Melissah Yang and Patricia Karounos share their picks of can’t-miss TV shows and movies that have them texting up a storm. Trust, you will be too.
We’ve done it. We’ve reached the end of 2024. And that means just about everything and everyone is winding down until the new year — except for the world of film and television. Maybe you prefer spending the festive season watching back-to-back-to-back holiday flicks, or would rather dive into the newest releases hitting our screens, there’s plenty to fill your viewing schedule with.
For those who love heading to the theater, there’s Babygirl — a Nicole Kidman-led erotic thriller about a CEO who risks everything for an affair with the intriguing intern — and A Complete Unknown, the Bob Dylan musical biopic starring Timothée Chalamet. And if you prefer cozying up at home, you can check out Black Doves, a holiday-set British spy thriller starring Keira Knightley and Ben Whishaw, or No Good Deed, a new black comedy set in the world of LA real estate from the creator of Dead tTo Me. And perhaps most noteworthy of all? Emmy-winning South Korean series Squid Game is finally back with a second season of jaw-dropping, edge-of-your-seat storytelling to ring out the year on a strong note. So whether you’re looking for something to watch with the family or for an escape from the busy social season, we wish you happy watching.
Black Doves
What’s better than a spy thriller? How about a spy thriller set in London during the holidays starring Keira Knightley? Enter Black Doves, a six-episode series that checks all those boxes. Knightley stars as Helen Webb, a dedicated mother and wife to an influential politician. But Helen has actually been stealing secrets from her husband over the course of their entire relationship on behalf of apolitical spy organization Black Doves. Things get even more complicated when the man Helen has been having an affair with is murdered, pulling into a conspiracy-fueled investigation that jeopardizes her job and cover.
All of that has the makings for a fun, fine time streaming at home, but what truly takes the show to the next level is the unique and compelling dynamic between Helen and her long-time friend/for-hire assassin Sam (Skyfall’s Ben Whishaw), who returns to London after a long time to help keep Helen alive during her investigation. Whishaw and Knightley have great chemistry, and it’s fascinating watching them navigate what seems to be an authentic, real-deal friendship while working very different jobs that don’t exactly value interpersonal relationships. If you love spy stories, this one offers up the best of both worlds: a tense mystery and characters you will end up caring about.
Where to watch: Netflix
When: December 5
Watch if you like: Slow Horses, Bodyguard
No Good Deed
No Good Deed combines a quirky sense of humor, the drama of the real estate industry, and the suspense of a whodunit — which is what makes the show perfect for a cozy-season binge watch. The black comedy is from Liz Feldman, best known for the Emmy-nominated series Dead To Me, and this latest outing has her trademark sharp wit embedded in every scene. Ray Romano and Lisa Kudrow star as empty-nest couple Paul and Lydia, who have decided to sell their family home. To make sure it goes to the right people, they set up a hidden camera to watch as prospective buyers — a star-studded group made up of actors like Abbi Jacobson (Broad City), Teyonah Parris (WandaVision), O-T Fagbenle (The Handmaid’s Tale), and Linda Cardellini (reuniting with her Dead to Me creator) — tour their home. But, by doing this, Paul and Lydia unknowingly set off a chain causing long-held secrets and lies to be revealed, both their own and those belonging to the people coming into their home.
Whether No Good Deed will live up to the surprisingly moving emotional heights of Dead To Me (IYKYK) remains to be seen, but fans of the latter will be sure to love this one regardless. It’s a hilarious satirization of the frustratingly cutthroat real estate market, while also managing to be a heartfelt examination of what “home” really means.
Where to watch: Netflix
When: December 12
Watch if you like: Dead Like Me, The Woman in the House Across the Street from the Girl in the Window, Selling Sunset
Laid
I firmly believe that there needs to be more rom-coms on TV at all times, which is why new streaming series Laid has immediately shot to the top of my to-watch list. Starring Stephanie Hsu ( best known for her role in Everything Everywhere All At Once, but who is always excellent), the show follows Ruby, a woman who discovers that the people she’s had sex with have started to die in mysterious and unexpected ways. So, with the help of her true crime-obsessed bestie AJ (Girls’ Zosia Mamet), Ruby sets out to find each of her past relationships and flings to warn them of potential oncoming danger — and hopefully find a way to move forward in the life she currently feels a bit stuck in.
