The 7 Best New Shows on Netflix in December

In Hollywood, December is typically quiet. With the year coming to a close, many executives, actors, directors, and various other industry insiders look to take advantage of a shortened month by squeezing in a little extra time off. Reporters (who are never off the clock) like to joke about various assistants and PR reps leaving the phone off the hook (so to speak) from Thanksgiving through the Sunday after New Years, since it can often be quite difficult to get a hold of anyone during that six-week span.

But the people at Netflix are going to be working this holiday season — some more than others. Sure, certain new shows premiering in December have already done their press junkets (“No Good Deed,” “Black Doves”) and others won’t really require any. (Who is paying that much attention to “The Great British Baking Show: Holidays”?) But with “Squid Game” Season 2 dropping the day after Christmas, Netflix better be prepared to field a few emails. After all, “Squid Game” Season 1 ranks as the most-watched series in the service’s history — English-language or otherwise. While the sustained interest drawn by the first season is unlikely to be replicated — a surprise hit tends to catch fire slowly, over many weeks, whereas an anticipated sequel like this one will be binged quickly — that just puts more pressure on the opening week’s buzz.

More from IndieWire

• The 21 Best Thrillers Streaming on Netflix in December, from 'Fair Play' to 'Emily the Criminal'

• It's Opposite Week as 'Conclave' and 'Terrifier 3' See Split VOD Results

• 'Squid Game' Creator Says Season 2 Changed the Show's Ending: 'I Saw This New Path That I Wanted to Go Down'

Plus, there’s another wrinkle: Will Netflix be able to handle that many subscribers streaming at once? Typically, Netflix is known as one of the most technologically sound streaming services out there, but after the live boxing debacle in November, people are concerned about a particularly busy two-day span in December: December 26 sees “Squid Game” Season 2 drop, but the day prior is Netflix’s first foray into live NFL games — and you better believe more people are invested in seeing Patrick Mahomes and Lamar Jackson than Mike Tyson and Jake Paul. Sure, advertising “Squid Game” during the NFL should help boost viewership for the original series (and help keep subscribers hooked to the service, instead of canceling the second Christmas Day NFL games are over), but delays, glitches, or other technical snafus could turn people away, too.

As we wait to see what happens at the month’s end, there’s plenty more to watch on Netflix. Check out our guide to December TV below, including the full list of releases, top picks, and what’s leaving this month. Let’s hope everyone gets a little quiet time to close out the year — even those at Netflix expected to handle the ruckus.

Best of IndieWire

• The 21 Best Thrillers Streaming on Netflix in December, from 'Fair Play' to 'Emily the Criminal'

• The Best Modern Westerns, from 'The Power of the Dog' to 'Killers of the Flower Moon' to 'The Hateful Eight'

• The 77 Best Animated Series of All Time: 'Daria,' 'Cowboy Bebop,' 'Scott Pilgrim Takes Off,' and More

Sign up for Indiewire's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.