Original subtitles

[a capella Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairies]

[music continues]

[Christmassy music]

[Zoe] Okay, design team?

Final touches on the kitchen placements.

[Woman] Roger.

Homeowners are 20 minutes away! Let's move, people!

Thank you! Good morning, John.

Let's touch up on the baseboard molding.

And I thought we were doing--ooh, I like that.

I thought we were doing garland

and Christmas ornaments on the mantle.

Where's Pablo? Pablo!

Oh, there she goes again.

Are you sure you want to ignore her?

[Pablo] No, she has a certain tone when she's serious.

That was only a 3.5 on the Richter scale, so...

[Stella] Pablo!

That was a 9. See what she wants.

-[exasperated sigh] -[Stella] Living room, stat!

-Good luck. -Yeah, I don't like the rug.

The pile's running the wrong way,

and it needs to be flipped

before we bring in the coffee table.

-The pile, you can see that? -Of course I can see that.

The fibers run in only one direction.

Hi, guys, hi.

Uh, we don't have time for--for this.

The homeowners are gonna be here in 15 minutes.

All right, then slow them down.

And they have pets, so this needs to go outside.

Thank you!

Can I get a PA?

I swear this happens every episode.

Yeah? Well, you'd think you'd learn by now.

[tense music]

You guys, what is taking so long?

[Pablo] Okay, now... Uh, wow.

Blue pumpkins. Uh, Stella,

don't you think this table is a little over the top?

Well, their kitchen was their biggest complaint.

They couldn't host for the holidays.

Now they can.

Okay, they're gonna host this many people?

Relax, Grinch, it's Thanksgiving, okay?

Okay, you two, chill.

First of all, a Grinch is a Christmas thing,

not a Thanksgiving thing.

And we're here to make over their home, Stella,

-not their...lives. -Same thing.

Ooh, she shoots, she scores!

Two points for Team Stella.

You know she always has to have the last word.

Sure do, sure do!

When you purchased this house, you put your trust--

[Pablo] --and your life savings into our hands.

And we treated every penny like it was our own.

[Stella] Reba and Andre?

Welcome home!

Oh my god! That's not our house.

No, that's your home.

Come on, let's go check it out!

[Stella] Come on.

A and B cam, leave them in.

No, no, A, stay in position one.

[Stella] Here we go!

-I can't believe it! -What!?

[couple exclaiming]

[Stella] Let's talk about the kitchen.

Pablo and I had a difference in opinion on this room.

Blood was spilled over this kitchen.

-It was not. -Blood.

Oh, I love this island!

[Pablo] Stella tortured me over every detail,

like the shape of the island.

Rhombus, scalene, parallelogram?

Cracked, cracked, cracked.

I wanted something with a little flair.

What's wrong with a simple square? Huh?

Maybe because it's more of a rectangle?

If we're talking about a kitchen island,

it's like a rectangle, not a square.

Would you say this island is more rectangle or square?

-[Couple] Rectangle. -Hm!

Oh, we're gonna have the most amazing Thanksgiving.

Wait 'til you check out the new convection steam oven

that I picked out for you guys.

[Stella] And you don't have to worry about kids

or sticky fingerprints with this stainless steel finish.

Well, we're gonna put that to the test.

We were gonna wait to tell you. I'm pregnant.

Ah! Oh my god!

This house and now a baby...

all of our dreams have come true.

-I knew you were glowing! -Thank you!

Oh my goodness, I'm so happy for you!

Congratulations. Aww...

[Reba] [cries, laughs]

[indistinct chatter]

[Stella] Do you think we switch it or...

I think we just don't tell Zoe anything.

-Hey, honey. -Mm, Jack, hi!

Congrats. One down, one more to go.

I can't wait.

Once we get the Christmas episode in the can,

we'll be finished for the season.

And we have so much to do before the wedding.

-You two, uh, set a date? -Yeah, uh, April.

The wedding's in April. [laughs]

-Congrats. -[Jack] Thanks.

You didn't tell him?

[Zoe] Okay, people, uh, meeting in here now.

What's going on?

Oh, hey, Jack. Good to see you.

What's all this?

Oh, just consider it an early Christmas gift.

My latest business venture.

Blue Ocean. Fun name.

Salmon in Aspic. Wow.

Faroe Island Green.

What's next? Blushing Bride?

Already taken.

Introducing Turner and Klee House Paint.

Put a little color in your life.

We go public in the first quarter of next year.

Just like a walking infomercial.

I'm telling you, this guy can sell anything.

You know, Turner and Klee's looking for

a corporate sponsor, Zoe.

I don't know if the show's interested,

but we'd be willing to supply all our paint gratis.

Ooh, my favorite word. Let me run it up the food chain.

Okay, so...on to other things.

I just found out that our

Christmas house location fell through.

The homeowners backed out.

-[Pablo] What? -Are you kidding?

This is the biggest episode of the year.

Yep, and Christmas is five weeks away.

Okay, well, what about a clip show?

Well, it's boring. Where's the conflict?

We need a location with a killer story.

You know...

Stella just bought a house.

-What's your--what's your point? -What kind of house?

Victorian, 1910.

-Something to flip? -No, no, no.

It's my great-great-grandmother's,

and Jack and I plan on living there after the wedding.

Well, we were talking about it.

Location?

Lexington, right near my mom's.

Um, perfect.

No, no, no, it's not perfect, Zoe.

I just closed escrow, and it's not even been cleaned out yet.

That's even better for us. That cuts off one day of work.

-It's perfect, actually. -No--okay.

-It looks terrible. -How bad could it be?

There's a family of possums living under the stairs.

People love possums.

Stella, think about it.

Maybe we can have the house renovated in half the time.

Yeah, but I'm not in a hurry. It's a labor of love.

You guys, I spent every Christmas there as a kid.

That place is very special to me.

Okay, I am loving the family angle.

I love it. Uh, but what's the hook?

Okay, there is no hook, because there is no episode.

Here's a crazy idea, Stel.

What if we moved up the wedding and had it there?

That's brilliant! I love that. I love that.

We do the vows and the reveal at the house at the same time

on Christmas Eve.

Okay, now we're getting... Now we're getting crazy.

Stella, our ratings are down.

We don't have a pickup for next season.

This could be the ammo that we need.

Come on, Stel! Think of how fun it would be

to bring that place back to life.

Okay, are you all still trying to convince me to do this?

-Yeah. -Mm-hmm.

-Yeah. -Oh my god.

-So when can we see it? -Never.

As in tomorrow, 10:00 AM? Great.

[Pablo] Thanks, Stel!

You won't even know we're there, like little mice running around.

Possums, even.

So you've set a wedding date.

Ah, I'm sorry I didn't mention it to you.

I told you about my divorce before I even told my ex-wife.

-Yeah. -Anyway, um...

I understand if you, uh, feel a little nervous.

About what? The wedding?

No, about using your house for the show.

I know we all ganged up on you back there.

I mean, I get it, Pablo.

Everybody's job depends on if the show gets renewed.

Gabe just bought a new house, and Zoe's adding on to hers.

But, I mean... it's a big decision.

Yeah, well, totally. And you don't--

You don't have to decide today. No pressure.

But tomorrow... Tomorrow?

Okay, good night! We'll see!

[music]

♪ I light a candle, put the presents 'round the tree ♪

♪ The sound of carols fills the air ♪

♪ Outside, the snow is falling

♪ I hear the children calling

♪ The way it always used to be

♪ I still remember how we loved this time of year ♪

♪ We kissed beneath the mistletoe ♪

♪ And as I hung the ivy

♪ I felt two arms around me

[Mom] Hey, y'all in here?

-In here, Mom! -I'm a little early.

Oh, just look at this place.

If you squint hard enough, you can almost see Grandma

putting ornaments on the Christmas tree.

[Stella] She always put it right here.

-Uh-huh. -Aw, Grandma.

