This year closes out with the national premieres of 30 new series, seasons, and films from the UK and Canada, plus the local premieres of a few more.
For updates about shows from the UK, Canada, and Ireland added to US linear TV and streaming channels throughout the month, see the British TV Viewing Guide.
(For details about the premieres of shows from Australia, New Zealand, and countries in Europe and other continents, visit The Down Under TV Place, The Euro TV Place, and The Global TV Place.)
Programs and dates are subject to change without prior notice.
Videos below may contain content that is not suitable for everyone.
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NATIONAL PREMIERES
The Haunted Season: The Occupant of the Room (CA)
Based on “The Occupant of the Room,” the classic short story by Algernon Blackwood, this film is part of “The Haunted Season” anthology series of horror tales that follows the tradition of telling ghost stories for Christmas. The story is about a schoolteacher (Don McKellar, Slings and Arrows, Sensitive Skin) whose late-night arrival at a hotel in the Alps without a reservation leaves him with no option but to accept the room of a missing hotel guest, leading to a sleepless night full of strange and uncanny occurrences.
The Haunted Season: The Occupant of the Room, a Shudder Exclusive Film, premieres in the US, Canada, UK, Ireland, Australia, and New Zealand on Monday, December 1, exclusively on Shudder and AMC+.
The Complete Supernatural Stories by Algernon Blackwood (including “The Occupant of the Room”)
Neil & Martin’s Bon Voyage (UK)
Neil Morrissey (The Good Karma Hospital) and Martin Clunes (Doc Martin), friends and former Men Behaving Badly costars, reconnect and take a road trip through France — reminiscing about their friendship and experiencing the country’s food, landscapes, and local traditions as they travel through Normandy, the French Alps, and the South of France.
Neil & Martin’s Bon Voyage premieres in the US on Monday, December 1, on Acorn TV.
The Other Bennet Sister Yule Log (UK)
To celebrate Jane Austen’s 250th birthday, BritBox invites viewers to cozy up by the hearth inspired by The Other Bennet Sister. The Other Bennet Sister Yule Log, a BritBox Original, premieres in North America on Monday, December 1, exclusively on BritBox.
Hunting Mr. Nice: How to Catch a Cartel Kingpin (UK)
This two-part docuseries is about the hunt for Howard Marks, aka “Mr Nice,” the world’s most notorious cannabis smuggler. Marks started by selling pot while at Oxford University, and from there built an international drug-smuggling empire. Featuring archival materials, dramatized reconstructions, and comments from members of his former criminal inner circle, the police, and the DEA, as well as friends, journalists, and lawyers, the program looks at how Mr Nice became famous yet still managed to evade justice for decades, until his luck ran out. Hunting Mr. Nice: How to Catch a Cartel Kingpin premieres in the US on Wednesday, December 3, on Hulu.
Inside the Cult of the Jesus Army (UK)
Another two-part docuseries, this one looks at the Jesus Army, a Christian cult founded by Noel Stanton in the late 1960s, whose vision of communal living and spiritual commitment attracted many to its culture of modesty. However, the reality was much darker. This program explores the cult’s abusive practices, revealing the coercion, control, and sexual abuse that many members, including children, experienced over the years.
Inside the Cult of the Jesus Army premieres in the US on Wednesday, December 3, on Hulu.
The Missing Millionairess (UK)
This documentary follows the investigation into Melissa Caddick, a woman in Sydney who, through posing as a glamorous and successful financial advisor for many years, had swindled more than $23 million out of investors, many of them family and friends. After police raided her home in 2020, she vanished without a trace. The program examines what happened in the months before and after her disappearance, and features insights from victims, investigators, and others involved in the case. The Missing Millionairess premieres in the US on Wednesday, December 3, on Hulu.
Next Level Baker (UK)
This four-episode holiday special, an extension of the “Next Level Chef” franchise, will test the skills of twelve professional, social media, and home bakers as they are challenged to create eye-popping, festive holiday delights across the franchise’s three iconic levels. Celeb chef and restaurateur Gordon Ramsay will serve as host and mentor, with chef Carla Hall and pastry chef Candace Nelson joining him as co-mentors. The one baker who makes it through the elimination rounds and rises to the top will claim the holiday baking crown and take home $25,000 and a HexClad prize package.
