David Krumholtz previews his return as Bernard the elf on The Santa Clauses

David Krumholtz previews his return as Bernard the elf on The Santa Clauses
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More than 20 years after the original movie The Santa Clause, David Krumholtz tells EW that he still gets recognized for his role as Bernard the elf. This week, Krumholtz's Bernard returns to the franchise in the next episode of The Santa Clauses on Disney+, and you can watch an exclusive preview above.

"The thing that makes that original movie a classic, I think, is that thematically it's about things falling apart," Krumholtz tells EW about the original The Santa Clause. "Christmas is in jeopardy and his family's in jeopardy, and he's divorced and there's a new stepfather coming in and him being cynical threatens his ability to have custody and it's all these things. And yet, the spirit of Christmas kind of heals all of it. But on top of that, it's super funny, which I think is why it's stood the test of time."

Krumholtz continues, "At the time I was 16, and I had just started acting. I didn't know what about me was interesting, but I did have this kind of wise-cracking Queens attitude, and for lines like 'Haven't you people ever heard of basting?', I guess that really worked."

THE SANTA CLAUSES - “Chapter 5: Across the Yule-Verse” (Disney/James Clark) TIM ALLEN, DAVID KRUMHOLTZ
THE SANTA CLAUSES - “Chapter 5: Across the Yule-Verse” (Disney/James Clark) TIM ALLEN, DAVID KRUMHOLTZ

James Clark/Disney Scott Calvin (Tim Allen) and Bernard (David Krumholtz) on 'The Santa Clauses.'

The Santa Clauses has been decidedly missing Bernard's cranky attitude so far. The newer elf characters, like Betty (Matilda Lawler) and Noel (Devin Bright), are more anxious and innocent. As Christmas comes under danger once again, not least thanks to the attempted retirement of Tim Allen's Santa, they don't have the gravitas to tell Santa he's messed up. But Bernard is ready and willing to do that, as you can see in the clip above.

"Anything could go wrong at any moment, but he gets things done with an iron fist," Krumholtz says of Bernard, making the comparison to another Christmas classic, Elf. "He's like the Ed Asner of the North Pole. He's a tough guy. It's fun to play that kind of stuff. It was a new take on the whole elf thing at the time. Even Will Ferrell's Buddy the Elf is a lot more bright-eyed and bushy-tailed in comparison. Bernard is more of an old soul."

THE SANTA CLAUSES - “Chapter 5: Across the Yule-Verse” (Disney/James Clark) TIM ALLEN, DAVID KRUMHOLTZ
THE SANTA CLAUSES - “Chapter 5: Across the Yule-Verse” (Disney/James Clark) TIM ALLEN, DAVID KRUMHOLTZ

James Clark/Disney Bernard (David Krumholtz) on 'The Santa Clauses.'

Krumholtz teases that his episode will introduce important lore for The Santa Clauses franchise.

"In my episode, we learn a lot about who Santa Claus really is, who he has been, who the elves are, and why they exist," Krumholtz says. "It's all brought into some perspective instead of just accepting the fact that there are pointy-eared elves working somewhere on the top of the Earth for a jolly, bearded, fat man. It's a mix of the actual history of the myth of Santa Claus that has been written about for hundreds of years, and some new stuff thrown in to make sense of it all. It's really, really brilliant."

Krumholtz continues, "when I read it, I was so moved by it. It's this real, genuine attempt to sort create a lineage for Santa Claus and for the elves. So you get an idea of what exactly happened that night in the first movie when the Santa Claus fell off Scott Calvin's roof, why Scott Calvin became Santa Claus, why it was him and not someone else. Did Santa really die when he fell off that roof? What really went on that night? What actually happens to Santas and to elves? Without giving too much away, it's kind of like a multiversal origin story of Christmas."

THE SANTA CLAUSES - “Chapter 5: Across the Yule-Verse” (Disney/James Clark) TIM ALLEN, DAVID KRUMHOLTZ
THE SANTA CLAUSES - “Chapter 5: Across the Yule-Verse” (Disney/James Clark) TIM ALLEN, DAVID KRUMHOLTZ

James Clark/Disney Scott Calvin (Tim Allen) and Bernard (David Krumholtz) on 'The Santa Clauses.'

THE SANTA CLAUSES - “Chapter 5: Across the Yule-Verse” (Disney/James Clark) TIM ALLEN, DAVID KRUMHOLTZ
THE SANTA CLAUSES - “Chapter 5: Across the Yule-Verse” (Disney/James Clark) TIM ALLEN, DAVID KRUMHOLTZ

James Clark/Disney Scott Calvin (Tim Allen) and Bernard (David Krumholtz) on 'The Santa Clauses.'

Watch the clip above. The first four episodes of The Santa Clauses are streaming now on Disney+, with the final two episodes coming this week and next.

Make sure to check out EW's Fall TV Preview cover story — as well as all of our 2022 Fall TV Preview content, releasing over 22 days through Sept. 29.

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