What are you going to be watching this week? We round up everything coming to streaming services this week, including Netflix, Amazon Prime, Disney+, Apple TV+, ThreeNow, Neon and TVNZ+.
This series, based on the 2007film of the same name, stars Ryan Philippe in the lead role of Swagger (which I assume is a biblical name), a retired soldier and sniper who is living in seclusion, but is coaxed back into action after learning of a plot to kill the President. Le gasp! It’s not a new series, airing from 2016 to 2018, but it got pretty decent reviews and if you’re looking to ease into December with a light watch, you could do worse. / Sam Brooks
Sanditon (three seasons on TVNZ+ from December 6)
No, this isn’t a spinoff of Bridgerton, but it’s not far off. Adapted from Jane Austen’s unfinished manuscript, this series is set during the Regency era, where a chance accident brings the young and naive Charlotte Heywood (Rose Williams from Reign) to Sanditon, a seaside resort on the cusp of dramatic change. There’s also quite a bit of sex and nudity, apparently, so viewers beware/enjoy. / SB
Hilda (season three on Netflix from December 7)
Hilda is, no joke, one of the best things to ever come out of Netflix. This series, returning for its third and final season, follows a young girl who grows up with her mother Johanna in a small cabin near the walled-in city of Trolberg, between the 1980s-90s. When they move to the city, Hilda befriends a deerfox Twig, an elf named Alfur, and goes on adventures collecting mysterious animals and spirits. It’s honestly brilliant, with some gorgeous animation. / SB
The notables
Nashville (all seasons on ThreeNow from December 6)
This is my scorching hot take: Nashville was one of the best dramas on TV during its run. It was definitely the best soap opera, and I say that with no shade. The series follows the lives of (fictional) country music singers in Nashville, starring Connie Britton as Rayna Jaymes, a legendary country music superstar whose career is on the wane, while Hayden Panettiere plays rising star Juliette Barnes. Also? The music is really, really damn good. / SB
There She Goes (all seasons and special on Neon from December 6)
Shaun Pye, who you might remember as Ricky Gervais’ acting nemesis on Extras, created this comedy-drama series based on his own experiences with his daughter, who was born with a chromosomal disorder (DYRK1A syndrome). The show follows the life of learning-disabled Rosie (Miley Locke), and her parents Simon (David Tennant) and Emily (Jessica Hynes), featuring frequent flashbacks to Rosie’s infancy and pre-school life. Reviews of this one were really positive, so if this sounds like your vibe, you know where to go. / SB
Doctor Who: The Giggle (special on Disney+ from December 10)
It’s been a hard few years to be a Doctor Who fan. Several mediocre seasons made it seem as though the show was destined to be cancelled for the second time in its 60-year history. But now, with returning talent behind and in front of the camera in the forms of writer Russell T. Davies and stars David Tennant and Catherine Tate, it’s starting to feel like Doctor Who has been saved from extinction. The uniquely British show has partnered with Disney+, bringing international production values to a programme that has historically been made on a shoestring budget. Hype for these three specials, celebrating six decades of the time lord, is at an all-time high. / Stewart Sowman-Lund
Leave the World Behind (on Netflix from December 8)
I’ve been looking forward to this one! Based on Rumaan Alam’s acclaimed 2020 novel, this film follows a family who embark on a vacation just as a world-changing event is about to happen. Sam Esmail (Mr. Robot, The Homecoming) directs a cast led by Julia Roberts, Ethan Hawke and Mahershala Al. There’s no way this film can go wrong. The plot? It will thicken. / SB
Book Club: The Next Chapter (on Neon and Prime Video from December 9)
If you saw the original Book Club, starring Diane Keaton, Mary Steenburgen, Jane Fonda and Candice Bergen, and thought (correctly) that it absolutely needed a sequel, then you’re in for a treat. This sequel sees the four women travel to Rome after the Covid-19 lockdowns for a wild journey of culture clashes, age-related humour and nowhere near enough actual book reading. Delightful! / SB
Theatre Camp (on Disney+ from December 6)
“The eccentric staff of a rundown theatre camp in upstate New York must band together with the beloved founder’s son to keep the camp afloat.” If that sounds even remotely like your jam, you probably caught this film’s limited theatrical run already. If you’re on the fence, just check out the cast: Noah Galvin, Molly Gordon, Ben Platt, Patti Harrison, Nathan Lee Graham, Ayo Edebiri, and Amy Sedaris. / SB
