When the weather outside is frightful, nothing is more delightful than a cozy binge-watch. More new shows, movies and episodes are here for you to watch this weekend on Netflix, HBO Max, Disney Plus and other best streaming service contenders.
The slate is led by the season 2 finale of White Lotus, which will finally reveal the identity of the corpse discovered in the first episode. This murder-mystery has been a doozy (and very boozy), so expect the capper to be wild.
Several new movies are debuting this weekend, including Will Smith’s historical drama Emancipation. If he didn’t still have a cloud over his head, he might’ve been an Oscar contender again. Guillermo del Toro is back with a new film, an animated take on Pinocchio that features the director’s signature eccentric style. Julia Roberts and George Clooney reunite as exes with a common goal in Ticket to Paradise, which opened in theaters earlier this fall and now moves to streaming.
On the television side, His Dark Materials season 3 begins its final season, while Doom Patrol season 4 brings back the oddball superheroes with big chips on their shoulders.
Here’s our guide on what to watch this weekend.
The White Lotus season 2 finale (HBO)
Whodunnit at the White Lotus in Sicily?! We’re about to find out the who, how and why of the multiple deaths teased in the season 2 premiere episode. Mike White has brought the full force of his brilliant, twisted mind to this installment of his quasi-anthology series (as well as an apparent love of luxurious resorts around the world).
The current atmosphere is thick with tension and betrayal. Tanya (Jennifer Coolidge) has been lured into a drug- and sex-induced haze by the highly suspicious Quentin (Tom Hollander), whose true-love cowboy appears to be her husband (Jon Gries). Meanwhile, Ethan (Will Sharpe) is having a mental meltdown over the possibility that wife Harper (Aubrey Plaza) hooked up with pal Cameron (Theo James). Considering Cam’s wife Daphne (Meghann Fahy) is the one to find a dead body in the ocean, things are not looking good for these frenemies.
Streaming Sunday (Dec. 11) at 9 p.m. ET on HBO Max (opens in new tab)
Emancipation (Apple TV Plus)
The Slap seen and heard around the world has cast a dark shadow over Will Smith’s career — past, present and future. It certainly took away from his winning the Best Actor Oscar for King Richard. Now, it threatens to take away from his next project, though it is a worthy one that in any other time would’ve landed him a nomination.
Inspired by a true story, Antoine Fuqua’s film follows Peter (Will Smith) as he fights for freedom from slavery. After experiencing brutal treatment at the hands of plantation owners, Peter makes a harrowing escape through the unforgiving swamps of Louisiana. Later, photos of his back, heavily scarred from whipping, help stir public opposition to slavery.
Streaming now on Apple TV Plus (opens in new tab)
Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio (Netflix)
The classic fairytale of the wooden puppet turned real-life boy comes to life again, this time at the hands of stop-motion animators and the endlessly-creative mind of Guillermo del Toro. The Oscar winner is the co-writer and co-director of this new take on Pinocchio, which is based on the designs from Gris Grimly’s 2002 edition of the book.
A star-studded cast provides the voices, including Ewan McGregor, Cate Blanchett, Tilda Swinton, Christoph Waltz, Ron Perlman and Stranger Things’ Finn Wolfhard. Much like previous incarnations of Pinocchio, it follows the puppet/boy as he struggles to live up to his father Geppetto’s expectations and learns how powerful love really is.
Streaming now on Netflix (opens in new tab)
Ticket to Paradise (Peacock)
You had me at Julia Roberts and George Clooney. On their own, each is a draw; together, they’re irresistible. They could simply read the longest terms and conditions that ever existed, and I’d be all for it.
Fortunately, they’re teaming up again for something a little more enticing. The two megawatt stars play ex-spouses who have been divorced for 20 years. They set aside their mutual hatred when their daughter Lily (Kaitlyn Dever) announces she’s getting married to a Balinese fisherman after a whirlwind romance. The exes are prepared to do whatever it takes to prevent Lily from making the same mistake they did.
