New to streaming this week – quick links
Netflix: streaming this week
Stranger Things 5: Volume 2 – 26 December
Series. Netflix has certainly been milking all the publicity it can get from the fifth and final season of Stranger Things. The first four episodes dropped on 27 November, and on Boxing Day, eager viewers can finally unwrap episodes 5, 6, and 7 (ahead of the final episode, which lands on New Year’s Day).
With Hawkins under lockdown, El in hiding and danger lurking at every turn, the entire party unites with a single goal: to hunt and kill Vecna.
Starring Winona Ryder, David Harbour, Millie Bobby Brown, Finn Wolfhard, Gaten Matarazzo, Caleb McLaughlin, Noah Schnapp, Sadie Sink, Natalia Dyer and Charlie Heaton.
Stan: streaming this week
Sunny Nights – 26 December
Series. From the director of Population 11 and No Activity, Sunny Nights follows straight-laced Martin (Will Forte), who teams up with his loose cannon sister Vicki (D’Arcy Carden) to set up a spray tan business, Tansform, in Sydney.
Home to one of the highest skin cancer rates in the world, Australia is also home to Martin’s estranged wife, whom he’s determined to win back. But as Martin and Vicki attempt to turn their company from a start-up operating out of the back of a van into a multimillion dollar empire, the siblings become tangled up in Sydney’s criminal underworld. When a ruthless gangster begins to catch up with them, the two must figure out how to stay alive, out of prison, and in the black.
Starring Will Forte and D’Arcy Carden. Watch the trailer.
BritBox: Streaming this week
Beyond Paradise Christmas Special 2025 – 22 December
Special. Martha devises a secret Christmas surprise for DI Humphrey while the team races to solve a flurry of festive crimes.
Beyond Paradise embraces the festive season with a twist, as DI Humphrey Goodman, played by Kris Marshall (Love Actually, Sanditon), tackles a flurry of holiday crime cases. Meanwhile Martha, portrayed by Sally Bretton (The Office, Not Going Out), hatches a secret plan to give him the ultimate Christmas surprise.
Starring Kris Marshall (Love Actually, Sanditon), Sally Bretton (The Office, Not Going Out), Zahra Ahmadi (Closed Circuit, Doctor Who), Dylan Llewellyn (Derry Girls, Hollyoaks, Big Boys) and Felicity Montagu (I’m Alan Partridge, Bridget Jones’ Diary).
Call the Midwife Christmas Special 2025 Parts 1 & 2 – 27 December
Special. Join Nonnatus House this festive season as senior midwives embark on a mercy mission to Hong Kong. In this exclusive two-part Christmas special, Call the Midwife transports viewers to Hong Kong, as senior members of Nonnatus House embark on a mercy mission while the younger midwives hold down the fort in Poplar. The story alternates between the two locations, and the Far East mission will prove to be the perfect opportunity for the midwives to spread their wings and grow professionally.
Starring Helen George (Strictly Come Dancing, The Three Musketeers, The Monster), Jenny Agutter (The Avengers, Child’s Play 2, The Railway Children), Judy Parfitt (Maurice, Hamlet), Linda Bassett (Kinky Boots, Dinnerladies) and Cliff Parisi (EastEnders).
AMC+, Shudder & Acorn: streaming this week
Steeltown Murders – 22 December (AMC+ & Acorn TV)
Series. It’s 2002 in Port Talbot in Wales, and on hearing that the Criminal Investigation Department are looking to reopen two sexually motivated murder cases from 1973, DCI Paul Bethell (Philip Glenister, Calendar Girls) jumps at the opportunity to lead the investigation.
Sanctuary: A Witch’s Tale Season 1 – 26 December (AMC+)
Series. Set in a contemporary world where witchcraft is real, the story takes place in the idyllic English town of Sanctuary, where for hundreds of years witches have lived peacefully, as valued members of society. Until now.
At the heart of the tale is Sarah Fenn (Elaine Cassidy), Sanctuary’s resident witch, on whom the town relies to solve their problems when conventional remedies have failed. When local teen rugby star Dan Whithall dies tragically in an apparent accident, his death exposes a terrifying undercurrent of suspicion and fear towards Sarah and her teenage daughter Harper (Hazel Doupe).
Mother of the dead boy Abigail (Amy de Bhrun), once Sarah’s closest friend, is wracked with grief, and to avenge her son’s death, launches a modern-day witch-hunt to get justice, no matter the cost.
ABC iview: streaming this week
Royal Carols: Together At Christmas 2025 – 25 December
The Princess of Wales hosts the Together at Christmas carol service at Westminster Abbey in December 2025 to celebrate community kindness and empathy.
