10 Best Series of December
They say the last is remembered best. So, for those for whom the year turned out to be unsuccessful, this December offers a chance to set things right by replacing negative memories with positive ones – for example, impressions from an interesting TV series. There are plenty to choose from: streaming services have prepared for us an animated search for the meaning of life, a funny satire on 17th century Poland, and another adaptation of Patricia Highsmith's novels about the sophisticated psychopath-killer Tom Ripley – and much more.
Slow Horses (Season 3)
From November 29 on Apple TV+
Sex, action, and deadly danger against the backdrop of exotic Istanbul – this is how the third season of the "Slow Horses" series, reminiscent of the James Bond franchise, begins. But rest assured: despite all their merits to the UK in previous seasons, the team of failed secret agents led by Jackson Lamb (Gary Oldman) was not renewed in MI5. They remain stuck in their "Slow Horses" department – a shameful dumping ground for those who failed in service but were not fired for certain reasons. As before, the miserable life of the intelligence losers becomes unbearable due to their disgusting boss, who smokes and drinks at work, eats all sorts of junk food, suffers from meteorism attacks, and seemingly never bathes. And in the new season, Lamb won't have time for hygiene because it all starts with some thieves kidnapping his "right-hand man"...
My Life with the Walter Boys
From December 7 on Netflix
This is an adaptation of the popular novel for teenagers that American writer Ali Novak started writing when she was 15. So it's not surprising that the plot turned out like this: after a car accident that orphaned a teenage girl, she is taken in by a rural couple with... a dozen handsome sons. A real ranch, all kinds of horses and ponies, the exotic nature of Colorado for a former New Yorker, and a bunch of guys living under one roof – could fate give the girl of Shakespearean Juliet age anything better? Well, don't jump to conclusions. Firstly, the heroine falls passionately in love with two brothers at once. And secondly, she tries to hold onto a promise made to her deceased parents: to become perfect.
1670
From December 13 on Netflix
Interesting fact: if today Ukrainians have an extremely negative attitude towards everything Iranian (due to the Iranian Shahed 136 drones terrorizing them, supplied by Russia) – 300 years ago, some Cossacks were followers of the so-called "Sarmatism," considering themselves descendants of the Sarmatians, an Iranian-speaking nomadic people who inhabited the territory of modern Ukraine at the beginning of our era. Sarmatism intrigued Ukrainians in the 17th century after the Polish nobility, which then ruled many lands of present-day Ukraine within the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, began to profess this ideology. The satirical series "1670" will tell the story of one such wealthy Pole and eccentric nobleman, Jan Adamczewski, who literally jumps out of his pants – eager to earn authority in his native village and heroically glorify himself throughout the country.
Carol & The End of The World
From December 15 on Netflix
Earth is being hit – a giant planet is flying from the depths of space. Expecting the inevitable end of the world in a few months, people decide that there is only one good option here – to break loose and enjoy life while there is still a chance. But thoughtful girl Carol is not among them. In the midst of surrounding chaos and unrestrained hedonism, she opposes her very focused existentialism. She strives to spend the remnants of precious time to finally find what each of us has been fruitlessly searching for since birth – the meaning of life... The creator of the mini-series is Dan Guterman, who in 2018 received an Emmy Award for the scripts for the third season of "Rick and Morty."
Reacher (Season 2)
From December 15 on Amazon Prime Video
It's better not to mess with former US military police major Jack Reacher. But even if someone wants to call him, send a letter, or arrange a personal meeting – it won't work. Because this loner ensures anonymity, leaving no traces behind. So when an old service partner finally finds him – Reacher has no doubts: something serious has happened. Fears turn out to be well-founded: one of their old team members was found dead in the California desert, and six others disappeared without a trace. It seems that Reacher's friends urgently need help, and he won't refuse them in this... The second season of the series based on the novels by the king of thrillers, Lee Child, will be an adaptation of the 11th Jack Reacher novel – "Bad Luck and Trouble."
Percy Jackson and the Olympians
From December 20 on Disney+
12-year-old schoolboy Percy Jackson begins to take an interest in Greek gods and soon discovers the shocking fact that he himself is half-god. However, there is no time for celebration, as the head of the Olympic residents, Zeus the thunderer, accuses the boy of stealing his master lightning bolt. To rectify the situation, Percy must find the missing symbol of Zeus's power, and for that, he has to crisscross the entire America... Previous film adaptations of the fantasy world of Rick Riordan's novels were criticized by the author himself for changes in the plot and attempts to appeal to an older audience than the younger schoolchildren the stories were intended for (it is known that the author invented Percy Jackson for bedtime stories for his son). The TV adaptation has every chance to be better, as Riordan not only sold the rights for the adaptation but also served as a producer.
Dr. Death (Season 2)
From December 21 on Peacock
The first season of the series was based on the biography of American neurosurgeon Christopher Duntsch, who intentionally maimed 33 out of 38 of his patients over two years before having his medical license revoked. He later became the first doctor in US history to be convicted of criminal offenses during professional activities. The second season will continue the chilling theme of "good doctors" and tell the story of Italian-Swedish surgeon Paolo Macchiarini. He gained fame by causing the death of many of his patients, and when he lost the right to work in his homeland, he was invited to continue killing people... where do you think? Of course – in Russia.
Gyeongseong Creature
From December 22 on Netflix
In the spring of 1945, Seoul, the capital of South Korea, was called Gyeongseong and was the center of the Japanese colony. However, the local population suffered not only from the evil descendants of the samurai but also from a terrifying and mysterious creature. Therefore, one entrepreneur and one female detective decided to join forces to finally deal with this creature born out of human greed.
Berlin
From December 29 on Netflix
The main Spanish-language hit from Netflix, "Money Heist," forced viewers to watch episode after episode because the storyteller-thief constantly emphasized that the Professor (the leader of the gang of thieves hiding in the police surrounded in the building of the Spanish Royal Mint) had a cunning plan. Meanwhile, the Professor himself was more interested in flirting with the detective than his "cunning plan," which even disappointed some fans by the end of the first season. And the cunning plan itself turned out to be not as clever as many thought. Fortunately, the spin-off of "Money Heist" is not dedicated to the youth of the Professor but to the past exploits of one of the most charismatic characters – the con artist known as Berlin. Long before his meeting with the genius Professor, he himself undertook to implement extremely audacious and ambitious plans, such as stealing 44 million euros from an auction house in one night.
Ripley
End of 2023 / Beginning of 2024 on Netflix
In total, Patricia Highsmith wrote 5 novels about Tom Ripley – a sophisticated adventurer without moral principles who personally killed 10 people throughout the series (plus another 5 died indirectly due to his actions). However, this maniac, thanks to his politeness, education, and love for art, turned out to be so charismatic that world cinema stars willingly played him in many adaptations, such as Alain Delon, Dennis Hopper, John Malkovich, Matt Damon, and more. In the new series based on the entire pentalogy, the role of Ripley went to Andrew Scott (Moriarty from "Sherlock"). It is also known that the first season will be dedicated to the events of the novel "The Talented Mr. Ripley."
If this list seems too short for you, feel free to supplement it with the TV premieres of November published in The Gaze.