New Reacher, Vigil, What If ? and Dr Death among December’s best
December offers plenty of exciting viewing options for the festive season. Free-to-air highlights include new seasons of SAS Australia (December 4, Three), Parental Guidance (December 15, Three), The 1% Club (December 30, Eden) and US dramedy Crashing (December 6, Sky Open).
Elsewhere, TVNZ+’s line-up includes basketball drama Long Slow Exhale (December 15) and reality competition Alone: Frozen (December 14). Prime Video has the Korean fantasy Death’s Game (December 15), Disney+ has another Korean offering, the romantic drama Soundtrack #2 (December 6), and Netflix boasts the second half of the final season of The Crown (December 14) and new Money Heist spin-off series Berlin (December 29).
But here is Stuff To Watch’s picks of shows we believe are well worth checking out over the next few weeks.
Bookie (December 22, Neon)
Former Dhama & Greg, The Big Bang Theory and Mike & Molly creator Chuck Lorre’s latest comedy is an eight-parter which focuses on Danny (Sebastian Maniscalco), who is struggling to survive the impending legalisation of sports gambling and his increasingly unstable clients, family and co-workers. The support cast also includes the controversial star of Lorre’s long-running Two and A Half Men – Charlie Sheen.
Carol and The End Of The World (December 15, Netflix)
Ten-episode adult animated adventure which takes place as a mysterious planet hurtles towards Earth, prompting the widespread belief that extinction is imminent. While most people feel liberated to pursue their wildest dreams, the quiet and uncomfortable, eponymous Carol stands alone, lost among the hedonistic masses. Creator Dan Guterman (a writer on Community and Rick and Morty) has described the show as “a love letter to routine”.
Dr Death: Miracle Man (December 22, TVNZ+)
As with the first hit 2021 series starring Joshua Jackson, Alec Baldwin and Christian Slater, the second eight-part true-crime tale is based on a popular podcast. This time, the storyline revolves around the work of charismatic surgeon Paolo Macchiarini (played here by Edgar Ramirez). Directed by former House star Jennifer Morrison, the show also features This Is Us’ Mandy Moore as an investigative journalist hot on the trail of Macchiarini.
Munich ’72 (December 21, DocPlay)
Three-part Israeli docu-drama series which chronicles the abduction of members of the Israeli team by a Palestinian group known as Black September, from the athletes’ village at the Munich Olympic Games in 1972. Features interviews with athletes, security personnel, high-ranking politicians and experts. Helmer Roman Shumunov (Back to Chernobyl, Babylon Dreamers) believes the series “will shed new light on the tragic events of the Munich Olympics, which continue to cast a shadow upon us to this day”.
My Life With The Walter Boys (December 7, Netflix)
Based on Ali Novak’s beloved 2014 novel of the same name, this 10-part coming-of-age drama is the story of the recently-orphaned Jackie Howard (Nikki Rodriguez). A teenage girl from Manhattan, she moves to rural Colorado after she is taken in by the Walters, a family of 10 sons. As she attempts to settle into her chaotic new home and fulfill her dream of getting into Princeton University, Jackie finds herself torn between two of the brothers – the bookish and reliable Alex (Ashby Gentry) and the mysterious and troubled Cole (Noah LaLonde).
Percy Jackson and The Olympians (December 20, Netflix)
The eponymous 12-year-old hero of Rick Riordan’s best-selling book series makes the jump to the small-screen in this eight-episode series. Having just come to terms with his newfound divine powers, the modern demi-god (Walker Scobell) finds himself accused by Zeus of stealing the sky god’s master lightning bolt. To clear his name, restore order at Mt Olympus and save the world, Percy is forced to embark on an epic adventure with his best friends Grover Underwood (Aryan Simhadri) and Annabeth Chase (Leah Sava Jeffries). Look out for guest appearances from the likes of LinManuel Miranda, Megan Mullally, Toby Stephens and the late, great Lance Reddick.
Reacher (December 15, Prime Video)
Bad Luck and Trouble, the 11th book in Lee Child’s long-running, best-selling Jack Reacher series, provides this basis for this second, eight-episode season. It begins when the veteran military police investigator (Alan Ritchson) receives a coded message that the members of his former United States Army unit are being mysteriously murdered one by one. Reuniting with three of his former teammates, he begins to connect the dots as to who has betrayed them – and who is likely to die next.
Under Pressure: The US Women’s World Cup Team (December 12, Netflix)
Four-part docu-series which follows the 2015 and 2019 football champions, as they attempt to complete a three-peat at the FIFA tournament in New Zealand and Australia earlier this year. Director Rebecca Gitlitz’s previous subjects have included Princess Diana, Sesame Street and Rudy Giuliani.
Vigil (December 26, TVNZ+)
Suranne Jones returns as Detective Chief Inspector Amy Silva in another six-part investigation. Tasked with uncovering the cause of “multiple unexplained fatalities” at a Scottish military facility, she and partner Detective Inspector Kirsten Longacre (Rose Leslie) must enter “the hostile and closed ranks of the air force” and “face the deadly warfare of tomorrow, as they fight for their own future”.
What If? (December 22, Disney+)
Jeffrey Wright’s The Watcher returns with a second collection of nine animated tales that question, revisit and twist classic Marvel Cinematic Universe moments. While little is currently known about the individual stories, many beloved characters are all scheduled to appear, many of them voiced by the actors who played them on the big screen. Episodes are scheduled to drop daily.
World War II: From The Frontlines (December 7, Netflix)
Promising to bring the global conflict to life for viewers “like never before”, this six-part docu-series combines “vividly enhanced archival footage” with voices “from all sides”. Director Rob Coldsteam has also helmed documentaries on Donald Trump, Kim Jong Un and United Kingdom reality TV star Jade Goody.