Welcome to What’s On, our weekly picks of must-watch shows. Here’s what you need to watch from Sunday, December 4, to Thursday, December 8. All times are Eastern. [Note: The weekend edition of What’s On drops on Fridays.]
The biggies
George & Tammy (Showtime, Sunday, 9 p.m.)
Abe Sylvia’s limited series has a stacked cast that includes Jessica Chastain, Michael Shannon, Steve Zahn, Kelly McCormack, Katy Mixon, and Walton Goggins. The six-episode George & Tammy depicts the personal lives and careers of country music icons Tammy Wynette and George Jones. An up-and-coming singer, Tammy’s world changes when she’s asked to open for the legendary George—and the two fall into a tumultuous relationship.
His Dark Materials (HBO, Monday, 9 p.m.)
Based on Philip Pullman’s trilogy of novels, the fantasy drama His Dark Materials ends with its third season. The eight new episodes will adapt The Amber Spyglass, which sees Lyra (Dafne Keen) and Will (Amir Wilson) journeying to a place from which no one has ever returned, learning that saving the world comes at a terrible price. James McAvoy, Andrew Scott, and Ruth Wilson co-star. Here’s an excerpt from The A.V. Club’s review:
What we appreciate most about this season isn’t just that it reminds us to be wary of the institutions that claim to guide us. It also positions queerness as a tool that serves a greater purpose; it’s not something to shy away from but the very thing that can help humanity better itself.
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Doom Patrol (HBO Max, Thursday, 3:01 a.m.)
One of HBO Max’s underrated superhero dramas is back. Doom Patrol’s fourth season is divided into two parts, with the first one consisting of six episodes. Based on the D.C. Comics team, the show follows an unlikely group of heroes shunned by society. In season four, they travel to the future and are faced with their imminent demise. The cast includes Diane Guerrero, April Bowlby, Alan Tudyk, Matt Bomer, Brendan Fraser, and Michelle Gomez. Here’s a snippet of The A.V. Club’s review:
This batch of episodes caused us to nitpick a few tiny plot points. (So how did Rita figure out that particular use for a jellyfish? And how did Cliff and Jane enter that particular pocket dimension?) But it still manages to reward the viewer by weaving in bits and pieces from previous seasons into an engaging tapestry.
Hidden gems
South Side (HBO Max, Thursday, 3:01 a.m.)
Comedy Central-turned-HBO Max series South Side is back for season three. Co-created by Diallo Riddle, Bashir Salahuddin, and Sultan Salahuddin, this brilliant comedy is set in Chicago and centers on a pair of small-time hustlers who cook up petty schemes in hopes of climbing the professional ladder. Look out for The A.V. Club’s review on Tuesday.
The Real Housewives Of Miami (Peacock, Thursday, 3:01 a.m.)
Brace yourselves for another round of The Real Housewives Of Miami, which returns for a fifth season that follows the goings-on of Larsa Pippen, Guerdy Abraira, Lisa Hochstein, Nicole Martin, and Julia Lemigova. This season debuts with four new episodes on Peacock.
More good stuff
Who Killed Jenni Rivera? (Peacock, Tuesday, 3:01 a.m.)
Peacock continues its Tuesday-true-crime-doc trend with Who Killed Jenni Rivera?, a three-parter that explores the mysterious death of a Latin superstar whose plane crashed in Mexico in 2012. The series features unseen footage and interviews that delve into the accident and the events leading up to it.
People’s Choice Awards (NBC and E!, Tuesday, 9 p.m.)
SNL’s Kenan Thompson returns to host this year’s People’s Choice Awards after doing the gig in 2021. Some of the big nominees are the movies Nope and Top Gun: Maverick, shows like Abbott Elementary and Stranger Things, and musicians such as Bad Bunny and Harry Styles. This year also boasts performances by BTS, Coldplay, Blackpink, and Måneskin, among others.
Too Hot To Handle (Netflix, Wednesday, 3:01 a.m.)
Netflix’s dating reality series Too Hot To Handle is back for season four, in which a new set of participants have to refrain from physically interacting with each other for four weeks if they want to win $100,000. If they break the rules, the cash prize is reduced. So the big gimmick here is to keep any sexual urges at bay. Anyway. The new season consists of 10 episodes, with the first five dropping on December 7 and the remaining on December 14.
Can’t miss recaps
Saturday Night Live (NBC, Saturday, 11:30 p.m.)
The White Lotus (HBO, Sunday, 9 p.m.)
Welcome To Chippendales (Hulu, Tuesday, 12:01 a.m.)
Willow (Disney+, Wednesday, 3:01 a.m.)
Mythic Quest (Apple TV+, Friday, 12:01 a.m.)
Slow Horses (Apple TV+, Friday, 12:01 a.m)
Ending soon
The Rookie (ABC, Sunday, 9 p.m., season five fall finale)
The Neighborhood, Bob Hearts Abishola, NCIS, NCIS: Hawai’i (CBS, Monday, 8-11 p.m., fall finales)
The Resident, Monarch (FOX, Tuesday, 8-10 p.m., fall finales)
The Winchesters (The CW, Tuesday, 8 p.m., season one fall finale)
The Mysterious Benedict Society (Disney+, Wednesday, 3:01 a.m., season two finale)
D.C.’s Stargirl (The CW, Wednesday, 8 p.m., series finale)
Chicago Med, Chicago Fire, Chicago P.D. (NBC, Wednesday, 8-11 p.m., fall finales)
The Conners, The Goldbergs, Abbott Elementary, Home Economics, Big Sky (ABC, Wednesday, 8-11 p.m., fall finales)
Reginald The Vampire (Syfy, Wednesday, 10 p.m., season one finale)
Law & Order, Law & Order: SVU, Law & Order: Organized Crime (NBC, Thursday, 8-11 p.m., fall finales)
Young Sheldon (CBS, Thursday, 8 p.m., season six fall finale)
Welcome To Flatch, Call Me Kat (FOX, Thursday, 9-10 p.m., fall finales)