Next Level Baker premieres in the US on Thursday, December 4, at 9pm ET, on Fox, with streaming available on Hulu starting December 5.
Miss Scarlet: Season 6 (UK)
In the new season of this hit period whodunit series, Miss Eliza Scarlet (Kate Phillips, Wolf Hall, Peaky Blinders) is doing her best to have it all. Her business is thriving, but her personal life enters new territory as she attempts to follow her heart and develop a relationship with Inspector Alexander Blake (Tom Durant Pritchard, Tom Jones, Baby Reindeer). Eliza may be an expert in solving crimes, but she’s very much a novice when it comes to love. Can she juggle the twin demands of her personal and professional life?
Miss Scarlet: Season 6 has its US pre-broadcast streaming premiere on Sunday, December 7, on the PBS app, PBS Passport, and the PBS Masterpiece Prime Video Channel. (Viewers without access to these can tune into the linear debut on PBS on January 11, 2026.)
Midsomer Murders: Season 25 (UK)
Set in the quaint and picturesque but deadly Midsomer County, the new season of this long-running whodunit series consists of four brand-new, feature-length murder mysteries for DCI John Barnaby (Neil Dudgeon, Life of Riley) and DS Winter (Nick Hendrix, Marcella) to solve, with assistance from pathologist Dr. Fleur Perkins (Annette Badland, Ted Lasso). And helping Barnaby chill when he isn’t looking for clues or interrogating potential suspects are his wife Sarah (Fiona Dolman, Unforgotten), daughter Betty (Isabel Shaw), and dog Paddy. (Read this article for episode descriptions.)
Midsomer Murders: Season 25 premieres in the US and Canada on Monday, December 8, exclusively on Acorn TV. New episodes will drop weekly through December 29.
Mrs. Brown’s Boys: Season 5 (UK)
This multi-award-winning sitcom stars Brendan O’Carroll (Angela’s Ashes) as Mrs. Brown, the loud-mouthed, meddling matriarch in the suburban town of Finglas, Dublin. Costarring his wife, Jennifer Gibney (Mrs. Brown’s Boys D’Movie), as Mrs. Brown’s daughter, Cathy, Mrs. Brown’s Boys: Season 5 premieres in the US with two episodes on Wednesday, December 10, exclusively on BritBox. The last two episodes of the season drop on December 17.
Simon Cowell: The Next Act (UK)
In this brand-new docuseries, cameras follow Simon Cowell, the music mogul and record executive who has single-handedly created some of the biggest music superstars in the world, as he sets out to do it again: try to create the next global boyband sensation. From raw open casting calls to the release of their debut single, this show, unlike any that he has made before, is an all-access pass for viewers to catch every moment of Simon’s next chapter.
Simon Cowell: The Next Act, a Netflix Documentary, premieres globally on Wednesday, December 10, exclusively on Netflix. (You can set a reminder for it now.)
Little Disasters (UK)
Adapted from the eponymous novel by Sarah Vaughan, this psychological thriller centers on the decade-long friendship of four women: Jess (Diane Kruger, The Bridge, Inglourious Basterds), Liz (Jo Joyner, Shakespeare & Hathaway: Private Investigators, EastEnders), Charlotte (Shelley Conn, Alex Rider, Bridgerton), and Mel (Emily Taaffe, The Rising, The Beast Must Die).
They were expectant mothers when they met, with little in common aside from their due dates. Since then, they have been there for one another throughout motherhood. But when perfect stay-at-home mum Jess takes her baby daughter to the hospital with a head injury that she can’t explain, Liz, the on-duty ER doctor, has a tough decision to make: whether or not to contact social services. She does, and with that single phone call, Liz sets in motion a chain of events that fractures and nearly destroys their families as well as their entire friendship group.
Also featuring JJ Feild (Turn: Washington’s Spies), Ben Bailey Smith (Andor), Patrick Baladi (DI Ray), and Stephen Campbell Moore (Masters of the Air), Little Disasters premieres in the US and Canada as a six-episode binge on Thursday, December 11, exclusively on Paramount+.
