What are the biggest web series and TV shows in December? The third season of Jack Ryan and Emily in Paris lead an otherwise sad month of December. For the former, much of the hype is generated by the fact that it’s been a full three years since the last time we saw John Krasinski breathing life into the titular CIA spy. This time, Jack Ryan takes you to Europe, putting Ryan in line of sight as a falsely implicated fugitive. Jack Ryan season 3 is out December 21 on Amazon Prime Video. On the same day, head over to Netflix and catch up on social media strategist Emily Cooper’s (Lily Collins) antics in Emily in Paris season 3. She’s sporting bangs this time!
On the local end, we’ve got another spy thriller in Randeep Hooda’s CAT, the story of a former police informant, who is summoned back into the force to uncover a local drug operation. CAT releases December 9 on Netflix. Then there’s Faadu: A Love Story, where an ambitious, young poet (Pavail Gulati) is forced to pick between love and success upon meeting a poetess (Saiyami Kher), who harbours a completely different philosophy on life. This series will be up for streaming on December 9 as well, over on SonyLIV.
You can read more about all these TV shows and more below — and you can discover the full list of upcoming web series at our entertainment hub. December also brings a spin-off series based on The Witcher franchise, and the third and final season of His Dark Materials.
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With that, here’s our TV guide to December 2022 to Apple TV+, Amazon Prime Video, Disney+ Hotstar, Netflix, and SonyLIV.
His Dark Materials season 3
When: December 6 (expected)
Where: Disney+ Hotstar
Based on author Philip Pullman’s third book The Amber Spyglass, the final season of His Dark Materials heads toward the final rebellion. Fearing the witches’ prophecy that Lyra Belacqua (Dafne Keen) will lead to a new fall — disobedience — the authoritative Magesterium orders her killing. While in her mother Marisa Coulter’s (Ruth Wilson) safe embrace, Lyra dreams of her best friend Roger’s (Lewin Lloyd) voice, inviting her to the wretched land of the dead. Teaming up with Will Parry (Amir Wilson), the bearer of the realm-tearing Subtle Knife, the pair journey into the land from there’s no return.
Elsewhere, her father Lord Asriel’s (James McAvoy) great war against the Authority edges closer, with him gathering the greatest warriors from all worlds — and an armoured polar bear. His Dark Materials season 3 also brings forth Will’s internal dæmon to the forefront as a visible entity, which is a result of his visit to the aforementioned realm.
The third and final chapter also stars Will Keen as Father President McPhail (he orders Lyra’s killing), Simone Kirby as Dr. Mary Malone, and Jade Anouka as witch queen Ruta Skadi. New additions for His Dark Materials season 3 are Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje as Commander Ogunwe, Jamie Ward as Father Gomez, and Amber Fitzgerald-Woolfe as Ama.
A new episode of His Dark Materials season 3 will air weekly on Disney+ Hotstar, with the series finale set for January 24, 2023.
CAT
When: December 9
Where: Netflix
Set in the hinterlands of Punjab, CAT follows Gurnam Singh (Randeep Hooda), an ex-police informant who is forced to come out of hiding and play the snitch, out of desperation, in hopes of saving his drug-peddling younger brother Sunny (Danish Sood). Liberated from his service during the 90s insurgency, the official is now living under an alias, stowing away some dark traumas that come into light when infiltrating the drug mafia. To keep with regional authenticity, the series required actors to converse and deliver dialogues in Punjabi.
Suvinder Vicky (Udta Punjab) joins CAT as senior officer Sehtab Singh, who ropes Gurnam back into the field, in hopes of ending the drug trade in his jurisdiction before retirement. Meanwhile, Haslin Kaur plays Babita Masih, another officer, who while responsible for throwing Sunny in jail, works with our hero to overthrow the drug operation. CAT marks Hooda’s first TV series role, and second collaboration with Netflix, following 2020’s Chris Hemsworth-led Extraction.
The Netflix series also stars Geeta Aggarwal (Chhapaak), Dakssh Ajit Singh (Arsho), Jaipreet Singh (Sacred Games), Sukhwinder Chahal (Mirzapur), Pramod Pathal (Mirzapur), KP Singh, and Kavya Thapar (Ek Mini Katha).
All CAT episodes will be available at once on Netflix.
Watch the Trailer for CAT, Out December 9
Randeep Hooda as Gurnam Singh in CAT
Photo Credit: Netflix
Faadu: A Love Story
When: December 9
Where: SonyLIV
An impoverished poet Abhay (Pavail Gulati), dreaming of a rags-to-riches story, falls in love with Manjiri (Saiyami Kher), who harbours a different philosophy on life.
Ashwiny Iyer Tiwari, best known for Netflix’s Ankahi Kahaniya, directs the SonyLIV series, showcasing a constant tussle between the two characters, comparing desires and how their outlook changes over time. Amidst the blooming romance, Abhay must deal with a range of domestic issues, including a bedridden mother, an alcoholic brother, and overflowing sewage waste that seeped right into his house.
Faadu: A Love Story also stars Neeraj Kashyap (Khakee: The Bihar Chapter), Deepak Sampat (Cartel), and Abhilash Thapliyal (TVF Aspirants). Saumya Joshi (102 Not Out) serves as the writer.
All episodes of Faadu: A Love Story will premiere December 9 on SonyLIV.
Little America season 2
When: December 9
Where: Apple TV+
The critically-acclaimed anthology series, inspired by the experiences of real-life immigrants in pursuit of the American dream, returns for a new chapter. Little America season 2, much like the original, brings out funny, romantic, heartfelt, and surprising tales of aspirants, told in short eight half-hour-long, one-off episodes.