Do you think this is insane, Mom?

Oh honey, you know I think everything about your business

is insane. [laughs]

Look, Jack wants a big wedding.

And you want something more intimate.

And this place kind of takes care of both.

This house has brought our family so much happiness

over the years.

Why not share that with the people who watch your show?

Wow, this place must've really been something

back in the day.

It is every bit as awful as you described.

-What? What's that smell? -Mm-hmm.

Is that the possums?

Okay, stop criticizing the place, Pablo.

Jack and I are gonna be very happy here

once it's all fixed up.

Right, yeah, um...

babe, this woodwork is...

oppressive.

It just needs to be cleaned up and oiled.

Mm-mm, yeah, no, I agree with Jack.

Come on, guys, open your eyes. Use your imagination.

You all talked me into this. Do you remember?

I just don't see how we can turn this--no offense--

dumpster fire into something that's camera ready.

Dumpster fire? You don't--

you don't even know anything about this house.

It's a little bit more Grey Gardens than I imagined.

Should've worn my headscarf.

Okay, this was your idea, Zoe.

No, I know, I'm just saying. Wow.

Okay, I...I get it.

She's ready for a new chapter, and it's gonna be a lot of work.

But I know exactly what to do to bring her back.

So it's happening. We're doing this.

-You sure, Stella? -Yes, my mind is made up, Mom.

-Okay. -Mmkay.

We're gonna need to get started ASAP.

You know, my house is right around the corner,

if you wanted to set up a temporary production office

-and get a jump start. -Okay.

Jump start--yeah, we're gonna need a time machine

to pull this off.

I think I'm gonna stay at the condo.

Good luck, guys!

What is that smell?

All right, so, my new fabric collection

has got to be many things.

First and foremost, sustainable. Secondly, affordable.

And thirdly, of course, luxurious.

I mean, look at this glorious chantone vegan silk.

It is just perfect. So happy with that.

The velvet, now, it is luxurious.

It is positively decadent.

It takes the dyes beautifully.

But there's a problem with these long fibers.

They're going to be an absolute magnet for pet hairs.

And we know everyone loves their pets.

So this one, we need something more practical.

[phone vibrates]

Oh, why don't you take a break?

-Stella? -Freddie, I'm in a panic,

and I need your help.

[Freddie] With the show or the wedding?

Both. How much time do you have?

Oh, you know, I'm just getting ready

to launch my new fabric collection at Highpoint,

but...just the usual sturm und drang.

Remember when I worked for you,

and you said there was no project or no deadline

that was ever too challenging?

I have one of those situations.

That sounds like fun! Can I help?

You don't even know what I'm asking.

Look, just tell me where and when.

[Stella] Let me get this planning stuff out of the way.

I don't know how I'm ever gonna thank you enough, Mom.

Well, I'll take care of the wedding details,

and you just concentrate on the house.

Okay, let's get this meeting started, shall we?

What's that for?

Oh, it's our list of potential cast members--

subs who will work under the worst conditions

without cracking and still be ready to do another take.

No. No, thank you.

No.

He's the best HVAC guy in the biz.

Yeah, I'm not babysitting him again.

-No. -You don't like Vern?

I would fall on my sword for Vern.

Come on, he's been with us since day one.

-Day one. -Yes, yeah,

I was, uh, pretty sure that Vern retired.

And we're trying to go younger.

How about, uh, tattooed roto-rooter guy?

-Mm... -Ew.

Zoe, I don't know if you know this,

but Vern is a family friend.

He worked with my husband for years.

[Stella] Yes, my dad was a structural engineer

and loved saving old buildings. Vern was his best friend.

When Stella was a kid, she used to visit jobsites

with Vern and her father.

It's where she fell in love with all this stuff.

Come on, Zoe!

He's like everyone's favorite uncle, right?

Okay, enough with the heartstrings.

Vern lives for now--

if he's, uh, willing to come out of retirement for it.

Okay, but no cameras during my wedding prep.

-That's my time. -And no ambushing people.

We know how much she likes surprises.

Yeah, you like to do that.

You two are gonna drive me crazy.

Fine, I guess.

[Christmassy music]

[indistinct chatter]

[Zoe] Action.

[Stella] Normally you'd see us

welcome a family on our first walkthrough,

but today I am that family.

This beautiful home was built by my great-great-grandparents

back in 1910.

I spent every holiday here growing up.

And now I'm ready to come home for Christmas.

Welcome home!

So, we got a transitional Victorian

with a ton of architectural influences.

[Stella] English manor house, Arts and Crafts,

Richardsonian Romanesque,

a touch of Gothic.

[Pablo] Notice the sandstone course at the base,

the patterned shingles, the pitched roof.

About 25 years ago, my family sold the house

after my grandmother had passed.

The family that bought it said they were "expert DIYers."

They needed to watch a whole bunch more HGTV,

-'cause it is bad! -[Stella] It's bad.

And then they lost the house in foreclosure,

so it's been empty for almost two years--

except for the family of possums.

But hey, think of all the possum-bilities.

Okay, Captain, so what is the plan?

We've got four weeks, three days,

and a budget of 92-5,

which should be enough to cover just about everything.

Oh! Okay, uh, let's-- let's take a look inside,

see if there's anything worth salvaging.

-Salvaging? -I'm just kidding.

It's so cute! So many memories.

Nice.

Oh! Now you're proposing?

Ah, yeah, right.

Well, you know I'm already engaged.

I am never getting married ever again.

No, I want to point out the floors.

Red oak. This is spectacular.

You know, you would pay a fortune

-for this type of wood nowadays. -If you could even find it.

And it's a great distraction from the carpet,

which was blue, like, 800 years ago.

Okay, you know what?

We need to just focus on the positive here.

Positive, uh, the-- the pet stains!

They give it character. It's beautiful.

Okay, you know what? When I look around,

all I see are nothing but possibilities!

And Stella's possibilities give me nothing but headaches.

All right, I'm thinking-- think along with me.

Picture this. If we--we just knock,

gently knock, the walls down to the kitchen,

and just let the space breathe a little bit, open it up.

-Is he for real? -I am.

No.

These walls have been here for over 100 years, Pablo.

-They're not going anywhere. -It'd look great, though.

Mm-mm.

We'll do a little, like, facelift to it,

but they're not coming down. Yeah, no.

-Thanks, though! -All right!

You can have a coffee. I'm gonna get my sledgehammer.

Okay, you're not actu-- You're not--

You're not getting the sledgehammer, Pablo!

Okay, he needs to really give the sledgehammer a rest.

We're here to honor the past, not erase it.

-She's gonna thank me later. -Get that out of here!

[jingle bells]

Stella!

Freddie Greene is my go-to, bring in the cavalry

interior designer extraordinaire.

She has an expertise with historic homes

and knows how to bring in just the right amount of contemporary

without breaking the bank.

She taught me everything I know.

Stella, this must've been such a wonderful space, I know.

And we're gonna bring it back.

I mean, come on, think of all those

great memories you'll make.

Do you remember the first thing you learned

-when you came to work for me? -Of course!

You can always undo a mistake.

Nothing's fatal. Nothing's final.

Except for maybe this kitchen.

And he really has to be here, does he?

I ask myself that every day.

[Pablo] What do we call this color?

Ah, that would be Hospital Ward White.

Okay, on Christmas Eve,

we're hosting my wedding reception here.

And it is a small group, but we definitely need

a fully functioning kitchen.

Okay, I'm just gonna put this out there.

If it was up to me, I would gut this entire room,

top to bottom, stem to stern, clean slate.

First to go, those cabinets, huh? Yeah?

-Right, well, we made a list. -Oh.

I was waiting for it.

I mean, it would've been a surprise

if Stella and Freddie didn't gang up on me.

Stealth attack.

Okay, so maybe Freddie came over

and we tossed around a couple ideas

over a bottle of wine, no big deal.