Little Disasters by Sarah Vaughan
Man vs Baby (UK)
Rowan Atkinson (all things “Mr. Bean,” “Blackadder” and “Johnny English”) reprises his role as the lovable but bumbling Trevor Bingley in this holiday comedy series, a follow-up to Man vs. Bee. Given the chaos that happened in Man vs. Bee, Trevor has since left the stressful world of housesitting for a quieter life as a school caretaker. That is, until a lucrative offer to look after a luxury London penthouse over Christmas proves too tempting to resist. But on the last day of term, when no one comes to collect the Baby Jesus from the school nativity, Trevor finds himself with another undersized and very unexpected companion. With a penthouse to protect and a baby to burp, will Trevor be able to have the calm Christmas he hopes for, or will festivities descend into chaos (again!)?
Man vs Baby, a Netflix Series, premieres globally on Thursday, December 11, exclusively on Netflix. (You can set a reminder for it now.)
The Madame Blanc Mysteries Christmas Special (UK)
In this holiday special, Jean is invited to authenticate a newly-acquired treasure — a rare Ormolu box once owned by Marie Antoinette — at the Musée de Sainte Victoire, where she, Dom, Judith, and Jeremy attend an exclusive Christmas Eve event. But the festive mood turns dark when Jean discovers a ticking bomb hidden inside the box. With just 90 minutes until detonation, the museum is sealed shut, the security guard is dead, and the race is on. Jean and the gang must crack the code and defuse the bomb before time runs out and everything goes kaboom.
The special’s ensemble cast includes Sally Lindsay (Scott & Bailey, Still Open All Hours, Cold Call) as antiques dealer and amateur sleuth Jean White, Steve Edge (Starlings, Murder They Hope) as taxi driver Dom Hayes, Sue Holderness (Only Fools and Horses, Still Open All Hours) and Robin Askwith (Strike, Benidorm) as eccentric married couple Judith and Jeremy Lloyd-James, Alex Gaumond (Derry Girls, My Dinner With Hervé) as Chief of Police André Caron, Sue Vincent (Mount Pleasant, Shameless) as mechanic Gloria Beaushaw, and Tony Robinson (Blackadder, Time Team) as Dom’s Uncle Patrick.
Joining them for the holiday special are John Thomson (Cold Feet, Coronation Street), Kacey Ainsworth (Grantchester, EastEnders), Raji James (Hollyoaks, The Man Who Fell To Earth), and Manjinder Virk (Trigger Point, Midsomer Murders).
The two-part The Madame Blanc Mysteries 2025 Christmas special premieres in the US, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand on Monday, December 15, and concludes on Monday, December 22, exclusively on Acorn TV.
Great Performances: Nutcracker from English National Ballet (UK)
The London-based English National Ballet brings Tchaikovsky’s beloved holiday favorite, The Nutcracker, to life in a new production featuring more than 100 dancers and musicians. Set in Edwardian-era London, the 1892 classic ballet’s young heroine, Clara, sets off on a fantastical Christmas adventure with her enchanted nutcracker doll to a magical realm where anything is possible. Great Performances: Nutcracker from English National Ballet premieres in the US on Tuesday, December 16, at 8pm ET, on PBS (check your local listings), with streaming available on PBS.org and the PBS app.
Farming for Love Canada: Seasons 1-2 (CA)
This reality dating show, adapted from the international “Farmer Wants a Wife” franchise, follows Canadian farmers who are seeking relationships.
Farming for Love Canada: Seasons 1-2 premieres in the US on Wednesday, December 17, on Hulu.
Secret Crush: Seasons 1-2 (UK)
Approaching relationships from a different angle is this reality series, in which single men and women who’ve been harboring feelings from afar reveal their hidden passion to their unknowing crush. While the object of their affection is informed that someone secretly likes them, the crushee doesn’t find out who the crusher is until they walk into the date. Secret Crush: Seasons 1-2 premieres in the US on Wednesday, December 17, on Hulu.
Born to be Wild (UK)
Narrated by Hugh Bonneville (Downton Abbey), this new wildlife series, filmed over several years across three continents, follows six endangered young animals as they grow up in our world but are destined to return to theirs. From their earliest days through their journey to life in the wild, the show highlights the challenges, triumphs, and resilience that define their survival, both for the animals and the people working to raise and protect them.
