From a Star Wars spin-off to the return of Squid Game, here’s the best of streaming in December
From a Star Wars spin-off told from a kids’ perspective to a star-studded spy thriller and the return of an instant Korean classic, there’s plenty of quality to stream in December.
From a Star Wars spin-off from a kids’ perspective to the long-awaited return of Korean instant classic Squid Games, there’s plenty of streaming to savour in December.
BINGE
CREATURE COMMANDOS
DECEMBER 5
If you’re going to make a show about a rag-tag group of misfits with special abilities, James Gunn is the man to do it having already proven his chops with the hugely successful Guardians of the Galaxy trilogy for Marvel and the slick The Suicide Squad for DC. With plenty of gore and violence, this adults, animated adventure is closer to the latter – indeed set in the same world – and marks the beginning of Gunn’s new DC Universe. Viola Davis reprises her Peacemaker and Suicide Squad role as the morally flexible Amanda Waller, who, after being told she’s no longer allowed to use prisoners for dangerous missions, assembles a team of monsters and freaks with names like The Bride, Doctor Phospherous, G.I. Robot and Weasel.
LAID
DECEMBER 19
American reboots of hit comedies can be pretty hit and miss, but this fresh take on the 2011 Aussie series of the same name created by Marieke Hardy and Kirsty Fisher looks the goods. Oscar nominee Stephanie Hsu (Everything Everywhere All At Once, The Fall Guy) stars as single, 30-something Ruby, whose life is thrown into crisis when she discovers that all of her previous lovers are dying in unusual ways. This sets her on a mission of going through past relationships to warn her exes of the impending danger, while putting serious dampeners on finding new love. The Flight Attendant’s Zosia Mamet plays her sardonic bestie AJ.
ALSO SHOWING
Southern Charm Season 10 – December 6
Jamie’s One Pan Christmas – December 6
Chocolate Queen Christmas – December 10
Call Me Ted – December 11
I Kissed a Girl – December 12
Bookie Season 2 – December 13
Gavin and Stacey: The Finale – December 26
The Last Year of Television 2024 – December 31
STAN
EARTH ABIDES
DECEMBER 2
Based on, and updated from, George R. Stewart’s 1949 novel, this six-part post-apocalyptic sci-fi drama takes place in a world in which humanity has almost been entirely eliminated by a deadly, fact-acting virus. With echoes of 28 Days Later and I Am Legend – but minus the zombies – protagonist Ish (Alexander Ludwig) returns from a period of isolation to find that everyone he knows and loves is dead and has to find a way to survive and find connection in a totally devolved world, with nature fighting back. And, as always in these situations, the most dangerous threat might just be the other survivors and their basest human instincts.
BUMP
DECEMBER 26
Created by Claudia Karvan and Kelsey Munro, one of the most reliable and delightful Australian comedy dramas of recent years is wrapping up with this fifth and final season. The Chalmers-Davies family is wrestling with Angie’s (Karvan) cancer diagnosis and the prospect of a tough treatment, taking the shine off Oly’s (Nathalie Morris) second pregnancy. Meanwhile Dom (Angus Sampson) and Tim (Ryan Johnson) are finally realising their record shop dream, but events from the past threaten to throw a spanner in the works. Expect tears of joy and sadness in equal amounts.
ALSO SHOWING
CMA Country Christmas – December 4
Universal Basic Guys – December 9
PARAMOUNT+
DEXTER: ORIGINAL SIN
DECEMBER 13
After eight seasons, the postscript limited series New Blood and the sequel series Resurrection to come, fans of the titular forensic technician turned avenging serial killer can go back to the beginning with this prequel series. Set in 1991 Miami, it stars Patrick Gibson as the younger Dexter Morgan and traces his journey from student to murderer under the guidance of his father (Christian Slater), who teaches him how to channel his darkest urges and adopt a strict code. Also stars Patrick Dempsey, Sarah Michelle Gellar and the original Dexter, Michael C. Hall, returns to voice the character’s trademark inner monologue.
ALSO SHOWING
When You Finish Saving The World – December 2
SpongeBob & Sandy’s Country Christmas – December 2
Book Club: The Next Chapter – December 9
Isle of MTV Malta 2024 – December 11
Ghosts Season 5 – December 26
DISNEY+
STAR WARS: SKELETON CREW
DECEMBER 3
Longtime friends and collaborators Jon Watts and Chris Ford, who co-wrote Tom Holland’s Spider-Man trilogy, were inspired by beloved ‘80s films such as The Goonies and E.T for this family friendly Star Wars spin-off, which views that very familiar galaxy through the eyes of children for the first time. “Changing the perspective to be through the eyes of four 10 year old kids it changes the way you see it,” says Watts. “And suddenly you get to look at this thing in a completely new way and start to see it in a different way and fall in love with it all over again.” The action follows the four youngsters from a dull but orderly planet who are whisked away in to space after finding a long-dormant spaceship. Using their wits and a battered old droid (voiced by Nick Frost), they have to try to find their way home, with the help of Jude Law’s shady Force user, dodging aliens and pirates along the way.
