What to watch on Showmax in December 2024

Showmax is ending the year on a high, with a packed December lineup that includes: 

• Two Showmax Original series: Soft Life, an escort agency drama for adults, and Spooksoeker, a ghost-hunting drama for teens
• A second season of Based on A True Story, starring Kaley Cuoco
• 2024 blockbusters Bad Boys: Ride or Die, A Quiet Place: Day One and IF, and Wonka, the 7th biggest film of 2023
• Final seasons of critics’ favourites My Brilliant Friend and Somebody Somewhere
• 2024 SAFTA Best Factual Programme winner Outopsie, starring forensic pathologist Hestelle van Staden
• The first two seasons of 2024 Critics Choice Best Drama nominee Star Trek: Strange New Worlds
• Emmy-nominated stand-up comedy special John Early: Now More Than Ever 
• A Showmax Original Christmas movie, Christmas Clothes
• Season 28 of reality TV phenomenon The Bachelor
• All seven seasons of 30 Rock, one of the most acclaimed comedies of all time

Showmax Originals: South Africa

Soft Life S1 | Mondays from 2 December

In the bid to settle her mother’s rising medical bills, a beautiful township girl plunges into the secretive world of high-society companionship. Fearful of how her profession could shatter everything she holds dear, she must keep her dual life hidden.

Zizipho Buti (Generations: The Legacy) stars as Owami. National Film and Television Awards Best Newcomer winner Katlego Lebogang (Spinners, Yoh! Christmas) and Mampho Brescia (Isibiya) play Zinhle and Zam: the star employee and owner at the escort agency respectively. 

Created by Vusi Zion for Afriprime, the 18-rated drama series is produced by Urban Brew Studios. SAFTA winners Nozipho Nkelemba and Nthabiseng Mokoena (both of Gomora fame) direct.

Spooksoeker S1 | Showmax Original | Thursdays from 5 December

When Warno Alberts turns 15, he suddenly becomes aware of ghosts in his dorpie – and that it’s now his job to banish them. 

Based on the bestselling young adult novels by multi-award-winner François Bloemhof, Spooksoeker introduces Rico Immelman as Warno and Zarelda de Bruin as the literal girl-next-door Melissa, with Silwerskerm 2023 Best Supporting Actor winner and double Aardklop 2024 nominee Joshwin Dyson (2024 Oscar entry Old Righteous Blues) as Warno’s best friend Allies. 

SAFTA nominee Roeline Daneel (Reyka S2) and Laudo Liebenberg (DAM, One Piece) play Warno’s parents, while the stacked cast also includes SAFTA winners June van Merch (Sara Se Geheim) and Morné Visser (Dis Ek, Anna), not to mention the likes of Daneel van der Walt, David Isaacs, Deon Coetzee, Ira Blanckenberg, Ivan Zimmerman, Izel Bezuidenhout, Jane de Wet, Terence Bridgett, Marguerite van Eeden, and Waldemar Schultz in supporting roles – some as ghosts…

Christmas Clothes | Stream from Friday, 6 December

Set in Soweto on Christmas Eve, Christmas Clothes stars Omhle Tshabalala (Scandal!, Classified, Unseen) as Nqubeko, a teenager who embarks on a quest to reclaim his stolen Christmas clothes from a neighbourhood bully.

Produced by Media Sync and directed by Athi Petela (M’tase Khaya), the heartwarming Christmas film also features SAFTA winner Thami Mngqolo (Generations, Isono, Muvhango) and Khanya Sosibo (Generations: The Legacy, The Estate) as Nqubeko’s parents. 

Also look out for rising stars Slindokuhle Tshabalala (Youngins, Nikiwe) and Siphosihle Khanyile (Adulting, The Estate). 

Showmax Originals: Kenya

Nairobi Bachelor S1 | Fridays from 6 December

Hosted by the dynamic celebrity couple Daddie Marto (Sue na Jonnie) and Koku Lwanga, Nairobi Bachelor is a Showmax Original reality dating show that promises to bring love, drama and unexpected twists. 

Nairobi Bachelor follows the journey of young bachelors and singletons as they embark on a quest to find their perfect match. Each bachelor enters the show believing they are the sole participant, competing against five queens for their affection. 

