The Book Of Boba Fett and Station Eleven lead December’s TV premieres

December's stocking is stuffed with a new Star Wars show, more Olivia Colman, and several holiday-themed debuts

By Danette Chavez, Saloni Gajjar, Sam Barsanti, Gwen Ihnat | November 24, 2021 | 6:00am

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The Book Of Boba Fett and Station Eleven lead December’s TV premieres

Clockwise: Gael García Bernal in Station Eleven (Photo: Parrish Lewis/HBO Max), Cynthia Nixon, Sarah Jessica Parker, and Kristin Davis in And Just Like That… (Photo: HBO Max), Celina Smith and Harry Connick Jr. in Annie Live! (Photo: Paul Gilmore/NBC), and The Book Of Boba Fett (Photo: Disney+) Graphic: Jimmy Hase

After a lean start (WandaVision’s allure notwithstanding), the year in TV closes out strong this December with a combination of seasonal offerings and more evergreen fare. The beginning and middle of the month are packed with holiday specials, including new episodes of Young Rock, Kenan, and Mr. Mayor on December 15. But Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist and DC’s Legends Of Tomorrow look much more likely to follow in Ted Lasso’s footsteps as great new additions to the Christmas canon.

The end of the year also brings tidings of exciting new series like Abbott Elementary, starring A Black Lady Sketch Show’s Quinta Brunson, and the engaging New York-based comedy of Harlem. The post-apocalyptic scenario of Station Eleven stands in stark contrast with all the revelry, which will ramp back up at the end of the month with the arrival of The Book Of Boba Fett. And, for those who have waited patiently for more episodic stories of Sex And The City, HBO Max’s And Just Like That… waits to be unwrapped.

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Zoey’s Extraordinary Christmas: One-Off Film (Roku): Premieres December 1

, the Roku Channel performed a miracle and brought back the canceled-too-soon show for a one-off holiday special to wrap up the story. (That is, unless they decide to continue it as an original series if the film is a success.) Picking up after season two, Zoey (Jane Levy) wants to create a magical Christmas for her family after the death of her father, Mitch (Peter Gallagher). There will be several holiday-themed songs in the film, including Mo (Alex Newell) busting out a rendition of “It’s The Most Wonderful Time Of The Year.” All the series’ stars will reprise their roles. [Saloni Gajjar]

Beebo Saves Christmas (The CW): Premieres December 1

has always thrived on its underdog status, since it’s baked into the premise that its central team of time travelers are all losers who would otherwise leave no impression whatsoever on history. The existence of the Beebo Saves Christmas special, though, is a direct rejection of the idea that Legends is anything but a beloved hit. How else would anyone justify a fully animated and surprisingly earnest Christmas cartoon that is really just an hour-long payoff to a running joke on Legends that exists entirely in-universe and (almost) never acknowledges the fact that it’s related to a superhero show in any way? Former Legends cast member Victor Garber narrates the special, but nobody else from the Arrowverse stops by—other than Beebo himself (a direct parody of Tickle Me Elmo who first debuted in what is the show’s ). [Sam Barsanti]

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Santa Inc. (HBO Max): Premieres December 2

, which premiered last spring, already put a profane twist on Christmas, what with its animated dick pics and foul-mouthed Claus family gathering. But Santa Inc. might up the ante, thanks to its place on HBO Max. The stop-motion series stars Sarah Silverman as Candy Smalls, a determined and hyper-competent elf who wants to succeed Santa Claus (Seth Rogen, who somehow doesn’t give a jolly laugh even once in this red band trailer) as, er, Santa Claus. The problem is that, as her elfin senior notes, Santas have always been white men. That won’t stop the plucky Candy, who decides to schmooze and philander with the worst of ’em. If you’re looking to mix up your holiday viewing, Santa Inc. appears to be a safe, debauched bet. [Danette Chavez]

Queen Of The Universe (Paramount Plus): Premieres December 2

Paramount+’s new reality series is a globe-trotting affair. Queen Of The Universe will feature contestants from across the world—Australia, Brazil, the U.S., India, China, Mexico—who all represent different types of drag and music. Their musical number and challenges will be performed in front of both a live studio audience and a panel of judges. These judges include Leona Lewis, Vanessa Williams, World Of Wonder mainstay Michelle Visage, and RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars 3 winner Trixie Mattel. The witty and delightful Graham Norton will host. As he says in the trailer, “Let the drag-stravaganza begin.” [Saloni Gajjar]