As each animal finds its place in the world after being orphaned or born through conservation programs — from an elephant calf and two young cheetahs, to a ring-tailed lemur pup, a moon bear cub, Iberian lynx kittens, and rescued African penguins — the series offers an intimate and emotional look at the powerful relationships between these animals and the heroic humans dedicated to raising, rehabilitating, and rewilding them to help save their species.
Born to be Wild premieres globally as a six-episode binge on Friday, December 19, exclusively on Apple TV.
Discovered by Disaster (CA)
This docuseries explores how catastrophic natural events unveil hidden treasures and reshape our understanding of history. Each episode combines CGI, expert testimony, and location shooting to examine extraordinary finds brought to light by disasters ranging from earthquakes and volcanic eruptions to droughts and floods, highlighting the paradox of destruction leading to significant archaeological discoveries. Discovered by Disaster premieres in the US on Friday, December 19, on Disney+.
Goodbye June (UK)
Directed by and starring Kate Winslet (Titanic, The Reader), this drama takes place just before Christmas, when an unexpected turn in their mother’s health thrusts four adult siblings and their exasperating father into chaos as they navigate messy family dynamics in the face of potential loss. But their quick-witted mother, June (Helen Mirren, The Queen, Mobland), orchestrates her decline on her own terms — with biting humour, blunt honesty, and a lot of love.
Costars include Toni Collette (The Sixth Sense, Unbelievable), Johnny Flynn (Ripley, Lovesick), and Andrea Riseborough (Alice & Jack, ZeroZeroZero), along with Timothy Spall (Death Valley, Wolf Hall) and Stephen Merchant (The Outlaws).
Goodbye June, a Netflix Film, premieres globally on Wednesday, December 24, exclusively on Netflix. (You can set a reminder for it now.) (Its theatrical release in select cinemas is on December 12.)
Royal Carols: Together at Christmas 2025 (UK)
The Princess of Wales returns to host her annual Christmas carol service, featuring songs, musical performances, and readings. Join HRH The Princess of Wales, members of the Royal Family, and a congregation filled with deserving people from all corners of the UK for a very special Christmas celebration. (Video playlist is from Royal Carols 2024)
Royal Carols: Together at Christmas 2025 premieres in North America on Wednesday, December 24, exclusively on BritBox.
The King’s Christmas Address 2025 (UK)
An annual tradition, HM King Charles III delivers his Christmas message to the nation and the Commonwealth. The King’s Christmas Address 2025 premieres Thursday, December 25, on BritBox.
Sanctuary: A Witch’s Tale: Season 2 (UK)
Opening a year after the traumatic events of Season 1, the new season of this supernatural drama finds Sarah Fenn (Elaine Cassidy, Belgravia: The Next Chapter, No Offence) and her daughter, Harper (Hazel Doupe, Say Nothing, Smother), hiding out in Scotland and concealing Harper’s extraordinary powers. But a dark cloud is descending, as recent anti-witch legislation has increased hate crimes. Sarah, worrying that the worse is to come, is soon presented with a dramatic ultimatum: return to Sanctuary as the secret eyes and ears of the witch-ruling body, The Moot, or else have her magic bound. Determined to retain her powers and protect Harper at all costs, Sarah returns home just as a mysterious murder takes place, which also draws DCI Maggie Knight (Stephanie Levi-John, The Spanish Princess) back to Sanctuary.
Sanctuary: A Witch’s Tale: Season 2, an AMC+ Original Series, premieres in the US on Thursday, December 25, exclusively on AMC+. New episodes will drop weekly through January 29, 2016.
Catch up on Sanctuary: A Witch’s Tale Season 1
Nightsleeper (UK)
This series is a real-time thriller about the hacking of a sleeper train traveling from Glasgow to London, and a government agency’s frantic efforts to intervene in the rapidly-escalating events onboard. Two people who’ve never met before, one on the train and one not, must work together to save the lives of the train’s passengers as the Heart of Britain overnight service hurtles towards what might quite literally be its final destination.
The cast includes Joe Cole (Gangs of London, The Ipcress File), Ruth Madeley (Doctor Who, The Watch), James Cosmo (Karen Pirie, Hostage), Katie Leung (Annika, “Harry Potter” films), Sharon Small (London Kills, The Bay), Alex Ferns (The Devil’s Hour, Andor), Sharon Rooney (My Mad Fat Diary, The Capture), Lois Chimimba (Shetland, The Outlaws), David Threlfall (Shameless, Code of a Killer), and Alexandra Roach (The Light in the Hall, No Offence).
