Because not every home is equipped with a standard fireplace, there are some who like to “keep warm” around the holidays in a more symbolic way by gathering around the TV to watch a Yule Log video.
People have been tuning into local broadcasts, getting their own physical copies of, or streaming on Netflix looped footage of burning wood with classic Christmas carols playing over the soundtrack for decades, and it appears that even Adult Swim has contributed to the tradition in a way that only die-hard fans of the network behind Rick and Morty, Robot Chicken, and other bizarre programming might have been able to foresee. See what we mean by checking out this quick guide to Adult Swim Yule Log, which includes a tip on where it is streaming online.
Adult Swim Yule Log Is A Horror Movie Disguised As Holiday Fireplace Footage
As we established before, holiday Yule Log videos have become a staple for streaming services like Netflix in recent years. In fact, those with a Shudder subscription can even stream hour-long videos of candle-lit jack-o-lanterns in lieu of carving their own for Halloween. Adult Swim Yule Log actually has more in common with one of those videos than other Yule Log specials intended for watching around Christmas as it is also pretty creepy, but the biggest differentiator is that it is really full-length horror movie.
After starting out like any other Yule Log video with cheery music playing over a warmly lit fireplace for the first couple of minutes, the special slowly evolves into the story of a young couple (Justin Miles and Andrea Laing) who fall prey to a series of disturbing and increasingly strange circumstances while spending the holidays in a remote cabin. I imagine anyone who happened to catch Adult Swim Yule Log’s original airing after the Rick and Morty Season 6 finale might have been shocked by what unfolded before their eyes, which makes IndieWire’s report that it was shot without Warner Bros. Discovery’s full awareness all the more interesting.
Adult Swim Yule Log Is Helmed By Too Many Cooks Director Casper Kelly
The discovery that there was more than meets the eye with Adult Swim Yule Log would have been easier to predict if viewers knew who was behind it. The special actually marks the feature-length debut of Casper Kelly, who has shown his mastery of subversively creepy comedy with the likes of a Blair Witch Project parody starring Mystery Inc., called The Scooby-Doo Project and, most famously, the hilarious and horrifying 2014 short film, Too Many Cooks.
The filmmaker has also written for cartoons like CatDog and Squidbillies and co-created the live-action Adult Swim series Your Pretty Face is Going to Hell. One of his first contributions to more earnest horror was one of the best movies on Shudder, 2018’s Mandy, for which he crafted the bizarre in-universe commercial for a branch of mac-and-cheese called “Cheddar Goblin.”
Where Is Adult Swim Yule Log Streaming Online?
For those who were unable catch the premiere of Adult Swim Yule Log on December 12, 2022, according to the network’s schedule they will be able to catch a re-run during the wee hours of Christmas morning, at 2 a.m. EST. However, the holiday horrors can be relived or discovered with an HBO Max subscription at any time a curious onlooker desires.
The special joins a whole variety of Yule Logs available on the streaming platform, including one inspired by Practical Jokers, another featuring the titular duo from Rick and Morty, and one featuring Billy Crystal's character Calcifer from Hayao Miyazaki’s Howl’s Moving Castle that was released last year. Of course, none of those have the distinction of being a feature-length thriller.
Stream Adult Swim Yule Log on HBO Max.
Also known as The Fireplace, Adult Swim Yule Log could be destined to go down in history as one of best Christmas horror movies for its inventive approach to keeping the holidays spooky.
