Saul Rubinek as Artie Nielsen, Joanne Kelly as Myka Bering, and Eddie McClintock as Pete Lattimer on 'Warehouse 13'Image via SyFy
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Michael John Petty
Published 32 minutes ago
Michael John Petty is a Senior Author for Collider who spends his days writing, in fellowship with his local church, and enjoying each new day with his wife and daughters. At Collider, he writes features and reviews, and has interviewed the cast and crew of Dark Winds. In addition to writing about stories, Michael has told a few of his own. His first work of self-published fiction – The Beast of Bear-tooth Mountain – became a #1 Best Seller in "Religious Fiction Short Stories" on Amazon in 2023. His Western short story, The Devil's Left Hand, received the Spur Award for "Best Western Short Fiction" from the Western Writers of America in 2025. Michael currently resides in North Idaho with his growing family.
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With Christmas quickly approaching, the holiday season is now in full swing, and with it come all those annual traditions. If you're anything like this author, that means also revisiting some of your favorite holiday specials, those that highlight the magic and charm of Christmastime. But if you're looking for something a bit more sci-fi-inspired, then look no further than Warehouse 13. The SyFy original is a blast for many reasons, including that it borrows from some of the best in the genre while still making the concept of "secret agents hunting magical artifacts" particularly unique. But arguably, some of the show’s best episodes are its Christmas specials, which aired at the end of the second and third seasons, respectively. These capture the heart of Warehouse 13 like no other, and are perfect for rewatching this winter.
'Warehouse 13's Christmas Episodes Are the Most Magical of Them All
Pete Lattimer (Eddie McClintock) and Myka Bering (Joanne Kelly) try to capture a twinkling light in the 'Warehouse 13' episode "Secret Santa"Image via SyFy
For a quick crash course in Warehouse 13 lore, the Warehouse is a safe haven for magical and scientific "artifacts" that can do the impossible simply because of a unique moment in time that infuses them with power. Under the direction of Artie Neilsen (Saul Rubinek), former Secret Service agents Pete Lattimer (Eddie McClintock) and Myka Bering (Joanne Kelly) hunt down these artifacts with the help of tech wiz Claudia Donovan (Allison Scagliotti) and several others informed about their mission. It's within this context that the agents find themselves still working over the holidays despite plans to the contrary. Season 2's "Secret Santa" and Season 3's "The Greatest Gift" both aired at the end of their respective Warehouse 13 seasons, but they act as standalone tales that take place at some point within the actual season itself. And both are profound looks at what makes this time of year special.
Whether you're sick of the "found family" trope in film and television or you can't get enough of it, Warehouse 13 does a great job emphasizing both during these holiday hours. The first special, "Secret Santa," centers on businessman and estranged father Larry Newley (Paul Blackthorne), who has isolated himself from his ex-wife and daughter over the years after throwing himself into his work. Because of that, he is haunted by a spectral Santa Claus who warns him that if he doesn't change his ways by Christmas, he will cease to exist entirely. Simultaneously, Claudia and her brother Joshua (Tyler Hynes, who is no stranger to Christmas content) fight to reunite Artie with his estranged father, Izzy Weisfelt (Judd Hirsch), who the grumpy old Warehouse agent hasn't seen in 30 years. The battle for love and family is at the very heart of "Secret Santa," and it hits close to home for those running in similar familial circles.
Conversely, "The Greatest Gift" leans more directly into the life of Pete Lattimer in an episode that feels a bit more like your traditional Warehouse 13 fare than anything overly Christmas-y. However, the plot takes direct cues from It's a Wonderful Life when Pete accidentally brushes up against an artifact in the famed Aisle of Noel, which erases him from the timeline. Now, in a world where he was never born, the Warehouse (and those in charge) is entirely different, and Pete must find a way to bring his found family back together in order to set the timeline straight. Recruiting Myka, Claudia, and Artie, the foursome take back the Warehouse and restore everything to its proper order, ending with a cozy holiday celebration with the (almost) entire cast.
"Secret Santa" and "The Greatest Gift" Play to the Strengths of the Holiday Season
Mrs. Frederic (CCH Pounder), Pete Lattimer (Eddie McClintock), Myka Bering (Joanne Kelly), Claudia Donovan (Allison Scagliotti), Leena (Genelle Williams), and Artie Nielsen (Saul Rubinek) celebrate the holidays in the 'Warehouse 13' episode "The Greatest Gift"Image via SyFy
While Warehouse 13's holiday episodes are not too dissimilar from other Christmas hours of your favorite sci-fi show, each of them is made stronger due to the way they ground themselves in modern Christmas lore. In "Secret Santa," for instance, the artifact in question that generates the ghostly Santa Claus is directly connected to one of the most infamous holiday tales of the 20th century. If you knew nothing of the Christmas Truce of 1914 before this Warehouse 13 episode, the episode takes the time to recount this holiday miracle, complete with inserted clips from World War I. The way Pete and Myka describe the incident is a sober reminder of the unity found in Christmas, and how even sworn enemies may be able to put their misgivings aside to come together with holiday cheer, hoping for peace and goodwill to be spread among men. It's exactly this theme that plays out between Artie and his father, with a reunion that feels so perfect for the holiday season, you may just cry.
Likewise, "The Greatest Gift" not only pulls from It’s a Wonderful Life directly (with the episode's closing moments presenting the show on television), but the title itself and the artifact in question directly call back to author Philip Van Doren's short story "The Greatest Gift," which was, of course, adapted by Frank Capra as It's a Wonderful Life. It's a harrowing hour when Pete is forced to come to terms with his place on the team and discover his own worth in the grand scheme of history, not unlike the leading character in both the short story and film. What makes It's a Wonderful Life a Christmas movie is that the main events are set at Christmas and involve some sort of holiday miracle to save the day, and this Warehouse 13 episode is no different. On paper, it's just another episode of the show, but due to the holiday foundation it sets, we can see that the most wonderful time of the year really is a time for the miraculous.
'Warehouse 13' Is Loads of Fun, No Matter What Time of Year
While both Christmas episodes of Warehouse 13 are generally standalone tales (though "The Greatest Gift" does require some knowledge of the team's history to understand the full weight and impact), the entire series itself is quite underrated and in dire need of proper recognition. There may not be a better time than the holiday season to dive back into Warehouse 13, but let it be only the start of your exploration of this popular SyFy drama. Running for five seasons and 65 episodes between 2009 and 2014, the show is wild, wacky, and campy, but loads of fun with strong emotional anchors that fix the series and its characters in your hearts — and the Christmas episodes are no exception. While the show itself does start off a little slowly, once it hits the ground running, you won't be able to stop binging.
If you love science fiction and fantasy and are in need of a highly bingeable series that will keep you well-entertained until the end, then look no further than Warehouse 13. Let the Christmas episodes of this show lull you into the large and expansive world of the Warehouse, which is full of twists and turns that you might never see coming. With a solid cast and lots of engaging worldbuilding, Warehouse 13 is just as solid as any similar drama, The X-Files included. So, what are you waiting for? Enjoy the holidays with "Secret Santa" and "The Greatest Gift," which may just whet your appetite for something more.
Warehouse 13 is available for streaming on Prime Video.
Warehouse 13
Like Follow Followed TV-14 Sci-Fi Release Date 2009 - 2014 Network SyFy Directors Chris Fisher Writers Jane EspensonCast
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CCH Pounder
Mrs. Frederic
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Eddie McClintock
Pete Lattimer
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Joanne Kelly
Myka Bering
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Saul Rubinek
Arthur "Artie" Nielsen
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Warehouse 13
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