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It’s almost time to saddle up for 1923
By the end of December, the knives will be out, but in the meantime, the side is South. Season 3 of South Side, a brilliant comedy more people should be talking about, kicked off Dec. 8 on HBO Max. While you’re clearing your watchlist for it, save room for Little America, another under-the-radar series, which returned for Season 2 on Dec. 9 on Apple TV+. But the biggest titles come later this month, and we’re not just talking about Knives Out sequel Glass Onion. Yellowstone prequel 1923 premieres Dec. 18 on Paramount+, and Emily in Paris returns for Season 3 on Dec. 21 on Netflix. Yeehaw and magnifique, respectively.
Our guide to the best TV in December is divided into three sections: the best shows and movies to watch in the month, the best shows to watch by streaming service, and a calendar of TV highlights. And because this is December, we’ve added a Christmas movies section, complete with lists of new and classic holiday films. Whatever you’re looking for, you’ll find it below.
Last month’s guide: The Ultimate Guide to What to Watch on HBO Max, Apple TV+, Netflix, and More in November
Glass Onion
Bashir Salahuddin and Diallo Riddle‘s brilliant and bizarre comedy returns for its second season on HBO Max (the first was on Comedy Central). I once described this as a live-action take on The Simpsons‘ "22 Short Films About Springfield," except set in the South Side of Chicago, and I stand by that. It’s one of my favorite comedies, with a cast of kooky characters that bring this crazy community to life. Absolutely hilarious. –Tim Surette [Trailer]
The long-awaited (by me, at least) second season of the heartfelt, comedic anthology based on real-life stories of American immigrants finally arrives. Season 1 was a quiet treasure when it premiered in early 2020, and in Season 2 you’ll melt when you see how a Korean boy became one of Detroit’s biggest hat makers for the women of Black churches. The Big Sick‘s Kumail Nanjiani and Master of None‘s Alan Yang serve as executive producers, so you know it will make you laugh AND cry. –Tim Surette [Trailer]
This genre-bending series adaptation of Octavia E. Butler‘s genre-bending 1979 novel is a sci-fi psychological thriller about race and generational trauma. It’s an ambitious show with big ideas. It follows Dana James (Mallori Johnson), a young Black woman and aspiring writer who moves to Los Angeles and becomes unstuck in time, flashing back and forth between the present and a plantation in 1815, a place she and her family are intimately connected to. Zola‘s Janicza Bravo directs the pilot, and Darren Aronofsky is an executive producer. All eight episodes of Season 1 come out on Tuesday, Dec. 13. –Liam Mathews [Trailer] [Review]
Maybe Taylor Sheridan will eventually run out of years to name Yellowstone spin-offs, but that day hasn’t come yet. 1923, set about 30 or 35 years before the birth of Kevin Costner’s John Dutton III and about 40 years after the events of 1883, stars Harrison Ford (!) and Helen Mirren (!), and finds the Dutton family struggling to survive Prohibition, a historic drought, and an epidemic of cattle theft. I hope the next entry in the universe introduces us to the Duttons of the future. Maybe they can try to colonize Mars. –Allison Picurro [Trailer]
Amazon Prime Video has become a home for what we affectionately call "dad shows," the kinds of series adapted from Father’s Day books about CIA agents, lone wolf detectives, and military vets. One of the shows that got it started was Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan, a prequel series following the character made famous in film and on the page before he went hunting for Red October or summed up all the fears. John Krasinski returns as the young field agent, but this season he’s on the run from his own peeps when he uncovers a grand conspiracy. This one is gonna be big. –Tim Surette [Trailer]
The first Knives Out was a box office smash, and the sequel got the widest (though brief) theatrical release for a Netflix movie ever, but make no mistake, this stylish sequel is a Netflix film. Daniel Craig returns as master detective Benoit Blanc, who’s tasked with solving a murder mystery at a Greek villa that starts out as a game and turns real. The cast includes Edward Norton, Kate Hudson, and Dave Bautista. In his review for TV Guide, Jordan Hoffman gave it a 9 out of 10, an exceptionally high score for any movie, let alone a Netflix Original in 2022. –Liam Mathews [Trailer]
Fresh off the success of Everything Everywhere All At Once, Michelle Yeoh stars in this four-episode limited series spin-off of The Witcher. She plays the last member of a tribe of sword-elves who sets out on a quest to retrieve a stolen blade that’s sacred to her people. It’s an origin story of how the monster-slayers known as Witchers came to be. It could either be one for the diehard Witcher heads, or more accessible to non-nerds than that hardcore fantasy series. Watch it and see! –Liam Mathews [Trailer]
John Krasinski and Michael Kelly, Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan
Is it Father’s Day or is it Christmas? Because dads are getting the greatest gift of all this December: a third season of Amazon Prime Video’s Jack Ryan. The new season comes Dec. 21, more than two years after the second season aired, and it beats a tie and a sweater. There are also a pair of good looking movies coming: the immigrant horror story Nanny and the touching documentary Wildcat. And Freevee, Amazon’s free streaming service, is streaming all five seasons of Person of Interest at the top of the month. Here’s our list of the best shows and movies on Amazon Prime Video in December, plus everything coming to Prime Video in December.
