Watch the ‘Shrinking’ S2 finale and more this holiday week!
Watch the ‘Shrinking’ S2 finale and more this holiday week!
Christmas is here, and with it comes some intriguing new TV show and movie premieres on streaming.
We made it, intrepid readers! The holidays are here, which for the vast majority of us means at least one day off per week over the next two weeks. With all that extra time off, you might be worried you’ll run out of things to do, especially if the Christmas cheer gets to be a tad overwhelming.
If you need a break this holiday week, take a look at the titles I’ve selected as the best to stream every day. Christmas specials, live sports, and more are available to watch, and I’ve picked out a list of the very best to help you take a break when you need it most.
Monday, Dec. 23
“Queen Woo” series premiere | Paramount+
There aren’t a ton of new TV shows coming to streaming this week, but the South Korean historical epic “Queen Woo” is finally ready to make its debut on Paramount+. The show shares themes and plot devices used to great effect in “Game of Thrones,” making for an epic experience.
It’s the Goguryeo era of imperial rule in Korea, and the king is dead. As the five tribes across the land vie for power, the newly widowed Queen Woo must establish a new king…by marrying one of the king’s power-hungry brothers in the next 24 hours.
Tuesday, Dec. 24
‘Shrinking’ Season 2 finale | Apple TV+
Is Jimmy going to pull through this time? The therapist and dad are still trying to heal from the death of his wife, but the self-destructive habits from his past are tempting him. Will he actually start to process the grief from her passing, or will he be swallowed up again?
This season of “Shrinking” has been fantastic, and every major character has gotten a terrific storyline of growth. But it all comes back to Jimmy in the end, the character who has been completely unable to do his own self-work and thus buries himself in the lives of others to distract himself. I can’t wait to see the bittersweet ending Season 2 conjures up.
Wednesday, Dec. 25
Christmas Day NFL games | Netflix
There are two NFL games available to stream on Netflix on Christmas. First up, the Kansas City Chiefs travel to Pennsylvania to take on the Pittsburgh Steelers. Then the Baltimore Ravens head down south to face the Houston Texans, with Beyoncé herself set to perform at halftime of the second game.
Netflix
Netflix is a subscription video streaming service that includes on-demand access to 3,000+ movies, 2,000+ TV Shows, and Netflix Originals like Stranger Things, Squid Game, The Crown, Tiger King, and Bridgerton. They are constantly adding new shows and movies. Some of their Academy Award-winning exclusives include Roma, Marriage Story, Mank, and Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom.
The quality of the games alone makes them worth watching for football fans, but it’s impossible to ignore the intrigue factor here as well. Namely, will Netflix be able to pull off the streams? Its offering of the Jake Paul vs. Mike Tyson boxing match went notoriously badly, and all eyes will be on the streamer to make sure it has improved the quality of its live streaming ability.
Thursday, Dec. 26
‘Squid Game’ Season 2 | Netflix
The notorious “Squid Game” on Netflix has spawned real-life imitators, but nothing has been able to match the dystopian show quite yet. Good thing the original itself is coming back for another jaw-dropping season of episodes to end 2024 with a bang.
Three years after winning Squid Game, Player 456 gave up on going to the States and came back with a new resolution in his mind. Gi-hun once again dives into the mysterious survival game, starting another life-or-death game with new participants gathered to win the prize of 45.6 billion won.
Friday, Dec. 27
‘Nightbitch’ streaming premiere | Hulu
Amy Adams stars in this black comedy about a stay-at-home mom who is starting to feel like she left her real life behind when she had children. Every time she turns around, there’s a new disaster to clean up, or a child to keep from literally drinking out of the toilet.
Her domesticity is taking a rough toll, so rough that when she finally has time to herself at night, she begins to turn a bit…feral. The real question becomes whether or not she’ll come back to her real life, now that she’s harnessed the power within her after dark.
Saturday, Dec. 28
‘The Pioneer Woman’ Season 37 finale | Food Network, stream with a seven-day free trial of Philo
Award-winning blogger and best-selling cookbook author Ree Drummond shares her special brand of home cooking from down on the ranch. She creates menus for every occasion, from last-minute family suppers to elegant celebrations.
This finale episode is entitled “New House Brunch,” and will likely feature some fantastic ideas for your own New Year’s brunch, should you happen to be hosting. You can also find past episodes of the show available to stream on-demand on Max, in case you need an idea or two for your holiday leftovers.
Sunday, Dec. 28
“What If…?” Season 3 finale | Disney+
This series is, without a doubt, one of the most interesting offerings from the Marvel Cinematic Universe available on Disney+. It takes viewers through the Marvel multiverse, telling stories they’ll find familiar, but with fascinating hypotheticals thrown into the equation.
This season, viewers have been treated to premises like what would happen if the Avengers were all giant mechs, or what could take place if Agatha Harkness took her talents to Hollywood. In the third season finale, the series will take viewers deeper into the multiverse than they’ve ever been before…