Royal Variety Performance 2025 – 25 December
The Royal Variety Performance returns to the Royal Albert Hall for another memorable night of entertainment. As ever, the night promises a star-studded line-up of acts from the world of entertainment including Jesse J, Madness, Stephen Fry, Sir Bob Geldof and Midge Ure.
Ginger And The Vegesaurs Boxing Day Special – 26 December
Ginger the Tricarrotops and her baby Pea-Rex friends are back for another adventure. In this exciting new Boxing Day special episode, Ginger and the Peas babysit a mischievous Baby Bananaraptor that proves to be more than a handful.
All Creatures Great And Small Season 5 – 26 December
It’s Spring 1941 and we return to Darrowby to find young baby Jimmy keeping our favourite Skeldale House family on their toes.
Call The Midwife Christmas Special 2024 – 27 December
It’s December 1969 and festive preparations are underway in Poplar. The funfair comes to town adding a burst of colour to the festive season, but there are other less welcome visitors to the borough.
Death in Paradise Christmas Special 2024 – 28 December
Londoner Mervin Wilson ruffles some feathers as he clashes with the island’s way of life. But he quickly sinks his teeth into one of the team’s most puzzling murder cases yet: three men, all unconnected apart from the fact that they’re dressed as Santa Claus, are shot with the exact same gun at the exact same time.
SBS On Demand: streaming this week
Never Mind The Buzzcocks Christmas Special (2024) – 22 December
Special. Get ready for festive chaos with the hour-long Never Mind the Buzzcocks Christmas Special! Daisy May Cooper returns as a festive treat, joining host Greg Davies, Noel Fielding and Jamali Maddix for some wonderful and very rude Christmas cheer.
Guests include comedian Chris Ramsey, DJ Jordan North and singer Ella Henderson. Expect all your favourite rounds but with a Christmas twist, including a star-studded version of the ID Parade. Packed with extra festive pomp, chaos and surprises, this is the ultimate Buzzcocks episode to kick off your Christmas party.
I Am Luke Perry – 22 December
Documentary. Produced by Luke’s friend and 90210 co-star Jason Priestley, this feature-length documentary celebrates the life of a generational talent who emerged from small-town obscurity to become an icon of popular culture.
From his breakout role as Dylan McKay in Beverly Hills, 90210, to his most challenging film roles in Normal Life and 8 Seconds, Luke went on to deliver beloved performances in Riverdale and Quentin Tarantino’s Once Upon a Time… in Hollywood. I Am Luke Perry is a portrait of a hard-working artist who transcended his teen heartthrob origins to become a serious and widely acclaimed actor.
Studio Ghibli Collection – 22 December
Film Collection. The wonderful world of Studio Ghibli is coming to SBS On Demand in December. Soak up the imagination of Hayao Miyazaki with eleven of the studio’s best features including Academy Award-winning films The Boy and the Heron and Spirited Away. Titles include:
- The Boy And The Heron – 22 December
- Ponyo – 23 December
- Kiki’s Delivery Service – 24 December
- My Neighbor Totoro – 25 December
- Spirited Away – 26 December
- Howl’s Moving Castle – 27 December
- The Secret World Of Arrietty – 28 December
- Porco Rosso – 29 December
- Nausicaa Of The Valley Of The Wind – 30 December
- Castle In The Sky – 31 December
- Princess Mononoke – 31 December
Our Guy In Vietnam – 23 December
Documentary series. Fifty years after the end of the Vietnam War, the country is ruled by one of the last remaining communist governments, yet has one of the fastest-growing economies in the world. Fascinated by how a naturally entrepreneurial people operate in a single-party authoritarian state, Guy Martin will explore Vietnam from its fields to its factories to find out how this country really works.
Hidden Assets Season 3 – 26 December
Series. A seemingly straightforward case of embezzlement in Ireland takes a tragic turn leading the Criminal Assets Bureau to Bilbao, where a connection emerges to the brutal murders of an investigative reporter and a student.
Detective Sergeant Claire Wallace (Nora-Jane Noone) and Basque Detective Jon Beitia (Iñigo Gastesi) uncover a migrant-smuggling network stretching from Central Africa to Europe but as they dig deeper, they realise a more dangerous and far-reaching criminal operation is at play, led by a ruthless figure who will stop at nothing to stay in the shadows.
Buddy Valastro’s Cake Dynasty – 26 December
Reality series (2023). Go behind the scenes at Carlo’s Bake Shop in New Jersey, alongside Buddy Valastro and his extended family as he works to balance the demands of a rapidly expanding business empire and demanding home life.