The show also features a unique Baggage segment, where successful couples face two rounds of baggage claims. In this segment, three sets of revelations are presented, with only one being the true baggage for both the queens and bachelors. Couples who can navigate and accept their partner’s baggage will earn the opportunity to go on a date. 

Nairobi Bachelor is produced by Clementina Kabutha through Real Strike Studios, the team behind the award-winning short film Kanairo.

The Hot Seat | Tuesdays from 10 December

From the masterminds behind Roast House comes another laughter-packed extravaganza, The Hot Seat.  Produced by Eugene Mbugua’s D&R Studios (The Real Housewives of Nairobi), The Hot Seat promises to deliver sharp wit, bold banter, and unforgettable moments as some of Kenya’s biggest celebrities and media personalities step up as the roastees.

The star-studded lineup of roastees includes household names such as comedians Eddie Butita and Terrence Creative, content creator Kabi wa Jesus, journalist and entertainer Willis Raburu, outspoken media personality Andrew Kibe, musician Willy Paul and Sauti Sol’s Savara. No one is safe here.  

Leading the charge as roast master is the sharp-witted Emmanuel Kisiangani, supported by a powerhouse lineup of comedians, including Ruth Nyambura, George Waweru, Maina Munene, Oluoch Kariuki, Bashir Halaiki, Marcus Douglas, Stan Saleh, Tonio Kibz, and Ty Ngachira.

Series

Based on a True Story S2 | First on Showmax | Binge from Tuesday, 3 December

Season 2 of Based on a True Story finds new parents Ava and Nathan Bartlett three months into parenthood. Focused on taking care of her family, Ava (Kaley Cuoco, The Flight Attendant) is determined to resist her true crime obsession and return to work as a real estate agent, while Nathan trains private tennis clients. 

But a series of new murders pulls her back in. Is Matt behind the slayings? Is Tory, now entangled in a relationship with Matt, in danger? 

Sweetpea S1 | Thursdays from 12 December at 21:30

Ella Purnell (Yellowjackets) stars in Sweetpea as Rhiannon, the girl everyone overlooks, who may just be able to get away with murder. 

The twisted and darkly comic coming-of-rage thriller has an 86% critics rating on Rotten Tomatoes, where the critics’ consensus says: “Ella Purnell is a diabolical delight in Sweetpea, a revenge fantasy that holds a lot of darkness beneath its playful exterior.”

Star Trek: Strange New Worlds S1-2 | Binge from Monday, 16 December

The first two seasons of Emmy-nominated series Star Trek: Strange New Worlds are set to dock on Showmax this month, boasting a Rotten Tomatoes critics’ rating of 98% – the highest in the franchise. 

A prequel to Star Trek: The Original Series, Strange New Worlds follows Star Trek: Discovery fan-favourites Captain Christopher Pike (Anson Mount), Science Officer Spock (Ethan Peck), and Number One (Rebecca Romijn) as they explore new worlds around the galaxy aboard the USS Enterprise.

Salon.com says, “Pike is the Starship captain Trekkies have been missing, and Strange New Worlds is a welcome return to the Star Trek they know and love,” while Rotten Tomatoes praises the series for “recapturing the sense of boundless discovery that defined the franchise’s roots.” 

My Brilliant Friend S4 | First on Showmax | Binge from Monday, 2 December 

Two lives. Forever intertwined.

The fourth and final season of My Brilliant Friend brings us The Story of the Lost Child, the concluding chapter in author Elena Ferrante’s best-selling Neapolitan Novels series, which follows the coming-of-age story of two young women growing up on the outskirts of Naples during the latter half of the 20th century.

Season 4 delves into the adult lives of Elena (Alba Rohrwacher) and Lila (Irene Maiorino), who find themselves entangled in the turmoil of Italy in the late 1980s, as the two friends find themselves living in the same neighbourhood once again. 

The first foreign-language series ever to premiere on HBO, My Brilliant Friend has a 97% overall critics’ rating on Rotten Tomatoes. BBC.com hails the series as “one of the best shows on TV… as complex, gripping and immersive as the novels, while also being one of the best-looking series on television.”

Somebody Somewhere S3 | First on Showmax | Binge from Sunday, 15 December

The third and, sadly, final season of HBO comedy Somebody Somewhere brings growth against all odds for Sam (comedian and singer Bridget Everett) as she fields the changes and challenges that come with working at the local bar, her best friend Joel (Jeff Hiller) falling in love at the end of Season 2, Fred (Murray Hill) getting married, and her now-single sister Trish (Mary Catherine Garrison) having her hilarious throw cushion business take off.  

