With the Christmas holidays just around the corner, there’s plenty of buzzworthy entertainment making its debut on streaming services.

Here’s what’s worth a look in December:

 

“The Power of the Dog”

It’s been 12 years since acclaimed filmmaker Jane Campion directed a feature, but her latest one proves the passing of time hasn’t dulled her edge. Equal parts sprawling Western drama and slow-burning psychological thriller, “The Power of the Dog” tells the story of Phil Burbank (Benedict Cumberbatch), a grizzled rancher whose volatile personality charms before it cuts. When his younger brother (Jesse Plemons) marries a widowed innkeeper (Kristen Dunst), he begins to suspect she’s come into their family with ulterior motives and is determined to make her life a living hell. Campion won acclaim at the 2021 Toronto International Film Festival for the film, which is already considered one of the front-runners of awards season. (Netflix, Dec. 1)

 

“Landscapers”

Set in the English countryside, Olivia Colman and David Thewlis play a couple who resolve to murder her parents and bury them in the garden of their home. More than a decade later, the bodies are discovered and the couple become suspects as a massive investigation begins. Told partly in flashback and largely inside interrogation rooms, Colman and Thewlis give rattling performances as a pair who swore themselves to secrecy, but are being slowly worn down by the police. The four-part limited series is based on a real 1998 case. (Crave, Dec. 6)

“And Just Like That…”

“Sex and the City” fans have clamoured for a reunion of the fabulous New York foursome ever since the 2010 movie sequel. And they’re finally about to get one. Sort of. Sarah Jessica Parker, Kristin Davis and Cynthia Nixon are all reprising their roles in HBO’s hit comedy, leaving Canadian actress Kim Cattrall as the sole missing piece of the revival. “And Just Like That…” returns to the Big Apple where Carrie Bradshaw (Parker) and her friends are navigating love in their 50s. Some cast members of colour have been added to make the series feel more in touch with the times, including actresses Karen Pittman and Nicole Ari Parker. (Crave, Dec. 9, episodes weekly)

Christmas Specials

Pop diva Mariah Carey strengthens her reputation as the patron saint of Christmas songs with another holiday event. “Mariah’s Christmas: The Magic Continues” (Apple TV Plus, Dec. 3) follows Carey’s first musical special for the streaming platform last year and it promises a fresh batch of celebrities to mark the season. Charlie Brown and his beloved Peanuts pals celebrate New Year’s Eve in “For Auld Lang Syne” (Apple TV Plus, Dec. 10), a new special that serves as a great double bill with perennial favourite “A Charlie Brown Christmas,” also on Apple. Meanwhile, short-lived NBC musical series “Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist” gets a second life with the feature-length film “Zoey’s Extraordinary Christmas” (The Roku Channel, Dec. 1). The movie returns to find its characters where the cancelled series left off, contemplating feelings of loss over the holiday season.

 

ALSO THIS MONTH:

“Saturday Morning All-Star Hits!” – Kyle Mooney of “Saturday Night Live” fame plays twin hosts Skip and Treybor in a series bent on recreating the experience of the Saturday morning cartoon lineup. (Netflix, Dec. 10)

“Swan Song” – Faced with a terminal illness, a father (Mahershala Ali) considers secretly replacing himself with a clone. (Apple TV Plus, Dec. 17)

“Anne Murray: Full Circle” – The beloved East Coast songstress gets the documentary treatment. (CBC Gem, Dec. 17)

“1883” – This prequel series to the hit TV show “Yellowstone” traces the origins of the Dutton family. (Paramount Plus, Dec. 19, episodes weekly)

“Paw Patrol: The Movie” – Canada’s favourite public service pups are called to action in the big city in their first full-length feature. (Paramount Plus, Dec. 24)

“The Suicide Squad” – Viciously funny and packed with explosive action, the semi-reboot of DC Comics’ band of renegades arrives at home. (Crave, Dec. 24)

“The Book of Boba Fett” – A spinoff of “Star Wars” saga “The Mandalorian,” this focuses on Boba and his partner Fennec Shand. (Disney Plus, Dec. 29)

RETURNING SERIES: Nearly two years after “The Witcher” debuted on Netflix, a second season arrives on Dec. 17, while “Queer Eye” gallops to Texas for a sixth season of life-changing makeovers on Dec. 31. Overseas, “Emily in Paris” finds its protagonist falling in love with an ex-pat when Netflix releases its second season on Dec. 22.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 30, 2021.

David Friend, The Canadian Press