More on Amazon:
Mallori Johnson, Kindred
December 2022 is a rare month when Hulu doesn’t have a star-studded limited series adaptation of a true crime tale or a popular contemporary novel (check out November releases Welcome to Chippendales and Fleishman Is in Trouble if that’s what you’re looking for, they’re both good). Instead, Hulu is focusing on some of the other things it does well, with highlights including the FX-produced elevated sci-fi series Kindred, cheeky reality dating series Back in the Groove, and indie comedy movie I Love My Dad. Hulu is even getting in on the original Christmas movie action with raunchy comedy It’s a Wonderful Binge. Here’s our list of the best shows and movies on Hulu in December, plus everything coming to Hulu in December
More on Hulu:
Lily Collins, Emily in Paris
Even if there aren’t a lot of presents under your tree this December, Netflix is still delivering gifts to you all month long. The world’s most popular streamer is bringing back two of its biggest shows in some form or another. Emily in Paris is returning for Season 3 on Dec. 21, while The Witcher is getting a limited series prequel, The Witcher: Blood Origin, on Christmas Day. It’s also shaking up its strategy of making intentionally bad movies with some movies that are actually trying to be good, like director Guillermo del Toro’s stop-motion Pinocchio and the star-studded Knives Out sequel Glass Onion, starring Daniel Craig as the Foghorn Leghorn-accented detective Benoit Blanc. Here’s our list of the best shows and movies on Netflix in December, plus everything coming to and leaving Netflix in December.
More on Netflix:
Eli Brown and Jordan Alexander, Gossip Girl
If you’re looking for another reason to put off Christmas shopping, HBO and HBO Max have a bunch. The best new shows and movies coming to HBO and HBO Max in December include the latest season of Gossip Girl, the final season of His Dark Materials, and the return of South Side. But there are some surprising returns, too, like the second seasons of Billie Piper’s British dark comedy I Hate Suzie and Terence Nance’s experimental comedy Random Acts of Flyness. Looking a little deeper, Doom Patrol returns to HBO Max and HBO has the docuseries Branson, covering billionaire and space enthusiast Richard Branson. And for you movie buffs, there’s Amsterdam and The Banshees Of Inisherin. Here’s our list of the best shows and movies on HBO and HBO Max in December, plus everything coming to HBO and HBO Max in December.
More on HBO and HBO Max:
Horseifan Fard and Harrison Ford, 1923
Of the remaining major streaming services, Apple TV+ has the best lineup in December, thanks to the early December returns of the spy dramedy Slow Horses (Dec. 2) and the immigrant anthology Little America (Dec. 9), as well as the return of Will Smith to our lives in the film Emancipation (Dec. 9). If you liked the National Treasure films but thought they could use a little less Nicolas Cage, then what is wrong with you? But also, you’ll like Disney+’s new series National Treasure: Edge of History (Dec. 14). There are holiday specials on ABC and NBC, as well as the familiar ball-dropping New Year’s Eve celebrations, but the biggest reason to celebrate will probably be the debut of the Yellowstone prequel 1923, which hits Paramount+ on Dec. 18.
More on Apple TV+, Peacock, Disney+, and Paramount+:
Looking for fall schedules and premiere dates for ABC, NBC, CBS, the CW, and Fox? Right this way.
Peter Billingsley, Erinn Hayes, and Julie Hagerty, A Christmas Story Christmas
Is it even Christmas without watching Clark Griswold’s turkey wheeze? Can we even be jolly if we don’t see Lock, Shock, and Barrel kidnap Sandy Claws? Can the season be merry before a small-town candle shop owner fends off a developer from selling the town square? No. That’s why it’s imperative that we watch a Christmas movie this month. We’re ready to both jingle and jangle, which is why we’ve put together a bunch of lists of the best Christmas movies and specials to watch.
