Katalin Vermes
The Witcher Henry Cavill
Henry Cavill stars as Geralt of Rivia in The Witcher.
WHAT WE CAN’T WAIT TO WATCH
The Witcher
As the world searches for the next Game Of Thrones, Netflix throws down this lavish sword-and-sorcery series – based on the work of Polish author Andrzej Sapkowski – starring Henry Cavill as Geralt of Rivia, a golden-eyed, white-haired monster hunter who travels the mystical kingdom of The Continent slaying beasts – while also starting to wonder whose will he truly serves. The streaming service is so committed to the show that it has already ordered a second season, and it’s rolling out the episodes of season one weekly, for that extra prestige feel. December 20
Tiffany Haddish: Black Mitzvah
Typically, Jewish girls and boys have their bat mitzvahs and bar mitzvahs when they turn 13. But Tiffany Haddish is celebrating her coming of age on her 40th birthday. The comedian recently learned about her Jewish heritage – her dad was an Eritrean Jew – and wanted to get in touch with her roots. In this stand-up special, Haddish reflects on her life, from being homeless and raising herself, to the time Beyoncé gave her a jumpsuit. No doubt, Haddish’s got chutzpah. December 3
6 Underground
What happens when self-aware action hero Ryan Reynolds teams up with decidedly un-self-aware action director Michael Bay? We’re about to find out in 6 Underground, which appears to be an international explosions-and-shooting picture revolving around an elite team of super-awesome crime fighters who operate with impunity because they’re all dead. We assume it’s just a technical thing, like that they’ve been declared dead to keep their families safe, but if it turns out they’re ghosts or zombies fighting crime, that could be even cooler. December 13
John Mulaney And The Sack Lunch Bunch
Not content with being one of the best regarded stand-ups in America, a delightful voice actor (in Big Mouth and Spider-Man: Into The Spider-Verse) and the wild card that makes his episodes of Documentary Now! really pop, John Mulaney decided he wanted to make a contemporary version of those empowering TV specials he watched as a kid, like Free To Be... You And Me. So Netflix let him, and now it’s here: a sketches-and-songs variety show with Mulaney, children and celebrity guest stars like David Byrne, Natasha Lyonne, Annaleigh Ashford, Richard Kind, André De Shields, Shereen Pimentel and Mysterio himself, Jake Gyllenhaal. We’re listening. December 24
Lost In Space (season 2)
You may recall that the first season of Netflix’s expensive upgrade of the fondly remembered 60s sci-fi series ended with our heroes finally getting lost in space – drawn into a wormhole, specifically, to meet the alien species that created that mysterious Robot. What happens now? More thrilling interstellar adventures, which our codependent family (Toby Stephens, Molly Parker, Taylor Russell, Mina Sundwall and Maxwell Jenkins) will presumably survive by the skin of their collective teeth, while Ignacio Serricchio’s ace pilot Don West tries to help and Parker Posey’s Dr. Smith does her chaotic-neutral thing. It’s what the people want. Read our season 1 review here. December 24
You (season 2)
Just in time for prime bingeing time – i.e. the days before and after Christmas when everyone is permanently in pajamas and robes – the second season of psychological thriller You is back. In the second season, Joe is laying low in California, dealing with his past and searching for love. Although high-brow TV watchers might write this series off as romanticizing stalking, as our reviewer said of the first season, it’s actually a smart satire that skewers modern culture. Read our season 1 review here. December 26
Wilson Webb
Marriage Story Dern Johansson
Laura Dern (left) plays Scarlett Johansson's divorce attorney in Marriage Story.
