Bernard will be essential to The Santa Clauses Disney+ television show, according to the series creator. The character of Bernard the Elf, played by David Krumholtz, was introduced in 1994's The Santa Clause, serving as a deadpan straight-man to Tim Allen's overwhelmed titular character and the excitable elves. Bernard was a refreshing and peculiar character who to age normally, which set him apart from the other elves, and acted as a Santa lore master to begrudgingly help the new Santa. Though Bernard returned in 2002's The Santa Clause 2, he didn't appear in The Santa Clause 3: The Escape Clause, four years later.
Despite Bernard's crucial role in the first two films, he wasn't even mentioned in the franchise's third installment, with no explanation given for his absence. Luckily for fans of the character, his return was confirmed in new sequel show The Santa Clauses earlier this year. While speaking with TVLine, executive producer and director Jason Winer reveals that viewers will finally get their answers about where Bernard has been since The Santa Clause 2, and that the series will finally reveal "why [Bernard] has aged unlike other elves.” In addition, series creator Jack Burditt explains the part that Bernard will play in the upcoming show. See what he has to say below:
“He is in an episode. He plays a pivotal part in teaching Scott some things that maybe he didn’t know, either about the mantle of Santa Claus or himself. We’re playing with this idea that Scott doesn’t… know a lot about his role as Santa Claus. He just knows how he became Santa Claus, and there is a lot of information withheld from him. Bernard unlocks a lot of that information when he comes back."
Could Bernard Be The Next Santa?
The Santa Clauses will follow Allen's character Scott Calvin as he seeks to find a replacement for himself as Santa so he can retire and settle down with his family. Given this theme, it seems possible that the series could be working up to the reveal that the perfect Santa was in front of Scott's eyes the whole time. Bernard would be an ideal candidate for the role, should he desire to take up the mantle, since he has displayed plenty of insider knowledge about Santa's mythology and responsibilities.
In addition, Bernard would be an entertaining choice for the part of Santa, since his grumpy, no-nonsense demeanor would clash humorously with Santa's notorious cheer, repeating one of the most successful aspects of the original Santa Clause. A popular fan theory that explains Bernard's strange stature and aging process compared to the other elves posits that the elf was the son of the previous Santa, which could mean that he is destined for the mantle. This possibility, along with Bernard's status as a fan-favorite character who was underutilized by the franchise, would be a satisfying conclusion to his character's journey.
However, the elf may not want the suit, either due to being satisfied with his place as an elf or content to chase a different future, possibly linked to his long absence from the Santa Clause franchise. Plus, Burditt's comment that Bernard "is in an episode" seems to indicate that his appearance will be a one-off in the series to dispel pivotal information rather than a longer arc. Regardless of who ends up as Santa in The Santa Clauses, it will be a treat for viewers to see Bernard back in his pointy shoes when the series debuts next week.
Source: TVLine