Streaming now on Peacock (opens in new tab)
Something From Tiffany’s (Prime Video)
‘Tis the season for holiday romantic comedies! Prime Video’s latest Christmas treat takes place in New York City, which is magical at this time of year. Two couples’ lives intersect unexpectedly, tied to a special box from Tiffany’s.
Rachel and Gary (Zoey Deutch, Ray Nicholson) are content in their relationship but not quite ready to tie the knot. Meanwhile, Ethan and Vanessa (Kendrick Smith Sampson, Shay Mitchell) are looking to make things official. But when the four are involved in a gift mix-up, they are sent down a path filled with twists and surprises.
Streaming now on Prime Video (opens in new tab)
His Dark Materials season 3 (HBO)
The third and final season of His Dark Materials is aptly based on The Amber Spyglass, the final novel in Philip Pullman’s trilogy of books. Lyra (Dafne Keen) is being held captive by her mother, Mrs. Coulter (Ruth Wilson). Her father Asriel (James McAvoy) is amassing an army to wage war against God (aka the Authority). Parents, amirite?
Meanwhile, Will (Amir Wilson) uses the multiverse-traveling Subtle Knife to look for Lyra. If they can get free, they still plan to journey to the land of the dead, a dark place from which no one has ever returned, to save a friend.
Streaming now on HBO Max (opens in new tab)
Night at the Museum: Kahmunrah Rises Again (Disney Plus)
The Night at the Museum franchise is leaving the realm of live-action. The animated fourth movie is a sequel to Secret of the Tomb and brings back the villain of the second film, Battle of the Smithsonian.
Nick Daley (Joshua Bassett) is the new Night Guard at the Museum of Natural History. He also happens to be the son of Larry (voiced by Zachary Levi, taking over for Ben Stiller from the live-action movies). When Nick forgets to lock the basement door, old foe Kahmunrah returns with a new plan to take over the world.
Streaming on Disney Plus (opens in new tab)
Doom Patrol season 4 (HBO Max)
The scarred, disfigured, traumatized superheroes of the Doom Patrol are back and weirder than ever. The team, now under the leadership of Rita (April Bowlby), continues to travel through time to combat metahuman crime. But they’re still dealing with all kinds of issues beyond the usual trauma, grief and identity crises.
Vic (Joivan Wade) is figuring out who he is without cybernetics, while Jane (Diane Guerrero) is similarly searching for a purpose beyond protecting Kay (Skye Roberts). The new not-quite-normal is upended when the team travels to the future and discovers a very unwelcome revelation.
Streaming now on HBO Max (opens in new tab)
Money Heist: Korea – Joint Economic Area season 2 (Netflix)
The Korean reboot of the hit Spanish series Money Heist ramps up the action. The Professor (Ji-tae) and crew are in the middle of their planned heist of four trillion won from a bank in reunified Korea. Nairobi (Jang Yoon-ju) is printing the banknotes, while the hostages dig a tunnel for the eventual escape.
Outside the bank, Inspector Seon Woo-jin (Kim Yun-jin) is intent on apprehending the criminals, not realizing that the Professor is her lover. She’ll have another adversary in a new character, Seoul (Lim Ji-yeon), who runs a group of mercenaries prepared to help the robbers.
Streaming now on Netflix (opens in new tab)
More new shows and movies to watch this weekend
It’s a Wonderful Binge (Hulu)
Annual Binge Day — the only time when alcohol and drugs are legal — is moved to Christmas Eve.
Streaming now on Hulu (opens in new tab)
Little America season 2 (Apple TV Plus)
Eight new stories of immigrants facing challenges.
Streaming now on Apple TV Plus (opens in new tab)
Too Hot to Handle season 4 (Netflix)
Attractive singles have a chance to win prize money if they abstain from sexual contact.
Streaming now on Netflix (opens in new tab)
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