December brings stateside British TV fans the national premieres of 38 new series, seasons, and specials, as well as the local/regional public TV debuts of four documentaries.
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.
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 Crown’s Ancient Forest (UK)
Narrated by Hugh Bonneville (Downton Abbey), this documentary follows a year in the life of the New Forest National Park in Southern England, as told through the eyes of four of its most iconic inhabitants: a newly-born foal; a pair of goshawks; a fallow deer and its fawn; and a family of foxes. The Crown’s Ancient Forest premieres in the US on Wednesday, December 1, at 8 PM ET, on Smithsonian Channel.
The Tower (UK)
Adapted from Book 1 of Kate London’s “The Metropolitan” crime novels, this thriller follows DS Sarah Collins’s (Gemma Whelan, Game of Thrones) investigation into the deaths of a veteran cop and a teen girl, and then the disappearance of a rookie cop — all from the roof of a tower block in south-east London. (For further details, read this article.) The Tower, a BritBox Original series, premieres in North America on Wednesday, December 1, exclusively on BritBox.
A Very Royal Christmas: Sandringham Secrets (UK)
This documentary gives viewers a look at how the Royal Family celebrates Christmas Day at Sandringham House, the Queen’s country estate in Norfolk, England — delving into all of the fun, quirky, and surprising details and activities that make up the Royal household’s holiday festivities. A Very Royal Christmas: Sandringham Secrets premieres in the US on Wednesday, December 1, exclusively on True Royalty. (Photo of Queen Elizabeth II by Fiona Hanson / AFP via Getty Images, courtesy of True Royalty)
The Pact (UK/Wales)
This thriller sees four brewery employees enter into a fragile pact of silence, bound by a secret that will change their lives forever, after their boss is found dead. (For further details, read this article.) Starring Laura Fraser (The Loch), Julie Hesmondhalgh (Happy Valley), Eiry Thomas (Keeping Faith), and Heledd Gwynn (35 Days), premieres in the US on Thursday, December 2, exclusively on Sundance Now and AMC+. New episodes will debut weekly through January 6, 2022.
Alex Rider: Season 2 (UK-US)
Based on Anthony Horowitz’s series of “Alex Rider” novels, the new season of this drama finds teenager Alex (Otto Farrant, Mrs. Wilson) getting drawn back into the world of spies after an old foe from his time as an MI6 agent resurfaces. Costarring Toby Stephens (Black Sails), Alex Rider: Season 2, an IMDb TV Original series, premieres in the US and UK on Friday, December 3, exclusively on IMDb TV.
The Great British Baking Show: Holidays: Season 4 (UK)
With another holiday comes another set of special episodes that bring contestants of seasons past back to the tent to bake delicious treats in the hops of being crowned star baker by judges Prue Leith and Paul Hollywood. The Great British Baking Show: Holidays: Season 4, a Netflix Original series, premieres in the US on Friday, December 3, exclusively on Netflix.
Meet the Royals (UK)
This four-part docuseries explores royal life from four very different families’ perspectives — the Middletons, Fergusons, Markles, and Spencers — and reveals what it’s like to be thrust into the orbit of royalty, from the strict rules of protocol, to the dramatic family battles and long-held vendettas. Meet the Royals premieres in the US on Friday, December 3, exclusively on True Royalty.
The Royal Beat – Christmas Special (UK)
A host of royal journalists, biographers, and insiders discuss old and new Royal Christmas traditions, including the irreverent gifts they buy each other, the games they always play, and how things will be different this year without Prince Philip. Guests will also look back on the highs and lows of a very busy year for the Royal family. The Royal Beat – Christmas Special premieres in the US on Friday, December 3, exclusively on True Royalty.
Shaun the Sheep: The Flight Before Christmas (UK)
In this holiday special, Shaun’s excitement turns to dismay and then panic when a farmhouse raid to get bigger stockings for the flock inadvertently leads to Timmy going missing. Can Shaun get Timmy back before he becomes someone else’s present? Shaun the Sheep: The Flight Before Christmas, a Netflix Family film, premieres in the US on Friday, December 3, exclusively on Netflix. (You can set a reminder for it now.)