-Where was my invite? -I don't know.

I can-- I can contribute.

I would've brought another bottle.

Stella has higher expectations

than any homeowner we've ever had on this show.

This is gonna be a nightmare job, nightmare.

That's very rude.

Well, if we manage to keep the peace between now and Christmas,

we may be able to pull this off.

And cut!

Okay, we got it.

Guys--you guys can relax now.

It's over.

Stand down. Scene.

[Pablo] Okay, so what's the plan, Stella?

Well, since we only have four weeks,

the scope of our work is gonna be limited,

so I suggest fresh paint on the inside

and refinishing the floors.

Yeah, the upstairs is actually in pretty good shape.

It's the, uh, downstairs public rooms that give me nightmares.

Yeah, well, that's why I wanna focus

the majority of our attention and our budget

on the dining room, kitchen, and living room.

In the dining room, someone, over the years--

take a look at this--

ripped out the original fireplace,

the built-in cabinetry,

and the art glass windows.

-I mean, what? -Shame.

[Stella] We'll need to restore the wainscoting

and copper wood ceiling.

And the original chandelier is a fire hazard,

so it's gonna need to be rewired.

The kitchen needs a ton of work.

So Freddie and I worked up a plan.

First of all, we'll place a copper farmhouse sink

under the window,

add a tile backsplash, wood countertops,

a six-burner stove, convection oven,

and a kitchen island here.

[Pablo] Nice.

Are we magicians or what? I mean, we kind of are.

Turning to the living room, zero character,

-bad marble fireplace. -[Pablo] Bad.

Ugly, ugly walls.

We'll get rid of the marble facing

and replace it with period-appropriate tile.

The wood in the inglenook needs a light sanding and oiling.

And we'll add vintage wallpaper to brighten up the room.

We've also lost some crown moldings.

[Pablo] Uh, Gabe can mill those. He'll do a perfect match.

-[Stella] Aww, Gabe. -[Pablo] Yeah.

Where does all the Christmas stuff go?

That's the best part. Christmas tree's gonna go here,

and my mom still has ornaments from 1910.

Look at that. Instant Christmas.

Instant Christmas. [snaps]

Long day.

Jack? Jack? Jack? Hi!

So, I talked to the network about doing a corporate tie-in

-with Turner and Klee. -Yeah...?

-They were thrilled. -[laughs]

-Great! -That's awesome.

Thank you so much, Zoe. This is great news.

Such great PR for the new brand.

Ten percent. I'll invoice you.

[laughter]

I'm not joking.

But I also want this house to be perfect for my Stella.

Yeah, yeah, we'll have to see if there's anything left to paint

-after tomorrow. -Wait, wait, why?

-[Stella & Zoe] Demo day. -Ahh...

Now I know how our homeowners feel.

Oh, come on. What's there to worry about?

How much damage can Pablo do in one day?

[upbeat Christmassy music]

[slowed down] Action...

♪ Bah, humbug-- no, that's too strong ♪

♪ 'Cause it is my favorite holiday ♪

♪ But all this year's been a busy blur ♪

♪ Don't think I have the energy ♪

♪ To add to my already mad rush ♪

♪ Just 'cause it's 'tis the season ♪

♪ The perfect gift for me would be ♪

♪ Completions and connections left from last year ♪

♪ Ski shop encounter, most interesting ♪

♪ Had his number, but never the time ♪

♪ Most of '81 passed along those lines ♪

♪ So deck those halls, trim those trees ♪

♪ Raise up cups of Christmas cheer ♪

♪ I just need to catch my breath ♪

♪ Christmas by myself this year ♪

[music]

♪ Calendar picture, frozen landscape ♪

♪ Chilled this room for 24 days ♪

♪ Evergreens, sparkling snow

♪ Get this winter over with

♪ Flashback to springtime, saw him again ♪

♪ Would've been good to go for lunch ♪

[Stella] Ah!

We uncovered a little bit of history this morning.

Three layers of dining room wallpaper.

Look at that.

Some people dream in color. I dream in wallpaper.

This is my favorite room in the house.

Guys, guys.

[Pablo] Can you put a shirt on? It's freezing outside.

What is Gabe doing?

I find the cold air invigorating.

[music]

[Vern] I suspect some of them have been leaking

for a very long time.

I mean, yeah, this is a lot of water.

Oh, I mean, I knew what I was getting into

when I bought the place as is, but I just--I didn't--

I didn't expect this, Vern. Should I be worried?

No, no, no. Girl, I've seen worse.

You're biting off a lot with this project, Stella.

Are you sure you're okay?

Yeah, I got a lot on my mind. The wedding, the house.

This might be our last season.

When the show ends, do you know what you'll do next?

I don't know.

We talked about expanding my brand.

Maybe a furniture line.

You ever think about finishing your engineering program?

Sometimes. I did love it.

But how could I ever give up this glamorous life?

[Zoe] Watch your back! [glass shattering]

That didn't sound good.

Hey, have you been talking to my mom?

Who, by the way, is waiting for me downtown at my fitting.

I wish your father was here to walk you down the aisle.

Yeah, yeah. Me too.

I'm glad you're here, Vern.

Stella, you're the only person I'd come out of retirement for.

The only one.

Did Vern find any dead bodies in the basement?

Uh, maybe tomorrow.

I told Stella this was gonna be more than a cosmetic makeover,

but she's the eternal optimist, right?

These old houses, they're like a Pandora's box.

If I had my way, we'd move into my condo in Richmond.

Views forever.

Have you and Stella talked about that?

There's no talking about it. This house means a lot to her.

Still keeping my condo. I'll rent it out or something.

Or maybe I'll get her to change her mind.

[ Dance of the Mirlitons from The Nutcracker]

[Mom] So, how's everything going with the house?

There were a few surprises along the way.

Bad news, Vern found some leaks.

-Ah! -[Stella] Yeah.

Good news, I discovered some original wallpaper.

I was actually hoping maybe you could find

-some old photos to help us? -Oh, sure.

Boxes of stuff in my basement.

Oh, Stella!

Oh, honey.

That is the one.

What's going on?

We were supposed to pick up Stella.

Guys! I thought you were gonna meet us

down at the stone yard.

That deal was we're not shooting any of the wedding stuff!

Zoe probably wants to see Zoe in her wedding dress.

We gotta go warn her.

Uh, hi, I'm here for Stella Murphy?

Oh, you must be the lucky groom!

-No, I'm, uh-- -You know you can't

see her in her dress until the big day.

Oh, no, no, no. I'm just, um--

I'm Pablo. I need to talk to her.

The two of you look like you belong together.

Right? A match made in heaven.

Uh, Stella needs to talk. Just two seconds.

No, but seriously, you can't see her right now.

Thank you.

Guys, no, really!

-Stel? -Miss Murphy?

I'm so sorry, but, um, your fiancé, he--

I told her I wasn't husband material, but--

Pablo?

[tender music]

[Pablo] [stutters]

Well...

Um, uh, Zoe's got a camera crew outside.

-What? -Yeah.

Let me change.

Give me a minute.

I should've known Zoe was gonna do this.

Wow, she looks incredible.

You okay?

Yeah.

[Zoe] And, action!

[Stella] So when I was taking the wallpaper off

the dining room wall, I noticed that there was something hiding.

Like, there was three layers in one section,

and just one layer in another section, like it was newer.

[music]

It was there all along-- the elephant in the room.

[Both] The false wall.

Whoo! [laughs]

I knew it. It's the fireplace.

In older homes, some people put up a false wall

rather than do a proper remodel.

Who in their right mind would ever cover up a fireplace?

-And take out art glass windows? -Right.

-Um...what is this? -I don't know.

A block of concrete? There used to be cabinets here.

My grandma would keep napkin holders and red candles.

She always had red candles for the holidays.

Yeah...

