On TV in December: Letterkenny is back and the Doom Patrol prevent the apocalypse, again

Find all the latest must-watch TV each month with Watch This!

In the words of the White Lotus: Sicily's Ethan Spiller (Will Sharpe), "There's billions of shows to keep up with. It's kind of suffocating." And he's not wrong. Neither is his wife, Harper (Aubrey Plaza) when she says, "It's like we're all entertaining each other while the world burns, right?"

Thankfully, Watch This! is here to make the glut of TV content a little more curated and a little less suffocating. Because if we're going to be entertained while we wait for our inevitable demise, it may as well be with something good. 

(Also, the finale of White Lotus: Sicily is on Dec. 11, and we are pumped for it. Who is the corpse in episode one!? Who!?)

Reign Supreme (Le Monde de demain)

If you've ever watched Wu-Tang: An American Saga and thought, "Man, I wish this saga was French instead," this series is for you. If you're familiar with French rap — and why would you be? This isn't Radio-Canada — then you know that Suprême NTM became famous in the 1990s for their gritty, unflinching portraits of violence and poverty in the public housing tower blocks in the Parisian suburbs, and talking so much trash about the police that they almost got locked up for it.

Reign Supreme, released in French as Le Monde de demain, is a dramatization of the duo's story. Taking place in the 1980s, it shows how Didier Morville (Melvin Boomer) and Bruno Lopes (Anthony Bajon) — two unassuming teenagers from the hardscrabble banlieue of Saint-Dénis — eventually became the festival-headlining MCs and threats to the French state known as Joey Starr and Kool Shen. Watch Reign Supreme now on Netflix.

- Chris Dart, web writer, CBC Arts

Matt Rogers: Have You Heard of Christmas?

Want to make your yuletide extra gay this December? Look no further than comedian Matt Rogers' holiday-themed comedy musical special, Have You Heard Of Christmas?

Rogers, who you may know from co-hosting the podcast Las Culturistas with Bowen Yang or from his role on the series I Love That For You, has been performing these hilarious — and very catchy — original songs at his live holiday shows for years, and it is an absolute holiday treat to now be able to enjoy them from home. (Also, if you're in Toronto, you can also see Rogers perform it live at the Queen Elizabeth Theatre on December 7th.) Watch "Have You Heard Of Christmas?" now on Crave.

- Peter Knegt, producer, CBC Arts

Fleishman is in Trouble

Based on the 2019 debut novel by journalist Taffy Brodesser-Akner, Fleishman is in Trouble is the story of Toby Fleishman (Jesse Eisenberg), a newly divorced 40-something father of two and hepatologist who finds himself the sole care provider for his two children when his high-powered theatre agent ex Rachel (Claire Danes) goes unexpectedly AWOL, causing him to spin out. Toby's college friend Libby (the always excellent Lizzy Caplan) acts as the show's narrator — and then gets drawn into marital trouble of her own, as the Fleishmans' meltdown causes her to question her own life choices.

This is a show where neither of the main characters are likable. Eisenberg is somehow simultaneously self-deprecating and self-aggrandizing, while Danes combines the petulance of Angela Chase with the high octane hostility of Carrie Mathison. Set against the backdrop of the 2016 presidential election, Fleishman is in Trouble is a deep dive into how money, ambition, class and gender can play off of one another and take people to dark places. New episodes of Fleishman is in Trouble are streaming now on Disney+ Thursdays until Dec. 29. 

- Chris Dart, web writer, CBC Arts

Willow

If the mission at Disney+ is to resurrect every IP with even a whiff of nostalgic interest, no shade there. In the last 12 months, they've rebooted properties so aligned with my cringingly specific millennial tastes (Rescue Rangers, Hocus Pocus) that I'm questioning whether the entire streamer's a simulation that's been engineered just for me. (If they greenlight a singing competition based on Disney Afternoon theme songs, that'll clinch it.)

So, Willow. Who remembers it? It's a 1988 fantasy flick about a hobbit-y farmer (the titular Willow, played by Warwick Davis) who forms a crew of misfits (including Val Kilmer). Together, they fight evil — namely the witchy queen Bavmorda — and protect a child prophesied to save the realm. That's Elora Danan, a baby in a red wig whose name sounds like a fancy type of yogurt. 

Once upon a time, in the Blockbuster Video era, I confess I'd rent it on the regular along with every other '80s fantasy flick that gave me nightmares as a child. And though Willow never quite matched other cult favourites of the genre insofar as imagination and sheer creep-factor is concerned, that was then. In today's prestige TV landscape — where fantasy worlds are big on drama and special effects and everything but humour — the sweet and goofy tone of the Willowvese feels positively novel. 

The first two episodes debuted Nov. 30, and the action picks up a few hundred moons (to use the show's prescribed fantasy jargon) after Bavmorda's defeat. Her daughter Queen Sorsha is now on the throne (Joanne Whalley, reprising her role from the movie). And with forces of darkness once more threatening their world, a quest, of course, is in order. On the mission: Sorsha's battle-ready daughter Kit and her knight-in-training BFF. (All signs point to some future light romance there.) Other archetypes along for the journey: the soft-boi prince whom Kit's betrothed to marry; a sass-talking outlaw; Willow (natch); and a stowaway kitchen maid who's apparently a genius at baking muffins. Why her? The guy they're all out looking for is her one true love, Prince Airk. (He's kidnapped by toothy baddies that are as spooky as any nightmare-fuel from '80s fantasy cinema, but based on the first episode, this adventure will be heavier on the one-liners than self-serious medieval gore.) Sign me up for the campaign. Watch new episodes of Willow on Disney+ Wednesdays until Jan. 11.