Silent Night (UK)
Keira Knightley (Pride & Prejudice) and Matthew Goode (A Discovery of Witches) lead the cast of this darkly comedic drama as Nell and Simon, parents who’ve invited their closest friends to join their family for Christmas dinner. But the world outside is facing impending doom, and no amount of gifts, games, or Prosecco will make mankind’s imminent destruction go away. Costarring Roman Griffin Davis (Jojo Rabbit), Annabelle Wallis (Peaky Blinders), Lily-Rose Depp (The King), Ṣọpé Dìrísù (Gangs of London), Kirby Howell-Baptiste (Killing Eve), Lucy Punch (Motherland), Rufus Jones (Home), and Trudie Styler (Pose), amongst others, Silent Night premieres in the US on Friday, December 3, exclusively on AMC+, day and date with its theatrical release.
Escape to the Country: Season 22 (UK)
In this popular, long-running reality series, experts and realtors help people to achieve their dream of moving to and residing within the peace of the countryside by finding suitable properties, from chocolate-box cottages to rambling castles, and guiding the prospective buyers through the process. Escape to the Country: Season 22 premieres in North America on Monday, December 6, exclusively on BritBox. (Video is from an earlier season)
Landscapers (UK)
Inspired by real events, this drama tells the unique love story of Susan (Olivia Colman, The Crown) and Chris (David Thewlis, Fargo), a seemingly ordinary British couple who become the focus of an extraordinary investigation when two dead bodies are discovered in the back garden of a house in Nottingham. (For further details, read this article.) Landscapers, an HBO Original series, premieres in the US on Monday, December 6, exclusively on HBO, and will be available for streaming on HBO Max. New episodes will debut weekly through December 27.
Anne Boleyn (UK)
Jodie Turner-Smith (Queen & Slim) stars as the ill-fated Queen in this three-part drama, which explores the final months of Anne Boleyn’s life from her perspective, and depicts the key moments that cause Anne to topple. (For further details, read this article.) Anne Boleyn, an AMC+ Original series, premieres in the US on Thursday, December 9, exclusively on AMC+. New episodes will debut on subsequent Thursdays.
Bloods: Season 1 (UK)
Recently renewed for Season 2, this comedy stars Samson Kayo (Timewasters) and Jane Horrocks (Absolutely Fabulous) as tough-acting loner Maleek and overly-friendly divorcée Wendy, new paramedic partners in the South London ambulance service. Although their partnership looks dead on arrival, the two soon begin acting as each other’s life support. Costarring Adrian Scarborough (The Accident), Lucy Punch (A Series of Unfortunate Events), and Julian Barratt (Flowers), Bloods: Season 1 premieres in the US on Thursday, December 9, exclusively on Hulu.
Death Valley (Canada)
In this horror movie, guns for hire on a mission to rescue a scientist from a secret Cold War bunker find themselves in a fight for survival when they come under attack from a terrifying creature of unknown origin. Death Valley, a Shudder Original film, premieres in the US on Thursday, December 9, exclusively on Shudder and AMC+.
Gordon Ramsay’s Road Trip: European Vacation (UK)
In this reality program, restaurateur Gordon Ramsay and his mates, celeb chef Gino D’Acampo and restaurant industry veteran Fred Siriex, go on an epic European vacation through Italy, France, and Scotland to discover all the best food and fun in each of their home countries. Gordon Ramsay’s Road Trip: European Vacation premieres in the US on Monday, December 13, at 8 PM ET, on Fox. (Next day streaming on Hulu)
The Larkins (UK)
Bradley Walsh (Law & Order: UK) and Joanna Scanlan (No Offence) star in this new adaptation of H.E. Bates‘s classic novel The Darling Buds of May, which follows the warm-hearted, wheeler-dealing adventures of the iconic Larkin family in the idyllic Kent countryside in the late 1950s. The Larkins premieres in the US on Monday, December 13, exclusively on Acorn TV. New episodes will debut weekly through January 10.
Angela (UK)
Joanne Froggatt (Downton Abbey) leads the cast of this thriller as Angela Black, a wife, mother, and victim of spousal abuse by her husband, Olivier (Michiel Huisman, Game of Thrones). Angela’s world gets even darker after she’s approached by Ed Harrison (Samuel Adewunmi, The Watch), a private eye her husband hired to spy on her, who tells her what Olivier is up to — none of which bodes well for her. Angela premieres in the US on Tuesday, December 14, exclusively on the PBS Masterpiece Prime Video Channel and the Walter Presents digital channels.