SOLID BETS
Marriage Story
After ripping people’s hearts out during its all-too-brief theatrical release at the TIFF Bell Lightbox, Noah Baumbach’s devastating study of a dissolving couple may not be as powerful when viewers are able to pause it and go for a walk to shake off the emotional weight. But Adam Driver and Scarlett Johansson’s fully committed performances will pull you along just the same, and the streaming format allows us to immediately revisit key scenes, and marvel at the incredible work Julie Hagerty, Merritt Wever, Ray Liotta, Alan Alda and a never-better Laura Dern are doing in the margins. Read our review here. December 6
The Shape Of Water
Guillermo del Toro’s lyrical Cold War monster movie plays like a cross between Amélie and Creature From The Black Lagoon, as a mute cleaner (Sally Hawkins) working in a secret government facility befriends an amphibious biped (Doug Jones) and decides to spring him from captivity. There aren’t many filmmakers operating at this scale who put as much trust in their audience as del Toro does – and this time, that trust was rewarded with four Oscars, including best picture and best director. And even though it’s playing Baltimore, Toronto’s never looked so good. Read our review here. December 1
Titanic
If the last time you watched Titanic was on VHS, when it was split over two tapes, you’re in luck: it’s finally coming to Netflix. During your re-watch, gush over young Leo and Kate, giggle at the nude drawing scene (“Draw me like one of your French girls”), get overly angry that Rose didn’t move over a couple inches on that damn floating door and then sing along to My Heart Will Go On. December 1
List of new titles available in December by date:
TV SHOWS
December 1
Eastsiders (season 4)
December 2
Miraculous: Tales Of Ladybug & Cat Noir (season 3, part 1)
Team Kaylie (part 2)
December 3
Tiffany Haddish: Black Mitzvah
December 4
The Blacklist (season 6)
Los Briceño
Magic For Humans (season 2)
December 5
Apache: La vida de Carlos Tevez
Greenleaf (season 4)
Home For Christmas
December 6
Astronomy Club: The Sketch Show
The Chosen One (season 2)
The Confession Killer
Fuller House (season 5 )
Glow Up
Spirit Riding Free: The Spirit Of Christmas
Teasing Master Takagi-san (season 2)
Three Days Of Christmas
Triad Princess
Virgin River
December 8
RuPaul’s Drag Race Holi-Slay Spectacular
December 9
A Family Reunion Christmas
Shameless (U.S.) (season 9)
December 10
Michelle Wolf: Joke Show
December 12
Jack Whitehall: Christmas With My Father
December 14
RuPaul’s Drag Race: All Stars (season 4)
December 15
Northern Rescue (season 1)
Star Trek
December 17
Ronny Chieng: Asian Comedian Destroys America!
December 18
Don’t F**k With Cats: Hunting An Internet Killer
Soundtrack
December 19
Ultraviolet (season 2)
Twice Upon A Time
December 20
The Witcher
December 24
Carole & Tuesday (part 2)
Crash Landing On You
John Mulaney & The Sack Lunch Bunch
Lost In Space (season 2)
Terrace House: Tokyo 2019-2020 (part 2)
December 26
Le Bazar de la Charité
Fast & Furious Spy Racers
You (season 2)
December 27
The Gift
Kevin Hart: Don’t F**k This Up
December 30
The Disastrous Life Of Saiki K.: Reawakened
December 31
The Degenerates (season 2)
The Neighbor
Suits (season 9)
Yanxi Palace: Princess Adventures
MOVIES
December 1
American Made
A Cinderella Story: Christmas Wish
Crocodile Dundee
Dead Kids
Dinner For Schmucks
The Duchess
Gladiator
The Greatest Showman
Look Who’s Talking Too
The Lovely Bones
Steel Magnolias
The Terminal
Terminator Genisys
Titanic
December 3
Especial de Natal Porta dos Fundos: A Primeira Tentação de Cristo
December 4
About a Boy
Baby Mama
The Bone Collector
Charlie Wilson’s War
Cinderella Man
How The Grinch Stole Christmas
Jarhead
Let’s Dance
Lock, Stock And Two Smoking Barrels
Notting Hill
Savages
December 5
A Christmas Prince: The Royal Baby
Jumanji: Welcome To The Jungle
V Wars
December 6
December 8
Light Of My Life
December 10
12 Strong
December 13
6 Underground
December 19
After The Raid
December 20
The Two Popes
December 24
Como caído del cielo
December 25
December 26
The App
December 28
Hot Gimmick: Girl Meets Boy
December 30
Alexa & Katie (season 3)
December 31
Made Of Honor
LAST CALL
TV series and movies leaving Netflix this month.
December 2
December 14
The Good Wife (seasons 1-6)
December 17
The Fall (seasons 1-3)