Somebody Somewhere won a Peabody, an American Film Institute’s TV Program of the Year award, and the Dorian Award for Best Unsung TV Show. 

All three seasons cracked a rare 100% critics’ ratings on Rotten Tomatoes. As Awards Watch says, “The final season of one of HBO’s most delightful comedies solidifies its place as one of the greats of the decade so far.”

White Lies S1 | Binge from Monday, 23 December 

M-Net’s hit murder mystery White Lies stars Natalie Dormer (Margaery Tyrell in Game of Thrones) as Edie, an investigative journalist whose estranged brother is murdered in his luxury Bishopscourt home, leaving his teenage children as the prime suspects. 

As Edie investigates, she finds herself at loggerheads with veteran detective Forty Bell (SAFTA winner Brendon Daniels from Spinners) while grappling with the crumbling local police force, a corrupt political system, and the secretive world of extreme Cape wealth.

Fremantle has already sold White Lies to Channel 4 in the UK, Sundance Now in North America, and STAN in Australia, where it charted at #3. 

In a five-star review, News24’s Thinus Ferreira hailed it as “masterful TV storytelling… eye-popping and Sherlock Holmesian.”

Law & Order Toronto: Criminal Intent S1 | Binge from Friday, 20 December

The legendary Law & Order franchise comes to Canada, following an elite squad of detectives from the Specialised Criminal Investigations Unit of the Toronto Police Department as they investigate high-profile crime and corruption cases ripped from the headlines.

Law & Order Toronto became the #1 prime-time drama of the year in Canada at launch, and has already been renewed for a second and third season.

The first season introduces us to the lead investigative team of Detective Sergeants Frankie Bateman (Kathleen Munroe) and Henry Graff (Aden Young from Rectify). Karen Robinson (Ronnie Lee in Schitt’s Creek) plays Inspector Vivienne Holness, and KC Collins (Chucky, The Cleaning Lady) is Deputy Crown Attorney Theo Forrester, with award-winner – and real-life Ethiopian royal family member – Araya Mengesha (Anne with an E) as Mark Yohannes.

Chicago Fire S12 | Binge from Friday, 27 December 

Nominated for Drama Show of the Year at the 2024 People’s Choice Awards, One Chicago’s flagship series Chicago Fire returns to Firehouse 51 six months after last season’s breathtaking finale. 

Season 12 promises the return of not one, but two beloved characters, and a sad (but happy, but still sad) farewell later in the season.  

There’ll also be big developments at the station for both Violet (Hanako Greensmith) and Chief Wallace Boden (Eamonn Walker), and it’s going to be a busy season on the romantic front too …

Emperor of Ocean Park S1 | First on Showmax | Binge from Friday, 6 December 

Set between the worlds of politics, Ivy League academia, and the beaches of Martha’s Vineyard, Emperor of Ocean Park centres on Talcott Garland (Grantham Coleman from Power Book III: Raising Kanan and Lawmen: Bass Reeves), an Ivy League law professor whose quiet life is shattered when his father, Judge Oliver Garland (Oscar winner Forest Whitaker), dies of an apparent heart attack. 

The judge was a failed Black nominee to the Supreme Court, and Tal’s sister (Tiffany Mack from Jessica Jones), a former journalist who’s now a conspiracy theorist, believes his death was foul play. 

Emperor of Ocean Park is based on Stephen L Carter’s New York Times best-selling first novel in the Elm Harbor series. 

Chicago Med S9 | Binge from Wednesday, 11 December

Chicago Med returns to our screens with some new faces joining the dedicated staff of the Gaffney Chicago Medical Centre as they confront the city’s most critical medical cases and challenging ethical dilemmas with courage, compassion and state-of-the-art treatment.  

Though Nick Gehlfuss will be sorely missed following Dr Halstead’s move to Seattle, the ER welcomes a new doctor as Aussie Luke Mitchell (Blindspot) joins the cast as Mitchell Ripley, an ED Attending Physician who has a troubled history … and a connection to Dr Charles. 

Season 9 picks up six months later, with a promising new development in Dr Archer’s transplant storyline, and the arrival of new first-year resident Dr Zola Ahmad (Sophia Ali from Grey’s Anatomy), who is ready to challenge hospital protocol to do right by her patients.