Weird.

Something back there.

I don't wanna put my hand in there. Aah!

What is this?

[clanking]

Okay. That's--ee.

-What are those for? -I have no clue.

So this afternoon, we're heading to Heirloom Antique Emporium

in search of some furniture for the new house.

Everybody, I want you to meet my wonderful friend Andy.

We've known each other since fifth grade.

He owns the place, and is going to help me and Jack

find a dining room table.

So I have curated a list of furniture

from the photos that you sent.

I think I found a dining room set

that is going to blow you away.

Hey, Stella, come look at this.

What do you think?

Gorgeous, but it's a little Dwellmagazine for 1910,

don't you think?

-I think it's eclectic. -Oh...

I mean, Pablo, what do you think?

Uh, not my department.

Why don't we go look at some Arts and Crafts pieces,

split the difference? All right?

-Sure. -All right, follow me.

When we finish it, we'll sand it down...

Honey, I've got a couple urgent calls to return.

I'm just gonna step outside.

Oh, I--you don't wanna check out the table with me?

Uh, it looks good. I trust you, babe.

Honestly, it's-- it's not my style.

It's a little old, anyway.

Yeah, I know, but I think it'd be really nice

if we did this together.

I want you to feel just as much at home in this house as I do.

Take some pictures, we'll talk about it later, okay?

-Jack... -I'm sorry.

[sad music]

Um, okay, so what's the length of this table?

[Christmassy music]

[Pablo] We're also lending Andy a hand

for the city's annual Christmas toy drive.

Children and antiques all in one afternoon?

It's an absolute miracle that I got Pablo to go.

I'm just not a big Christmas guy,

and I hate antiques.

Well, let's see if we can tame the Grinch today.

Oh, come on, you look fetching in red.

The kids are gonna love it.

Yeah, that's what I'm afraid of.

-Stop being a Grinch. -I'm not a Grinch.

Yeah, okay, but wait, wait, wait.

Let me just--here, let me help with the belt.

-It's, like, all crooked. -Thanks.

-Oh, okay--oh! -Whoa! Kay...ha, ha.

Oh my goodness, is that you or the stuffing?

Yeah, it's all me. Careful with the merchandise.

-Oh. Okay. -Thank you.

There we go. Perfect.

[Andy] Okay, all right.

The North Pole is officially open!

[children cheering]

[excited chatter]

You're next.

-Okay! -I love you, Santa.

That's enough hugging for today.

No, you can hug him all you want.

Deep down, Santa really likes it.

He's a real big marshmallow.

-Oh, is that so? -Yeah, totally.

After all these years of marriage,

I know you pretty well, Santa.

I'm gonna tell you what I want now.

Okay.

I want a dinosaur! Tyrannosaurus rex.

-They're my favorite. -Yeah, me too.

I'll work on that. All right, who's next?

You, young lady in the puffy jacket.

I don't think she's done, Santa. Sweetie, what's your name?

-Mary. -Mary?

Mary, why don't you tell Santa everything you want?

I want a Harry Potter wand for my sister.

-And...and a job for my father. -A job?

Ah, I'm sorry, Santa. That's not on the list.

Why not, Daddy?

-Did I say something wrong? -No, no, no, no.

Santa Claus. What's your name?

-Gregg. -Gregg, good to meet you.

Um, so what's the situation?

I'm just kind of in between jobs right now.

I've been there too. It's no fun.

-What do you do? -Uh, I'm a housepainter.

-Really? A painter? -Mm-hmm.

He painted stars on my bedroom ceiling.

-Really? -[Stella] He did? Wow.

[Pablo] You like bedtime stories?

[Mary] I do.

Okay, well, I have one specially for you.

So there's this really old house

owned by a very lovely lady.

Well, sometimes she can get a little crusty with her cohost.

-What's a cohost? -Uh, never mind.

Anyway, this lovely lady has a magical power.

She can turn the ugliest house on the block

into a beautiful castle.

But she needs help with one thing at this house.

What's that?

Paint.

And if your dad can paint stars on the ceiling of your room,

well, then Santa thinks that'd be a really cool idea

if he helped the lovely lady with the magical home.

-What do you think? -Mm-hmm.

-Yeah? -Yeah!

-All right, let's do it. -Yeah!

I'll call Rudolph and the elves and make that happen, all right?

-Mm-hmm. -Sounds good. Let's do that.

-Amazing stuff. -Yeah, we had a good time.

Everyone had a good time. Especially the kids.

Oh, I'm not talking about the kids.

You and Pablo? Did you see that?

You two were flirting with each other.

Okay, that is ridiculous.

It was just another day at the office.

I know, I can feel the tension from here.

Maybe the wedding's getting to him a little bit.

No, the wedding's not getting to him.

There was no flirting. It was just working.

Okay! [radio crackles]

[Van] We're ready for Stella!

Oh, okay, they're ready for you on set.

-Okay. -Van, you don't need to yell.

My fiancé, Jack Hall, has generously volunteered

his services and all the Turner and Klee paint

that you could ever want for the makeover.

Salmon in Aspic.

Can you do this with the gloss on it?

So paint is a hot topic here at House Sweet Home.

It's the great divider.

You guys can get pretty feisty online.

In a house where the wood has gone unpainted

for over 110 years,

my instinct is to follow tradition and leave it stained.

Let's ask Jack, since he's our official paint connoisseur.

I suggest the neutral semi-gloss.

We make a classic ecru that's period correct,

but it's contemporary.

Okay, well I just-- I love the warmth of the wood.

Ooh, Stella, this place is so over the top.

I mean, all the ornamentation?

It's like icing on a wedding cake.

And you know how much I hate wedding cakes.

No, I-I don't.

[Jack] Oh, well, just the froufrou kind.

You know, the ones with, uh, buttercream garland

and marzipan roses.

I mean, who needs to eat all that sugar, right?

I do.

Okay, so it's decision time on the paint, guys,

'cause I'm not gonna be living here,

-but you two are. -Jack?

Well, as the paint dude, I'm gonna advocate

for as much paint as possible.

I like the wood.

-Hey, you heading to base camp? -Yeah.

I'll come with you. What's wrong?

Nothing.

Jack.

Wasn't there to help pick out the furniture,

he was weird about the wedding cake.

Now this whole paint thing.

Okay, don't pay any attention to Jack.

Jack doesn't even pay attention to himself.

Jack pays attention to himself.

Is that a little bit of shade I sense?

He clearly doesn't care about the house.

Meanwhile, Stella's been pouring her heart and soul into it.

I just don't...get their relationship, that's all.

Hey, none of us do.

You're getting yourself worked up over this.

No. No, I'm not.

Okay. You seem a little bit worked up.

No, I'm not!

[Christmas music on radio]

[tablet ringing]

Hey, Maggie.

Ah, I knew I'd find you in the shop.

Big surprise.

So, how are things on Home Buy 101?

We just got a two-season pickup and we're moving to streaming.

Yeah, I know!

I don't want you poaching anyone from my show, okay, Mags?

They've given me a blind deal for a new show, Pablo.

We're calling it Bungalow Lifestyles.

No more of those dusty old houses Stella likes so much.

Stella's got her opinions,

but that's what makes our chemistry work, right?

[Maggie] We talked about

you executive producing your own show.

What about coming on to the team and buildingBungalow Lifestyles

from the ground up?

Wow, okay, that's, uh, quite an offer.

Stella and I would have to talk.

As much as I love Stella, we're thinking a single host.

Your show, your vision.

Uh...okay.

[Maggie] Just know there's a place for you here.

Let's stay in touch?

Yeah. Stay in touch.

[Maggie] Talk to you soon.

[Christmassy music]

Shoot!

Pablo? Can I use your level?

I never noticed the floor was sagging in this room.

It's like an inch out of level.

-Uh, might be the joists. -Ugh!

I'll go underneath and check later.