Antiques Road Trip: Seasons 11-13 & 19-20 (UK)
This reality series returns with more seasons in which each episode sees two antiques experts hit the road in a classic car for a tour through a part of Great Britain as they search local stores for treasures, competing to see who can turn a limited budget into a small fortune. Antiques Road Trip: Seasons 11-13 & 19-20 premieres in the US on Tuesday, December 14, exclusively on PBS Living.
Crime (UK/Scotland)
Based on Irvine Welsh’s best-selling novel of the same name, this Edinburgh-set crime drama stars Dougray Scott (Mission: Impossible II) as DI Ray Lennox, who investigates the abduction of a schoolgirl. He believes the culprit is a serial murderer, but his bosses don’t — and Lennox gets drawn into a cat-and-mouse game with a brutal killer. Crime, a BritBox Original series, premieres in North America on Tuesday, December 14, exclusively on BritBox.
Gordon Ramsay’s Road Trip: Christmas Vacation (UK)
On a road trip packed with amazing food, big laughs and Christmas spirit, this holiday special sees Gordon Ramsay, Gino D’Acampo, and Fred Siriex going deep into a winter wonderland to find the home of Santa Claus. Gordon Ramsay’s Road Trip: Christmas Vacation premieres in the US on Tuesday, December 14, at 9 PM ET, on Fox. (Next day streaming on Hulu)
Russell Howard: Lubricant (UK)
This two-part comedy special features comic Russell Howard’s delayed-yet-delighted return to the stage and a look at his life during an unexpected lockdown. Russell Howard: Lubricant, a Netflix Comedy special, premieres globally on Tuesday, December 14, exclusively on Netflix. (You can set a reminder for it now.)
Close to Me (UK-Sweden)
Based on Amanda Reynold’s novel of the same name, this drama follows Jo Harding (Connie Nielsen, Wonder Woman 1984), a woman whose fall erases an entire year from her memory. As she struggles to piece events together, Jo discovers her life wasn’t as perfect as she imagined and that someone will do all they can to keep a terrible secret from her. Costarring Christopher Eccleston (Doctor Who), Close to Me, a Sundance Now Original series, premieres in the US on Thursday, December 16, exclusively on Sundance Now and AMC+.
Dead Asleep (UK)
This documentary flips the traditional thriller narrative to explore a deeper and more troubling mystery: Did a remorseful Randy Herman Jr. really commit a brutal murder while sleepwalking, or was this a convenient cover story? Featuring exclusive access to Herman and his family, the defense and prosecution attorneys, journalists who covered the case, forensic psychiatrists, and world experts in violent parasomnia, it gives viewers an inside look at the shocking twists and turns of the controversial crime. Dead Asleep, a Hulu Original Documentary, premieres in the US on Thursday, December 16, exclusively on Hulu.
Agatha Raisin: Kissing Christmas Goodbye (UK)
In this holiday special, retired PR guru-turned-private investigator Agatha Raisin (Ashley Jensen, After Life) is hired to protect a woman from her ghosts of Christmas past. But when she’s found dead, Agatha has a murder investigation on her hands, with everyone in the village a would-be suspect, including the woman’s children. Agatha Raisin: Kissing Christmas Goodbye, an Acorn TV Original, premieres in the US and Canada on Monday, December 20, exclusively on Acorn TV. (Photo by Mark Bourdillon/Acorn TV)
The Royal Beat: Christmas Edition (UK)
In this Christmas edition of the Royals-focused talk show, host Kate Thorton will be joined by royal biographer Christopher Warwick, royal journalist and biographer Robert Jobson, and Majesty Magazine‘s Editor-in-Chief, Ingrid Seward, to talk through the history and the traditions, public and private, that make a Windsor Royal Christmas special. Plus we’ll get the inside scoop on how and where the world’s most famous family will be celebrating this year, and whether it will be a time of reunion and renewal or if some will be left in the cold. The Royal Beat: Christmas Edition premieres in the US on Tuesday, December 21, exclusively on True Royalty.
