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We’re currently in that awkward seasonal middle ground between Halloween and Christmas (for those celebrating both holidays), meaning the entertainment giants are all gearing up, but not quite ready to launch their respective festive content slates.
However, Netflix has decided to stay ahead of the other best streaming services by releasing its first major Christmas movie of the year: the Lindsay Lohan-starring romcom Falling for Christmas. Rest assured that the next six weeks of recommendations will be dominated by tinsel-laden new movies and TV shows, so enjoy the relative calm before the storm while you can.
Below, we’ve rounded up seven of the biggest new streaming arrivals heading to Netflix, Prime Video, and HBO Max in the coming days.
The Crown Season 5 (Netflix)
Netflix’s highly popular royal drama series, The Crown, returned on November 9 for its fifth (but not quite final) season.
Set during the most tumultuous period in recent royal family history, The Crown Season 5 explores the much-debated end of Charles and Diana’s marriage, John Major’s time as Prime Minister, and the Queen’s annus horribilis in 1992. Imelda Staunton (Harry) Potter) inherits the role of the late Queen Elizabeth II from Olivia Colman, while Jonathan Pryce, Dominic West and Elizabeth Debicki join the cast as Philip, Charles and Diana, respectively.
Critics are divided on how well — if not sensitively — the final season of The Crown dramatizes its most controversial historical moments. However, despite its flaws, this royal thriller seems to remain one of the best Netflix shows out there.
Now streaming on Netflix.
The English (Prime Video)
The folks at Amazon Studios can’t get enough credit for delivering consistently original new movies and TV shows, and Prime Video is getting another quirky-looking series in The English this weekend.
Set on the American frontier in the 1890s, this six-episode western, co-produced with the BBC, centers on a woman’s quest for revenge against the man she believes was responsible for her son’s death. Emily Blunt leads the cast of the show alongside Chaske Spencer, with Rafe Spall, Toby Jones, Ciaran Hinds, Stephen Rea and Tom Hughes in supporting roles.
Critics patch up the English — and for a variety of reasons. From ‘rare, sensational masterpiece’ to ‘pure, delicious, American cheese’, the verdicts were mixed but unanimously positive. No doubt we will add this one to our list of the best Prime Video series Very fast.
Now available to stream on Prime Video.
Falling For Christmas (Netflix)
And so begins the festive entertainment season with Falling for Christmas on Netflix.
Starring Lindsay Lohan (Mean Girls), this new Netflix movie follows a newly engaged, spoiled hotel heiress whose life is turned upside down when she suffers a skiing accident that causes her amnesia in the days leading up to the world’s most prominent vacation.
Okay, that synopsis sounds a little bleak – but Falling for Christmas looks just as kitsch as festive movies. That also seems to be the critical consensus; reviewers call this a low-budget but mindlessly enjoyable holiday drama that does little to mix up the tried-and-true rom-com formula.
Now streaming on Netflix.
Mammals (prime video)
The Late Late Show host James Corden is trading one restaurant drama for another with Mammals on Prime Video this weekend (thanks, we’re proud of that).
In this six-part comedy-drama – from award-winning screenwriter Jez Butterworth (Jerusalem) – Corden stars as Jamie, a Michelin-starred chef whose wits are tested when he discovers that his wife, Amandine (Melia Kreiling), has multiple affairs with other men. Sally Hawkins, Colin Morgan and, uh, Tom Jones (?) also shine.
Critics have praised Corden for his impressively nuanced performance in Mammals, so we’d recommend giving the show a try before passing judgment on the admittedly divisive protagonist.
Now streaming on Netflix.
Mythic Quest Season 3 (Apple TV Plus)
One of the best apple tv showsMythic Quest returns this weekend for its third season.
In new installments of the hit video game developer workplace comedy, Ian (Rob McElhenney) and Poppy (Charlotte Nicdao) work on a brand new game at GrimPop, while new boss David, back at Mythic Quest, struggles to keep things together. Community star Danny Pudi also returns to the fray as Brad.
The first two episodes of Mythic Quest Season 3 are now available to stream Apple TV Pluswith the remaining eight installments arriving weekly every Friday through January 6.
Now available to stream on Apple TV Plus.
FIFA Discovered (Netflix)
Just in time for the start of the 2022 FIFA World Cup, Netflix has felt it necessary to remind football fans of the controversial (and downright immoral) deals that granted host country Qatar ownership of this year’s tournament.
This four-episode series highlights the influence of corrupt bureaucrats and self-important FIFA bosses on the game of the world, using archival footage and interviews with responsible parties — including public enemy number one Sepp Blatter — to paint a shattering picture of the dirty underbelly of football.
Critics have called FIFA Uncovered “uncomfortably exciting” and “as a particularly repulsive true-crime show”, so it sounds like a shoo-in for a place on our list of the best Netflix documentaries.
Now streaming on Netflix.
The Big Brunch (HBO Max)
This week’s selection of streaming recommendations concludes with the new HBO reality series The Big Brunch.
Hosted by Dan Levy, Schitt’s star Dan Levy – who incidentally recently joined the cast of Sex Education Season 4 – this eight-episode show features ten talented chefs putting a creative spin on everyone’s favorite snack: brunch. As you’d expect, it’s a competition, and the winner gets to take home a whopping $300,000 (think how many eggs that could buy you!).
The first three episodes of The Big Brunch are now available to stream on HBO Max, and the remaining five episodes will air weekly over the next two Thursdays (in batches of three and two, respectively).
Now available to stream on HBO Max.