2021 is almost at an end, and it’s closing out strong for many streaming services. As always, Netflix is bringing the heat and has some of its best programming of the year on deck and ready to prep us for 2022. What’s better, there’s stuff that’s entirely unrelated to the holiday season, just in case subscribers are reaching holiday burnout.
Of course, some people can’t get enough of Christmas, so rest assured that for all the options this season, Netflix still has some holiday offerings worth checking out. Overall, I’d say there are at least nine spectacular originals coming this December that need checking out, so let’s dive in and figure out why!
Lost in Space (Final Season) - 12/1
The good news is that Lost in Space is back for Season 3, but unfortunately, the ride ends there. The Netflix series enters its final season at the start of December and will feature the Robinsons attempting to save Alpha Centauri from a robot invasion. First, they’ll have to reunite, so expect this series to really pull out the thrills in its final episodes!
Coming Out Colton - 12/3
The Bachelor’s Colton Underwood surprised many when he came out as a gay man, mainly because they saw him pine for the love of many eligible women on national television. Now, in Netflix’s Coming Out Colton, audiences will get a chance to see Underwood’s journey as a gay man and confront his past while attempting to find his place in the LGBTQ+ community. I can see Bachelor fans interested in seeing this one, as well as anyone genuinely curious about the next chapter for Underwood.
The Great British Baking Show: Holidays (Season 4) - 12/3
The Great British Baking Show is one of the best cooking shows on television, and adding the holidays on top of that only makes it better. Prue Leith and Paul Hollywood welcome back some familiar faces on this holiday edition of the show set to arrive on Netflix in early December. I know I’ll be watching with a bag of snacks next to me, and who knows? I may even find the inspiration to cook a little after watching!
Saturday Morning All Star Hits! - 12/10
If you’re someone who gets nostalgic about the '80s and '90s era of Saturday morning cartoons, this is something to look out for. This irreverent adult-animation series comes from Saturday Night Live’s Kyle Mooney and Ben Jones. Mooney plays twins in a live-action hybrid series that mimics the iconic era of children’s television that adults today grew up with. I’ve always been a fan of Mooney’s work, so I’m hoping this series lives up to the awesome expectations I’m building in my head.
Selling Tampa - 12/15
Selling Sunset thrives as a popular home show on Netflix, and like other successful home shows, it’s getting a number of spinoffs. Selling Tampa is the newest one arriving on Netflix in mid-December and will follow a Tampa all-Black female real estate agent firm called Allure Realty. It’s all the fun of Selling Sunset but in Tampa! I typically only watch these kinds of shows when I’m moving, and I’m not trying to pack my bags just yet, but home show fans will definitely want to give this one a try.
The Witcher (Season 2) - 12/17
One of Netflix’s biggest original shows is back for another season, and I don’t know about you, but I’m thrilled to see Henry Cavill kicking ass and taking names as Geralt of Rivia. What’s even better is that Cavill recently confirmed he’s committed to sticking with the series’ seven-year plan, which means there’s a lot more of The Witcher to come over the years. Now would be a great time to rewatch or catch up on Season 1, which I’ll definitely need to do because I got a bit lost watching at first.
Emily in Paris (Season 2) - 12/22
Here’s a fun fact about Emily in Paris that I love to bring up every time I see the show title: if you say the series name the way Paris is supposed to be pronounced in French, it rhymes! I’m not sure that will be addressed in Season 2 of Emily in Paris, and the creator teased that Emily will have some tough decisions ahead of her. Fans will, of course, be thrilled to see Emily’s continuing adventures, which will probably feature more of France undermining her American ideal of what the country should be. It doesn’t seem like this series is a glowing advertisement for France!
Cobra Kai (Season 4) - 12/31
Cobra Kai Season 4 will help ring in the new year with the series’ most significant challenge yet. Johnny and Daniel joined forces in an attempt to put a stop to John Kreese’s twisted version of Cobra Kai. Unfortunately, we already know that Kreese will get back up in the form of Terry Silver, who has a knack for seeking out the most brutal recruits and fighters. I’m not quite sure who stands the best chance at winning the All-Valley Tournament out of all the main characters at the moment, but I am optimistic for Miguel’s comeback after he gains some more strength. My second choice is definitely Robby Keene, but man, what a downer that would be if he won at this point.
Queer Eye (Season 6) - 12/31
Queer Eye fans know exactly what the show is about at this point, and as a fan, I can say I’m certainly not sick of it. The Fab 5 are back again looking to revamp the lives of folks who need just a little sprucing up, and they’re headed to Austin, Texas this season to change some hearts and minds in the Lone Star state. I’m curious to see how the boys adapt to life there and whether they learn some things along the way about living deep in the heart of Texas.
Netflix subscribers can catch all these shows and more on the platform beginning in December. I’m looking forward to a good month of original content to close out 2021 and hoping that 2022 is even more loaded with iconic originals that will make another year just fly by.
