Happy New Year! The weird week between Christmas and New Year’s Eve, where it’s impossible to tell what day it is and you’re constantly full of holiday snacks, is finally over: It’s now January, and it’s time to get some fresh snacks.
This week’s recs include the return of the Golden Globe Awards, new series The Brothers Sun and Grimsburg, the streaming premiere of The Holdovers, British import Funny Woman, and NHL Winter Classic hockey action. New year, new TV!
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What’s new this week
81st Golden Globe Awards | CBS, Paramount+ | Awards
Special, Sunday, January 7: After a looong run at NBC, the Golden Globe Awards comes to CBS (and Paramount+) for the first time. In another first, comedian Jo Koy will host the proceedings—sorry, Ricky Gervais fans. As for the Golden Globe nominees, you’ve probably heard of them: Barbie, Oppenheimer, Killers of the Flower Moon, Maestro, The Holdovers, The Morning Show, Succession, The Bear, Ted Lasso, Barry, Daisy Jones & The Six, and “I’m Just Ken,” just one of three song noms for Barbie.
NHL Winter Classic | TNT | Sports, hockey
Coverage begins Monday, January 1, 12 p.m. PT/3 p.m. ET: Live from T-Mobile Park in Seattle, Washington, it’s the 2024 NHL Heritage Classic. The 14th annual outdoor matchup will see the Seattle Kraken host Stanley Cup champs the Vegas Golden Knights, and will also feature the national anthem performed by 14-year-old guitar wiz Nikhil Bagga, player intros by Seattle rap legend Sir Mix-a-Lot, and an intermission set from Seattle rock heroes Heart. Don’t worry: T-Mobile Park has a retractable roof (you know, rain, Seattle).
What to watch on Netflix this week
The Brothers Sun | Netflix | Comedy, drama
Series premiere, Thursday, January 4: Bruce Sun (Sam Song Li) is living an average Angeleno life in California when his brother Charles (Justin Chien) unexpectedly shows up on his doorstep from Taiwan. Bruce soon learns that he comes from a family of Taipei gangsters and he was sent to America by “Mama” Sun (Michelle Yeoh) to build a legit life. But, now that his crime lord father has been assassinated, Bruce may have to join the family business. All eight episodes of The Brothers Sun stream on January 4.
Good Grief | Netflix | Drama, comedy
Movie premiere, Friday, January 5: Schitt’s Creek favorite Dan Levy wrote, directed, and stars in Good Grief, but don’t expect a straight-up comedy. “A lot of people think I’m a comic. And I’m not,” Levy told Netflix’s Tudum. “I’ve always been a slightly more emo person than people realize.” In Good Grief, he plays Marc, whose life has been shattered by the death of his husband (Luke Evans). Marc and his BFFs (Ruth Negga and Himesh Patel) then take a soul-searching trip to Paris, where they likely won’t run into Netflix’s Emily.
What to watch on Hulu this week
Daughters of the Cult | Hulu | Documentary
Miniseries premiere, Thursday, January 4: Ervil LeBaron was the leader of a polygamous fundamentalist sect in the ’70s, not to mention husband to at least 13 women, many underage—and yet there’s been little documentary coverage of “The Mormon Manson.” LeBaron ordered the “blood atonement” murders of over 20 of his perceived rivals, most carried out after he’d died in prison in 1981. Daughters of the Cult interviews surviving ex-members of the sect, and all five episodes stream on January 4.
Series premiere, Sunday, January 7: The Morning Show, Fargo, now his own FOX cartoon—Jon Hamm is everywhere these days. Dare we call it a Hammaissance? The former Mad Men star voices Marvin Flute, an ace detective in the midst of an existential crisis that drives him back to his hometown of Grimsburg. But, he’s not exactly welcomed by his ex-wife (Erinn Hayes), his quirky son (Rachel Dratch), or anyone, really. After its January premiere, Grimsburg will settle into Sunday nights beginning February 18.
What to watch on Peacock this week
America’s Got Talent: Fantasy League | Peacock | Reality, competition
Series premiere, Monday, January 1: America’s Got Talent judges Simon Cowell, Heidi Klum, Howie Mandel, and Mel B draft past AGT contestants for their own teams as host Terry Crews powers through with a straight face. Who’s coming back? Dog coach Adrian Stoica, magician Anna Deguzman, rollerbladers Billy and Emily England, ventriloquist Darci Lynne, cat juggler Navin Johnson, and many more. I made one of those up, but who can really tell? Fantasy League will also air January 2 on NBC.
The Holdovers | Peacock | Drama, comedy
Movie, now streaming: A curmudgeonly history teacher (Paul Giamatti) is stuck chaperoning a group of students at Barton Academy over Christmas break in 1970 New England. The Holdovers marks the first time Giamatti and director Alexander Payne have worked together since 2004’s Sideways, and the movie has been praised as a career-high for both since it was released in theaters in November 2023. Remember the 81st Golden Globe Awards from up top? The Holdovers is nominated for three of ‘em.
W2W wildcards of the week
The Power of Film | TCM | Documentary
Miniseries premiere, Thursday, January 4: Hosted by professor emeritus and UCLA Film Archive founder Howard Suber, the six-part The Power of Film docuseries explores the elements of what makes a great—and even more importantly, memorable—movie. “I am honored to have our series shown on TCM, surrounded by 17 of the most memorable American films, nearly all of which I discuss in depth in the series,” says Suber. Sadly, my top two, Crank and Crank: High Voltage, aren’t among those 17 movies.
Funny Woman | PBS | Drama
Series premiere, Sunday, January 7: What if The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel were more British and blonde? Funny Woman follows Blackpool beauty queen Barbara Parker (Gemma Arterton) on her bumpy quest to break into the bloke-dominated London comedy scene of the 1960s. Despite the title, the six-episode Funny Woman (based on the Nick Hornby novel Funny Girl) is more of a drama than a comedy, and it’s already been picked up for a second season by Britain’s Sky Max. Along with her action series Culprits, Arterton is having a TV moment.
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