Nightsleeper premieres in the US as a six-episode binge on Friday, December 26, exclusively on BritBox.
Mrs. Brown’s Boys Christmas Special 2024 (UK)
In the 2024 holiday special, Agnes Brown (Brendan O’Caroll, Angela’s Ashes) is determined to prove that she is the essence of festive spirit after she is accused of always being cranky during Yuletide. Christmas Week may not be the best time of year to undergo a personality change, but the Brown family matriarch is undeterred and goes on a charm offensive. With her daughter, Cathy (Jennifer Gibney), trying to save the world, Granddad (Dermot O’Neill) getting a little too close with oversexed neighbor Birdy (June Rodgers, The Clinic), and an escaped convict mistaken for a lodger that leads to a mass hostage situation, perhaps Agnes has bitten off more than she can chew. Of course, it’s Dermot (Paddy Houlihan) and Buster (Danny O’Carroll) who save the day.
Mrs. Brown’s Boys Christmas Special 2024, a BritBox Original, premieres in the US as a two-episode binge on Saturday, December 27, exclusively on BritBox.
Ricky Gervais: Mortality (UK)
In this brand-new special, Ricky Gervais (After Life, Derek, The Office) takes on his own mortality in a brutally honest and darkly funny stand-up special about his life, death, and the state of the world. Ricky Gervais: Mortality, a Netflix Comedy Special, premieres globally on Tuesday, December 30, exclusively on Netflix. (You can set a reminder for it now.)
Gardeners’ World Winter Special 2025 (UK)
In this new special, Monty Don (Monty Don’s British Gardens) and the team celebrate the changing seasons and the beauty of the gardening year in all its glory. Gardeners’ World Winter Special 2025 premieres in North America as a four-episode binge on Wednesday, December 31, exclusively on BritBox.
Beyond Paradise: Season 3 Christmas Special (UK)
This year’s holiday special sees DS Esther Williams (Zahra Ahmadi, The Bay) discover a man on the steps of the Shipton Abbott police station with no memory but holding a photo of DI Humphrey Goodman (Kris Marshall, Sanditon). So, Humphrey and the team get to work to uncover who the mysterious man is while balancing a flurry of festive cases. At the same time, Martha (Sally Bretton, Not Going Out) races to pull off her secret plan with the help of Anne (Barbara Flynn, Kate & Koji), Zoe (Melina Sinadinou, The Terminal List: Dark Wolf), and a special guest, while PC Kelby Hartford (Dylan Llewellyn, Derry Girls) tries to help a mystery man trapped inside his snowman costume. But with an influx of unexpected visitors, a slew of holiday crimes to crack, and a heartwarming reunion on the line, can the team juggle it all and still be ready for a life-changing reveal?
Guest-starring Adrian Edmondson (Alien: Earth), James Lance (Ted Lasso), and Jonny Weldon (One Day), the Beyond Paradise: Season 3 Christmas Special, a BritBox Original, premieres in North America in December (date tba) exclusively on BritBox.
Call the Midwife 2025 Holiday Special (UK)
In this beloved period drama’s new holiday special, senior members of the convent embark on a mercy mission, swapping the snowy East End of London for the sun-drenched terrain of Hong Kong. The rise in hospital births, along with wider changes in the NHS, might have clipped their wings, but their mission to the Far East is a chance to take flight and work out what really matters. For her part, Sister Julienne (Jenny Agutter, The Invisibles) suddenly finds herself excited about the Order’s future. After years of battling change, she decides to embrace it and see what love can do. The Call the Midwife 2025 Holiday Special premieres in December (date tba, but probably December 25) on PBS.
Death in Paradise Christmas Special 2025 (UK)
On the (fictional) Caribbean island of Saint Marie, the office Christmas party of a lifetime takes a dark turn when four co-workers wake up to find a stranger dead in the pool of their villa. DI Mervin Wilson (Don Gilet, EastEnders) and the team identify the murder weapon, but they’re left baffled when they find that it was locked in a drawer — in Swindon, thousands of miles from the crime scene — when the murder took place. Stuck on the island, the team calls on the help of a familiar face to crack the case. Meanwhile, Mervin’s anxiously waiting to hear back from his newly-discovered brother, which prevents him from embracing Saint Marie’s Christmas celebrations. Can Mervin resolve his family situation and get into the festive spirit, for the sake of his team and the island?