Vigil (UK)
Suranne Jones (Scott & Bailey) leads the top-notch cast of this mystery-crime thriller as Detective Chief Inspector Amy Silva, who goes aboard the HMS Vigil to investigate the death of a crew member while the Trident nuclear submarine remains on patrol. Silva suspects foul play, and when the crew close ranks in the face of her questioning, a new threat overshadows her inquiry. Vigil, a Peacock Original series, premieres in the US on Thursday, December 23, exclusively on Peacock.
Call the Midwife Holiday Special (UK)
This hit drama’s holiday special is set during Christmas 1966. The Nonnatus House team are faced with their busiest Christmas Day ever, as the Maternity Home is filled with expectant moms and challenging cases. Luckily, Mother Mildred (Miriam Margolyes, Harry Potter) is on hand to support them. Call the Midwife Holiday Special premieres in the US on Saturday, December 25, at 9 PM ET, on PBS (check your local listings). (Photo courtesy of BBC / Nealstreet Productions / Sally Mais)
Jimmy Carr: His Dark Material (UK)
Comedian Jimmy Carr finds humor in the darkest of places in this stand-up special that features his dry, sardonic wit — and some jokes he calls “career enders.” Jimmy Carr: His Dark Material, a Netflix Comedy special, premieres globally on Saturday, December 25, exclusively on Netflix.
Letterkenny: Season 10 (Canada)
In the new season of this hit comedy, McMurray (Kamilla Kowal, Secrets in a Small Town) and Wayne (Jared Keeso, 19-2) do some dickering, the Hicks attend a sausage party, the Hockey Players and Skids have a video game battle, the men of Letterkenny receive head-to-toe physicals… and that’s just for starters. Letterkenny: Season 10 premieres in the US on Sunday, December 26, exclusively on Hulu.
Princess Margaret: Queen of Mustique (UK)
This documentary looks at the wild party life of Princess Margaret on the island of Mustique. Scandalous affairs, X-rated party games, a rock star lover, and even an alleged bank robbery are all part of the tales of her haven in the West Indies, where she and her closest friends could behave outrageously and away from prying eyes. Princess Margaret: Queen of Mustique premieres in the US on Monday, December 27, on True Royalty.
Stay Close (UK)
Adapted from Harlan Coben’s best-selling novel of the same name, this thriller follows four people who hide dark secrets from those closest to them: Megan (Cush Jumbo, The Beast Must Die), a working mother of three; Ray (Richard Armitage, The Stranger), a once-promising documentary photographer; Broome (James Nesbitt, Bloodlands), a detective unable to let go of a missing person’s cold case; and Lorraine (Sarah Parish, Bancroft), an old friend of Megan’s. The past comes back to haunt them, threatening to ruin their lives and the lives of those around them. Stay Close, a Netflix Original series, premieres globally on Friday, December 31, exclusively on Netflix. (You can set a reminder for it now.)
Carols from King’s 2021 (UK)
This beloved British celebration of Christmas is an annual worldwide broadcasting phenomenon that takes place at the medieval chapel of King’s College, Cambridge. Every year the King’s College Chapel Choir performs a carol service that always opens with “Once in Royal David’s City” and followed later by a new, specially-commissioned carol. Carols from King’s 2021 premieres in North America (date tba) exclusively on BritBox.
UPDATED: Death in Paradise Christmas Special (UK)
This lighthearted whodunit set on a sunny Caribbean island will be back with a holiday special featuring guest stars, special appearances, and an intricate murder mystery, of course! The Death in Paradise Christmas Special premieres in North America on Sunday, December 26, exclusively on BritBox.
The Mezzotint (UK)
Based on M. R. James’s short story of the same name, and adapted and directed by Mark Gatiss (Sherlock), this 1822-set ghost story sees museum curator Mr. Williams (Rory Kinnear, Penny Dreadful) receive a mezzotint from an art dealer. His friends notice that the disturbing engraving changes each time they look at it, so Williams tries to destroy it, but it reappears unscathed — with the dark figure in the mezzotint approaching Williams’s building… The Mezzotint premieres in North America (date tba) exclusively on BritBox.
Mock the Week Christmas Special (UK)
Combining the best elements of panel shows, stand-up, and improvised games, this hilarious show returns with a holiday treat. Mock the Week Christmas Special premieres in North America (date tba) exclusively on BritBox.