Son of a Critch S3 | Binge from Monday, 23 December

Season 3 of Son of a Critch picks up with the now 14-year-old Mark eager to begin his senior year of elementary school. Finally, he’ll be at the top of the social food chain! Or will he?

Based on the best-selling memoir from Mark Critch, the Canadian comedy series is a coming-of-age story set​ in 1980s Newfoundland, where the young Mark Critch uses comedy and self-deprecation to find his place in the​ world. 

Already renewed for a fourth season, Son of a Critch cracked a 100% score on Rotten Tomatoes on its release in 2022.

Classic comedy

30 Rock S1-7 | Binge from Friday, 20 December

Tina Fey stars as Liz Lemon, head writer of the fictional sketch-comedy show TGS with Tracy Jordan, who has to deal with an arrogant boss and a crazy star while trying to run a successful television show – without losing her mind.

Emmy winner Alec Baldwin co-stars as network executive Jack Donaghy, with Tracy Morgan and Jane Krakowski as TGS’ unpredictable star Tracy Jordan and his co-star Jenna Maroney. 

During its 2006-2013 run, 30 Rock won 100 awards, including 16 Emmys – three for Outstanding Comedy Series. Look out for guest appearances from the likes of Jennifer Aniston, Jerry Seinfeld, Jon Hamm, Matt Damon, Oprah Winfrey, Steve Buscemi, Steve Martin, Tom Hanks and many, many more. 

Movies

Bad Boys: Ride or Die | Stream from Monday, 16 December

The world’s favorite Bad Boys are back with their iconic mix of edge-of-your seat action and outrageous comedy. This time there’s a twist: Miami’s finest are now on the run.

South Africa’s second most Googled movie and third biggest box office hit of 2024, Bad Boys: Ride or Die reunites Oscar winner Will Smith and multi-award-winner Martin Lawrence as Mike Lowrey and Marcus Burnett. Supporting cast include People’s Choice nominee Vanessa Hudgens, Emmy winner Tiffany Haddish (Girls Trip), Eric ‘McSteamy’ Dane (Grey’s Anatomy, Euphoria), and Critics Choice Super nominee Alexander Ludwig (Vikings, The Hunger Games, Heels).

As TheWrap says, “Ride or Die shows that not only is there still life in this series, but as long as it stars Smith and Lawrence with skilled directors like Adil & Bilall, you could have Lowrey and Burnett wheeling themselves around the old folks’ home and have a blast.”

A Quiet Place: Day One | First on Showmax | Stream from Friday, 20 December

The #15 biggest box office hit of 2024 so far, A Quiet Place: Day One stars Kenyan Oscar winner Lupita Nyong’o (Us, Black Panther) as Sam, a terminally ill cancer patient who finds herself trapped in New York City during the early stages of an invasion by alien creatures with ultra-sensitive hearing. 

The prequel is the third instalment in the A Quiet Place film series, and has already racked up a Fangoria Chainsaw Award nomination for Best Lead Performance for Nyong’o.

It has an 86% critics’ rating on Rotten Tomatoes. The Guardian’s 4/5-star review says Day One is “a bleak, bruising but also curiously life-affirming account of the start of the end of the world.”  

IF | Stream from Monday, 9 December

Let your imagination run wild with the heartwarming family movie IF.

From writer-director John Krasinski (The Office), IF is about a girl who discovers that she can see everyone’s imaginary friends (aka IFs) and embarks on a magical adventure to reconnect forgotten IFs with their kids. 

Cailey Fleming (Judith Grimes in The Walking Dead) stars as Bea, alongside Emmy winner Ryan Reynolds (Deadpool) as Cal. The all-star voice cast includes Steve Carell, Phoebe Waller-Bridge, Awkwafina and more. 

In their 4/5-star review, Common Sense Media recommends IF for ages 6+, hailing the film as “imaginative… poignant and full of wonder… a mind-bending, eye-popping, musical extravaganza that’s truly unforgettable.” 

Wonka | First on Showmax | Stream from Thursday, 6 December

Inspired by Roald Dahl’s classic Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Wonka stars Timothée Chalamet (Dune) as the young Willy Wonka, chock-full of ideas and determined to change the world one delectable bite at a time. 