Stella, I found a great wedding photographer

who can do the 24th. A classic black and white.

That's awesome. Thanks, Mom.

Oh, hey, I have a question. Do you recognize these at all?

I found them in the dining room by the fireplace?

-Look at these. -Oh, oh!

I know what these are. My mom told me all about these.

-These are the Santa keys. -Santa keys?

Yeah, Santa can't fit down the chimney,

or if your house doesn't have one,

there's no way for him to get in.

So back in the days,

you put one of these on the porch on Christmas Eve.

-That is so cute. -Isn't it?

Your great-great-grandmother had one

-for each of the 12 kids. -Aw, I love that.

-I wanna do that. -You should do it.

Yeah. Well, hey, I can keep them someplace safe, huh?

Okay.

We will have the kitchen up and running for the 24th,

so if you could just email me that revised menu,

-that'd be great. -[Woman] Sure, no problem.

Yep, which brings me to the, uh, wedding cake.

-Stella, camera's here. -Yeah, just one second.

Yeah, I need something more basic, stripped down.

Uh, think postmodernism meets cubism meets a bar of soap.

[Woman] [laughs] You kidding?

Nope, I'm actually not joking at all, not even a little bit.

Yeah, um, okay. Yes, okay, yes!

Thanks a million. Thank you.

What-- What's going on?

You know how I said I'd check on the joists?

Yeah. Don't tell me there's termites.

I wish that's all it was.

There's a crack in the foundation.

-What? -Yeah.

Looks like the east side of the host is sinking.

We need to get an expert in here ASAP.

-Is it safe? -Yeah, for now.

But over time, no.

I can't believe this is happening.

I should've known about this.

No, no, there's no way you could've known about that.

What about the show? Can we keep shooting?

I mean, the show can go on,

but there won't be much to shoot.

My crew can't pick up a hammer until we get building clearance,

and the inspection...

-Sorry, Stella. -I'm sorry.

Are you okay?

Uh, yeah.

I'm just getting in the spirit over here.

I thought you were meeting Jack?

No, he's in Richmond for the night.

-Did you tell him? -No.

No, I didn't.

After we wrapped today, I was thinking...

do you know what this house could really use

other than a new foundation?

Some Christmas cheer.

So here I am.

Well...you need a hand?

-Um, yeah. -All right.

All right, I'd love one. Here, why don't you do

-that tree. -This tree?

-Yeah. -Okay.

Uh...

You'd think after five Christmas episodes

that this Grinch would know how to thid old tree thing.

Pablo?

Do you think I'm making a huge mistake?

A lot of people have cold feet before a wedding.

No, I'm talking about the house. Like, why am I doing this?

Because you wanna feel connected to...

something or someone who...

You love this place.

Yeah, and Jack would rather us move into his loft

with this polished concrete and steel and--

You told me that you were happiest when you were here.

And isn't that what's important?

-You remember me saying that? -Of course.

Well, I'm questioning everything.

-Maybe that's a good thing. -I don't know.

Is it?

[shouting]

[Jack] We just finished the final edit this afternoon.

You are going to love it.

We're already live on the website.

Jack Hall here with Turner and Klee Paint.

I recently teamed up with my brilliant and talented fiancée,

interior designer Stella Murphy,

and the cast ofHouse Sweet Home

on their upcoming Christmas episode.

And you won't believe the Christmas magic

we created together.

Don't limit yourself to just red and green this holiday season.

The sky's the limit.

Turner and Klee will change the way you see the world.

So? What did you think?

Zoe's right!

You can sell just about anything.

Oh, come on, this benefits everyone.

And like you haven't done 10,000 commercials for your show.

This is different.

Zoe cleared it with the network,

and they thought it was a fantastic idea.

And, I mean, the synergy alone--

Why didn't you just show it to me first?

Well, with all you had on your mind,

I just didn't wanna bother you.

I just...

I wish you would've said something earlier.

With all this information with the house,

I don't even know if we're gonna finish the episode.

I didn't think it was a big deal.

But you're right.

I'm sorry, Stella. I should've showed you.

I'll take it down.

Let me go talk to Zoe about it, okay?

[maudlin music]

Oh, hey! You're just in time to help me make dinner.

Oh no, I'm just grabbing the ornaments.

I'm gonna head out.

What--what's going on?

Um...

I'm having second thoughts.

-About? -Everything.

You know, there's nothing wrong with feeling confused.

Yeah, there is.

I'm the one that's supposed to have it all together.

Maybe you're supposed to sit in this.

-It's a gray area. -I don't do gray, Mom.

I just wish I had never agreed to any of this.

-I'll see you later. -Bye.

-I love you. -I love you.

-Hello! -Hey, you!

What are you doing here?

Uh, Zoe said we were gonna prep

for the cast and crew Christmas party tomorrow? You?

She told me she wanted to talk about

the tree decorating segment,

so I brought over some ornaments.

Um, should I text her?

No, no, no, no, I'm enjoying my peace and quiet.

-Those are amazing. -Yeah.

When I was a kid, we had a decorating party,

and we would talk about where they're from.

Each ornament has its own story.

Hm, what's the story on this one?

That one my dad got at the Christmas Market in Salzburg.

What about you?

What kind of tree did your family do?

Do? We didn't--

We definitely didn't do ornaments from Salzburg.

Uh, we didn't have much.

My grandpa was all about gifts that were found or made.

I love that! That's such a great idea.

Mm, in theory.

But when you're a kid hoping for a baseball glove

and your little brother gets you

a shoelace that he found on the sidewalk, it's not so great.

Found or made, isn't that what Christmas is all about?

Yeah, in an ideal world, but that's not where we live.

-Are you hungry? -I am starving.

-I forgot to eat dinner. -Who forgets to eat?

-Pablo forgets to eat. -[Stella] Okay.

Well, I think the caterer left some stuff in the kitchen.

-You down? -So down,

-and I got a bottle of Pinot. -Ooh!

-[Pablo] For a special occasion. -What's the special occasion?

No cameras, no boom, no Zoe.

Yeah, celebrate.

[Slow Christmas song on radio]

-Aw! It's like a picnic! -Yeah.

Oh, this'll make it better.

Huh?

Oh, this house is so beautiful at night.

Yeah, it is. And hey, don't worry.

We're gonna get this project back on track.

We've never had an episode tank,

and we're not gonna let you down now.

Yeah, well, if we get canceled, at least we go out with a bang.

Don't even say that, okay?

[knocks on wood]

It's true, Pablo. Have you even thought about it?

Like, what would you do?

Um, I'm not sure. You?

I don't know, but I'm just ready to reinvent my life, you know?

Stel, I think you're gonna love living in this house.

You can put a little rocking chair in that corner,

lit by candlelight.

Yeah, and you could come visit on your souped-up Harley.

How did you know I was wanting a souped-up Harley?

Season 2, episode 7. The Bucket List.

-You know me too well. -Of course I do.

[chuckles]

♪ Until we make things bright

Um, I wanted to show you something.

My mom found some old photos of the house.

[Pablo] Oh, this is-- this is incredible.

How old are these?

Hold on...

that's where the dining room windows always were, right?

-Yeah. -Oh.

[laughs] Okay.

So you were always meant to live in this house.

Yeah, Christmas wasn't the really big thing in my house,

so there's not a lot of this stuff.

You mind if I borrow this for a little bit?

It'll come in handy for the restoration.

Yeah, um...

You don't like to talk about yourself, do you?

[chuckles] Nah, no one needs to know about me.

Well, people might like what they see.

Okay, I know what you're trying to do.

-You do, do you? -[Pablo] Uh-huh.

You're trying to get me to open up, right?

You think you're so clever.

I've been working with you for six years, too.

I know you pretty well.

-Cheers. -Cheers.

So you think you know me?

Yeah, expert level. Ask me anything.

Piece of cake, which is, uh...

