2022 might have been the year Tim Allen lost the role of Buzz Lightyear to Sexiest Man Alive Chris Evans, but perhaps as a consolation prize, Disney has given him the opportunity to reprise one of his other beloved 1990s roles instead. Namely, the part of Scott Calvin, as The Santa Clauses just landed on Disney Plus this Wednesday, offering a nostalgic TV-sized return to the Santa Clause franchise.
Naturally, the six-part series — which kicked off with a two-part premiere — is already finding a lot of love on the Mouse House’s streaming platform. However, one aspect of it is causing fans to turn as red as Rudolph’s nose with anger. It turns out an unexpected amount of people care very deeply about the internal logic and continuity of this cinematic universe that began with Tim Allen legit killing Santa Claus.
For those not in the know, 1994’s The Santa Clause was followed up by both 2002’s The Santa Clause 2, which saw Scott marry Carol (Elizabeth Mitchell), and 2006’s The Santa Clause 3: The Escape Clause, in which the couple had a son named Buddy. This new show drops in on the Calvin clan all these years later, except the couple’s now-teenaged son (Austin Kane) is called “Cal.” And fans are fuming.
Before a riot forms and lays siege to Santa’s Workshop at the North Pole, allow us to assuage your fears, Santa Clause stans — don’t worry, Buddy has not been erased from canon and Kane’s character is fully intended to be a grown-up version of Santa Clause 3‘s kid. Cal’s full name is officially listed as Buddy “Cal” Calvin-Claus, meaning this is just a nickname he’s come to be called by. So, please, put down your lethally oversized candy canes.
Future episodes of The Santa Clauses — which, yes, will feature David Krumholtz’s return as Bernard — can be unwrapped Wednesdays on Disney Plus.