This week brings a fresh batch of must-watch entertainment to UK streaming platforms, offering everything from gritty period dramas to provocative celebrity specials. Leading the pack is a highly anticipated western from a renowned creator, while a royal holiday celebration promises its own unique brand of festive spectacle.
Western Drama and Royal Festivities
The Abandons arrives on Netflix this Thursday, 4 December. Created by Kurt Sutter, the mind behind Sons of Anarchy, this new series delves into the lawless world of 1850s Oregon. The plot centres on the violent Van Ness family, wealthy landowners who are brutally expanding their territory and threatening the local smallholders. The cast features Lena Headey as Fiona Nolan, an Irish immigrant who protects a group of orphans, and Gillian Anderson as the menacing matriarch Constance Van Ness. This zippily entertaining period piece is pure hokum, but it rattles along with plenty of grit and tension.
Also on Netflix, With Love, Meghan: Holiday Celebration debuts on Wednesday, 3 December. Viewers are invited into the Sussexes' rental mansion for an early dose of festive cheer. The special features homemade crackers, champagne cocktails, and an abundance of holiday kitsch. In a notable appearance, Prince Harry will join his wife in her TV kitchen. The programme includes wreath-making tips, crafting ideas, and scenes of Meghan embracing the seasonal spirit.
Documentaries and Reality Drama
Netflix also hosts the compelling four-part documentary Sean Combs: The Reckoning, available from Tuesday, 2 December. Executive produced by 50 Cent, the series chronicles the rise and dramatic fall of the hip-hop mogul. It explores how Combs built his Bad Boy Entertainment empire, before detailing the grim realities that led to his recent conviction and imprisonment.
For reality TV fans, Owning Manhattan returns to Netflix for a second season on Friday, 5 December. The show follows real estate broker Ryan Serhant and his team of highly-strung agents as they screech and squabble over luxurious Tribeca properties, all in a bid to build the world's top brokerage.
Channel 4's Intriguing Offerings
Over on Channel 4, a hard-hitting investigation begins on Monday, 1 December with Controlled: Can I Trust My Partner?: UNTOLD. Presenter Daisy Maskell delves into the alarming rise of partner abuse among under-30s, with a focus on 'stalkerware' apps. In a disturbing experiment, she and her consenting partner trial one such app to reveal its invasive capabilities.
Channel 4 also welcomes the final seasons of the beloved Danish series Seaside Hotel from Thursday, 4 December. Set in 1945 post-war Denmark, the show follows the hotel's reopening and the new challenges faced by its staff and guests, including a crime that touches on the legacy of the war.
Finally, culture enthusiasts should not miss The New Yorker at 100 on Netflix from Friday, 5 December. This fascinating documentary profiles the iconic magazine, celebrating its century-long commitment to truth-telling and high-quality journalism, with insights from its editor, David Remnick.
