A Money Heist Prequel Leads Netflix's Best December Releases

Don’t expect a ton of holiday offerings from Netflix next month — along with the digital premiere of Todd Haynes’ May December (12/3), the streamer has the end of the world (in the form of an animated comedy from Dan Guterman) and the end of The Crown on its mind.

But fans of Money Heist (originally Casa de Papel) will get to unwrap a new, Berlin-focused prequel that’s primarily set in Paris. And, as long as we’re there, we can check out a new French crime drama created by Kamel Guemra.

Blood Coast (December 6)

This gritty thriller is set in Marseilles, where a team of police officers try to follow the money back to the drug lord in charge of it all. Though it doesn’t look as cerebral as The Wire — which, despite featuring a whole host of ruthless characters, sought to encompass the big picture in the War on Drugs in its first season — Blood Coast does have a ton of action in store. Consider it an antidote to all the holiday cheer.

The Great British Baking Show: Holidays Season 6 (December 8)

Paul Hollywood and Prue Leith will once again spend the Holidays judging seasonally appropriate treats. These specials are as reliable, if not varied, as Hallmark holiday movies. And who knows, maybe there’ll be a Christmas miracle, and Prue will come up with her own version of the Hollywood handshake.

Carol and the End of the World (December 14)

As we enter the last days of 2023, including the one with the least amount of sunlight, it seems as good a time as any to indulge in what kind of looks like Melancholia: The Animated Series. Carol and the End of the World actually comes from Dan Guterman (Rick and Morty), and stars Baskets’ Martha Kelly as the titular character, a quiet woman, who, when she finds out a planet will soon crash into Earth, exterminating all life, still can’t bring herself to make the most of her remaining days.

But, like the short-lived You, Me, and the Apocalypse, Carol and the End of the World is hardly a bleak affair. Guterman calls it “a love letter to routine. A show about the comforts of monotony. An animated and existential comedy about the daily rituals that make up the gaps that make up a life.”

Trevor Noah: Where Was I (December 19)

Since leaving The Daily Show, Trevor Noah has taken to roaming the Earth (and podcasting). Now, he’s compiled all his humorous musings about international travel for his latest Netflix comedy special, Where Was I. The stand-up special was directed by longtime collaborator David Paul Meyer, and filmed in Detroit’s historic Fox Theatre.

Berlin (December 29)

Origin stories are about as played out as superheroes at this point, but this Money Heist prequel centered on Pedro Alonso’s character isn’t some deep dive into his psyche. Creator Alex Pina keeps things light in Berlin, with a dashing lead (Alonso, reprising the role of criminal mastermind Berlin) and a crew of misfits from all walks of life.