The 5 Most Anticipated TV or Streaming Shows of December 

The final months of the year are typically ruled by theatrical offerings as studios put up big titles to lure folks on holiday vacation, so the pickings are traditionally a bit slimmer on TV at this time of year. That said, there are still some pretty hot shows hitting the small screen, and our top picks includes a couple of returning favorites and highly anticipated new offerings. Read on for the five most anticipated TV or streaming shows of December!

No. 1

Premiere Date: December 26, 2024 on Netflix

South Korean sensation Squid Game debuted on Netflix in the middle of the pandemic in 2021 and became THE show to watch, offering those sheltering at home a bit of an escape. A pretty dark and sinister escape, to be sure, but an escape nonetheless. Now we get the second installment of the series, set three years later, as Lee Jung-jae’s Gi-hun returns to play the game once more, and if it’s half as good as the first one was, it’ll still be well worth the watch.

No. 2

Premiere Date: December 15, 2024 on Showtime

We thought we were done with the vigilante serial killer killer after 2021’s Dexter: New Blood, but Showtime said “Hold my syringe.” Since prequels are all the rage these days, we now get one for the character originally played by Michael C. Hall, this time set 15 years prior to the original series and starring Patrick Gibson in the title role. The show focuses on Dexter’s college years and reintroduces younger versions of many of the characters we came to know in the popular series.

No. 3

Premiere Date: December 2, 2024 on Disney+

It’s no secret that Star Wars fandom these days is not what it used to be, but if this month’s poll is any indication, there are still those who welcome a fresh new perspective on the galaxy far, far away. Jude Law is the big name attached to Star Wars: Skeleton Crew, but what we have here is an Amblin-esque story centered on a group of kids from the space suburbs who get wrapped up in a mystery. It’s also worth mentioning that the roster of directors on the show is outright fantastic, from co-creator Jon Watts (the MCU Spider-Man movies) and David Lowery to Lee Isaac Chung, Bryce Dallas Howard, Jake Schreier, and the Daniels. Those names alone are enough to give this series a chance.

No. 4

Premiere Date: December 5, 2024 on Netflix

We had a rare tie for the final position in this month’s voting, as both Black Doves and Creature Commandos earned the exact same number of votes in our polls. Probably the lesser known of the two, Black Doves sees Keira Knightley leading a British spy thriller about an operative whose unwitting extramarital lover falls victim to the London underworld, setting her on a path of vengeance. The series looks glossy and features co-stars like Ben Whishaw, Andrew Koji, and Sarah Lancashire, and nobody does spy fiction like the Brits, after all.

No. 4

Premiere Date: December 5, 2024 on Max

Last but certainly not least (tie, remember?), is James Gunn’s first official foray into his rebooted DC Universe. Similar to the Guardians of the Galaxy and Suicide Squad that cemented his comic book bona fides, the animated Creature Commandos centers on a ragtag group of monsters (assembled by Amanda Waller, again voiced by Viola Davis) who are tasked with carrying out black ops missions. Being that this is the first entry of the DCU, with Gunn’s involvement and a voice cast that includes Frank Grillo, Maria Bakalova, Anya Chalotra, David Harbour, and Alan Tudyk, among others, it’s no surprise to see it among the top picks of the month.

Thumbnail images by ©Netflix

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