What will you watch this weekend?
Credit: Disney / ABC / Netflix
Well, we’re already racing through 2025. We’re a third of the way through January and there are tons of great shows and movies right around the corner. Some of them will be released this weekend for you to enjoy. As always, I scoured the internet to find the best (and sometimes worst) things you should watch or avoid.
There’s a lot you may have missed in 2024, so be sure to check out our list of the worst and best TV shows of 2024 as well.
If you have any tips or if we missed something, please message us on Twitter, Instagram, or Facebook. You can check out last weekend’s streaming guide here.
New and noteworthy information this weekend (12/13/24)
American Primeval (Netflix)
The most exciting new release this week is Netflix’s American Primeval. This is not a show for the picky. A Western set on the American frontier in 1857, where Mormons, settlers, bounty hunters, and Native Americans clash in a bloody conflict as they fight for survival. The six-part limited series was written by the same screenwriter who wrote The Revenant, and the show closely follows that film’s style and overall brutality and dark atmosphere. Masu. Although I really enjoyed it, there were a few things about this series that I was a little disappointed with. Still, the attention to detail is impressive, and if you like violent, almost nihilistic Westerns, give this one a try. You can read my review here.
Goosebumps: The Vanishing – Season 2 (Disney+)
I really enjoyed the 2015 Goosebumps movie starring Jack Black (Google it). Ten years ago! The new Vanishing series is now available on Disney+. Interestingly, the next item on this list is a comedy that attempts to reinvigorate the lost art of broadcast comedy. The show stars Friends alum David Schwimmer, aka Ross Geller. There is a line in the trailer that is typical of Ross. “What kind of plants do you always watch out for? Ambushes.” Schwimmer plays a divorced father whose teenage children come to visit him in Brooklyn, where they go missing in 1994. He discovers a creepy mystery about the teenagers he has become, and begins to suspect that his father may be involved. There aren’t many reviews for the show yet, but all eight 45-minute episodes are currently available to stream. Looks like fun.
Shifting Gear (ABC/Hulu)
Tim Allen’s classic sitcom Home Improvement was a huge hit, and now the Toy Story actor is back in Shifting Gear as grumpy car shop owner Matt Parker. is playing. Matt Parker’s life is forever changed when his estranged daughter Riley (Kate Dennings) suddenly returns. This is a classic sitcom with a rich laugh track, but the actual laughs are in short supply. Again, I’ve only seen the first episode, but many sitcoms have had a rough start over the years. You can read my review here.
The Pit (Max)
ER fans can get their own dose of nostalgia this weekend. “The Pit” is a new show from John Wells of The West Wing, starring ER alum Noah Wyle. ER producer and writer R. Scott Gemmill is the creator of the new series. The show follows Dr. Michael Robinavich, played by Wiley, and focuses on realism, focusing on the daily stresses of working at a busy hospital in Pittsburgh. 24 format, chronicling 15 hours in an ER unit over 15 episodes. For modern television, that’s a long season. It currently has a 91% audience rating on Rotten Tomatoes, with critics praising its combination of down-to-earth drama and relatable characters. The first two episodes are currently available on Max, with new episodes released every Wednesday.
On Call (Prime Video)
I don’t know if I like this or not. On Call is a police procedural that focuses on the patrol side of the police force rather than detective work. There’s also some kind of awkward moments in the trailer that make it seem like it’s a first-person shooter, with a ton of body camera footage thrown in (oddly enough, Bad Boys: Ride or Die did this sometimes, but it was very minimal). . At the moment, it seems to be receiving better reviews from audiences than critics. I like the idea of focusing on cops rather than detectives. This is thanks to Irish procedural blue light (try it!). All eight half-hour episodes of On Call are available on Prime Video.
Traitor – Season 3 (Peacock)
I’m not really interested in reality TV, but I think Alan Cumming’s “The Traitors” is a show that would be fun for those who are interested. The plot twist is that this is all a kind of murder mystery theater game, where the “traitors” have to work together to eliminate the other participants, while the “loyal ones” have to discover and expel the “traitors”. It means you have to. I guess it’s a bit like Among Us in that respect, but with medieval castles and lots of costumes.
Jerry Springer: Fights, Cameras, Action (Netflix)
I’ve said that reality TV isn’t my thing, but I’ll admit that my guilty pleasure back then was occasionally tuning into The Jerry Springer Show for a glimpse of humanity in all its glory. It was ahead of its time. It was awful, glamorous, and the worst kind of exploitation television. The documentary dips into the reality TV storyline a little bit, but it doesn’t seem like it goes far enough. With just two episodes, each less than an hour long, it sounds like they’re scratching the surface rather than truly digging into the show and its infamous host. That’s a shame, because there are definitely a lot of interesting stories to be mined from this 25-year-old series.
Flow (VOD)
It’s a non-dialogue animated film about a gorgeous cat. The film won Best Animation at last week’s Golden Globe Awards, and while you can now watch it from the comfort of your home, you’ll have to rent or buy it until it hits streaming services.
Get Away (VOD)
The new film from Shaun of the Dead and Hot Fuzz creator Nick Frost is a comedy-thriller about a family vacationing on a remote island. . . With a serial killer. It looks similarly creepy and funny, but has received considerably worse reviews than the aforementioned films.
The Substance (MUBI)
Another Golden Globe winner, The Substance is a critically acclaimed film starring Demi Moore, Margaret Qualley, and Dennis Quaid. The premise reminds me a little of Death Becomes Her. The miraculous rejuvenating drug, “Substance”, unlocks more potential than anyone expected. It’s still on my watchlist, but I’ll probably sign up for a free week on MUBI so I can watch it right away. I’ve heard so many great things, but I just don’t think it’s insane.
New movies on Netflix
Dune 2 and Furiosa also recently arrived on Netflix, so be sure to check them out if you haven’t already. While Furiosa didn’t come close to the brilliance of Fury Road, I still thought it was an amazing action movie and a lively and fun time. I wasn’t too impressed with Dune 2, I thought it was a gorgeous movie with a rather empty feel to it.
Weekly streaming content
Lockerbie: The Search for Truth Colin Firth stars in this harrowing true story of the bombing of Pan Am Flight 103 over Lockerbie, Scotland, on December 21, 1988. I’ve heard good things about it, but I haven’t had a chance to start watching it yet. (peacock)
Dexter: Original Sin is surprisingly fun and very nostalgic for those who loved the early seasons of Dexter. Honestly, I’m still amazed at how well this show turned out and I look forward to new episodes every Friday. I started rewatching the first season of Dexter when I ran out of episodes. This is my review. (Paramount)
Star Wars: The Skeleton Crew consistently gets better with each new episode, and I love the pirates, the Old Republic planet of At-Atan (which happens to be Treasure Planet), and the children and their mysteries. I am completely engrossed in the story of a cast full of characters. The antagonist played by Jude Law. The finale will take place this Tuesday. (Disney+)
I’m still behind Silo (Apple TV) Landman, Outlander, and just started watching the second season of Squid Game. One of the things that keeps me from catching up on these shows is the fact that I have screeners for the second season of Severance, which comes out next Friday. I’ll be posting a spoiler-free review before the premiere next week, and then reviewing/recaping the show while it airs on Apple TV. I also saw “It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia” for the first time. For some reason, I never watched that show when it came out, and now I have a fun and silly sitcom to watch when I feel like I want something funny. Good luck!
Further reading from truly you:
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