DREAM PRODUCTIONS
DECEMBER 11
Following the monster success of the inspired Inside Out 2 earlier this year, the geniuses at Pixar have come up with this four part miniseries, set between the two films in the tween mind of Riley. Already glimpsed in the movies, Dream Productions is the part of the brain where dreams are made every night, on time and on budget. Made in the style of a mockumentary, it will feature franchise regulars Amy Poehler (Joy), Tony Hale (Fear), Lewis Black (Anger), Phyllis Smith (Sadness) and Liza Lapira (Disgust) as well as introducing dream directors Paula (Paula Pell) and Xeni (Richard Ayoade).
ALSO SHOWING
Mickey and Minnie’s Christmas Carols – December 4
Elton John: Never Too Late – December 13
The Simpsons: O C’mon All Ye Faithful – December 17
What If … ? Season 3 – December 22
John Williams In Tokyo – December 27
PRIME VIDEO
THE STICKY
DECEMBER 6
Straight from the stranger-than-fiction vaults, this six-episode black comedy is based on the real-life “Great Canadian Maple Syrup Heist”, in which more than $18 million worth of the sweet, sticky stuff was pinched from Quebec’s national reserves (home to 70 per cent of the world’s supply). Three-time Emmy-winner Margo Martindale plays a veteran maple syrup farmer who rebels against the faceless bureaucrats threatening to take away her farm, her husband and her right to freedom. Enlisting the help of a mild-mannered security guard and low-level mobster, she masterminds an audacious robbery like no other.
SECRET LEVEL
DECEMBER 10
The line between video games and the world of film and TV is becoming ever-more blurred, and nowhere more so than in this new adult, animated anthology series. The creative team behind Love, Death and Robots have come up with 15 new episodes, each telling an original story within the worlds of some of the world’s best loved video games, such as Dungeons and Dragons, Honor Of Kings, PAC-MAN and Warhammer 40,000. Not only that, they have also wrangled a stellar voice cast to go with the exquisite animation, including Arnold Schwarzenegger, Kevin Hart and Keanu Reeves.
ALSO SHOWING
Absolution – December 3
Jack In Time for Christmas – December 3
Longlegs – December 11
Bandish Bandits Season 2 – December 13
Culpa Tuya – December 27
APPLE TV+
THE SECRET LIVES OF ANIMALS
DECEMBER 18
After The Year the Earth Changed and the hit Emmy-nominated series Prehistoric Planet, this 10-part nature series marks the third collaboration between Apple TV+ and the BBC Studios Natural History Unit. Narrated using the dulcet tones of Downton Abbey’s Hugh Bonneville, it highlights 77 unique species, in 24 countries, over three years and reveals never-before-seen behaviours that highlight the intelligence of the animal world. Each episode explores a pivotal moment in the life cycle of animals, including birth, leaving home, finding food, raising a family and growing old.
ALSO SHOWING
Fly Me To the Moon – December 6
Wonder Pets: In the City – December 13
Eva the Owlet – December 13
The Secret Lives of Animals – December 18
NETFLIX
BLACK DOVES
DECEMBER 5
Keira Knightley stars in this six-part series as Helen Webb, a wife, mother and professional spy who has been passing on her politician husband’s secrets to the shadowy organisation she works for – the Black Doves – for a decade. But when her secret lover is murdered, her mysterious handler Reed calls in her old friend Sam to make sure she stays alive. Having played nerdy gadget man Q in the James Bond movies, Ben Whishaw effortlessly slips into the skin of a suave, champers-swilling assassin as Sam and the crackling dialogue between him and Knightley as they uncover a huge conspiracy, plus the stylishly shot locations and action sequences have all the hallmarks of a cracking spy thriller.
SQUID GAME
DECEMBER 26
2024 might just be saving the best for last with the long-awaited second season of one of the most surprising and acclaimed shows in recent years. Korean veteran actor Lee Jung-jae returns as Gi-hun – aka Player 456 – the former gambling addict and big-money-winning survivor of the brutal and deadly competition known as the Squid Games. Three years later he’s back in the arena alongside a new squad of competitors ready to put their lives on the line in a series of old and new – but always deadly – tasks for the big prize. But can he use his inside knowledge to survive and win again or is he there to burn the whole enterprise down?
ALSO SHOWING
Paper Dolls – December 1
Churchill At War – December 4
That Christmas – December 4
A Nonsense Christmas With Sabrina Carpenter – December 6
Queer Eye Season 9 – December 11
No Good Deed – December 12
Carry On – December 13
Virgin River Season 6 – December 19
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