Annie Live! (NBC): Premieres December 2

The cast of Annie Live!, the latest NBC live musical, looks sensational: Taraji P. Henson as cruel orphanage owner Miss Hannigan, Harry Connick Jr. and his skull cap as Daddy Warbucks, and 12-year-old newcomer Celina Smith as Annie. Alan Toy recently made news with his Annie casting as the first polio survivor to portray FDR, and the original Annie herself, Andrea McArdle, will play Eleanor Roosevelt. The only downside is that Jane Krakowski had to drop out as Lily after contracting COVID-19, thereby robbing the world of her reunion with Tituss Burgess as Rooster; Smash’s Megan Hilty will step in. Infectious songs like “It’s The Hard-Knock Life” and “You’re Never Fully Dressed Without A Smile” are bound to thrill the audiences at home, but watch for every stop possible to be pulled out for “A New Deal For Christmas,” all considering. [Gwen Ihnat]

Harlem (Amazon Prime Video): Premieres December 2

and writer Tracy Oliver is behind this glam new hangout comedy about a sexy and stylish quartet of friends in Harlem. Meagan Good, Grace Byers, Jerrie Johnson, and Shoniqua Shandai play the four co-leads who lift each other up when they’re not giving each other a hard time. Camille (Good) is an anthropology professor and rising star at Columbia; Tye (Johnson) is the creator of a queer dating app with no interest in settling down; Quinn (Byers) is a fashion designer and the hopeless romantic of the group; and actor-singer Angie (Shandai) is the wild card. Starz’s gave viewers a closer look at Harlem earlier this year, and this Prime Video dramedy promises a similarly candid and engaging tour of that New York neighborhood. [Danette Chavez]

Landscapers (HBO): Premieres December 6

HBO’s Landscapers combines two of our TV obsessions: Olivia Colman and true-crime stories. The four-part series is inspired by the true story of William and Patricia Wycherley, an ordinary couple in Nottinghamshire who committed murder and managed to cover up their crime for a decade. Colman and David Thewlis play Susan and Christopher Edwards, two mild-mannered individuals who nonetheless prove surprisingly adept at nefarious deeds and keeping secrets. But what is marriage if not hiding things and occasionally offing someone(s)? Ed Sinclair, Colman’s real-life husband, writes this black comedy, which is directed by Will Sharpe. [Danette Chavez]

Abbott Elementary (ABC): Premieres December 7

Actor-comedian Quinta Brunson is ready to storm the world of network TV with ABC’s Abbott Elementary. The workplace comedy centers on the dedicated educators of a Philadelphia public school. Brunson plays Janine Teagues, a teacher with fun and creative methods to help kids study. Despite the odds stacked against them—they are outnumbered and underfunded—the group is determined to help their students succeed in life. The show will premiere on December 7, 2021, for a special preview of its pilot, followed by its time slot premiere on January 3, 2022. [Saloni Gajjar]

And Just Like That… (HBO Max): Premieres December 9

This HBO Max original picks up some 18 years (wow) after ’s original, neatly tied-up finale, , and . about the center quartet whittling down to a trio, with Carrie (Sarah Jessica Parker), Miranda (Cynthia Nixon), and Charlotte (Kristin Davis) now navigating life in their 50s. But this time around, the series will boast a more inclusive cast, including Nicole Ari Parker, Sara Ramirez, Sarita Choudhury, and Karen Pittman. It remains to be seen who will supply the suggestive one-liners in Samantha’s (Kim Cattrall) absence and how long Mr. Big (Chris Noth) will hang around, given that the original series always focused on Carrie’s ongoing search for love, and Parker was spotted kissing a non-Big character while filming. Also look for Miranda’s and Charlotte’s offspring, nearly all grown up, and for Nixon’s debut as a series director. [Gwen Ihnat]

Roaring Twenties (Netflix): Premieres December 10

This is the true story of eight strangers picked to live in a house in Austin, Texas, and have their lives taped—not under the auspices of MTV’s The Real World (), but a Netflix docuseries titled Roaring Twenties. This cast of unknowns all seem eager to learn something about themselves, including how they react to sharing a house with a bunch of roommates during a pandemic (the 12-episode season was filmed during the pandemic), and just how much they’ll divulge during what’s bound to be many, many taped confessionals. [Danette Chavez]

