Harlan Coben’s Missing You, Cunk on Life, Zenshu and more new TV this week

By James On Dec 30, 2024

Happy New Year, everyone! Or at least a happy new year soon. Like last week (and many of the weeks before that), watchlists are now likely to be more seasonal unless you’re catching up on some of the best shows and movies from the past year! There’s no time like the present: the Golden Globes are happening! – but that doesn’t mean there’s nothing new to watch.

Let’s start with Harlan Coben (who released the Twisty earlier this year). Fool me for once) returns with a new show on Netflix, this time starring Slow horsesRosalind Eleazar. And Philomena Cunk (Diane Morgan) brings us up to date again, this time with an end-of-year special (or beginning, as it were) on Netflix.

Here are this week’s best new TV premieres.

Genre: “Documentary special”
Release date: January 2
Philomena Cunk: Diane Morgan

If you are in Britain you have the Cunk on life mockumentary special in 2024. But if you’re like us, 2025 will bring a fresh Cunk on life especially for Netflix, expertly tackling some of the biggest and most complicated topics anyone has ever attempted.

Genre: Mysterious thriller
Release date: January 1
Showrunner/creator: Harlan Coben
Form: Rosalind Eleazar, Ashley Walters, Jessica Plummer and more

Detective Kat Donovan (Rosalind Eleazar) is still grieving for the love of her life, Josh (Ashley Walters), who disappeared without a trace 11 years ago. Only now, while swiping through a dating app, does she see his face, forcing her to delve back into the mystery surrounding her father’s murder and uncover long-buried secrets.

Genre: Fantasy
Release date: January 5
Studio: MAPPA

Natsuko Hirose is a professional animator and a bit of a secretive person. Her latest project isn’t going great – she’s coming off her first anime, which was a huge hit, and the latest is a rom-com (her least favorite genre). Unfortunately, she dies from the stress of exhaustion. But don’t worry, she wakes up in the world of her childhood anime, the series that inspired her to become an animator. Armed with the ability to change the storyline around her, how will Natsuko fare among the fantastical scenes?

New shows on Paramount Plus

Genre: Show prices
Release date: January 5 at 5pm PST/8pm EST
Host: Nikki Glaser

It’s the Golden Globes! The kick-off (or continuation) of awards season in earnest. Lots of nominated things, lots of ground to cover in about a three hour ceremony. Tune in to see jokes, gaffes and Globes.