Neither of us have gotten to screen Laid yet, but I feel confident it’s in good hands. Apart from Hsu and Mamet, Ruby’s string of exes includes and the broader supporting cast includes Michael Angarano (Minx), Finneas O’Connell (yes, as in the superstar musician/brother to Billie Eilish), John Early (Search Party), and Chloe Fineman (SNL). It’s also co-created by Nahnatchka Khan, the pro who has worked on acclaimed titles like Don’t Trust the B—- in Apartment 23, Fresh Off the Boat, and Always Be My Maybe, who I trust implicitly to make another worthy entry into the rom-com genre.
Where to watch: Peacock
When: December 19
Watch if you like: Lovesick, Girls, High Fidelity
Babygirl
Yes, the holidays are about wholesome festivities and families coming together, but truthfully, don’t we want a little spice with our mistletoe? Enter Babygirl, a seductive thriller from A24 that will have you wondering whether being on the naughty list is really where the fun is at.
Romy (Nicole Kidman) is a prominent CEO who has it all — the job, the money, a zaddy hubby (Antonio Banderas), and two kids — but it’s all wrapped by a tightly controlled, repressive package. So when she begins a cat-and-mouse affair with a much younger and most definitely hot intern named Samuel (Harris Dickinson), her position of power and peace at home begins to unravel — all by her choice (or is it?). It’s not often we get to explore the inner consciousness of a powerful woman excited by the idea of not calling the shots, and in a time when we’re constantly doubting whether the dream of having it all is not only attainable but even worth pursuing, Babygirl taps into those anxieties with a steamy story that’ll have even Rudolph’s nose blush brighter. Directed by Halina Reijn, the movie is the perfect anti-Christmas Christmas movie to check out with girlfriends who are looking for a little extra thrill this holiday season.
Where to watch: Theaters
When: December 25
Watch if you like: 50 Shades Of Grey, Fatal Attraction
A Complete Unknown
I love a good biopic, but it’s not always easy to depict a faithful rendition of a celebrity, especially one who is still alive and retains the kind of living legacy that Bob Dylan has. But A Complete Unknown does just that with a seasoned hand and impeccable casting. Directed by James Mangold (who also directed the Oscar-winning 2005 film Walk The Line), the film honors the early part of the singer-songwriter’s journey, from breaking into the industry to disrupting the folk music genre with the then-controversial use of the electric guitar. Dylan’s impact on music history is undeniable, and fans will welcome A Complete Unknown’s take on this important period of his life.
What also doesn’t hurt is the stacked cast: Timothée Chalamet stars as Dylan and is joined by Monica Barbaro, Elle Fanning, Edward Norton, Boyd Holbrook, and Scoot McNairy. Chalamet’s take on Dylan is both loyal and his own, and it’s only even more impressive that the actor sings Dylan’s classics in the film, which means you’ll have a solid soundtrack to ease into the New Year.
Where to watch: Theaters
When: December 25
Watch if you like: Walk The Line, Ray, Elvis, Bohemian Rhapsody
Squid Game Season 2
It’s been more than three years since South Korean survival series Squid Game became an international phenomenon. Now, it’s finally time to return to the show’s sinister world.
Honestly, it’s hard to know what to expect from the Squid Game Season 2. We do know that the story picks up about three years after the events of the first season, which chronicled a struggling Gi-hun (Lee Jung-jae) battle his way through a series of horrifying, deadly competitions against hundreds of other people in desperate need of money to win a massive cash prize. Since then, Gi-hun’s entire world has been irrevocably changed from the games, and he’s become determined to hunt down the organizers behind the monstrous event. When we catch up with him again, his resolve has reached new heights, and he decides to re-enter the games despite narrowly surviving the first time around. That means a new group of contestants and, likely, both new and familiar spins on childhood games. But what can Gi-hun accomplish from the inside? And is it even possible to find “victory” in such a hyper-capitalistic world? Let’s find out, shall we?
Where to watch: Netflix
When: December 26
Watch if you like: Squid Game Season 1, Alice In Borderland
Cheesy Holiday Movies & Cozy Classics
In between the latest streaming series and buzzy box office entries, we’ll also be fitting in as many holiday movies as possible. Personally, I like to mix up my festive screenings with cozy feel-good classics (think Bridget Jones’s Diary and Little Women) and newer, delightfully cheesier fare (see the latest Netflix additions to the canon, like, Hot Frosty, about a sexy snowman come to life (yes, we know), and the new tinsel-covered Lindsay Lohan rom-com Our Little Secret), but there’s certainly something for every mood. It wouldn’t feel like December without them.
Still looking for more to add to your watchlist? Check out our picks from last month.
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