Mrs. Brown’s Boys Christmas Special (UK)
A more recent annual tradition is the special holiday episode of this comedy, often the most-watched British television event of the season. It stars Brendan O’Carroll as Mrs. Brown, a loud and proud Irish mother who likes nothing more than to meddle in the affairs of her family and friends. Mrs. Brown’s Boys Christmas Special premieres in North America (date tba) exclusively on BritBox.
QI Christmas Special (UK)
Sandy Toksvig hosts this clever comedy quiz show full of quirky facts, comedian panelists, and points awarded for “quite interesting” answers — this time with a holiday twist! QI Christmas Special premieres in North America (date tba) exclusively on BritBox.
LOCAL/REGIONAL PREMIERES & NON-PREMIERE ADDITIONS
Select public TV stations and regional networks will begin airing the programs below on or after December 1. Check you local listings or contact the station that serves your area for air dates and times. To request the shows, contact your public TV station or American Public Television.
Building the Channel Tunnel (UK)
This hour-long documentary profiles the men and women who built a modern engineering marvel: the 31-mile undersea tunnel linking Britain and the European mainland. Building the Channel Tunnel is confirmed for airing on Idaho Public Television, KEET, KPBS, KQED, Maryland Public Television, PBS Wisconsin, South Dakota Public Broadcasting, WBGU, WFYI, WHUT, WIPB, WLRN, WNED, WPTD, and WyomingPBS.
The Hunger: The Story of the Irish Famine (Ireland)
Narrated by Liam Neeson (Taken), this two-part docuseries recounts Ireland’s catastrophic famine in the 1840s, the worst humanitarian disaster of the 19th century, which led to the exodus of millions from the island. The Hunger: The Story of the Irish Famine is confirmed for airing on Idaho Public Television, Kentucky Educational Television, KPBS, KUAT, KUEN, Maryland Public Television, Montana PBS, WDSE, WITF, WLIW, WNED, WPTO, and WSBE.
Living with Hitler (UK)
This three-part docuseries explores how the German population, and those in occupied territories, lived through the Nazi era of 1933 to 1945. The regime that Hitler established during his time in power made a more damaging, enduring, and controversial mark on Germany and the world than any other. Living with Hitler is confirmed for airing on KTCA, KWSU, Maryland Public Television, PBS Wisconsin, WLRN, WNED, WPTO, and WyomingPBS.
Winston Churchill’s War (UK)
This four-part docuseries tells the story of how one man, once known as a poor strategist and a disastrous politician, became a giant during World War II. It revisits early moments in Churchill’s life, explores his speeches, and illustrates the war he fought through rich archival materials and expert interviews. Winston Churchill’s War is confirmed for airing on KERA, KQEH, Maryland Public Television, Montana PBS, PBS North Carolina, South Dakota Public Broadcasting, WBGU, WETA, and WNED.
NON-PREMIERE PROGRAMS BEING ADDED TO LINEAR TV
Wild Patagonia (UK)
This three-episode nature documentary reveals how life survives and flourishes in the little-known region of Patagonia, which stretches across Chile and Argentina and is made up of strange landscapes, huge mountain ranges, and windswept plains. It also delves into humans’ interactions with this wild environment and the state-of-the-art wind farms that are harnessing the power of its open plains. Wild Patagonia begins airing Saturday, December 4, at 8 PM ET, on BBC America, and streaming on AMC+.
Doc Martin: Seasons 1 & 2 (UK)
This beloved dramedy stars Martin Clunes (Manhunt, Men Behaving Badly) as Martin Ellingham, a brilliant surgeon in London who becomes the GP in Portwenn, the not-so-sleepy seaside village in Cornwall where he spent holidays during his childhood, after he develops an aversion to blood. Here his socially maladroitness and gruff, tactless, no-bedside-manner nature are on full display — whether when dealing with patients or the receptionist at his surgery, or when simply interacting with the locals, including school teacher and soon-to-be love interest Louisa Glasson (Caroline Catz, DCI Banks, Murder in Suburbia). Doc Martin: Season 1 begins airing Thursday, December 9, at 11 PM ET, in a three-hour block on Ovation TV, followed by the start of Season 2 Thursday, December 23.
