Voir
Monday, December 6th
The pandemic has meant that lots of films that should be seen at the movies have gone straight to streaming. This six-part documentary series from the directors David Fincher and David Prior attempts to reignite our love of the big screen. With screenwriters, animators and critics talking about the power of cinema, it's both a celebration and an appeal to audiences to return to the comforting darkness of the movie theatre and remember how it felt to be transported to another world.
Saturday Morning All Star Hits!
Friday, December 10th
Saturday Night Live's Kyle Mooney spoofs the Day-Glo mayhem of Saturday-morning kids' shows with this irreverent mix of live action and adult animation in which he plays twins Skip and Treybor, its surfer-dude hosts. The MTV-esque duo introduce cartoons based on 1980s favourites such as Jem and Dungeons & Dragons.
Selling Tampa
Monday, December 15th
Capitalising on the success of Selling Sunset, Netflix branches out with a Florida sister series following the upmarket Allure Reality, an all-black, all-woman estate agency whose fiercely ambitious squad won't let supposed loyalties come between them and a significant payday. These heightened-reality shows that focus on the delicious drama behind the bleached smiles, voluminous hair extensions and perfectly manicured nails are the new Dynasty.
The Witcher season 2
Friday, December 17th
Henry Cavill and his luscious locks are back after the first series of this fantasy epic proved a hit with its unintentional camp value and Mills & Boon-style softcore eroticism. Picking up from last season, Cavill's monster hunter, Geralt of Rivera, brings Princess Ciri to the safety of his childhood home, so allowing several new Witchers to be introduced to the story – in which Ciri and Geralt are both struggling with containing the young princess's powers.
Emily in Paris season 2
Wednesday, December 22nd
Hate-watchers and comfort-viewers can unite for the return of a favourite American annoyance, Darren Star's frothy tribute to the imaginary Paris of Ratatouille and The Devil Wears Prada, starring Lily Collins, which became perhaps the most divisive hit of 2020. Emily in Paris is like a live-action Taylor Swift song, a pretty souffle that some enjoy but leaves others queasy.
Crime Scene: The Times Square Killer
Wednesday, December 29th
Joe Berlinger, maker of Paradise Lost and Some Kind of Monster, returns with the story of the notorious serial killer Richard Cottingham, who haunted New York throughout the 1970s and 1980s. With Manhattan overrun with crime, Cottingham, aka the Times Square Torso Ripper, was able to carry out his atrocities for over a decade. He claimed responsibility for at least 80 murders.
Anxious People
Wednesday, December 29th
Based on the novel by Fredrik Backman, Anxious People is a Swedish dramedy about a heist gone wrong. After a bungled attempt to "rob" a cashless bank, a hapless criminal takes eight strangers hostage at a house viewing, then absconds. When father-and-son police officers Jack and Jim try to unravel what happened, the hostages' stories are confusingly contradictory.
Kitz
Thursday, December 30th
This flashy new teen drama is a German answer to Netflix's sexy Spanish school series, Elite. A year after the death of her brother, small-town girl Lisi gets mixed up with a debauched clique who take over a ski resort every year for decadent parties. Then she discovers that Vanessa, the queen bee of the crew, was the last person to speak to him. With its genetically blessed cast, stunning surroundings, bitchy one-liners and mild mystery plot, Kitz should appeal to fans of Pretty Little Liars and Gossip Girl.
Stay Close
Friday, December 31st
Stay Close, the latest Harlan Coben mystery from the author's Netflix deal, stars the reliable James Nesbitt and the underrated Sarah Parish in a thriller about three people hiding dark secrets that threaten to destroy their seemingly idyllic lives. Megan (Cush Jumbo) is a hard-working, unassuming mother of three; Ray (Richard Armitage) is a frustrated documentary photographer relegated to pandering to obnoxious rich kids; Broome (Nesbitt) is a cynical detective tormented by a missing-person case he couldn't solve. When Megan's old friend Lorraine (Sarah Parish) arrives back in her life she resurrects past conflicts as the trio are left wondering if it is possible to ever truly know someone. Expect Coben's signature stew of intrigue, discombobulating theories and perplexing twists.
Queer Eye season 6
Friday, December 31st
The "new year, new you" mantra may feel redundant in the Covid era, but that won't stop Netflix's fab five from doing all they can to revive flagging spirits as they travel to Austin, Texas, to improve the lives of frontline workers and others deeply affected by the pandemic. Expect heartbreaking stories and uplifting insights, as well as sexy salads, style counselling and whatever it is that Karamo does.