Great Gardens Of Europe – 27 December
Documentary series. With exclusive access, this insightful four-part series visits some of the most extraordinary gardens of all time, man-made marvels that have gone on to influence the world. Exploring four of Europe’s Greatest Gardens, every episode will dig into the heart of each garden and unearth its fascinating history, meet the people looking after its treasures, and reveal tantalising tips for how they keep the gardens in shape.
Julia – 27 December
Documentary. Julia brings to life the legendary cookbook author and television superstar who changed the way Americans think about food, television and even about women.
Using never-before-seen archival footage, personal photos, first-person narratives and cutting-edge, mouth-watering food cinematography, the film traces Julia Child’s 12-year struggle to create and publish the revolutionary Mastering the Art of French Cooking (1961), which has sold more than 2.5 million copies to date, and then her rapid ascent to become the country’s most unlikely television star.
Hallelujah: Leonard Cohen, A Journey, A Song – 27 December
Documentary. A definitive exploration of singer and songwriter Leonard Cohen as seen through the prism of his internationally renowned hymn, Hallelujah. This feature-length documentary weaves together three creative strands: the songwriter and his times; the song’s dramatic journey from record label reject to chart-topping hit; and moving testimonies from major recording artists.
Approved for production by Leonard Cohen just before his 80th birthday in 2014, the film accesses a wealth of never-before-seen archival materials from the Cohen Trust, including Cohen’s personal notebooks, journals and photographs, performance footage and extremely rare audio recordings and interviews.
Disney+: recently added
Abbott Elementary Season 5 – 17 December
Series. The award-winning workplace comedy is back with a brand new season of curveballs ready to be hurled at the dedicated, passionate teachers of Abbott Elementary (and their slightly tone-deaf principal).
HBO Max: new this week
Happy And You Know It – 26 December
Documentary film. A joyful and surprising journey into the fascinating – and at times insidious – world of toddler pop. The film explores why kids’ music is so catchy, why it can be deeply meaningful, and how AI is taking hold and shaping the industry.
The film features appearances by The Wiggles, Laurie Berkner and other musicians.
Binge: streaming this week
Taskmaster Champion of Champions 4 – 23 December
Special. This special episode of Taskmaster returns this Christmas to see five past winners battle for ultimate glory. What makes this special different? It’s a one-off extravaganza where the stakes are higher, the tasks even more ludicrous and the egos hilariously fragile.
Expect Greg Davies’ merciless judgment, Alex Horne’s mischievous scheming and a festive twist.
Celebrity Sewing Bee Festive Special – 23 December
Special. Feeling crafty? Celebrity Sewing Bee Festive Special stitches together seasonal sparkle on 23 December. This year sees celebrity contestants take on a merry mix of fashion and fun, ideal for anyone looking to add a handmade touch to celebrations.
The Copenhagen Test Season 1 – 27 December
Series. Think your data’s at risk? Try your mind. In The Copenhagen Test, an American intelligence analyst Alexander Hale (Simu Liu) realises his brain has been hacked. This fast-paced series is a prescient take on surveillance and sensory intrusion, raising real-world ethical questions as Alexander undertakes a thrilling race to flush out those responsible.
Prime Video: recently added
Fallout Season 2 – 17 December
Series. The new season will pick up in the aftermath of season one’s epic finale and take audiences along for a journey through the wasteland of the Mojave to the post-apocalyptic city of New Vegas.
Fallout is the story of haves and have-nots in a world in which there’s almost nothing left to have. Some 200 years after the apocalypse, the gentle denizens of luxury fallout shelters are forced to return to the irradiated hellscape their ancestors left behind – and are shocked to discover an incredibly complex, gleefully weird and highly violent universe waiting for them.
Starring Ella Purnell, Aaron Moten, Walton Goggins, Moisés Arias, Kyle MacLachlan, Justin Theroux, Kumail Nanjiani, Macaulay Culkin and Sarita Choudhury.
Paramount+: recently added
Boston Blue Season 1 – 20 December
Series. When NYPD legend Danny Reagan (Donnie Wahlberg) arrives in Boston, he expects a fresh start, not a war. Partnered with Detective Lena Silver (Sonequa Martin-Green), the razor-sharp heir to one of the city’s most powerful policing dynasties, Danny is thrust straight into a city where every alley has secrets and every badge carries history.
Sheriff Country Season 1 – 20 December
Series. In the rural town of Edgewater, California, Sheriff Mickey Fox (Morena Baccarin) keeps law and order with uncompromising grit, while juggling single motherhood, small-town politics and a past she can’t outrun.
Apple TV: recently added
Born to be Wild – 19 December
Documentary series. 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.
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, a ring-tailed lemur pup, a moon bear cub, Iberian lynx kittens and rescued African penguins – the series highlights the challenges, triumphs and resilience that define their survival, both for the animals and the extraordinary people working to raise and protect them.