NON-PREMIERE PROGRAMS BEING ADDED TO STREAMING SERVICES
Titles in this section begin streaming on the dates shown below on Acorn TV and its digital channels, including Acorn TV on Amazon.
Mary Berry’s Country House Secrets (UK)
In this four-episode series, culinary queen Mary Berry gets an exclusive invitation to some of the UK’s most lavish country houses. Whisked away from the well-trodden tourist paths, she meets the families who own these exceptional homes and their dedicated staff. Life upstairs and downstairs is revealed as she visits the gardens, kitchens and private quarters, and unearths secrets that only friends and family usually get to see. Mary Berry’s Country House Secrets begins streaming Monday, December 6.
Mary Berry’s Country House Secrets: Mary Berry’s Country House at Christmas (UK)
In this holiday special, Mary Berry visits Harewood House in Yorkshire, one of the UK’s most beautiful stately homes, to meet its army of skilled staff and dedicated volunteers as they prepare the house for Christmas. She discovers how houses like Harewood celebrate Christmas on a grand scale, and shows us how to make delicious modern recipes inspired by festive dishes of the past. Mary Berry’s Country House Secrets: Mary Berry’s Country House at Christmas begins streaming Monday, December 6.
A Berry Royal Christmas (UK)
The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge join forces with cookery legend Mary Berry in this holiday special, as she accompanies them on four special visits. The program sees Mary cook some of her favorite Christmas recipes for viewers to try at home as she helps prepare the festive food for a royal event to thank all those working and volunteering over the Christmas period. A Berry Royal Christmas begins streaming Monday, December 20.
Republic of Doyle: Season 5 (Canada)
Set against the backdrop of Newfoundland, this comedic crime drama revolves around the dysfunctional Doyle family as they try to make it all work running a father-and-son private investigative agency. The series is created by and stars Allan Hawco (Departure) as the roguish Jake Doyle, alongside Sean McGinley (Single-Handed) as Jake’s father and business partner, Malachy. Republic of Doyle: Season 5 begins streaming Monday, December 20.
Titles in this section begin streaming on the dates shown below on BritBox and its digital channels, including BritBox on Amazon.
“A Ghost Story for Christmas” Collection (UK)
Based on M. R. James‘s chilling short stories, this collection of BBC-produced ghost stories is a special Christmas treat. These adaptations have been a major influence on many contemporary British horror filmmakers and have come to be some of the most sought after British TV titles by their legions of fans. The BritBox collection includes the following titles:
- A Ghost Story for Christmas: The Ash Tree
- A Ghost Story for Christmas: The Ice House
- A Ghost Story for Christmas: Lost Hearts
- A Ghost Story for Christmas: Number
- A Ghost Story for Christmas: The Signalman
- A Ghost Story for Christmas: The Stalls
- A Ghost Story for Christmas: Stigma
- A Ghost Story for Christmas: The Treasure of Abbot Thomas
- A Ghost Story for Christmas: A View from a Hill
- A Ghost Story for Christmas: A Warning to the Curious
- A Ghost Story for Christmas: Whistle and I’ll Come to You
The “A Ghost Story for Christmas” collection begins streaming Monday, December 20, exclusively on BritBox.
Bedlam: Seasons 1-2 (UK)
This supernatural mystery series is set at Bedlam Heights, a hip, newly-converted apartment building with high-quality rental apartments that offer stylish 21st-century living and unimaginable horrors behind the facade — including ghosts from the building’s dark and violent past that haunt the place. Featuring Hugo Speer (Father Brown), Bedlam: Seasons 1-2 begins streaming December 20.
The Blue Boy (UK)
This thriller stars Emma Thompson (Sense and Sensibility) as Marie, who travels with her husband, Joe (Adrian Dunbar, Line of Duty), to a hotel in rural Scotland to fix their marriage. Here Marie learns about a young boy who drowned in the nearby loch a century ago. It’s a story she can’t get out of her mind, and his image is one she frequently sees in the lake. The Blue Boy begins streaming Monday, December 20.
