Second, I don't usually cover material that originated from literature, but the three ghosts tend to return as a very traditional Christmas season TV trope, thus making them as worthy of inclusion as historical characters or mythical beings.
Note that as with Dracula, Tarzan, ect, I will not cover appearances and crossovers from literature and comics. That doesn't meant they don't exist in the TVCU. They just aren't my focus here. For literary crossovers with Scrooge and his ghosts, you may wish to read Win Scott Eckert's Crossovers: A Secret Chronology of the World. My upcoming Horror Crossover Universe will not be covering A Christmas Carol, despite its supernatural elements, as its genre is much more of a holiday/religious theme.
December 24 to 25, 1837--A CHRISTMAS CAROL--A miserly man named Ebenezer Scrooge is visited by three ghosts, who show him his past, present, and future, in an attempt to save him his soul from damnation by getting him to redeem himself. Though called ghosts or spirits, in fact, the only real ghost in the story is Scrooge's deceased partner Marley, who comes first to warn Scrooge. The three seem to be in fact angels (the third, the Ghost of Christmas Future, perhaps being an Angel of Death). It seems, especially based on future follow up stories, that these angels are not the only ones to serve this assignment. It seems to be a temporary gig. And additionally, the angels can take different forms, sometimes choosing to take forms (and personalities) of people more familiar to the chosen to make the process easier. Note that on this night the Ghostbusters (the Real ones) find themselves transported back in time from the 1980s and being disoriented, see the three ghosts and capture them. They return to find themselves in an alternate timeline where Christmas was no longer celebrated. They return to Scrooge's time and release the ghosts at the appropriate time so events go on as they should and the timeline is restored. (Some might argue that the Ghostbusters didn't actually return to their timeline's past, but to the mirror universe, but if that were the case, then they wouldn't have been able to restore events to normal.) (From episode X-Mas Marks the Spot)
Victorian Era--BLACKADDER'S CHRISTMAS CAROL--Three ghosts try to convince a very kind, caring and generous Blackadder how his ways will lead to a dark future.
Meanwhile--A KLINGON CHRISTMAS CAROL--set on the Klingon homeworld of Qo'noS
December 24 to 25, 1837--MICKEY'S CHRISTMAS CAROL--Looniverse--From Thomas Paul Jennings: Apparently the design of (An American Tail) Fievel's father was from the chairman of the Rescue Aid Society in Disney's The Rescurers. Also some mice that appeared in The Rescuers make appearances in The Great Mouse Detective which itself shares a Lizard with Alice in Wonderland and has the same Big Ben chime as Mickey's Christmas Carol.
December 23 to 25, 1842--BUGS BUNNY'S CHRISTMAS CAROL--Looniverse--This one is tough for me. I consider Mickey's Christmas Carol to be the official Looniverse version of that tale. In this version, Sam is Scrooge, Porky is Cratchit. Bugs is dresses as a ghost to scare Scrooge. This can be reconciled. Because the story is such a variant, especially there being no ghosts or time travel, as well as the fact Scrooge here owns Cratchit's home and not only fires Cratchit but kicks him and his family out of their homes, it seems as if this may not be the same story, but just something coincidentally similar. So of course, let me say that this is an ancestor of Bugs. This Cratchit is an ancestor of Porky and this Scrooge is an ancestor of Sam. This also features ancestors of Sylvester, Tweety, Pepe Le Pew and Foghorn Leghorn.
1844--CHRISTMAS CAROL: THE MOVIE--Doctor Who Universe--Not only does the same actor (Simon Callow) play Charles Dickens in both Doctor Who episodes "The Unquiet Dead" and "Wedding of River Song", but also plays him in Christmas Carol: The Movie. In fact, his dress, his beard, everything is the same. EVEN THE STAGE AND THE SPEECH HE GIVES TO INTRODUCE THE STORY IS THE SAME, EXCEPT IN THE MOVIE, THE STORY IS INTERRUPTED BRIEFLY BY A MOUSE RATHER THAN BY GHOSTS. I MEAN IT'S EXACTLY THE SAME!!! So though the main portion of the movie, which is animated, is fictional, the framing parts are in the Doctor Who Universe. Merry Christmas. Incidentally, the movie was made four years before the DW episode, which means the DW folks were apparently big fans of this film to not only get the same actor, but recreate the first seen exactly, props, costumes, scripts, and all, well, until the Doctor shows up and it all goes to Hell as usual.
December 1962--MISTER MAGOO'S CHRISTMAS CAROL--Looniverse--Not a real cross with A Christmas Carol, as Scrooge is only performing in a broadway production of the story, but appearing as as guest star is Gerald McBoing-Boing.