Strawberry chocolate is your favorite.

-Wow. -[Pablo] Yeah.

Okay, what do I get if you're wrong?

Uh, episode without a sledgehammer.

Okay, I'm in. Let's do this.

All right, three questions, go.

Okay, what do I always have in my fridge?

Um...easy. Champagne.

Life is a celebration. Always be prepared.

[laughs] Okay. What is my favorite color?

-Blue-green--ah...

Green-blue, green-blue.

Yeah, 'cause apparently there's a huge difference.

'Cause there is. That was great, wow.

Um, okay, and...what is my favorite thing to do

-on my day off? -Uh...

that's a trick question 'cause you never take days off.

-You're good. -See?

Nothing gets past me. I'm a contractor!

-[laughs] -I notice every detail.

[tender music]

[both laugh]

-Oh, shoot! -Shoot! Right here.

I just made it worse. Sorry.

-You have some on your hand. -It's a mess.

There. [laughs] Sorry.

[music brightens]

-Um, uh... -Sorry.

-Yup. -I didn't plan for that too.

I should go.

[door opens and shuts]

So I was gonna load in all the appliances

for the end of this week, but now that's all on hold.

Hm.

So, what is going on?

Maggie called me the other night.

She's producing a new show. Wants me to host it.

Nice, congrats.

Something I always wanted to do.

What did Stella say?

No Stella, just me.

I've been gone for 10 days,

and something's going on. You're completely different.

Nothing, I'm--I'm fine.

Ah, offers like that don't come around often.

Yeah, they don't. There's also this other thing.

Um, it's just a lot of stuff with Jack, actually.

Oh, come on, that's just pre-wedding jitters.

It's nothing. Everyone goes through that.

I wish. Uh...

Then there's-- there's the Pablo of it all.

"The Pablo of it all"?

The other night,

Stella and I were here late.

Me and Stella, uh...relaxed.

And them, um...

I kissed her.

We kissed.

-You kissed? -[whispers] Shut up.

Dude, I saw this from years ago. Did she kiss you back?

Yeah.

-Shhh! -It's just a kiss.

-Was it a serious kiss? -I don't know, I don't know.

I can't even--I don't know.

I mean, how are we even gonna work together

after she marries Jack?

Should I just take the other job or...

Okay, so now what?

♪ La, la, la

♪ La, la, la, la, la, la

[Zoe] Everyone, welcome to our cast and crew Christmas party,

the one time of year we give our design team the day off

and the crew decorates.

I know this has been a tough shoot,

but we always seem to pull through at the 11th hour,

so let's have some fun. Merry Christmas.

And who better to kick things off than Santa himself?

Ho, ho, ho! Merry Christmas!

There's one for you. And one for you.

Santa Claus? More like Father Time.

You've been bad!

A lump of coal for you for your smart mouth, uh-huh.

Here you go, so you don't sulk like a baby.

[car approaching]

[Stella] We hired the best structural engineering firm

in the city. The fact that it was two men

brought me right back to college,

where there were only three women in my program,

including me!

People always ask me what a structural engineer does.

-I never know what to say. -Well, it's simple, really.

The architect designs the layout of the building,

and the structural engineer designs the skeleton

that fits within that layout.

Okay, so that the building doesn't collapse.

Basically.

[foreboding music]

-What's the verdict? -Well, we can confirm that

there's a major crack in the foundation

beneath the loadbearing living room exterior wall,

which is why you noticed the subsidence.

-The slope in the floor. -Yeah, we get it, thanks.

So what are the next steps?

Well, we need to look at the soil study,

run the calculations.

But we do have a couple of options we can offer you now.

-Who's the project manager? -That's me.

I'm sorry, I thought you were the interior designer.

-I-I am. -[laughs]

Well, don't worry. When our work is done,

you can make it look all pretty again.

Excuse me?

Okay, so what are we looking at?

Well, the house needs to be hydraulically lifted

so that we can remove the damaged foundation.

I think you're overcorrecting.

Well, we build a platform to secure the building

-while it's suspended. -Suspended?

Lifting the house increases the potential to torque the framing,

let alone damage the vintage plaster in the woodwork.

I mean, how long would this take?

-Six to nine months. -[exasperated sigh]

-Come on, we're on a deadline. -And what about our budget?

Ballpark, you're looking at 4 to 500,000.

Half a million dollars? Seriously?

[Engineer 2] Well, you do have one other option.

You could consider not dealing with the issue at all.

-I'm not following. -Tear the house down.

Property's probably worth more than the structure.

This isn't a structure. It's my home.

We're done here. Thank you.

Cut, please.

Oh no. What's happening?

That engineering team was so condescending, Mom.

Like I should stick to picking out throw pillows.

What do you think?

Ah!

That is fantastic, Mom. Where did you get these?

[Mom] Andy had a friend who's a model maker.

And I'm gonna make one for every table at the reception.

You do not have to do all that, Mom.

Of course I do. I have a week.

Though I wouldn't say no to an extra set of hands.

Yeah, I could use a little break.

I'm sorry you're having so much trouble with the house, Stella.

You know, I love my job more than anything.

I wouldn't wanna be doing anything else.

But on days like today, I just feel powerless,

like maybe I should've just stayed in school.

Don't be so hard on yourself.

No, but what if I made the wrong decision?

-What the heck? -My goodness.

-That leather! -[Mom] Mm-hmm.

What is this?

[gasps]

This is lovely.

It was your great-great-grandmother's.

Really?

I didn't know she was an artist.

[Mom] Neither did I.

You know, this was in an old steamer trunk in the basement.

[Stella] Look at the house.

Can I make a suggestion?

Why don't you go play a little? Have some fun.

I don't know, that feels weird. This was hers, you know?

Well, I think your great-great-grandmother

would be honored to share the page with you.

Maybe it'll help you come up with a better solution

than those engineers.

Maybe. [laughs]

I'm not a late night person.

She called me at 3:00 AM talking a mile a minute.

Well, I figured it out! The foundation solution.

Okay, so our main goal is to save time and money.

So, we're going to put an exterior sister wall here

to shift the load of the damaged sections.

And we'll use soil anchors and vertical screws

to help support the new foundation.

And this is all so that we don't have to jack up the house,

which saves us the plaster, the woodwork,

-and an insane amount of money. -This is genius, Stella.

But isn't the sister foundation going to be an eyesore?

I mean, it will be [unintelligible].

Stella's already thought of that.

[Stella] Well, we can copy the existing porch design

on the side of the house and put a new one here,

which will cover the foundation work,

and it'll look like it was there all along.

And based on all this, we should be able to get

a temporary occupancy certificate from the city

right away.

[applause] And we got it! Cut!

-That was amazing! -Thanks!

Between us, do you really think we're gonna finish this in time?

We're less than a week away from the wedding.

Yeah, we can now.

But we're gonna have to let the dining room go.

Yeah, I was, um... I was afraid of that.

Yeah, there's just no way with all the foundation work

and, um...

I have to apologize about the other night.

Went too far.

You got me thinking about a lot.

What are you thinking?

Everything's back on track.

Everything?

Yeah.

Okay, well, um...

I wish you and Jack the best, and if you never need anything,

I'm here for you, always.

Hello! Sorry to interrupt.

I just have a minor schedule change.

No, no more changes.

There's been enough drama for one episode.

Uh-huh, well, since we had to shut down for five days--

Okay, wait, they're not--

they're not canceling the episode, are they?

No, no, no. Something even better.

Uh, the network has decided that we are going to do it live.

Live on television.

-What? -What?

We've never done a live broadcast.

And what better a time to do it than, you know, Christmas Eve?

The wedding, reveal.

Everyone gets to see you say "I do" in real time.

It's gonna be great.

Do you realize how much pressure this puts everyone under?

I'm aware. We don't have a choice.

[Christmassy music]

-Hey, Pablo! -Hey, Greg!

