Streaming this week
WHAT’S NEW ON NETFLIX “The Witcher” - Season 2
After not-so-patiently waiting during this smash-hit series’ two-year break, fans of “The Witcher” can finally rejoice. The popular fantasy series returns to Netflix with its second season on Friday, Dec. 17. Based on the fantasy novels of the same name by Polish author Andrzej Sapkowski, “The Witcher” was largely popularized by the hit series of PC games, also bearing the same title. Spanning multiple storylines and timelines that weave together into an intricate and gripping tale, the series follows the quests of the infamous monster-hunting witcher, Geralt of Rivia (Henry Cavill, “Man of Steel,” 2013), his protégé and pseudo-daughter, Ciri (Freya Allan, “Gunpowder Milkshake,” 2021), and the powerful witch Yennifer (Anya Chalotra, “Wanderlust”). Finally coming together at the end of the last season, Geralt and Ciri are now traveling to Kaer Morhen, the derelict witcher school of the wolf, to train Ciri as the first female witcher. As old and new friends and foes appear along their journey, fans can be certain this new season is as exciting as the first. Also returning this season are Geralt’s bard companion, Jaskier (Joey Batey, “Knightfall”), and witch Triss (Anna Shaffer, “Harry Potter and the Half-blood Prince,” 2009), who moves into a starring role this season. Created by showrunner Lauren Schmidt Hissrich (“The Umbrella Academy”), the new season also stars Graham Mctavish (“The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey,” 2012), Liz Carr (“Silent Witness”), Simon Callow (“Four Weddings and a Funeral,” 1994), Chris Fulton (“Outlaw King,” 2018), Kevin Doyle (“Downton Abbey”), Adjoa Andoh (“Bridgerton”) and Cassie Clare (“What Happened to Monday,” 2017).
“The Future Diary” - Season 1
What would you do if your romance was written out for you? On Tuesday, Dec. 14, Netflix is rebooting the Japanese reality series “The Future Diary,” and one pair of strangers find out exactly what that can look like. Handed a rough “script” in a diary to go off of, two complete strangers are brought together to live out a romantic storyline that has been written out for them. As their own personalities and interactions shape the semi-fictional story, viewers are left wondering exactly how real the romance in the series gets. Japanese talents DAIGO (“Ultraman Saga,” 2012), Taiki Satô (“High & Low: The Story of S.W.O.R.D.”), Saya (“Lalande”), Reina Sumi (“Ore no dandyism”) and Natsuna (“Fullmetal Alchemist,” 2017) star. From producer and chief director Masaya Arai (“The Miracle of Hotel Tanuma,” 2015), the series also marks Kotaro Itani’s directorial debut.
WHAT’S NEW ON PRIME “With Love” (2021)
Cuddle up for a cozy holiday story when the new Prime original limited series “With Love” makes itself available to stream on the platform on Friday, Dec. 17. Siblings Lily (Emeraude Toubia, “Shadowhunters”) and Jorge (Mark Indelicato, “Ugly Betty”) are on a quest to find love and purpose in their lives. With each of the series’ five episodes taking place during a different holiday, Lily and Jorge cross paths with seemingly unrelated people who each impact their lives in unexpected ways. Created and written by Gloria Calderón Kellett (“One Day at a Time”), “With Love” is directed by Hiromi Kamata (“Selena: The Series”) and Meera Menon (“Farah Goes Bang,” 2013). Kellett, Andre Royo (“The Spectacular Now,” 2013), Constance Marie (“Switched at Birth”), Benito Martinez (“Sons of Anarchy”), Todd Grinnell (“One Day at a Time”), Rome Flynn (“How to Get Away With Murder”), Vincent Rodriguez III (“Crazy Ex-girlfriend”) and Isis King (“When They See Us”) also star.
WHAT’S NEW ON HULU “Mother/android” (2021)
The new American science fiction thriller “Mother/android” premieres Friday, Dec. 17, on Hulu. Expectant mother Georgia (Chloë Grace Moretz, “Kickass,” 2010) is days away from the birth of her first child with her boyfriend, Sam (Algee Smith, “Judas and the Black Messiah,” 2021). With their country at war and enemies at every turn, the couple is forced to make a harrowing escape to give their child a better life. Facing “No Man’s Land,” a stronghold held by a powerful uprising of androids, Georgia and Sam are determined to do what it takes to make it to safety before her child is born. Written and directed by Mattson Tomlin (“Little Fish,” 2020), the film marks Tomlin’s directorial debut. Starring alongside Moretz and Smith in the film are Kate Avallone (“The Tender Bar,” 2021), Owen Burke (“Castle Rock”), Oscar Walhberg (“Manchester By the Sea,” 2016), Jared Reinfeldt (“Gossip Girl”), Steve M. Robertson (“Dexter: New Blood”), Raúl Castillo (“Army of the Dead,” 2021) and Kiara Pichardo (“The Society”).