With no A-list cast members to boot, Apple TV+’s latest includes fresh stories of a Belizian woman (Stacy Rose) who works for a Hasidic family in New York, a Korean man (Ki Hong Lee) who makes hats for the Black church community in 1980s Detroit, and the story of a middle-aged Japanese woman (Shiori Ideta) in Columbus, Ohio, who dreams to assemble an all-women’s baseball league.
The Big Sick co-writers and partners Emily V. Gordon and Kumail Nanjiani, who previously tackled a Pakistani immigrant’s tale in the movie, team up once again to weave a new story in Little America season 2.
The Academy Award-winning writer of CODA, Sian Heder, also returns with a new episode — this time collaborating with writer-director Alan Yang (Parks and Recreation).
All eight episodes of Little America season 2 will be out on December 9.
Jack Ryan Season 3
When: December 21
Where: Amazon Prime Video
When an anonymous caller tips him about the Sokol Project — the resurrection of the Soviet Empire — CIA agent Jack Ryan (John Krasinski) springs into action, wanting to pursue the intel. But that kick starts an internal dispute within his organisation. As the US government shows a lack of interest in going after Russia, our titular spy chooses to go rogue, and is naturally branded a traitor with a Red Notice for immediate arrest. The tip, however, turns out to be incomplete, with Ryan discovering that a small band of hardlined Russians intend to start World War 3.
Somewhere in the process of navigating through Europe, Ryan gets caught up in a larger conspiracy, putting him under target by both the CIA and Russians alike. Joining him on the espionage is his boss James Greer (Wendell Pierce) and returning character former CIA Officer Mike November (Michael Kelly). Another top executive by the name of Elizabeth Wright is set to appear in Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan season 3. She’s being portrayed by Betty Gabriel (Clickbait), who replaced Marianne Jean-Baptiste (Blindspot), who left the show due to creative differences. Jack Ryan season 3 also stars Nina Hoss (Tár) as Czech President Alena Kovac.
An earlier report suggested that Michael Peña (Ant-Man) will be joining the cast in the final episode of Jack Ryan season 3 as field agent Domingo “Ding” Chavez. He will then play a crucial role in the fourth and final season, before getting his spin-off show later down the line.
All eight episodes of Jack Ryan season 3 will be available for viewing at once on December 21.
Watch the Trailer for Jack Ryan Season 3
Jack Ryan season 3 comprises eight episodes
Photo Credit: Jonny Cournoyer/ Amazon Prime Video
Emily in Paris Season 3
When: December 21
Where: Netflix
Emily Cooper (Lily Collins) is returning with a bang — no, literally, she’s got bangs — joining Sylvie’s (Philippine Leroy-Beaulieu) team as the social media strategist for the new agency. Forgoing the promotion she had been working toward for years at the American Savior firm, Emily in Paris season 3 sees the eponymous character choosing to reside in Paris for the long haul. Things are getting a little stressful, with her performing double duty and still coping with the fallout from her last entanglement with Gabriel (Lucas Bravo).
Luckily, she’s found distraction in a British classmate from her French class, Alfie (Lucien Laviscount), who serves as the key love interest in Emily in Paris season 3. Third-wheeling along is the aforementioned Gabriel, who’s just happy to be friends with her — or so he says. Of course, it’s a love triangle, with tons of drama in store for us in the upcoming chapter, with added spice from returning comedic duo Julien (Samuel Arnold) and Luc (Bruno Gouery). Ashley Park also reprises her role as Emily’s close friend Mindy Cheng, who’s always there for gossip.
All of Emily in Paris season 3 episodes will be out December 21 on Netflix.
Watch the First Trailer for Emily in Paris Season 3
Lily Collins as Emily Cooper in Emily in Paris season 3
Photo Credit: Netflix
The Witcher: Blood Origin
When: December 25
Where: Netflix
The Witcher: Blood Origin takes us over 1,200 years back in time, to showcase an epic event, that changed the course of The Continent forever — exploring the creation of the first prototype witcher, and the events that led to the “Conjunction of the Spheres,” a fateful event which fused the monster, elven, and human realms into one. The four-episode series will also highlight the once-powerful and influential elven civilisation, which in the present-day games and books has fallen to its last legs.
While The Witcher: Blood Origin was originally greenlit with six episodes, co-creator Declan de Barra explained in an interview that while editing, the four-episode structure “happened organically”, and that the story flowed better. And since Netflix is a streaming platform rather than a traditional cable network, it meant that there were “no set rules for times or episode count.”
The spin-off prequel stars Michelle Yeoh (Everything Everywhere All at Once) in the lead as Elven warrior Scian, alongside the brute warrior Fjall (Laurence O’Fuarain), and travelling musician Éile (Sophia Brown). It’s no secret that music plays a key role in The Witcher series, with the lyrics sometimes serving as a premonition for things to unfold in the story. With the presence of a musician in our band, it will be interesting to see how subtle foreshadowing plays out in the series.
The Witcher: Blood Origin also stars Lenny Henry (The Sandman) as a sorcerer Chief David Balor, Mirren Mack (Sex Education) as Merwyn, Jacob Collins as Eredin, Lizzie Annis as Zacaré, Huw Novelli (The Capture) as Callan “Brother Death,” Francesca Mills as Meldof, Amy Murray as Fenrik, Nathaniel Curtis (It’s a Sin) as Brían, Zach Wyatt as Sundril, and Dylan Moran as Uthrok One-Nut.
All four episodes of The Witcher: Blood Origin will be out Christmas Day on Netflix.
Watch the First Trailer for The Witcher: Blood Origin
Michelle Yeoh as Elven warrior Scian in The Witcher: Blood Origin
Photo Credit: Netflix