[Stella] Careful of the wall.

Yup, that's where it always went.

A little help, please? Thank you.

Oh, jeez. Okay under there?

All right, uh... Okay.

Can you turn it a little to the left?

-Yeah. -It's leaning.

Uh...okay, yep, almost. Perfect.

-There, there, there, there. -Yeah?

-Got it. -Yep?

Stella, hi.

Your fiancé is running late yet again,

so surprise, surprise.

If he's handing out paint cans, I...

Anyway, I told him 4:00 sharp, no excuses.

We need to rehearse the wedding blocking.

We can't just, like, wing it tomorrow night.

He's probably stuck in a meeting.

I'll text him.

You know what? Don't bother.

We'll just rehearse without him.

Pablo, you can stand in, right?

-Stand what? -Yeah,

you just have to say, like,

can I have your hand in marriage,

blah, blah, blah. Merry Christmas.

Yadda, yadda, yadda.

Uh...uh.

I'm not sure that I...

Great. Let's go.

Okay, so then we're gonna have the happy couple

walking down the aisle, everybody.

They're gonna come right down through there.

Oh, yeah, there is no aisle. No veil.

Just close friends and family, and lots of wine.

Okay, well, let's, uh, pretend that there's an aisle.

♪ Nah, nah, nah-nah, marriage, marriage, ys ♪

Okay, perfect. And A camera, I'm gonna have you follow them.

And then B, I want you to get in

some close-ups and some cutaways.

Okay, great.

Stella, where did you wanna do the vows?

Um, right--right here, in front of the fireplace.

Oh, perfect! Okay.

Um, okay, Gabe,

you're gonna be, you know, the person,

the official official. Great, okay.

Bride and groom.

Can we get you guys in a little bit closer?

We're just trying to avoid glare.

A little bit more, please. Yeah, great.

Okay, in, in, in, in, in.

Closer, okay?

Nice, nice, perfect.

And looking into each other's eyes.

Great.

And, uh, I guess we can hear the vows.

-Vows? -Yeah,

we need you to run your vows.

I haven't written mine yet.

Oh, it's more of a timing thing. We're going live, Stella,

so there's no room for error, so just, like, improvise something.

Just looking into each other's eyes for camera.

[clears throat]

I, Stella Murphy, take you, Jack Hall,

to be my partner.

And I, Pablo Belmonte...

-Oh, you're Jack right now. -Right. Sorry.

Uh...I, Jake...

Okay, can we at least exchange the rings

so we can just see that rehearsal?

Are there rings?

Let's just mime it right now.

Perfect.

Okay. All right.

And I guess here is where we do, like,

you may kiss the bride, yadda, yadda, yadda.

Well! Looks like I got here in the nick of time.

-Hi! -Hey.

Let's do it again. The right way.

Uh, no, let's flip these,

and then we can feature that off the top and then see what--

-[Jack] Pablo! -Sorry.

All right, thanks, Andy.

Hey.

Thanks for standing in for me today, buddy.

Yeah, anytime, all good.

So, you've been spending an awful lot of time with Stella.

I don't know...

No more than I have in the past six years.

Heh. Yeah...

So, have you-- have you told Stella

that you don't wanna live here?

We'll work it out.

Besides, she's got a lot on her plate, anyway.

Yeah, but I think-- I think you should tell her

-sooner rather than later? -I appreciate your concern.

But I have an IPO to focus on.

If your little show doesn't get picked up,

I gotta be able to take care of Stella.

Jack, Stella can take care of herself.

You don't need to worry about her.

This place is really important to her.

If you didn't notice.

Okay, you moved some furniture around.

-Just like home. -I needed to make it my own.

Huh.

Hey, I think I'm gonna go back to school.

Stella, that's great.

Um...oh.

You need some lights at the top.

I'm sorry, did I just here Pablo Belmonte

tell me that I need more Christmas lights?

I already have too many.

Okay, no arguments. Fine.

Do you think we're ever gonna agree on anything?

Oh, come on, I think we agree

more than either of us will admit,

but, hey, I'm proud of you. School's important.

The show will take care of itself.

Don't worry. In fact, um...

I was offered a show, if we don't get picked up.

-An-another--another show? -Yup.

How long, um... How long have you known?

Why didn't you tell me?

Um, I hadn't figured out what I wanna do yet.

So you're gonna leave our show for a new show?

Well, there might not be any more...show...

Stella, it's time that we start thinking about our futures,

together or separate, whatever it may be.

-What are you saying? -What I'm saying is...

[sighs] Okay. If we get picked up...

...I'm not sure that I can keep things between me and you

-the same after you marry Jack. -What are you talking about?

We'll be fine. We can get past this.

I'm--I--I'm trying to be honest about--

about how I feel.

And--and we can't keep playacting

like we were this afternoon.

I'm sorry, is that what we were doing?

-Playacting? -Are you trying to say that

you don't feel the same way about me?

Okay, can we not do this right now?

No, 'cause you're less than 24 hours away

from getting married.

Okay, you're just too afraid to say it.

-No, that's not it. -Then what is it?

You can tell me to leave.

Say it to my face and we're done.

We can both go our separate ways.

I think you were right.

I think you should take the other show.

And I think it's time we both just move on with our lives.

Is that how you really feel?

Okay.

[music]

♪ I light a candle, put the presents 'round the tree ♪

♪ The sound of carols fills the air ♪

♪ Outside, the snow is falling

♪ I hear the children calling

Wow, I can't believe this. Look at what you did in here!

Aren't you meant to be getting ready?

Yeah, I just wanted to do one more quick walkthrough.

I mean, the kitchen is just so amazing.

You really outdid yourself, Freddie.

Thank you!

Yeah, I'm pretty happy with it, all things considered.

So, here's the thing.

The caterers dropped off what I think is meant to be your cake.

But I'm not sure if they're colorblind

or you actually chose this color?

It's Salmon in Aspic.

It's Jack's favorite paint color.

And they took the bar of soap direction too...

way too literally.

You gave them "bar of soap" directions?

-Oh! Stella! -What am I doing? [sobs]

-It's gonna be okay! -No, it's not.

None of it is. But I've run out of time.

So I just have to keep moving forward.

Okay, I'm sorry, but that is the most ridiculous thing

that I have ever heard from you.

One of the reasons that you're such a talented

and exceptional designer is because you trust your instincts

and you listen to your heart.

And it's time that you applied that to your life.

Come on, listen to your heart.

[soft, bright music]

[door opens and shuts]

Okay, what's going on?

Mom, I don't know what I'm doing.

I got in a fight with Pablo last night.

And it was bad.

But the worst part about it is I can't--

I can't stop thinking about him.

I'm supposed to be getting married in less than an hour.

What am I doing?

You know, when I got married to your father,

I had such butterflies in my stomach.

My hands wouldn't stop shaking.

I didn't think I was gonna make it down the aisle.

But inside, there was this...calm.

I can't do this.

[chatter]

Hey, isn't this bad luck or something?

Can you, um--can you please turn your mic off

and come here for a second? I need to talk to you.

-What's wrong, Stella? -No cameras, please. Please?

Come here.

[Zoe] Okay, so after we get the shot

of the scrim being pulled away, you lead everybody--

-Happy? -Yeah.

What's happening?

[Stella] Um, okay, shoo! Shoo!

Okay, we're good! Bye.

[honks horn]

I think we have a runaway bride. No.

What?

Excuse me.

How long have they been in there?

What the hell is going on? Are they fighting?

They're not fighting. Are they practicing their vows?

Are they mic'ed right now? Where's my headset?

[indistinct chatter]

Pablo, do you know what's happening?

Jack, can you say something, please?

[sighs]

What do you want me to say?

I think I knew this was gonna happen

-the day you bought the house. -You did?

Look, Stella, I am always gonna love you.

