Christmas time for most people is over, but if your families are anything like ours, Christmas celebrations last from Christmas Eve through about New Years Day. In fact, just last night we had the Deb and Bob side of the family Christmas celebration, and we’ve got the McDuffee side of things tomorrow. For the kids, it’s like a never-ending gift-giving bonanza. For the adults … it’s a fine excuse to keep the Christmas tree up for a bit longer.
Anyway, I’d meant to post this last week, but the preparations for the above-mentioned festivities got in the way.
One of my fondest memories of holiday television — not including childhood — is one simple, short scene from a show I used to love: Ally McBeal. I say “used to” because, if memory serves, the later seasons of the show simple didn’t capture the magic from the earlier few. In fact, I’d love it if CliqueClack served a week-long tribute to this show, just as we did for Veronica Mars, because it truly did stand out as a great show at one time.
The scene I’m talking about is during the sixth episode of season four, titled “Tis the Season.” This is the season Robert Downey Jr. played love interest to Ally, Larry Paul — a performance that won him a Golden Globe that year. It was this scene in particular that really reached out to me for the holidays that year and introduced me — shamefully late — to the music of Joni Mitchell. Even if the holidays are over for you and your family, enjoy the following clip.
Clacked by Keith McDuffee 
on Dec 31, 2010 @ 10:00 EST5EDT
That specific scene has stuck with me for years. That version of ‘River’ is one of my favorites.
Except that it’s too short! I love this scene as well, but in rewatching it I wanted RDJ to sing the whole song!
I have the full audio version of him singing this song. I remember searching for it a long time ago. It was on an Ally McBeal Christmas album.