As the holiday season hits high gear, give yourself a little “me time” to watch the new shows and movies this weekend on Netflix, Max and more of the best streaming services.
The return of "Virgin River" leads this week's new TV lineup and season 6 promises the long-awaited wedding between Mel and Jack. Peacock debuts a new comedy, "Laid," which sees Stephanie Hsu try to figure out why her ex-boyfriends keep dying. Plus, the final chapter of Marvel's "What If ... ?" ventures one last time into the multiverse.
On the movie side, Kerry Washington headlines the World War II drama "The Six Triple Eight," while "Juror No. 2" hits Max. Here's our guide on what to watch this weekend.
New TV shows
‘Virgin River’ season 6 (Netflix)
Wedding bells are finally ringing for Mel (Alexandra Breckenridge) and Jack (Martin Henderson). After riding through many ups and downs together, the couple will meet at the altar to say "I do" in season 7. But first, they’ll experience requisite bachelor and bachelor parties, wedding drama and plenty of dreamy moments (dancing in a barn … swoon!). But their nuptials aren’t the only thing going on, as uncovered secrets from Mel’s father’s past transport us back to the town of Virgin River in the 1970s.
All 10 episodes are streaming now on Netflix
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‘Laid’ (Peacock)
The protagonist of what’s described as a “f***ed-up rom-com” by creators Nahnatchka Khan and Sally Bradford McKenna. Ruby (Stephanie Hsu) suddenly finds herself living a Taylor Swift song. “It’s me, hi, I’m the problem, it’s me” aptly describes how Ruby (Stephanie Hsu) feels when she discovers that all her ex-lovers are dying under unusual circumstances. Truly an anti-hero(ine). To figure out why and to prevent the same thing from happening again to her new crush, she goes back through her sex timeline with the help of her best friend (Zosia Mamet). It’s a not-quite-a-blast from the past.
All 8 episodes are streaming now on Peacock
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‘What If …?’ season 3 (Disney Plus)
Take one last trip through the multiverse of “What If …?” The third and final season of the animated anthology series once again follows familiar Marvel heroes after making unexpected choices that mutate their worlds into alternate versions of the MCU. Season 3 will feature characters including Sam Wilson’s Captain America (voiced by Anthony Mackie), the Winter Soldier/Bucky Barnes, Peggy Carter, the Hulk/Bruce Banner, Agatha Harkness, Shang-Chi, the Red Guardian and X-Men’s Storm the Goddess of Thunder.
Episode 1 premieres Sunday, Dec. 22 at 3 a.m ET on Disney Plus
New movies
‘The Six Triple Eight’ (Netflix)
You would think every bit of World War II has been covered in movies by now, but still, new stories continue to crop up, like this one about the first and only Women’s Army Corps unit of color to serve overseas in WWII. Written and directed by Tyler Perry and starring Kerry Washington, it centers on the 6888th Central Postal Directory Battalion, powered by Black women who face racism and sexism, as well as grueling working conditions, while serving their country with honor and distinction. They are given a difficult but meaningful mission: sorting through a three-year backlog of mail (17 million pieces) that hadn’t been delivered to American soldiers far from home.
Streaming now on Netflix
‘Juror No. 2’ (Max)
For what could be his last film, 94-year-old director Clint Eastwood delivers his bread-and-butter: a good old-fashioned thriller about justice and morality. This one is set in a courtroom drama set in the midst of a murder trial. Justin Kemp (Nicholas Hoult) has been selected as one of the jurors, though the timing is far from ideal as his wife (Zoey Deutch) is experiencing a high-risk pregnancy. The defendant is accused of killing his girlfriend after they argued at a bar. But as the facts of the case unfold, Justin realizes that he was at the bar on the night in question — and that he may be involved in the death.
Streaming now on Max
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Kelly is the streaming channel editor for Tom’s Guide, so basically, she watches TV for a living. Previously, she was a freelance entertainment writer for Yahoo, Vulture, TV Guide and other outlets. When she’s not watching TV and movies for work, she’s watching them for fun, seeing live music, writing songs, knitting and gardening.