Frank Capra's feel-good tale is an elder statesman of holiday cinema, but for years it was also truly inescapable: Republic Pictures famously neglected to renew its copyright in the 1970s, accidentally allowing the film to enter public domain. It's A Wonderful Life aired annually on seemingly every major cable channel until a 1990s Supreme Court decision allowed Republic to regain its rights (and eventually strike a deal with NBC).

For a small group of comedy writers, however, their yearly viewing couldn't be further from Bedford Falls. Instead, they gather 'round a never-aired 1996 Comedy Central special: Escape From It's A Wonderful Life.