7 new movies and TV shows to stream this weekend (December 20) on Netflix, Prime Video, Max and more
Happy holidays, everyone! Finally it’s time to take a much needed break from work and enjoy as much food, drinks, good company, And spent as much time in front of your TV as you can manage.
On the latter point, our penultimate weekly ‘what to watch this weekend’ list of the year is, as always, filled with deals from the world’s best streaming services. From the latest new movies of 2024 to the return of hit shows, you’ll find something worth watching after you turn on your out-of-office email for the last time this year. After all, you earned it. So put your feet up and enjoy one of the recommendations below! – Tom Power, senior entertainment reporter
The Six Triple Eight (Netflix)
2024 was a good year for war dramas, such as Apple TV Plus projects Lightning And Masters of the air. Now we can add The Six Triple Eight to the list; December’s latest new Netflix movies that tell the inspiring true story of the only unit of color in the World War II Women’s Army Corps, also known as the 6888th Central Postal Directory Battalion.
855 women join the war effort to solve a three-year backlog of mail that had not yet been delivered to American soldiers far from home. Despite discrimination and war-torn conditions, they sort 17 million pieces of mail and bring hope to the front lines. The Six Triple Eight certainly has a unique premise that could make it one of the best Netflix films (though Rotten Tomatoes’ critical rating suggests that won’t be the case). Nevertheless, I’m looking forward to learning more about a heroic battalion that many of us didn’t know existed on Netflix.
Grace Morris, entertainment writer
The Secret Lives of Animals (Apple TV Plus)
I love a good character docuseries – and Apple TV Plus delivered the goods this week with its latest natural history show in the form of The secret life of animalswhich may become the latest addition to our best Apple TV Plus show guide.
A 10-part series, narrated by Downton Abbey And Paddington star Hugh Bonneville, the Apple program aims to engage and educate us all with never-before-filmed behavior from more than seventy different species on all seven continents. Before you watch it, check out our exclusive clip from episode nine, which features a nail-biting fight between two kangaroos. You won’t want to miss it, I promise.
Tom Power, senior entertainment reporter
Virgin River season 6 (Netflix)
Virgin river season 6 couldn’t have come at a better time and I really want an invite to Mel Monroe and Jack Sheridan’s romantic wedding. As preparations begin for Mel and Jack’s spring wedding, the sixth season will feature new twists, love triangles, marital drama and secrets from Mel’s father’s past, taking us back to Virgin River in the 1970s.
Virgin river is, in my opinion, one of the best Netflix shows to watch out of everything new on Netflix in December, so make sure you don’t miss the wedding of the year either!
Grace Morris, entertainment writer
Juror #2 (max.)
Clint Eastwood’s latest film is one of my most anticipated Max trailers and now that it’s streaming on Max, I can’t wait to wrap my eyes around it. I love Gran Turin And Juror #2 looks to be another big success for the legendary actor turned director. Unlike Gran TurinEastwood remains behind the camera and directs an all-star cast that includes Nicholas Hoult, Toni Collette, JK Simmons and Kiefer Sutherland.
What is it about? The legal thriller follows the journalistic character of Hoult who is called for jury duty and soon realizes it He could be responsible for the victim’s death. Suspenseful legal thrillers are one of my favorite things to watch and I’m sure this one will deliver; the 94% rating on Rotten Tomatoes is also promising! So keep an eye out for its addition to our list of the best Max movies.
Lucy Buglass, senior entertainment writer
Harry Potter: Wizards of Baking (Prime Video)
If you’re like me, you probably have the obligatory films that hit the screen every Christmas – and for me, that list includes the best Harry Potter films. Well, this year you can combine it with this Prime Video game show that can only best be described as Harry Potter encounter The Great British Bake-off in Harry Potter: Wizards of Baking.
The six-episode series caused such a stir when it premiered on Food Network in the US in November that Amazon acquired the streaming rights to show the series in Britain and Ireland. Hosted by James and Oliver Phelps (Fred and George Weasley), alongside culinary judges, Carla Hall and Jozef Youssef, make sure you enjoy this magical treat while we wait for the reboot of HBO’s Harry Potter.
Amelia Schwanke, senior entertainment editor
Fast friends (max.)
How well do you know the ’90s sitcom? Friends? You know the season where Ross and Rachel were on “break”? What was the name of Joey’s soap opera character? Or how about Phoebe’s most famous song? If you can answer all these questions, you’ll love Max’s new original game show Fast friends.
Hosted by comedian Whitney Cummings, it invites participants to relive the best Friends episodes by challenging teams with trivia, puzzles and games to determine who wins the title of ‘The Ultimate Fast Friends Champion’ by how quickly they complete each task. Once you’re done, check out how to stream every episode of Friends next?
Amelia Schwanke, senior entertainment editor
Aaron Rodgers: Enigma (Netflix)
This three-part docuseries follows NFL quarterback Aaron Rodgers as he undergoes an intensive rehabilitation program after a devastating Achilles injury. Expect to see many of the defining moments of his life and career, with episode one exploring how his injury derailed his 2023 debut with the New York Jets. Elsewhere we will see how he experimented with alternative medicine and religion, sparking controversy and drawing further criticism with his stance on vaccines during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Netflix documentary gives Rodgers a chance to show his side of the story, including his reaction to winning Super Bowl XLV. There’s a lot to unpack with this series and it certainly sounds like it could be a great addition to our best Netflix documentary guide.
Lucy Buglass, senior entertainment writer
For more streaming recommendations, read our guides to the best Disney Plus shows, the best Paramount Plus movies, the best Hulu shows, and the best Apple TV Plus movies.