Maybe we shouldn't, you know, go through with this.

I think you're right.

[gentle music]

Um...what do we do now?

About the wedding or the show?

Both. There's so many people.

I'll get rid of the people.

You go deal with your show family, okay?

Thank you, Jack.

Oh! They're hugging. Everything's fine.

Everything's gonna be perfect. Romance, okay.

I'm going back to the tent. Let's go!

[indistinct chatter]

Guys, guys, no cameras. No cameras, guys!

No cameras.

-Wedding's off. -Stella.

-We broke up. -Stella.

-I couldn't do it. -Are you okay?

Well, the show is gonna be a mess now.

I've ruined the show. What are we gonna do?

-We'll figure it out. -We don't have time.

No, no, no, no, no, no. Don't tell me.

There's no wedding, Zoe.

Stella, I support all the crazy stuff you wanna do

in your personal life,

but we are sixty minutes to air and the network is expecting

a big, fat Christmas wedding.

Can you two not just get married?

What?

Everyone's been waiting for this for, like, six years.

It's like, come on, already. No?

Okay, it's a bad idea.

Okay, look, we still have all this amazing before footage,

the commentary cam, the renovation.

And at the top, I'll just explain about the wedding.

-How? -Just, I'll be honest.

I mean, it's still the same episode we planned--

the homecoming, Stella reconnects with her family

and herself on Christmas Eve.

And, uh, Pablo has the kind of holiday experience

-he's never had before. -Ugh, it's not dynamic enough.

Uh, we need another element. Okay, what do I have?

I have a runaway bride, a house full of caterers,

and the ugliest wedding cake I've ever seen.

You two are gonna put me in my grave before I turn 30.

Aren't you 35?

No, I am not. Who said that?

Okay, well, this is not about any of that stuff.

This episode is about inviting our fans into my home

to celebrate the rebirth of this beautiful house.

Wait a second.

Why don't we just do that literally?

-[Pablo & Zoe] What? -Literally?

We have millions of followers.

Why don't we just invite them to come celebrate with us?

We'll just put out a blast saying, come join us

for a very special live Christmas Eve event?

Okay, I am loving it. Let me make some calls.

-[sighs] -Do you think that can work?

I mean, it might, I don't know. I need to change.

I need to apologize for the other night.

No, no, no, don't worry.

I'm thinking and seeing everything more clearly now.

I think.

If we do get picked up, we'll figure out a way

for the show to follow you back to school.

Fans will love it.

But tonight, we're gonna do the most amazing episode ever,

you and I, together.

[Christmassy music]

[Freddie] Well, that was pretty gutsy.

But then, you're no shrinking violet.

I mean, I-I had to do something, Freddie.

Well, yes, and I'm so proud of you.

You seized the day.

Well, I have the best teacher there is.

Well, actually, yes, you do.

-[laughs] -Aww!

That dress...

I really think you should just keep it

-for another day. -Okay.

Yeah, I like that. [laughs]

Now, we actually really do have something to celebrate here,

-like big. -Okay. What?

None of us have to eat that hideous orange wedding cake.

-What happened? -I don't know.

It's ridiculous. I can't even talk about it.

Erased, gone. All right, listen.

Everyone's waiting for you outside.

Are you ready?

[Christmassy music]

[Zoe] Okay, crowd is starting to arrive.

[indistinct chatter]

[Zoe] Okay, we are on

in five, four, three...

Welcome, and thank you for joining us.

We are live for a very special Christmas Eve episode

of House Sweet Home.

You might've expected me to be in a wedding dress,

but like many things on House Sweet Home,

life is full of surprises. So for tonight,

that dress is going back on the hanger,

while we celebrate the rebirth of this beautiful

110-year-old treasure.

[Zoe] Okay, scrim on standby.

-Are you ready? -I'm ready.

Go on the scrim. No, remove the scrim.

-[laughs] -Welcome home!

[cheers and applause]

All right, A and B cam, follow them in.

Okay, A and B cam, get into the final position.

Hurry, hurry.

We're live, people. Quick, quick.

Ah, this is so beautiful!

Roll the B-roll.

With the help of Freddie, Pablo and I

and our amazing construction crew

restored and transformed the house.

Let's start with the kitchen.

This room went from a badly lit DIY nightmare

to a dream hosting space with new appliances.

And we were even able to restore my great-grandmother's

original cabinets.

Okay, next up.

It's gotta be the Christmas tree.

Okay.

It really does complete the space.

The ornaments look beautiful.

The living room went from a drab construction zone

to the coziest of cozy rooms,

perfect for opening up presents on Christmas morning.

Did the Grinch just say "Christmas morning"

and "cozy cozy" all in one sentence?

Yeah, he did.

[Stella] We replaced the marble facing

for a tile design more in character.

And after discovering original art glass windows

in the inglenook, it made sense to complement it

with vintage wallpaper

and bring the mantelpiece back to its former glory.

The Santa keys?

[Pablo] Yeah, I polished them up a little.

Now, the old Pablo definitely would've taken all that

beautiful patina off, but I figured after 100 years,

they deserved to be a little tarnished.

Thank you.

Now, because of our tight schedule,

we decided to focus on just a couple of rooms.

We'll save the dining room for a future episode.

Okay, could you stop zooming for once.

No, I love your work. But just relax, thank you.

[Stella] Thank you so much for joining us

on this small tour.

Not so fast. I, uh, have a little surprise

just for you.

Oh my goodness.

[folksy music]

What? Wow.

[indistinct chatter]

[music continues]

How did--how did you do this?

-[chuckles] You like it? -I love it.

I'm glad. Gabe and I

secretly restored the cupboards and refinished the mantle.

You almost found it a couple times.

The dining room table is courtesy of

Andy at Heirloom Antiques.

-I've heard of it. -Yeah.

We were up 'til the wee hours yesterday.

I bet. I mean, how did--

[laughs]

And you did this all for me?

Yeah. You deserve it.

-Welcome home. -Oh gosh.

Whoo!

Merry Christmas, Stella.

Merry Christmas.

[romantic music swells]

Finally.

[cheers and applause]

-Wow. -Wow.

I think you just got another season.

[both laugh]

[applause]

[laughs]

Our ratings are gonna be through the roof.

I feel like we could maybe lock down a couple-season order, no?

Oh, now you're pushing things.

Come on, be content with just a new season.

You're right. And you'll guest star?

Okay, no, pushing it, I got it.

-You're so pushing it. -I'm sorry.

How about take a moment to think about how lovely this is

and how happy and sweet and in love they are?

I mean, you come around, look what happens.

-Ha! -[laughs]

-So yes? -No.

-I feel that you'll come-- -[Freddie] Not happening.

Okay, I'm done.

[cheers and applause]

Thanks to Pablo and my family here at House Sweet Home,

this house is finally alive with as much Christmas spirit

-as it had 100 years ago. -Finally.

-It looks fantastic. -Fantastic.

And if we're lucky enough to get picked up for next season,

Stella and I have a whole bunch of surprises in store.

-[Stella] We do! -[Pablo] Yeah.

From our family to yours, we wish you a--

[Both] Very Merry Christmas!

[cheers and applause]

And...we're out.

[cheers and applause]

♪ Just another Christmas song

♪ But this time I'll sing along ♪

So Christmas morning, uh, Stella got me a present.

I open it up, and there's a snow globe

with a mini sledgehammer inside.

And on the base it says, "In case of emergency--"

-[Both] "--break glass." -Perfect, right?

Even the box was perfect.

Perfectly wrapped, color coordinated.

What shape was the box, though, Pablo?

Was it a square or a rectangle?

Again with the shapes.

They don't--they don't care about stuff like that.

-It's important! -Uh...

-[laughs] -Merry Christmas, Stella.

Merry Christmas.

[Kids] Merry Christmas, everybody!

[Christmassy music]

[music continues]

[music ends]