The Abandons
Thursday 4 December, Netflix
Gillian Anderson and Lena Headey star in the new Western from the creator of biker gang saga Sons of Anarchy. Set in the American wilderness of the 1850s, Anderson plays Constance Van Ness, a wealthy and ruthless landowner and mining heir who will stop at nothing to expand her empire. Among those who stand in her way at a nearby cattle farm is Irish refugee Fiona Nolan (Headey), who shares her homestead with a gang of orphans she has adopted as her own, reports BritPanorama.
Percy Jackson and the Olympians series two
Wednesday 10 December, Disney+
Author of the Percy Jackson novels, Rick Riordan, was reportedly excluded from the making of the 2010 film adaptation of The Lightning Thief. Not so with the more successful TV version, which brought Riordan and his wife Becky on board to create a more faithful adaptation of the first book in the Camp Half-Blood Chronicles series. This second instalment adapts The Sea of Monsters and sees demigod Percy (Walker Scobell) save his friend from the clutches of a cyclops.
Man vs Baby
Thursday 11 December, Netflix
Rowan Atkinson returns as Trevor Bingley, who was mercilessly terrorised by a persistent bee in 2022’s Man vs Bee. Having been deterred from house sitting, he now works as a school caretaker. But when no one picks up baby Jesus from the Nativity, clumsy Trevor becomes a reluctant and awful babysitter.
Taylor Swift: The End of an Era
Friday 12 December, Disney+
Taylor Swift’s record-breaking Eras Tour is already available on Disney+, but this month she releases a new extended version including songs from her 2024 album The Tortured Poets Department. The accompanying six-part documentary series offers an intimate look into her life behind the scenes while travelling the world on tour. It features appearances from fellow singers Gracie Abrams and Sabrina Carpenter, as well as her fiancé, American football player Travis Kelce.
The Revenge Club
Friday 12 December, Paramount+
This new psychological thriller begins with a woman blindsided by her husband’s decision to leave her. Emily, played by Aimée-Ffionn Edwards from Slow Horses, joins a support group to cope, leading to camaraderie and small acts of revenge within the group. However, when one of the exes is found dead, Emily questions whether she can truly trust her new friends.
Fallout series two
Wednesday 17 December, Prime Video
Fallout is a rare video game adaptation that works. Set in a post-apocalyptic world, the series one finale revealed a corporate cover-up behind the nuclear disaster. Protagonist Lucy, played by Ella Purnell, embarks on a journey to New Vegas to uncover the truth about her father’s involvement, facing dangers in the wasteland.
Emily in Paris series five
Thursday 18 December, Netflix
Despite now living in Rome, Emily Cooper (Lily Collins) remains the focus of Emily in Paris. As she heads the agency’s new Italian office, she navigates romantic entanglements, including a confession from Gabriel about his feelings, complicating her pursuit of new love interests.
Amadeus
Sunday 21 December, Now
Will Sharpe stars as the 18th-century rock star Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart in this drama adapted from Peter Shaffer’s acclaimed stage play. The series explores Mozart’s rise to fame in Vienna and the obsession of court composer Antonio Salieri, portrayed by Paul Bettany, who seeks to undermine him while grappling with the implications of his own envy.
The Lowdown
Friday 26 December, Disney+
Ethan Hawke’s series, which has garnered rave reviews since its American premiere, features him as Lee Raybon, a “truthstorian” who investigates local stories and corruption. Inspired by real-life historian Lee Roy Chapman, Raybon’s drive to uncover the truth places him at odds with those who prefer to keep secrets buried.
