It’s officially the last month of the year, which means many people will be starting to go on leave. That also means a whole lot of time to binge TV series and movies, and we have a LOT to choose from. So kick off your December with the final episodes of Money Heist, a brand new Gossip Girl, David Fincher’s cinephile-centric series Voir, a whole lot of Christmas movies, and more!
SERIES
Money Heist: Part5 – Vol.2
Netflix – 3 December 2021
Bella ciao! Bella ciao! Bella ciao! Ciao! Ciao! This is it. The twisting, turning, explosive story that has kept us on the edges of our respective seats for the last few years is finally coming to a close. We’ve already had one major death in the first half of Money Heist’s fifth season, but how will The Professor get his gang out of the Bank of Spain with soldiers closing in around them.
Gossip Girl S1
Showmax – 3 December 2021
XOXO… And thus concludes pretty much all my knowledge of Gossip Girl. Well, that and the fact that Thathe CW drama, following the lives of wealthy Manhattan “teens”, was a gigantic success during its run from 2007 to 2012, launching the careers of several actors. Okay so maybe I do know a bit about Gossip Girl despite having never watched a single episode of the original show. Maybe I will fix that this time around as The CW launched a sequel series earlier this year, still centred on privileged upper-class adolescent Manhattanites, but now with a modern, social media twist.
Harlem S1
Amazon Prime Video – 3 December 2021
Writer Tracy Oliver had a huge breakout with 2017 comedy film Girls Trip, and now she’s bringing us another tale of hilarious and heartfelt female friendship in new sitcom series Harlem. Given Oliver’s previous work, expect raunchy laughs and keen insights on the experience of being a black woman in modern America.
Scenes From a Marriage S1
Showmax – 1 December 2021
It was the smoldering red carpet look that set the internet ablaze. And if you were wondering where that incredible chemistry between Oscar Isaac and Jessica Chastain came from, look no further than Scenes From a Marriage. A remake of legendary filmmaker Ingmar Bergman’s Swedish miniseries of the same name, this critically praised six-episode HBO drama series “re-examines the original’s iconic depiction of love, hatred, desire, monogamy, marriage and divorce through the lens of a contemporary American couple”.
Little Birds S1
Showmax – 1 December 2021
If you want your Juno Temple fix while we wait for the next season of Ted Lasso, then Little Birds should give you a taste. Just don’t expect anything like the beloved sports dramedy in Little Bids. Taking inspiration from writer Anaïs Nin’s collection of erotic stories of the same name, this miniseries follows a young American debutante in 1950s Tangiers as she tries to escape her conventional upbringing and gets caught up in a life of wild hedonism.
Voir S1
Netflix – 6 December 2021
Hardcore cinephiles are in for a treat with Voir, a brand new non-fictional series from acclaimed filmmaker David Fincher. A collection of video essays, Voir sees film lovers examining the personal and profound effect that certain films have had on their lives.
Titans S3
Netflix – 8 December 2021
DC’s dysfunctional young superheroes are back for a third season (following its debut on HBO Max earlier in the year) and this time everybody’s favourite angry Robin, Jason Todd, is going through a vigilante identity crisis!
Farscape S1
Amazon Prime Video – 2 December 2021
Here’s a laser blast from the past! If you’ve somehow never seen beloved oddball sci-fi classic series Farscape, Amazon Prime Video now has it as part of its library. It’s only the first season though, but I think this may be the first time the show has ever been available locally on streaming platforms.
MOVIES
Mixtape
Netflix – 3 December 2021
Everybody loves a good coming-of-age tale, and Mixtape looks like it could be a pretty decent addition to that genre. This 1990s-set comedy follows a young girl who sets out to recreate a beloved mixtape that belonged to her late mother after she accidentally destroyed it.
Cobalt Blue
Netflix – 4 December 2021
It’s been accused by some people of essentially being an Indian version of gay romantic drama hit Call Me By Your Name (despite the fact that it’s based on a book released before that 2017 film), but Cobalt Blue still looks moving and sweeping as it tells the story of a brother and sister who both fall for the handsome stranger boarding in their family home.
Showmax Christmas Countdown Collection
Lastly, I promised you Christmas movies and I wasn’t kidding. So many movies, in fact, that I can’t list them all as Showmax is currently hosting a Christmas Countdown Collection with a brand new festive film being added to the service every single day up until 25 December. You can check out the details, including a list of everything released thus far, OVER HERE!