changes throughout the episode.
This page will outline those differences.
Scene changes
The first 5 minutes of the episode are the same in both the US and UK cuts.
However, the episode's middle section, between Robbie making his giant snowball and meeting Ziggy dressed as Santa Claus, the scenes are cut together in a slightly different order.
The episode's final 12 minutes are also the same in both cuts, apart from a few minor cuts here and there (as mentioned below).
Main episode
US cut
- The US version of the episode follows Robbie making his snowball directly with a short scene of him loading the snowball into his cannon.
- This is followed by the scene of Stingy labelling all of his presents and being pestered by Ziggy.
- Next, it is back to Robbie's lair as he realises he needs a disguise to steal the other characters' presents.
- After declaring it to be "disguise time", Robbie goes through his usual selection process of commenting on each of the costumes in the disguise machine's chambers before pulling the lever to deploy the Santa Claus outfit.
- While dressed as Santa Claus, Robbie sings "Good to Be Bad", which is capped by an establishing shot of LazyTown under a shining star.
- We cut to Mayor Meanswell and Bessie hanging fairy lights on the outside of his house, where he falls from his ladder and is saved by Sportacus, which is then the subject of a conversation between Bessie and Stingy.
- After Stingy talks to Bessie, Stephanie and Trixie sing "I Love Christmas" as Robbie sneaks around in his disguise.
- After the song, we cut straight to Trixie and Ziggy making snow angels. This is followed by Stephanie and Sportacus making a snowman before Ziggy turns up to help.
- Once Sportacus has given the snowman his carrot for a nose, we are taken inside the Mayor's house where Stingy is curiously shaking presents as Milford and Bessie put the finishing touches to their decorations.
- This is followed by the scene of Ziggy meeting Robbie dressed as Santa Claus.
UK cut
- The UK version of the episode follows Robbie making his snowball with the scene featuring Stingy labelling his presents and being pestered by Ziggy.
- This scene of Stingy's is intercut with the scene of Bessie and the Mayor hanging the fairy lights, Milford falling off the ladder and Sportacus saving him, topped with Bessie and Stingy's conversation.
- After Stingy talks to Bessie we get the short scene of Robbie loading his snowball into the cannon.
- This is followed by Stephanie and Sportacus making their snowman, which is briefly interrupted by Trixie and Ziggy making snow angels, but then returns to the snowman in time for Ziggy to help.
- Once Sportacus has given the snowman his carrot for a nose, we are again taken inside the Mayor's house where Stingy is curiously shaking presents as Milford and Bessie put the finishing touches to their decorations.
- Next, it is back to Robbie's lair as he finally realises he needs a disguise to steal the other characters' presents.
- After declaring it to be "disguise time", Robbie forgoes the usual selection process and merely pulls the lever to deploy the Santa Claus outfit.
- Back outside, Stephanie and Trixie sing "I Love Christmas" as Robbie sneaks around in his disguise.
- This is followed by the scene of Ziggy meeting Robbie dressed as Santa Claus.
Epilogue
As well as the major cuts of "Good to Be Bad" and Robbie's usual disguise selection process, the episode's epilogue is shortened by nearly half a minute.
US cut
- After the special festive version of "Bing Bang" has finished being performed, Robbie goes outside to complain about his present of a new pair of socks. He then torments the snowman that Stephanie and Sportacus made, before throwing its head into his snowball cannon.
- We then see Robbie outside the entrance to his lair taking off the Santa Claus costume, revealing his normal outfit underneath. There is a quick cut back to the cannon, and then Robbie jumps down the hatch and through the pipes to his lair.
- He lands on his orange chair and the cannon fires the snowman's head, which lands squarely on top of Robbie's own head. He struggles a bit before sneezing and giving up, wiping the snowman's carrot as if it were his own nose.
- Robbie gives the final line "I have to move to some place warmer!"
- The end credits roll.
UK cut
- After the special festive version of "Bing Bang" has finished being performed, Robbie goes outside to complain about his present of a new pair of socks. He then torments the snowman that Stephanie and Sportacus made, before throwing its head into his snowball cannon.
- Suddenly back in his lair, Robbie lands on his orange chair. The cannon fires the snowman's head, which lands squarely on top of Robbie's own head. He struggles a bit before sneezing and giving up, wiping the snowman's carrot as if it were his own nose.
- The end credits roll.
Minor cuts
There are also a number of minor cuts throughout the episode.
These are not as noticeable, as they are usually just a few seconds difference to some scenes.
However, by the end of the episode, they add up to an extra approximate 50 seconds missing from the UK version of the episode.
Together, the cuts total to roughly 3 minutes and 15 seconds of footage
Trivia
- Every language dub for this episode goes by the UK version, and the song "Good To Be Bad" was only dubbed in Latin American Spanish. There was also a Castilian Spanish version of the song performed live, but not on TV.
