We’re closing in on the end of the year and full emersion in the holidays, which ironically means a lot of the streaming networks are slowing down to give viewers a chance to catch up on their older series. Naturally, you can always take a look back on our previous What To Watch series, but there are still some great picks to check out this week. It starts off with the slightly adult-leaning dark comedy Laid, a story of one girl and a truly cursed sex life that promises an early demise to her former (and future?) lovers. It has been a stressful year for all of us, and one of the best cures is laughter, so why not also kick back and relax with Ronny Chieng’s new stand-up special.
Get some inspiration in your life with a semi-true story of the 6888th Battalion, an all-black Women’s Army Corps unit that took on the daunting challenge of sorting and delivering 17 million pieces of mail during WW2. If you’re in the mood for something that actually goes bump in the night, consider the horror/thriller series The Head, which just launched in a new location for its third season on Max. Take an inside look at creatures and critters alike with The Secret Lives of Animals, a stunningly shot docuseries about the animal kingdom. Finally, the potentially final season of The Dragon Prince is now live, featuring a deep story and world that remains kid-friendly, following in the footsteps of Avatar: The Last Airbender, and taking inspiration from Lord of the Rings and Dungeons & Dragons.
6 Laid
Peacock — Season 1 — December 19
From the comedic mind of Nahnatchka Khan (Don’t Trust The B*tch In Apartment 23) comes a new dark comedy about trying to find love, and the fatally bad luck that befalls past hook-ups. At least that’s how things are going for Ruby (Stephanie Hsu, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel) when she learns her college boyfriend just died, followed shortly after by her next couple of sexual encounters.
She and her best friend AJ (Zosia Mamet, The Flight Attendant) try to figure out why these guys (and girls) are suddenly dying in completely random ways while the only thing they have in common is getting sweaty with Ruby. Not only is she informing past lovers that they may not be long for this world, but she’s trying to stop whatever is causing it so she can give it a shot with the guy she just met.
Peacock isn’t keeping you on the edge, the full first season of Laid is available to start binging right away. Episode length is a little scattershot, ranging from 33 to 50 minutes, so keep an eye out for those if you need them to wrap up at certain times.
5 The Head
Max — Season 3 — December 19
Fans of thrillers with a twist of horror have probably heard of The Head, although it has received remarkably little marketing. The first season takes place almost entirely on a research station in the Antarctic named Polaris VI, and takes heavy inspiration from John Carpenter’s “The Thing” while diverting to the monsters that humans can be all on their own.
The first season wrapped up with a clear conclusion to its story, but it was renewed for a second season with a mostly new cast, this time occupying a research ship off the coast of Chile. While this one didn’t go over very well with fans of the show, reportedly because there was also a new creative team, Warner Bros/Discovery went forward with a third season, and yet another remote location in a hostile desert facility.
The Head is scheduled for weekly drops, but given its short 6-episode seasons, it will be wrapping up in just over a month. Though, this might be the type of series you binge over a night or two rather than watching week-to-week. But if you haven’t seen it yet, this is a great time to get started and split the first two seasons over the next couple of weekends.
4 The Six Triple Eight
Netflix — Movie — December 20
Just as the US Postal Service appears to be under threat again, a perfectly timed historical drama calls attention to its importance and significance. Set during World War II, The Six Triple Eight is based on the (mostly) true story of the 6888th Battalion, the only Black Women’s Army Corps unit serving in Europe. They were sent to sort and deliver 17 million pieces of mail that were left abandoned in Scottish airplane hangers. Much like David Brin’s The Postman (adapted to the 1997 movie starring Kevin Costner), mail delivery plays a big part in bringing hope.
Written and directed by Tyler Perry, which understandably will discourage some viewers, The Six Triple Eight stars Kerry Washington (Scandal) and Ebony Obsidian (Sistas), and features Oprah Winfrey, Susan Sarandon, and Sam Waterston.
3 The Secret Lives of Animals
Apple TV+ — Docuseries — December 18
The Secret Lives of Animals is a stunning work of cinematography capturing the lives of creatures we never get to see, encompassing 77 species across 24 countries. Episodes focus on themes of ingenuity, intellect, adventure, finding food, self-defense, society, and other elements that are relatable to our own lives and history.
The 10-part series is narrated by Hugh Bonneville (Downton Abbey) and ends each episode with a recap of how the filmmakers captured the scenes and edited together the stories. Each episode of The Secret Lives of Animals runs about 30 minutes, and the first full season is available now via Apple TV+.
2 Ronny Chieng: Love to Hate It
Netflix — Stand-up Comedy — December 17
Ronny Chieng may have become known for appearances on The Daily Show, but his career has been blowing up in the last few years since Crazy Rich Asians. More recently, he co-starred in the sleeper hit Interior Chinatown with Jimmy O. Yang. But he’s not just a funny actor, he also spent years getting laughs on the stage.
There’s no filter and no topic off limits. Love To Hate It was shot in Hawaii, and Chieng talks about his age, efforts to have children through IVF, his past work, politics, being a man on the Internet, and more.
1 The Dragon Prince
Netflix — Season 7 — December 19
After seven seasons, the animated fantasy adventure The Dragon Prince is coming to a close — or maybe not? The series begins with the story of two human princes from opposing kingdoms who forge a friendship with each other and an elven assassin to prevent a war before it destroys the people of Xandia. The show is made with great animation, a smart and detailed story that remains kid-friendly, and thoughtful themes.
The series takes plenty of queues from fantasy worlds like Dungeons & Dragons and Lord of the Rings, and it’s helmed by several members of the creative team behind Avatar: The Last Airbender. Seasons 1-3 became the first phase of the story, and after its success, Netflix gave an incredibly rare four-season renewal, which ultimately became the second phase under the name Mystery of Aaravos.
The seventh season does bring a satisfying ending to The Dragon Prince, but the writers have given some indication that if Netflix were to grant another renewal, there are ideas for a third phase that continues the story in new directions.