The Dead Room (UK)
Written and directed by Mark Gatiss (Sherlock), this horror program tells the story of a long-running radio horror series and its veteran presenter, Aubrey Judd (Simon Callow, The Witcher). Aubrey discovers that all is not quiet in the eerie radio studio, and that elements of his own past are not as dead and buried as he perhaps hoped. The Dead Room begins streaming Monday, December 20.
Martin’s Close (UK)
Adapted from M. R. James’s story and directed by Mark Gatiss, this horror program follows John Martin (Wilf Scolding, Game of Thrones), on trial for the murder of a young girl with whom he had a one-sided romance. He faces the infamous “hanging judge,” but this is no cut-and-dried murder case. Starring Peter Capaldi (Doctor Who), Martin’s Close begins streaming Monday, December 20.
Midwinter of the Spirit (UK)
Based on Phil Rickman ‘s novel of the same name, this supernatural mystery-crime drama series stars Anna Maxwell Martin (The Bletchley Circle) as Merrily Watkins, a single mother and priest who gets plunged into a dark and dangerous world after her bishop offers her the position of exorcist. When a crucified body is discovered in the woods, the police call on Merrily to assist, and she must summon all of her strength to fight the evil she uncovers amid a web of murder, abuse, power, and lies. Midwinter of the Spirit begins streaming Monday, December 20.
The Secret of Crickley Hall (UK)
Adapted from James Herbert’s novel of the same name, this thriller tells the stories of the modern day haunting of a troubled family and the dark events buried in their new home’s past. A year after their young son went missing, Gabe (Tom Ellis, Miranda) and Eve (Suranne Jones, Doctor Foster), along with their two daughters, move to Crickley Hall to try and escape their heartbreaking past, but are met instead with cellar doors that open on their own, unseen children crying in the night, and a frenzied ghost (Douglas Henshall, Shetland) wielding a cane. Just as the family is about to move out, Eve hears her missing son… The Secret of Crickley Hall begins streaming Monday, December 20.
The Small Hand: A Ghost Story (UK)
Based on Susan Hill’s novella of the same name, this horror thriller centers on Adam Snow (Douglas Henshall, Shetland), an antique books dealer who buys Raven’s End, a formerly-majestic mansion in Scotland, to be closer to his mentally fragile brother, Hugo (Cal MacAninch, Time), and especially Alice (Louise Lombard, Grimm), the beautiful wife of his client. Soon Adam is plagued by haunting dreams, visions, and visits from a ghostly child. Although Adam is determined to excise the spirit from his life, his coming to Raven’s End has set in motion a chain of sinister events linked to his past and a painful secret to which Adam’s family holds the key. The Small Hand: A Ghost Story begins streaming Monday, December 20, exclusively on BritBox.
The Tractate Middoth (UK)
Adapted by Mark Gatiss from the M. R. James story, this thriller revolves around the the legacy of Dr. Rant (David Ryall, The Village), a vicar whose niece must find the latest copy of his will in a specific book if she is to inherit his estate instead of his nephew. However, student and librarian William Garrett (Sacha Dhawan, Doctor Who) gets involved in the quest for the book, and comes face-to-face with the ghost of Dr. Rant. The Tractate Middoth begins streaming Monday, December 20.
Miranda: Seasons 1-3 (UK)
On the lighter, brighter, funnier side of things is this hilarious sitcom starring Miranda Hart (Call the Midwife) as the eponymous single, lovable, yet bumbling owner of a novelty gift shop. While she is perpetually embarrassed by her “what I call” mother (Patricia Hodge, A Very English Scandal), who wants Miranda married at any cost, Miranda is actually desperately in love with her chef friend, Gary (Tom Ellis, Lucifer), and fumbles whenever they’re in the same space. Until she can muster up the courage to profess her feelings to him, she has her inanimate fruit and veg friends to keep her company. Miranda: Seasons 1-3 begins streamig Sunday, December 26, exclusively on BritBox.
Titles in this section begin streaming on the dates shown below on the PBS Masterpiece Prime Video Channel.