Élite Short Stories (Netflix): Premieres December 15

’s first round of short stories, which premiered in June this year, acted as a prelude to that followed shortly after. The racy Spanish teen drama has already been renewed for seasons five and six, but Netflix is tiding fans over with three new holiday-themed short stories: Philippe Caye Felipe on December 15, Samuel Omar on December 20, and Patrick on December 23. The stories will presumably catch up to the characters after the events of season four, wherein—spoiler alert!—Guzman (Miguel Bernardeau) leaves town after he, Samu (Itzan Escamilla), and Rebe (Claudia Salas) hide the body of the man they just killed. [Saloni Gajjar]

Station Eleven (HBO Max): Premieres December 16

Based on Emily St. John Mandel’s 2014 novel of the same, Station Eleven’s timely themes may hit a little too close to home. The science-fiction thriller depicts the aftermath of a deadly flu pandemic that wipes out most of the world’s population. (The show was actually filmed in the first half of 2020, while the world was being ravaged by a real pandemic.) Station Eleven is created by Patrick Somerville, directed by Hiro Murai, and stars Mackenzie Davis, Himesh Patel, Gael García Bernal, and more. The post-apocalyptic drama’s first season will consist of 10 episodes. [Saloni Gajjar]

Finding Magic Mike (HBO Max): Premieres December 16

, HBO Max’s competition/reality series is still all about Finding Magic Mike. Channing Tatum and Steven Soderbergh executive-produce the show, which will see a group of contestants try to find or rediscover their own “magic” while twerking and engaging in some radical self-care. and alum Adam Rodriguez is also on hand to mentor the cast members, and he jokingly wonders if they haven’t “created monsters.” But more likely, Finding Magic Mike will be about the self-esteem that was developed along the way. [Danette Chavez]

With Love (Amazon Prime Video): Premieres December 17

follows up the gone-too-soon with yet another sweet family series. In the five-episode first season of With Love, siblings Lily (Emeraude Toubia) and Jorge Diaz (Mark Indelicato) are on a mission to find love and purpose in life. Each episode is set in a different holiday during a 12-month period, as Lily and Jorge cross paths with seemingly unrelated residents during the most anxiety-inducing days of the year. Desmond Chiam, Vincent Rodriguez III, Isis King, Todd Grinnell, Constance Marie, and Benito Martinez also star. [Saloni Gajjar]

1883 (Paramount Plus): Premieres December 18

gets an “origin story” in 1883, a new period drama that predates the Dutton family’s arrival in Montana. Tim McGraw and Faith Hill star as the iron-willed patriarch and matriarch, who travel with their son (Audie Rick) and daughter (Young Sheldon’s Isabel May) from Texas to the Mountain State, where their family name will one day be on everyone’s lips (because of land disputes). Sam Elliott plays the Civil War veteran who leads a group of pioneers on the arduous journey, which will also see Billy Bob Thornton join the action as U.S. Marshal Jim Courtright. hasn’t done much to grow the Sheridan-verse, but maybe a show with more direct ties to Yellowstone will fare better. [Danette Chavez]

The Book Of Boba Fett (Disney+): Premieres December 29

The movie side of Disney’s Star Wars has potentially gone off the rails (regardless of how you feel about , the rare news stories since then ), but the TV side has shown a remarkable awareness of not only what the fans want but how to give it to them. The Book Of Boba Fett is probably the clearest example of that, finally dedicating a live-action spin-off to a Star Wars character who has been a fan favorite ever since his animated debut in the infamous —even if his popularity was mostly due to his cool outfit. The Disney+ series stars Temuera Morrison as Fett and Ming-Na Wen as her character Fennec Shand, and sees the two of them reclaiming the criminal empire once run by Jabba The Hutt… but, apparently, with coolness rather than violence. [Sam Barsanti]

Returning

season-15 premiere, season-three premiere (12/1); season-two premiere (12/2); season two, part two (12/3); season-six premiere (12/10); season-two premiere (12/17); season-two premiere (12/22); season-four premiere, season-10 premiere (12/26); season-four premiere (12/31)

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