Chalamet won the Kids’ Choice Award for Favourite Movie Actor, while Calah Lane was nominated for a Critics Choice Award, Keegan-Michael Key for a Kids’ Choice Favourite Villain Award, and Olivia Colman for a Critics Choice Super Award. Also look out for Hugh Grant as an Oompa Loompa.

Wonka has an 82% critics’ rating on Rotten Tomatoes, with The Guardian hailing the family film as “spectacular, imaginative, sweet-natured and funny.”

The Colour Purple | Stream from Monday, 23 December

The Oscar-nominated musical adaptation of the beloved classic The Colour Purple traces the extraordinary decades-long story of three women who share an unbreakable bond. Set against the backdrop of Georgia in the early 1900s, the story centres on Celie (Grammy winner Fantasia Barrino), who endures countless hardships in her life, but ultimately finds extraordinary strength and hope in the unbreakable bonds of sisterhood. 

Directed by Ghanaian Blitz Bazawule (The Burial of Kojo), The Colour Purple is based on the Tony-winning Broadway stage musical, which was in turn based on the Pulitzer Prize-winning 1982 novel of the same name by Alice Walker. 

The film has an 81% critics’ rating on Rotten Tomatoes, with Variety saying, “The Colour Purple [feels] even more monumental than it did in Spielberg’s hands. And that’s saying something…”

Eileen | Stream from Monday, 2 December

Critics Choice nominee Thomasin McKenzie (Last Night in Soho, Jojo Rabbit) and Oscar winner Anne Hathaway (The Devil Wears Prada) star in Eileen. 

Set during a bitter 1964 Massachusetts winter, the psychological thriller centres on Eileen, a young secretary who becomes enchanted with Rebecca, the glamorous new counsellor at the boys’ correctional facility where she works. Their budding friendship takes a twisted turn when Rebecca reveals a dark secret — setting Eileen on a sinister path.

“Eileen Is the Anti-Christmas Movie You Never Knew You Needed,” Vogue headlined, calling it, “a gem destined for cult classic status… an unbearably tense Hitchcockian thriller…  a moody, sexy, filthy, dangerous sliver of a film that drives a freezing, smoke-filled truck through all the cloying seasonal cheer.”

Back to Black | Stream from Monday, 30 December

Back to Black charts the extraordinary story of Amy Winehouse’s rise to fame from her early days in Camden through the making of her groundbreaking album, Back to Black, which catapulted her to global fame.

Variety says Marisa Abela (Industry, Barbie) “nails Amy Winehouse in every look, mood and note”. 

BAFTA winner Jack O’Connell (SAS Rogue Heroes) co-stars with multi-award-winner Eddie Marsan (The Thief, His Wife and the Canoe) and Oscar nominee Lesley Manville (The Crown, Phantom Thread).

The Garfield Movie | Stream from Monday, 30 December

Garfield, the world-famous, Monday-hating, lasagna-loving indoor cat, is about to have a wild outdoor adventure! After an unexpected reunion with his long-lost father – scruffy street cat Vic – Garfield and his canine friend Odie are forced from their perfectly pampered life into joining Vic in a hilarious, high-stakes heist.

Listen out for Chris Pratt as Garfield, Samuel L Jackson as Vic, and Critics Choice nominee Harvey Guillén (Guillermo in What We Do In The Shadows) as Odie, not to mention Emmy-winning Ted Lasso favourites Brett Goldstein and Hannah Waddingham, and even Snoop Dogg – as a cat.

The 19th biggest box office hit of 2024 globally, The Garfield Movie was nominated for the 2024 Kids Choice Award for Favourite Animated Movie.

The Killer | Stream from Monday, 2 December

Legendary action director John Woo (Silent Night, Mission: Impossible II, Face/Off) brings us an English-language reimagining of his 1989 Hong Kong classic The Killer. 

Nathalie Emmanuel (Missandei in Game of Thrones) stars as Zee, a mysterious and infamous assassin known, and feared, in the Parisian underworld as the Queen of the Dead. 

During an assignment from her shadowy handler, Zee refuses to kill a blinded young woman in a nightclub. The decision plunges her into a sinister criminal conspiracy that sets her on a collision course with her own past.

IndieWire calls The Killer “shockingly good,” saying: “Woo rediscovers what made his work so much fun,” while The Guardian affirms that “Woo… still knows how to stage mayhem more inventively than a hundred other Hollywood up-and-comers who probably worship the original Killer.”