Guest stars Josie Lawrence (Outside Edge), Kate Ashfield (Shaun of the Dead), Pearl Mackie (Doctor Who), James Baxter (Waterloo Road), Billy Harris (Ted Lasso), Oriana Charles, and Alix Serman join series regulars Shantol Jackson (Beyond Paradise), Ginny Holder (The Capture), Shaquille Ali-Yebuah (Save Me), and Élizabeth Bourgine (Beyond Paradise) for the special.
The Death in Paradise Christmas Special 2025 premieres in North America in December (date tba) exclusively on BritBox.
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LOCAL/REGIONAL PREMIERES
Christmas in the Cotswolds (UK)
This documentary visits one of the UK’s most popular destinations during its magical Christmas season: the Cotswolds. Following farmers, artisans, chefs, and stately home curators, it showcases the people of this stunning region as they celebrate Christmas in style. During the 50-minute program, viewers get to explore the gorgeous town of Broadway, where its High Street becomes a bustling winter wonderland of stalls and late-night shopping; visit a luxury hotel to see how a top chef makes a festive afternoon tea; and wander the spectacular Christmas light trails at beautiful Blenheim Palace.
Christmas in the Cotswolds is confirmed for airing on or after Monday, December 1, on the following public TV stations and state/regional networks: Idaho Public Television, KERA, KRSU, Louisiana Public Broadcasting, Maryland Public Television, WEDU, WETA, WFYI, WITF, WNED, WPSU, and WPTO.
London Parade – A Tribute to 40 Years (UK)
Join London New Year’s Day Parade founder and host Bob Bone and the entire team for an insider’s look back at forty years of creating the world-renowned street spectacular and turn-of-year tradition. This half-hour program celebrates this milestone and also looks ahead to the 2026 London Parade, which will fill the streets of London with pomp, circumstance, and non-stop entertainment.
London Parade – A Tribute to 40 Years is confirmed for airing on or after Monday, December 1, on the following public TV stations and state/regional networks: Alabama Public Television, Arkansas PBS, Idaho Public Television, Iowa PBS, KAET, KAKM, KBDI, KBTC, KCOS, KCPT, KCTS, KEDT, Kentucky Educational Television (KET), KENW, KERA, KETC, KLRN, KLRU, KLVX, KMOS, KNME, KNPB, KOCE, KPBT, KPJK, KPTS, KQED, KQEH, KRCB, KRMA, KRWG, KSPS, KSYS, KTCA, KTWU, KUAC, KUAT, KUEN, KUHT, KVCR, KVPT, KWCM, Louisiana Public Broadcasting, Maine Public Television, Maryland Public Television, Mississippi Public Broadcasting, Montana PBS, New Hampshire PBS, NJ PBS (New Jersey), OETA (Oklahoma), Oregon Public Broadcasting, PBS North Carolina, PBS Wisconsin, South Dakota Public Broadcasting, WABE, WBRA, WCFE, WCMU, WCTE, WCVE, WDSC, WEDU, WEIU, WETA, WETP, WFSU, WFWA, WFYI, WGBH, WGBY, WGCU, WGTE, WGVU, WHRO, WILL, WIPB, WJCT, WKAR, WKNO, WLJT, WLRN, WLVT, WMHT, WMVS, WNED, WNIN, WNIT, WNMU, WNPT, WPBS, WPBT, WPSU, WPTO, WQED, WQLN, WQPT, WSBE, WSKG, WSRE, WTCI, WTVI, WTVS, WUCF, WUFT, WVIZ, WVPT, WXEL, WXXI, and WYES.
Midsomer Murders: Season 24 (UK)
In the (fictional) picturesque English county of Midsomer, this season of of the popular muder mystery series finds DCI Barnaby (Neil Dudgeon) and his trusty sidekick, DS Winter (Nick Hendrix), attempting to solve perplexing crimes while also exploring the quirks of this delightful yet deadly county. As always, the duo is joined by the inimitable pathologist Dr. Fleur Perkins (Annette Badland), Barnaby’s wife Sarah (Fiona Dolman), their daughter Betty (Isabel Shaw), and lovable dog Paddy.