1970--THE ODD COUPLE--"Scrooge gets an Oscar"--Oscar is visited by three ghosts, who take the form of Oscar's poker buddies.
1975--SANFORD AND SON--"Ebenezer Sanford"--Fred Sanford is visited by the three spirits. (Or was it a dream?)
1980--WKRP IN CINCINATTI--"Bah Humbug"--After eating some brownies he gets from DJ Dr. Johnny Fever, Mr. Carlson is visited by three ghosts.
1981--ALICE--"Mel's Christmas Carol"--Mel is visited by the spirits.
1983--FAMILY TIES--"A Keaton Christmas Carol"--Alex P. Keaton (now of course the republican senator from Ohio) is visited by three spirits who take the form of his family.
1988—Michaelangelo #1—“A Christmas Carol”; Jim Lawson--Raphael, annoyed by Christmas cheer, runs off into the night to be alone and cranky; like so many annoyed people on Christmas day, his plans to be alone and cranky are utterly ruined by three ghosts trying to show him the error of his ways. I hardly need to make note that over the course of the story Ralph endures reruns of his childhood, sees his family good-naturedly making fun of him when he’s not around, and sees an insane older version of himself hiding in a swamp. Okay, Scrooge didn’t see that last one. Eventually Ralph learns the errors of his way, just like everyone else pestered by the Ghosts of Christmas, and wishes his family a “Merry Christmas!”
1989--A DIFFERENT WORLD--"For Whom the Jingle Bell Tolls"--Whitney is visited by three ghosts who take on the forms of her friends and teachers.
1993-ish--BEAVIS AND BUTT-HEAD--Bongo Anomaly--Beavis is visited by the three ghosts.
1996--MARTIN--"Scrooge"--Martin is visited by the spirits.
1996--THE SPOOKTACULAR NEW ADVENTURES OF CASPER--"A Christmas Peril/Ms. Banshee's Holiday Hits/Good Morning Dr. Harvey/Fright Before Christmas"--Looniverse--The Three Ghosts appear, as well as other ghosts, of course.
November 2001--FAMILY GUY--"Screwed the Pooch"--Bongo AnomalyAfter Joe tells Peter to find a common ground with Lois’ father, Peter acts upon the advice as if he were Ebenezer Scrooge; he shouts at Bob Cratchit, who’s copying letters in the corner, telling him he has to work through Christmas, like in A Christmas Carol. Cratchit asks, “But, sir, what of Tiny Tim?” Peter responds, “Bah, he and his ukulele shall go wanting”, a reference to Tiny Tim the musician, not Cratchit’s son. The puppies born with human faces at the Quahog Animal Clinic recalls the pig who looked suspiciously like Herbert Garrison in “An Elephant Makes Love to a Pig” (South Park). Linda Blair from The Exorcist is at Brian’s trial, and does her famous 360-degree head-turning and vomiting.
2002--AQUA UNIT PATROL SQUAD 1--"Cybernetic Ghost of Christmas Past From the Future"--A robot that claims to be a ghost from the future (or possibly the past) arrives to lecture Carl and the Aqua Teen Hunger Force about how Christmas was celebrated in the past (or possibly the future).
December 2003--HEBREW HAMMER--One of the other dimensional tulpa variants of Santa is killed by his evil son, who wants to destroy Chanukah. The Jewish Justice League (not to be confused with that other Justice League) sends the Hebrew Hammer to save Chanukah. The Hammer's office is down the hall from Mike Hammer's, though probably not the original Mike Hammer but a relative. Also, Santa's son has an evil henchman who appears to be young Tiny Tim from Dickens' A CHRISTMAS CAROL all grown up, and not such a good person.
2003--AQUA UNIT PATROL SQUAD 1--"The Last One"--The robot ghost returns.