Thursday, Dec. 1
Branson (HBO)
Dolly Parton’s Mountain Magic Christmas (NBC)
Gossip Girl Season 2 (HBO Max)
A Hollywood Christmas (HBO Max)
The Masked Scammer (Netflix)
Sort Of Season 2 (HBO Max)
Troll (Netflix)
Friday, Dec. 2
Darby and the Dead (Hulu)
Firefly Lane Season 2 (Netflix)
Lady Chatterley’s Lover (Netflix)
Matt Rogers: Have You Heard of Christmas? (Showtime)
Riches (Prime Video)
Scrooge: A Christmas Carol (Netflix)
Slow Horses Season 2 (Apple TV+)
Sr. (Netflix)
Three Pines (Prime Video)
Your Christmas or Mine? (Prime Video)
Bros (Peacock)
Sunday, Dec. 4
George & Tammy (Showtime)
Monday, Dec. 5
Back in the Groove (Hulu)
His Dark Materials Season 3 (HBO)
Tuesday, Dec. 6
2022 People’s Choice Awards (NBC)
Who Killed Jenni Rivera? (Peacock)
Wednesday, Dec. 7
Connect (Hulu)
Too Hot to Handle Season 4 (Netflix)
Thursday, Dec. 8
Doom Patrol Season 4 (HBO Max)
The Elephant Whisperers (Netflix)
Retrograde (Nat Geo)
South Side Season 3 (HBO Max)
Friday, Dec. 9
Christmas Bloody Christmas (Shudder)
Emancipation (Apple TV+)
Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio (Netflix)
Idina Menzel: Which Way to the Stage? (Disney+)
It’s a Wonderful Binge (Hulu)
Little America Season 2 (Apple TV+)
Money Heist: Korea – Joint Economic Area Part 2 (Netflix)
Something From Tiffany’s (Prime Video)
Saturday, Dec. 10
Atsuko Okatsuka: The Intruder (HBO)
Monday, Dec. 12
Baking It Season 2 (Peacock)
Baking It Celebrity Holiday Special (NBC)
Tuesday, Dec. 13
30 for 30: Jeanette Lee Vs. (ESPN)
Dr. Seuss Baking Challenge (Prime Video/Freevee)
Kindred (Hulu)
Last Chance U: Basketball Season 2 (Netflix)
Pelosi in the House (HBO)
Banshees of Inisherin (HBO)
Wednesday, Dec. 14
Don’t Pick Up the Phone (Netflix)
National Treasure: Edge of History (Disney+)
A Very Backstreet Holiday (ABC)
Thursday, Dec. 15
Beauty and the Beast: A 30th Celebration (ABC)
The Game Season 2 (Paramount+)
Who Killed Santa? A Murderville Murder Mystery (Netflix)
Friday, Dec. 16
Bardo, False Chronicle of a Handful of Truths (Netflix)
Cook at All Costs (Netflix)
Dance Monsters (Netflix)
If These Walls Could Sing (Disney+)
Litvinenko (AMC+/Sundance Now)
Nanny (Prime Video)
The Recruit (Netflix)
The Volcano: Rescue From Whakaari (Netflix)
Sunday, Dec. 18
1923 (Paramount+)
Monday, Dec. 19
Lego Masters: Celebrity Holiday Bricktacular (Fox)
The Wheel (NBC)
Tuesday, Dec. 20
Mariah Carey: Merry Christmas to All (CBS)
Wednesday, Dec. 21
Emily in Paris Season 3 (Netflix)
I Am a Killer Season 4 (Netflix)
Jack Ryan Season 3 (Prime Video)
Thursday, Dec. 22
Alice in Borderland Season 2 (Netflix)
The Best Man: The Final Chapters (Peacock)
The Head (HBO Max)
I Hate Suzie Season 2 (HBO Max)
Top Gun: Maverick (Paramount+)
Friday, Dec. 23
Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery (Netflix)
Piñata Masters! (Netflix)
Friday, Dec. 25
Roald Dahl’s Matilda the Musical (Netflix)
The Witcher: Blood Origin (Netflix)
Saturday, Dec. 26
Letterkenny Season 11 (Hulu)
Treason (Netflix)
Sunday, Dec. 27
Chelsea Handler: Revolution (Netflix)
José Andrés and Family in Spain (Discovery+)
Wednesday, Dec. 28
The Circle Season 5 (Netflix)
Encanto at the Hollywood Bowl (Disney+)
Love Is Blind: Brazil Season 2 (Netflix)
Friday, Dec. 30
They Cloned Tyrone (Netflix)
White Noise (Netflix)
Wildcat (Prime Video)
Saturday, Dec. 31
Dick Clark New Year’s Rockin’ Eve With Ryan Seacrest 2023 (ABC)
Lizzo: Live in Concert (HBO Max)
Miley’s New Year’s Eve Party (NBC)
New Year’s Eve Live: Nashville’s Big Bash (CBS)