Midsomer Murders: Season 24 is confirmed for airing on or after Monday, December 1, on the following public TV stations and state/regional networks: Arkansas PBS, Connecticut Public Television, Georgia Public Broadcasting, Idaho Public Television, Iowa PBS, KAKM, KCPT, KERA, KLRN, KLRU, KLVX, KNME, KNPB, KOCE, KPBS, KQEH, KRMA, KRSU, KSPS, KSYS, KTCA, KTWU, KUAT, KUED, KUHT, KVPT, Louisiana Public Broadcasting, Maryland Public Television, Montana PBS, NJ PBS (New Jersey), Oregon Public Broadcasting, PBS North Carolina, PBS Wisconsin, South Carolina ETV, South Dakota Public Broadcasting, Vermont Public, WCMU, WCVE, WEDU, WETA, WGBH, WGVU, WLIW, WLRN, WLVT, WMHT, WMVS, WNED, WPBS, WPTO, WSBE, WSKG, WTTW, WTVS, WUCF, WVIZ, WVPT, WXEL, and WXXI.
Scotland: Escape to the Wilderness (UK)
In this four-part series, some of Britain’s best-loved celebrities, including Martin Clunes (Doc Martin) and Ben Miller (Professor T), join wildlife cameraman and photographer Hamza Yassin. Together, they leave their daily routines behind and immerse themselves in nature, getting up close and personal with Scotland’s most spectacular wildlife.
Scotland: Escape to the Wilderness is confirmed for airing on or after Monday, December 1, on the following public TV stations and state/regional networks: KERA, KRSU, Louisiana Public Broadcasting, Maryland Public Television, South Carolina ETV, WDSC, WETA, WNED, and WPTO.
NON-PREMIERE PROGRAMS BEING ADDED TO STREAMING SERVICES
Titles in this section begin streaming in the US and Canada on the dates shown below on Acorn TV and its digital channels, including Acorn TV on Prime Channels.
The Decoy Bride (UK)
In this romantic comedy-drama film, the world’s media descend on the remote Scottish island where a Hollywood actress (Alice Eve, Before We Go) is attempting to get married. To put the paparazzi off the scent, a local girl (Kelly Macdonald, Boardwalk Empire) is hired as a decoy bride. Costarring David Tennant (Rivals), The Decoy Bride begins streaming Monday, December 1.
A Royal Residence (UK)
This three-part docuseries visits the once-royal residences of Althorp House, the ancestral home of the Spencers, the family of the late Princess Diana; Hatfield House; and Glamis Castle. Each episode reveals the secrets each home hides and what it meant to the royals who lived there. A Royal Residence begins streaming Monday, December 29.
Titles in this section begin streaming in North America on the dates shown below on BritBox and its digital channels, including BritBox on Prime Channels.
Save Me: Seasons 1-2 (UK)
In the first season of this mystery thriller, Nelson “Nelly” Rowe (Lennie James, Mr. Loverman, Snatch) searches for Jody (Indeyarna Donaldson-Holness, EastEnders), his estranged teenage daughter, after she goes missing and he is accused of kidnapping her. In the second season, titled Save Me Too, it’s been seventeen months since Nelly started looking for Jody, and he’s still looking and still taking risks that are dangerous to himself and those closest to him. Costarring Suranne Jones (Scott & Bailey) and Stephen Graham (Time), Save Me: Season 1 and Save Me Too begin streaming Thursday, December 18.
Motherland Christmas Specials 2020 & 2022 (UK)
In this hit comedy’s 2020 holiday special, it’s time for Amanda’s (Lucy Punch, Doc Martin) annual festive soiree. Nothing says Christmas like an evil Santa, a 30-foot Christmas tree, Anne’s (Philippa Dunne, Derry Girls) Christmas cocktails, and very strict rules about where you can and can’t drink mulled wine. Only Meg (Tanya Moodie, The Change) has an official party invite, but Julia (Anna Maxwell Martin, Ludwig), Kevin (Paul Ready, Bodyguard), and Liz (Diane Morgan, Cunk on Earth) tag along as her plus-threes. They struggle to fit in with the Alpha crowd, but for Julia, it’s still a welcome distraction from playing festive butler to a house full of in-laws. Meanwhile, Liz is trying to ignore Christmas altogether, while Kevin is single-handedly stuffing, wrapping, roasting, parboiling, laying up, washing up, and decorating himself into an early grave.
