Who couldn't love it? Some guy in the tech room at Channel 11 decides that he's going to show footage of a fireplace for four hours on Christmas Eve, repeated on Christmas morning, and accompany it with Christmas music. Throw in a stereo simulcast on FM radio, and you have a can't-miss hit. New York cavedwellers could at least get the FEEL of a nice Christmas fire.
Still, the show jumped the shark when they replaced the original 17-second footage from Gracie Mansion with a seven-minute reel shot in California ON THE FOURTH OF JULY! We have "same character, different actor" for the log, and, like on I Love Lucy, they jumped the shark again when they moved from NY to CA. All that is missing is to add Ted McGinley as the narrator!! Finally, the show jumped the shark as CSI did when it syndicated to other cities, including those where most people own homes and have access to fireplaces.
Don't get me wrong: I love the log, and back in the pre-internet, pre-cable (for most of us) days, it was a big event in New York and very often has won its time slot. Its beauty is in its simplicity, and it never grows old or tired. It also ensures that its younger audience will get exposed to the marvelous sounds of Christmas as sung by Percy Faith. Come to think of it, "The Christmas Song" also jumped the shark because it was recorded on a 100-degree day in the middle of summer, when the artist and crew tried to drum up "cool" imagery in an attempt to beat the heat.
Long live the log!