Classics on the couch

Showmax is also bringing back a host of classics this December, including: 

• The blockbuster young adult franchise The Hunger Games, starring Jennifer Lawrence (from 9 December)
• The Oscar-nominated romcom Bridget Jones’s Diary, starring Renée Zellweger (from 5 December)
• E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial (from 9 December), the Steven Spielberg classic which won four Oscars
• Wallace & Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit (from 9 December), which won the Oscar for Best Animated Feature Film of the Year
• The Coen Brothers cult classic The Big Lebowski (from 26 December), starring Jeff Daniels as The Dude. 
• Spike Jonze’s cult classic Being John Malkovich (from 30 December), which was nominated for three Oscars

Documentaries

Crush | First on Showmax | Binge from Monday, 23 December

Nominated for a 2024 Emmy Award for Outstanding Investigative Documentary, Crush unravels the chilling events of the deadly 2022 Halloween crowd crush in Seoul, South Korea that killed 159 people.

Directed by Emmy-winning filmmaker Jeff Zimbalist (11 Minutes, Favela Rising, The Two Escobars), the documentary delves into both the tragedy itself and the investigative hearings and government response in its aftermath, centring on evidence of police failures to respond to numerous emergency calls as 100 000 people converged on the popular Itaewon neighbourhood on the evening of 29 October.   

Rolling Stone says this “horrific tale, told calmly and soberly… unfolds like a slow-motion nightmare,” while Decider calls it “brutally effective,” saying, “Crush is just damn good, effective journalism.”

Outopsie S3 | Binge from Thursday, 19 December

Named Best Factual Programme at the 2024 SAFTAs, Outopsie’s third season once again examines the evidence uncovered during post-mortem examinations in some of South Africa’s most high-profile criminal investigations. 

Senior forensic pathologist Hestelle van Staden, author of Outopsie: Bloed Vertel ‘n Storie, takes us through a step-by-step breakdown of each autopsy, with key players also sharing their experiences, from the crime scene to the evidence presented in court. Each case is shocking, unique and, at times, stranger than fiction.

Season 3 includes the investigations into two murders that involved unusual weapons, an apparent double suicide, and the 2007 murder of 7-year-old Sheldean Human.

Lil Nas X: Long Live Montero | Stream from Thursday, 12 December

Lil Nas X: Long Live Montero captures the mesmerising star power of the Grammy-winning rapper, singer, and songwriter as he embarks on his first-ever headlining US tour. 

With unparalleled access, the award-nominated HBO documentary follows the genre-breaking artist as he navigates the pressures of his meteoric rise to fame, his desire to inspire his fans, and his place in the pantheon of Black queer icons. 

“He comes on as exactly who he is: the latest star to remake the pop universe,” says Variety, “and by the time the film is over it’s hard to imagine the universe without him.”

Lil Nas X: Long Live Montero is directed by Oscar nominee Carlos López Estrada (Blindspotting, Summertime, Raya and the Last Dragon) and cinematographer Zac Manuel. 

Huisgenoot Ware Lewensdramas S10 | Binge from Tuesday, 5 December

The SAFTA-nominated documentary series Huisgenoot Ware Lewensdramas revisits the true-life stories that made the headlines, going behind the story with the people involved, talking to experts, and hearing from the journalists who originally broke the stories in one of SA’s oldest and best-loved publications.

This season looks at several cases where the prime suspect was a woman, including a story of obsession, poisoning and mutilation in Zeerust; the case of Anne-Marie Engelbrecht, who suffocated her abusive husband in their Krugersdorp flat in 2002; the mid-90s case that led to the first instance of a white woman being executed in Botswana; and the high-profile trial about the murder of Ralf Krebs, which was overshadowed by sensation in the late 1980s.

The team revisits the story of the convicted Screwdriver Rapist of the 1970s, who was pronounced “cured” and released after 15 years in prison, only to attack again; examines the case of Phindile Joseph Ntshongwana, the former Blue Bull arrested for a series of gruesome axe murders; and delves into the case of the Station Strangler, which drew fresh outrage from Mitchells Plain families when convicted killer Norman Simons came up for parole in 2023. 