In the 2022 special, school’s out for the festive season, so the mums and Kevin are busy prepping for the ultimate in blended Christmas celebrations. It’s a full house at Julia’s with an invasion of grandparents demanding endless cups of tea as they play with a VR headset Paul (Oliver Chris, Rivals) bought “for the kids.” Julia has invited Kevin along, too, after learning his alternative was turkey crisps from the hotel vending machine with the other divorced dads. Kevin excitedly offers to whip up a full-on Persian feast. Liz also turns up when her ex falls asleep on a train following a massive Christmas Eve bender, letting her down on his first-ever offer to host. Meanwhile, Amanda is spending Christmas Day with Johnny (Terry Mynott, Murder, They Hope), the kids, and Johnny’s new wife, Tamara (Louise Delamere, Holby City). Which is fine. Really fine. It’s fine.
The Motherland Christmas Specials 2020 and 2022 begin streaming Saturday, December 27.
Law & Order: UK: Seasons 3-5 (UK)
In Season 3 of this UK spin-off of Law & Order, DS Ronnie Brooks (Bradley Walsh, Coronation Street) and DS Matt Devlin (Jamie Bamber, Beyond Paradise) investigate a hospital department with more than its fair share of untimely deaths, track down a rampaging gunman, and discover the events that led to an innocent woman being gunned down in her own home. Meanwhile, the prosecution team of Alesha Phillips (Freema Agyeman, Doctor Who) and Jake Thorne (Dominic Rowan, The Crown) struggle to get to the truth behind a missing toddler and the brutal murder of a much-loved couple asleep in their new home.
In Season 4, suicidal Finn Tyler (Aidan McCardle, The Fall) drives his car across a railway, causing a train crash that he escapes but kills several people, including a young boy that dies in DS Sam Casey’s (Paul Nicholls, EastEnders) arms. It’s the first day on the job for new DI Wes Leyton (Paterson Joseph, Inside No. 9), Ronnie’s old friend, who wastes no time in taking the lead when he sees that Sam is struggling to cope. Ronnie and Sam carry on with the investigation, only to be surprised when they stumble across the culprit. In the courtroom, Jake prosecutes Tyler with vigor while defense barrister Kate Barker (Georgia Taylor, Coronation Street) argues the reasons why Tyler should not be found guilty. And Henry (Peter Davison, Riot Women) has found Alesha’s replacement.
In Season 5, Ronnie’s new partner, DS Joe Hawkins (Ben Bailey Smith, The Sixth Commandment), arrives, keen and fresh from child protection, just as Ronnie, Jake, and Kate are trying to nail drug overlord Dale Horgan (Peter Barrett, EastEnders) for the third time. Horgan’s underworld power makes him almost impossible to convict, despite Jake’s best efforts, and Ronnie doesn’t want to be sidetracked by training a new boy, especially as another body, with hands and teeth removed, has just been found.
Law & Order: UK: Seasons 3-5 begin streaming Sunday, December 28.
The Widow (UK)
Kate Beckinsale (Much Ado About Nothing) stars in this action-mystery thriller as Georgia Wells, whose life is turned upside down after she embarks on a journey to Kinshasa to uncover the truth about the disappearance of her husband, Will (Matthew Le Nevez, Love Child), who was reported dead after a plane crash in the Congolese jungle three years earlier. Still haunted by the past, Georgia is grieving for the man she loved and the life they lost, but she hasn’t given up hope. However, in searching for the truth, she might find surprising details. The Widow begins streaming Tuesday, December 30.
Titles in this section begin streaming in the US on the dates shown below on Netflix.
Downton Abbey: A New Era (UK)
Maggie Smith’s penultimate film was this one, in which the Crawleys go on a grand journey to the south of France to uncover the mystery of the Dowager Countess’s newly-inherited villa. Downton Abbey: A New Era begins streaming Wednesday, December 24.
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