- Leah Collins, senior writer, CBC Arts

Doom Patrol

I have said it before, and it's a hill I will die on: Doom Patrol is the best comic book-to-screen adaptation ever.

In some ways that's a surprise, as the Doom Patrol are a distinctly C-list super hero team — indeed, their failure to measure up to the heights of their colleagues is a running in theme in both the show and the book — but in other ways, it's not surprising at all. The series is largely based on Grant Morrison's version of the team, and Morrison's late '80s/early '90s run on Doom Patrol was singularly brilliant. (If you haven't read it, you should stop reading this immediately and go read that instead.)

In addition to the great source material, the cast absolutely smashes it. The show was a key part of Brendan Fraser's big comeback, even though he spends most of the show as a voice actor. Dianne Guerrero, who was probably the most underrated part of Orange is the New Black, is an absolute star in this as Jane, who has 64 personalities, each one with a different superpower. The third season addition of Dr. Who alum Michelle Gomez as sometimes ally, sometimes antagonist Madame Rouge was an excellent call. I am so stoked for Season 4 I am vibrating. Season 4 of Doom Patrol start streaming Dec. 8 on Crave.

- Chris Dart, web writer, CBC Arts

Kid Sister

If you know me personally, you know that I'm a bit obsessed with New Zealand. It feels like Canada, except more geographically compact and with its shit a bit more together. Kid Sister has been billed as "New Zealand's first Jewish sitcom," and it's loosely based on the life of its star and creator (Our Flag Means Death writer Simone Nathan). Lulu (Nathan) is pushing 30 and under intense pressure to finally get married — and marry Jewish. Unfortunately, Auckland's Jewish community is so small, everyone of an appropriate age feels more like a cousin that a possible mate. Also, she's in a "shituationship" with Ollie (Nathan's real-life husband Paul Williams), her affable, not-at-all Jewish, on-again-off-again not-quite-boyfriend. When she gets pregnant by Ollie, the whole situation comes to a head, presumably with hilarious and eventually heartwarming results. Kid Sister starts streaming Dec. 9 on CBC Gem.

- Chris Dart, web writer, CBC Arts

Emily in Paris

Our girl Emily (Lily Collins), the millennial marketing VP who's captivated global audiences through her tenuous grasp of social media, is back for "saison trois" this month, and in the latest trailer, she declares she's facing the hardest decision of her ringarde life. But whatever could it be? 

For those who've already pressed through Season 2, captivated by the EIP universe of crayon-box costuming, sneering French caricatures and a script that is almost certainly generated by an AI chatbot trying to sound like an 80-year-old drag queen, you'll remember we left things on a cliffhanger. Em's career and love life hang in the balance, though some of her choices seem easier to predict than others. Emily in Chi-Town lacks the je ne sais quoi of the current title, so we can safely guess where she landed on the professional ultimatum: join up with her French boss Sylvie (Philippine Leroy-Beaulieu) in the (successful!) coup against Savoir, or boot it back to the States, where she's lined up a sweet promotion. 

As for romance, Alfie (Lucien Laviscount) is still in the picture. He's the British banker she took up with last season, and from the trailer's clips of Em bursting Instagrammable bubbles at Superblue, maybe they're even hooking up in London when not floating over Provence in a pink and red hot-air balloon. But Gabriel — the (hot!) chef who lives downstairs from her overstuffed closet of berets — still has (hot!) feelings for her. Does it matter that he moved in with his ex within the last five minutes of Season 2? Mais non! This is Paris — Emily's Paris. Love triangles are going to keep on triangulating, always with her at the centre — which means there's only thing that could prompt a moment of true existential angst on this show, and frankly, it's the reason I'll mainline all 10 episodes over the holiday break. 

She's talking about clothes, people. And will you get a load of the shoulder pads in the trailer? WHAT WILL SHE WEAR?! Season 3 of Emily in Paris starts streaming Dec. 21 on Netflix.

- Leah Collins, senior writer, CBC Arts

Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery

If you weren't among the lucky million or two people — we'll never quite know that number exactly, since Netflix won't tell us — that were able to see the second film in Rian Johnson's Knives Out universe during its brief run cinemas last month, you only have to wait a few weeks until you can watch it at home.

Netflix will be streaming Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery as of Dec. 23, and I promise Daniel Craig's Benoit Blanc and the new cast of characters that join him have a true holiday gift in store. I've managed to see the film twice already, and am among the many that feels it somehow improves on its predecessor. I am also among the many who suggest you should go into it knowing as little as possible. Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery starts streaming on Netflix Dec. 23.

- Peter Knegt, producer, CBC Arts

Letterkenny 

I was conflicted on whether or not I was going to include Season 11 of Letterkenny in this list. (Yes, there have been 11 seasons of Letterkenny, with the caveat that each season is only six episodes, and they had two-per-calendar year until 2019.) To be honest, the last couple seasons were a little underwhelming. Then I re-watched Shoresy — the Letterkenny spinoff that aired earlier this year, and turned a one-note peripheral character into a likable lead that had emotion and depth and pathos without sacrificing the deeply profane humour that audiences love — and remembered that when they're on, the Letterkenny writing team are absolutely mindblowing comedic geniuses.

I am of the opinion that "Letterkenny Talent Show" (Season 3, Episode 4) and "Letterkenny Spelling Bee" (Season 5, Episode 4) are two of the greatest episodes of half-hour scripted television comedy ever written anywhere. I have total faith that Season 11 will be an absolute banger and that, to borrow a quote from Shoresy, we will all like it the same way that "your Mom just liked my Instagram post from two years ago in Puerto Vallarta." Season 11 of Letterkenny starts streaming Dec. 25 on Crave.

- Chris Dart, web writer, CBC Arts