Though there will certainly be plenty of festive offerings, December TV is more action-packed than ever. Netflix will unveil a new Witcher series (after all, what's Christmas without some Elves?) as FX brings its highly anticipated adaptation of Octavia Butler's Kindred to streaming. Noah Centineo gets into some spy shenanigans in The Recruit, while Apple TV+ takes us through Little America. The National Treasure franchise opens up a new chapter, and Harrison Ford and Helen Mirren join forces in 1923. But if you're still hankering for holiday treats, Prime Video has a new baking challenge filled with Dr. Seuss-inspired feats.
Here are the shows the Primetimer staff can’t wait to watch this December:
Premieres December 4 on Showtime
Premieres December 9 on Apple TV+
It's taken nearly three years, but Little America is back with a new collection of stories adapted from Vox Media's Epic Magazine. This warm-hearted anthology series comes from Lee Eisenberg and Siân Heder, who executive produce alongside Alan Yang, Kumail Nanjiani (now starring in Welcome to Chippendales), and Emily V. Gordon. Although the series title seems to suggest this is understated TV, each season is a rich mosaic made up of immigrant experiences. The latest batch of episodes journeys from Minneapolis, where a Somali chef braces for the state fair, down to Texas for a kissing marathon and some good, old-fashioned disappointing your immigrant parents. Season 2 features performances by Shaun Toub, Isuri Wijesundara, Phylicia Rashad, Alan S. Kim, and Ki Hong Lee. — Danette Chavez
Complete series available December 13 on Hulu
Other cast members include Ryan Kwanten (True Blood) and Gayle Rankin (GLOW) as the plantation owner and his wife, respectively. Playwright Branden Jacobs-Jenkins, who served as a consulting producer on Watchmen, adapts Butler’s novel. Zola director Janzica Bravo helmed the pilot episode. Kindred is a genre-blending classic of late 20th-century literature, so expectations are high. All eight episodes of Kindred will drop on Hulu on December 13th. — Joe Reid
Premieres December 13 on Prime Video
Premieres December 14 on Disney+
In addition, original stars Justin Bartha and Harvey Keitel will reprise their respective roles as tech genius Riley Poole and FBI Agent Peter Sadusky. Unfortunately for fans hoping to see Ben Gates steal a different historical document, Cage isn’t expected to appear in the Disney+ thriller, but rumors are swirling that he’ll make a cameo in the not-yet-officially-announced second season. — Claire Spellberg Lustig
Premieres December 16 on Netflix
Premieres December 18 on Paramount+
With its sprawling cast and heavy Yellowstone lore, 1923 seems primed for success. If Ford and Mirren can work their movie star magic, Paramount+ may have an even bigger hit on its hands than 1883, which broke records for the streamer when it was released in late 2021. — Claire Spellberg Lustig
Premieres December 25 on Netflix
The Witcher: Blood Origin will tell the story of the very first Witcher, part of a line of mystical monster slayers who — at least, when they're played by Henry Cavill — are so ripped they wear out their armor. This Netflix prequel will also go deeper into Elven lore and trace the events that lead to the "Conjunction of the Spheres." But if none of that means much to you, or you just never got into the books or games, then know this: Michelle Yeoh stars as Scian, the last of a nomadic tribe of sword-elves. Yeoh was dynamic as part of Star Trek: Discovery, but Blood Origin offers the chance to watch her brandishing a magical sword in the face of impossible odds. The Witcher franchise has been a hit for Netflix, though the changing of the guard in the original series could make it a dicier prospect going forward. But with Yeoh co-leading a new installment, the future of this fantasy world still looks bright. — Danette Chavez
TOPICS: Netflix, Apple TV+, Disney+, FX, Paramount+, Showtime, 1923, Dr Seuss Baking Challenge, George & Tammy, Kindred, Little America, National Treasure: Edge of History, The Recruit, The Witcher: Blood Origin