Netflix
The Abandons
TV, US, 2025 – out 4 December
The opening image of The Abandons – a long shot of a town framed by snow-tipped mountains – reminds us of the aesthetic beauty westerns can conjure. This is a tale of class divides and power struggles between two groups: the wealthy Van Nesses, led by Gillian Anderson’s steely matriarch Constance, and the titular ensemble of outcasts headed by Lena Headey’s Fiona Nolan. The former wants the resource-rich land occupied by the latter, who have no intention of giving it up – a classic conundrum.
I’ve watched the first four episodes, which are well made and well paced. Anderson in particular is in fine form, projecting a steely, serenely menacing presence.
Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery
Film, US, 2025 – out 12 December
An eccentric detective, a brutal crime, a colourful cast of potential suspects, a big reveal at the end … The whodunit was an appealing confection way before the first Knives Out movie arrived in 2019 – but Rian Johnson has been tremendously successful in injecting it with life, flair and a lightly satirical edge.
In the franchise’s third outing, Daniel Craig returns as southern fried sleuth Benoit Blanc, this time investigating the murder of a New York priest. The Guardian’s Peter Bradshaw described the cast – which includes Glenn Close, Mila Kunis, Jeremy Renner, Josh O’Connor and Jeffrey Wright – as “an absolutely sparkling array of acting talent … at the top of their game”.
Man vs Baby
TV, UK, 2025 – out 11 December
You wouldn’t say that 2022’s very enjoyable Man vs Bee – and now its sequel series, Man vs Baby – is a “comeback” for Rowan Atkinson, given we still see sadly little of the great slapstick comedian. But it’s fabulous to have him back in his element: pulling funny faces, contorting his body and going to war against life itself. Here, the new adversary for Mr Bea – sorry, Trevor Bingley – is a cute little bub the gods have entrusted…