Holiday Binge

If you read my recent article “Giggle ‘Til Your Heart’s Content,” hopefully you got some good recommendations to put on your list. No recommendation list is complete without film’s partner, streaming series. While there are plenty of new titles out there to watch (and our list of what released this month in our Stream This section), I figured I’d make it easy for you and give you some favorites to watch by category. So grab that blanket and settle in. You're welcome.

ACTION

Banshee – A 2013 Cinemax original series, this one is gorgeously shot and boasts extremely well-written characters wrapped in a fascinating story. Set in the small town of Banshee in Pennsylvania Amish Country, the show focuses on an enigmatic ex-con, who assumes the identity of the town’s local sheriff. Anthony Starr (The Boys) is a recently paroled master thief who assumes the identity of Sheriff Lucas Hood in Banshee, PA, where his former lover and, I must say, badass partner in crime relocated years ago and reinvented herself as Carrie Hopewell, the wife of the town prosecutor. Lucas attempts to reunite with Carrie and keep his past a secret, but then resumes his life of crime, even as he’s hunted by those he betrayed years earlier, including a mob boss who seeks revenge against Lucas and Carrie for the jewel heist that landed Lucas in prison. Also stars Ivana Milicevic, Tom Pelphrey (Outer Range), Hoon Lee (Warrior) and Frankie Faison (Marvel’s Luke Cage).

This series hands-down wins the award for Best Fight Scenes in a Series and for hosting some chicks who can both give and receive man-sized ass whoopins. With tomahawks and shit. Fights are so very real and bloody, they feel real. The entire story is so palpable, that you’ll find yourself just as drawn in as I was, and you’ll wind up binging it and wanting more. Streaming on Cinemax, HBOMax, Roku, Spectrum TV

Kingdom – Frank Grillo (The Purge movies) is Alvey Kulina, the owner of a mixed martial arts gym who trains a generation of fighters, including his sons Jay (Jonathan Tucker, Debris) and Nate (Nick Jonas). Struggling to keep the gym afloat, the pressure is on for Alvey’s boys to come through before he loses everything. Features some fantastic drama, lots of MMA, and a very lovable Paul Walter Hauser (Blackbird). Also stars Matt Lauria (Friday Night Lights), Kiele Sanchez (The Purge movies), and many other recognizable faces. Streaming on Amazon Prime

COMEDY

Resident Alien – A SyFy original, this one will have you giggling in every single scene. I love this show. Starring Alan Tudyk (Rogue One), who is one of the funniest men on the planet, plays an alien who crash lands on Earth and assumes the identity of extremely-small-town doctor Harry Vanderspeigle. His nefarious mission to kill all humans is threatened when he realizes one of the townspeople, a nine-year-old boy, can see his true alien form. Their relationship is hysterical and is one of the most loved aspects of the show. What starts out as a simple life gets rocky when he’s roped into solving a local murder and realizes he needs to assimilate into his new world and slowly begins to wrestle with the moral dilemma of his secret mission on Earth. Every relationship in this series will have you giggling and feeling great. Also stars Sara Tomko (Journey to the Center of the Earth), Alice Wetterlund (Silicon Valley), Corey Reynolds (All American), Levi Fiehler (Glitch), and Meredith Garretson (Fosse/Verdon). Streaming on Peacock

Silicon Valley – This title you can find on HBO/HBOMax. A very funny series created by Mike Judge, it’s partially inspired by his experiences as a Silicon Valley engineer in the 1980s. This comedy follows the misadventures of introverted computer genius Richard (Thomas Middleditch) and his brainy friends as they attempt to strike it rich in a highly-tech gold rush. They live together in a Bay Area startup incubator loosely run by self-satisfied dot-com millionaire Erlich (T.J. Miller, Office Christmas Party), who lets them stay in his house rent-free in exchange for a stake in the projects they invent there. But when Richard develops a powerful search algorithm at his day job, he finds himself caught in the middle of a bidding war between his boss, whose firm offers Richard an eight-figure buyout, and a deep-pocketed venture capitalist. Also features comedian Jimmy O. Yang, Zach Woods (The Office, Avenue 5), Martin Starr (Freaks and Geeks), Kumail Nanjiani (Chippendales), and a slew of other talent. Streaming on HBO/HBOMax

HISTORICAL DRAMA

The Last Kingdom – Streaming on Netflix, this one’s a must-watch if you love Viking and Dane history. Five seasons follows the story of Uhtred, a Saxon child who saw his father and the Saxon army killed by Danes. That day, Danish warlord Earl Ragnar captured him and raised him in a Danish camp alongside fellow captive Brida, a sharp-tongued girl. Years later, he’s a valiant warrior who deals with another blow when his home is deliberately set on fire, killing his surrogate family, including his father-like figure Ragnar. Now exiled and alone, except for Brida by his side, Uhtred vows to avenge Ragnar’s death and reclaim his homeland. But he must choose between his birth country and the people who raised him, walking a dangerous path between the two sides if he is going to help birth a new nation and ultimately recapture his ancestral land. Stars a very sexy Alexander Dreymon (American Horror Story), David Dawson (My Policeman), Toby Regbo (Reign), and Emily Cox (Jerks). Streaming on Netflix

Britannia – What started out as an Amazon Prime original was quickly acquired by EpixNow and is quite the hit. Set in 43AD as the Roman Imperial Army, led by General Aulus Plautius (David Morrissey, The Walking Dead), invades Britain to crush the Celtic heart of Britannia. Determined to succeed where Julius Caesar failed, Aulus sets out to conquer this mythical land on the very end of the Roman Empire. Kerra (Kelly Riley, Yellowstone), daughter of the king of the Cantii, is forced to put her differences with archrival Queen Antedia (Zoe Wanamaker, The Man Who Fell to Earth) aside in order to unite the tribes and supposedly magical Druids and face their invaders. But General Aulus carries a secret that threatens to undermine the entire mission. Also stars Mackenzie Crook (Pirates of the Caribbean), David Bradley (Harry Potter), and Liana Cornell (Wolf Creek), and a host of other entertaining characters. Streaming on EpixNow

HORROR/THRILLER

Castle Rock, Season Two – A psychological-horror series set in the Stephen King multiverse that combines the mythological scale and intimate character storytelling of his works, weaving an epic saga of darkness and light played out on a few square miles of Maine woodland. Season Two has its own original storyline but is based on themes, characters, and ideas from King’s famous work, Misery. Lizzie Caplan stars as death nurse Annie Wilkes, years prior to Misery taking place. If you loved the movie, you’ll love this season of the series. Streaming on Hulu

Pretty Little Liars: Original Sin – This title dropped on HBO/HBOMax several months back, and though I never watched Pretty Little Liars, I got sucked into this one. Rather different than the original series, this one follows a new generation of lying teens as they are stalked and tormented by a masked assailant. It has a surprisingly solid storyline and some pretty decent acting. I’d watch it again.

Alright, my fellow content lovers. I hope you have an enjoyable holiday break full of good food and company and lots of good titles to stream. Enjoy.

Questions or comments? Email Keeley at the_keeleybrooks@gmail.com.