2004--Karroll's Christmas--From James Bojaciuk: I just finished watching Karroll's Christmas, which is one of the most delightful remakes of A Christmas Carol ever produced. Three inturn ghosts visit the wrong man and make him relive the life of the cranky old man down the street. The Headless Horseman, Scooby-Doo, and Casper are all mentioned as real beings. It's rather troublesome that Scooby-Doo is considered one of the most famous ghosts currently active, but I'm sure there is an explanation of some sort. Freddy Kruger is mentioned in a way that is rather iffy of his reality; I'm willing to call it a crossover connection, even divorced from Rob's TVCU rules. Basically: The Ghost of Christmas Future inturn is called a "sawn-off Freddy Kruger." The level of offence he takes at this suggests he knows Freddy's real. Anything's possible. The ghosts weren't exactly the brightest incorporeal beings. Andrew Brook adds: More likely that the guy was mistaken, and it was actually "Goober and the Ghost-Chasers"..... and that brings in "The Partridge Family". Hell, I'm glad I'm not old enough to know what these things are.... [From Rob: I recently noticed a deceased scooby in slither, even though I feel scooby still lives. I'll have to work that out. Maybe the scooby ghost was actually one of these. http://www.scoobyaddicts.com/FamilyTree.aspx?name=Scooby&FamilyID=1. As for scooby's ghost, could it actually be one of scooby's identical brothers? He has two. Could be dooby or skippy. Remember that for the tvcu if it's borderline as to a pop culture ref or a real ref, but both works are already in, I consider it a real ref. remember too that Freddy is neither dead nor powerless in the tvcu. Despite being abandoned by the dream demons, he's mastered on his own how to feed off of fear and the souls of those he's slain. Sounds valid as the supernatural ep ref to Krueger I include. I like that this is a five way cross, although all parties are already in.]
2005--AQUA UNIT PATROL SQUAD 1--"Deleted Scenes"--The robot ghost returns.
2006--AMERICAN DAD--"The Best Christmas Story Never"--Bongo Anomaly--A new ghost of Christmas past, whose last job was a tooth fairy, brings Stan back to his childhood to teach him the true meaning of Christmas. Stan bolts, realizing that this is his opportunity to kill Jane Fonda before she ruins everything. Needless to say, a divergent timeline is created where the Soviets rule modern America. (Hey, is this the Red Dawn timeline?) Eventually, things are set right.
2010--THE SUITE LIFE ON DECK--"A London Carol"--Rather than three ghosts, London's mirror does the job. (And I just threw in another Disney show. Take that!!!)
2012--THE HIGH FRUCTOSE ADVENTURES OF THE ANNOYING ORANGE--"Orange Carol"--Looniverse--When it comes to animated stuff, it's really getting hard for me to keep track of what hasn't been connected yet. But if it's on Cartoon Network, it's usually safe to say it's in the Looniverse or the TVCU. In this case, I'm betting the Looniverse. Anyways, the Annoying Orange gets visited by the three ghosts.
Sometimes in a future--A JETSONS CHRISTMAS CAROL--Mr. Spacely, head of Spacely Sprockets and boss of George Jetson, gets visited by the ghosts.
ALTERNATE REALITIES: Mickey Mouse, the Looney Tunes gang, Mr. Magoo, The Flintstones, The Jetsons, Sesame, Dennis the Menace and Doctor Who have all but homaged, spoofed and lampooned the famous Charles Dickens Christmas story, A Christmas Carol. (Mister Magoo's Christmas Carol, A Special Sesame Street Christmas, Bugs Bunny's Christmas Carol, Mickey's Christmas Carol, A Jetson Christmas Carol, Blackadder's Christmas Carol, The Muppet Christmas Carol, A Flintstones Christmas Carol, An All Dogs Christmas Carol, Winnie the Pooh: Springtime with Roo, Bah, Humduck! A Looney Tunes Christmas, A Dennis the Menace Christmas and Doctor Who in: A Christmas Carol respectively)
MUPPET UNIVERSE--As I've said before, everything is real somewhere. Even fiction within fiction. The Muppets exist in the TVCU. But many of them are actors, and they make movies. In the TVCU, they are just fictional movies, but in the MUPPET UNIVERSE, they are real. This includes, (but is not limited to) CinderElmo, the Muppet Christmas Carol, Muppet Treasure Island, the Muppets' Wizard of Oz, Muppet Classic Theater, Tales from Muppetland: The Frog Prince, and Elmos' Musical Adventure: Peter and the Wolf.
RICH LITTLE UNIVERSE: Kind of like Skitlandia, except there are movies, and Rich Little plays all the characters. Edith Bunker appears in Rich Little's 1978 CHRISTMAS CAROL.
Note there are many film adaptations of A Christmas Carol, and each gets its own reality. Additionally, there have been many sequels both in print and on screen (and in radio and on stage for that matter). Though I'd love to count them all, the fact is, so many contradict each other, that I'd have to choose which ones are in and I'd likely do so with bias, so it's best to keep them all in separate realities until a cross can bring them in.
Note there are many film adaptations of A Christmas Carol, and each gets its own reality. Additionally, there have been many sequels both in print and on screen (and in radio and on stage for that matter). Though I'd love to count them all, the fact is, so many contradict each other, that I'd have to choose which ones are in and I'd likely do so with bias, so it's best to keep them all in separate realities until a cross can bring them in.
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