L.M. Montgomery’s Anne of Green Gables & Anne of Green Gables: The Good Stars (Canada)
Based on L.M. Montgomery‘s beloved classic novels, these family movies, set in the early 1900s, revolve around Anne Shirley (Ella Ballentine, Lunchbox Loser), an irrepressible and imaginative young girl who touches the lives of everyone she meets. Two of them are Matthew (Martin Sheen, The West Wing) and Marilla Cuthbert (Sara Botsford, E.N.G.), a brother and sister who hope to adopt a boy to help out on Green Gables, their farm on beautiful Prince Edward Island, but who get the determined and spirited Anne instead. L.M. Montgomery’s Anne of Green Gables & Anne of Green Gables: The Good Stars begin streaming Monday, December 6.
Pie in the Sky: Seasons 4-5 (UK)
This hugely popular light mystery series stars Richard Griffiths (Harry Potter) as DI Henry Crabbe, a veteran cop on the verge of retirement who’d rather be cooking up delectable dishes at his restaurant, Pie in the Sky, technically owned by his penny-pinching accountant wife, Margaret (Maggie Steed, Born and Bred). But his boss, ACC Fisher (Malcolm Sinclair, Silk), won’t let him retire just yet, keeping Crabbe’s plate full with tricky cases. Pie in the Sky: Seasons 4-5 begin streaming Tuesday, December 7.
Dancing on the Edge (UK)
Set in the early 1930s, this drama centers on the Louis Lester Band, a black jazz band led by London native Louis Lester (Chiwetel Ejiofor, 12 Years a Slave). After landing a gig at the Imperial Hotel and blowing the lid off the place, the band’s star begins to rise and offers to play, from aristocrats and the Royal Family, start coming in. But just as the band’s success balloons, tragedy strikes, setting off a chain of events that may put an end to it all. Dancing on the Edge begins streaming Wednesday, December 8.
Titles in this section begin streaming on the dates shown below on Prime Video.
All Creatures Great and Small: Season 1 (UK)
Based on James Herriot‘s autobiographical books, this dramedy follows Scotsman James Herriot (newcomer Nicholas Ralph), whose dream of becoming a veterinarian comes true when he lands a job in 1937 at Skeldale House in the Yorkshire Dales. Here he lives and works alongside his erratic boss Siegfried Farnon (Samuel West, Mr Selfridge), Siegfried’s wayward brother Tristan (Callum Woodhouse, The Durrells in Corfu), and shrewd housekeeper Mrs. Hall (Anna Madekey, Deadwater Fell), and soon falls for farmer’s daughter Helen Alderson (Rachel Shenton, Hollyoaks). All Creatures Great and Small: Season 1 begins streaming as a no-extra-charge offering on Prime Video from Wednesday, December 1, through the end of the month.
Antiques Road Trip: Season 14 (UK)
Antiques experts pair up hit the road in a classic car for a tour through Great Britain as they search local stores for antiques and collectibles, competing to see whose finds will make the biggest small fortune at auction. Antiques Road Trip: Season 14 begins streaming as a no-extra-charge offering on Prime Video from Wednesday, December 1, through the end of the month.
A Discovery of Witches: Season 1 (UK)
Based on the first novel in Deborah Harkness‘s “All Souls” trilogy, this supernatural drama stars Teresa Palmer (Hacksaw Ridge) as Diana, an historian and reluctant witch, and Matthew Goode (The Crown) as Matthew, a geneticist and vampire. After Diana discovers a bewitched manuscript, Matthew helps her to protect it from the nefarious creatures who would literally kill for it, and to solve the mysteries held within it. A Discovery of Witches: Season 1 begins streaming as a no-extra-charge offering on Prime Video from Wednesday, December 1, through the end of the month.
Vienna Blood: Season 1 (UK-Austria)
Adapted from Frank Tallis‘s “Liebermann” novels, this mystery series follows Max Liebermann (Matthew Beard, Kiss Me First), a doctor studying under Sigmund Freud, who teams up with Detective Inspector Oskar Rheinhardt (Juergen Maurer, Anatomy of Evil), an Austrian detective, to solve some of the most mysterious and deadly cases in early 1900s Vienna. Vienna Blood: Season 1 begins streaming as a no-extra-charge offering on Prime Video from Wednesday, December 1, through the end of the month.
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Did you miss any of the new shows from previous days, weeks, or months? Check out the British TV Viewing Guide and Archives to find out.
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For details about the December premieres of shows from Australia and New Zealand, visit The Down Under TV Place. For those about the debuts of original-language, English-subtitled programs from Europe, visit The Euro TV Place.
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