Huisgenoot Ware Lewensdramas: Vlees en Bloed S2 | Binge from Monday, 23 December

Sometimes the person you should be most afraid of is sleeping under the same roof as you …

A gripping spin-off of the popular true-crime series, Huisgenoot Ware Lewensdramas: Vlees en Bloed revisits true-life stories that made the headlines from the perspective of the journalists who covered the cases for one of South Africa’s oldest and best-loved publications. 

This season, the team reexamines the case of Colin Bouwer Sr and his son, Colin Bouwer Jr, who appeared in court at the same time on different continents for the murder of their respective spouses, and delves into how a quest for freedom led a teenager to do the unthinkable.

They also look at what drove apparently ordinary people like Celiwe Mbokazi, Christopher Watson, Fanie du Preez and Marius van der Westhuizen to kill.

Great African Crimes with Mandy Wiener | Binge from Monday, 16 December

Dive into the gripping world of Great African Crimes with multi award-winning investigative journalist, author and radio host Mandy Wiener.

The History Channel special unravels the chilling tales of deceit, betrayal, and intrigue behind South Africa’s first documented serial killer, Daisy de Melker; the Krugersdorp tunnel bank robbery – which remains unsolved to this day; and the amazing story of Sea Cottage, the nation’s favourite champion racehorse, which was shot ahead of the 1966 Durban July. 

Reality TV

The Bachelor S28 | Binge from Friday, 13 December

Season 28 of The Bachelor promises to be one of the most exciting yet, with oodles of romance, drama, heartache… and a shocking series-first ending. 

This season’s bachelor is none other than 28-year-old tennis coach pro Joey Graziadei, who stole hearts across Bachelor Nation on Season 20 of The Bachelorette. He’ll be wooed by 32 contestants, all kept in line by host Jesse Palmer. The “most romantic season in Bachelor history” will sweep the contestants to incredible locations from Malta to Mexico – but will any of them find love? 

Mntase S1-3 | Binge from Tuesday, 10 December

Mzansi Wethu’s reality show Mntase helps families navigate the challenges of volatile and sometimes violent sibling relationships that have ripped them apart. 

DStv Viewers Choice Awards winner Moshe Ndiki from ​​Uyang’thanda Na? hosts the show and supports each family on their journey of healing.

Shorts

Baas Se Honne | Stream from Friday, 6 December 

Winner of the Best Shotgun Short Film Award (and Best Editing in a short film) at the 2024 kykNET Silwerskerm Awards, Baas se Honne follows Gys (SAFTA nominee Albert Pretorius from Spinners and Nêrens, Noord-Kaap), whose messy life has landed him in a tight spot. 

His boss, Roelf (Silwerskerm winner Carel Nel from Gaia), is done taking care of and cleaning up after a puppy he emphatically never wanted. Now he’s forcing Gys to do his dirty work for him and put Buksie down. If Gys refuses, his job will be on the line. Gys has to make a plan, and quickly … 

Marie se Laaste Dag | Stream from Friday, 6 December 

At this year’s kykNET Silwerskerm Awards, Marie se Laaste Dag won Best Short Film and Script by an emerging filmmaker, as well as Best Cinematography. 

The story is set in 1994 when, after years of tense negotiations and the first democratic elections, the government of national unity is ready to report for duty. Marie, who’s been secretary to the mineral resources minister for years, needs to organise her boss’s first meeting with the incoming minister of defence, Mayihlome Khumalo. Marie is ready to embrace the ideals of a new South Africa – but she cut out for it? 

Mandri Sutherland (Trompoppie, Taktiek) stars, with SAFTA winner Deon Lotz (Taktiek) and more. SAFTA-nominated In Gesprek and Carte Blanche presenter Lourensa Eckard showcases her comedic talent as director on the short film, which she penned alongside Arendsvlei writer Mercy Kannemeyer.

Die Skynwerper | Stream from Friday, 6 December

At this year’s kykNET Silwerskerm Awards, Die Skynwerper won Best Actor: Short Film for Ben Albertyn (Dinge van ’n Kind), who stars opposite 2024 Silwerskerm winner Dawid Minnaar (Koek) and multi-award-winner Antoinette Kellermann (Mad Max: Fury Road).

The story follows Nelis (Albertyn) who lives in seclusion with his paralysed father (Minnaar). When Nelis loses his job, he considers participating in a reality series called Die Skynwerper, but when his audition fails, he becomes suspicious of the series’ presenter, who he believes is manipulating his life from the shadows …

Selah | Stream from Friday 6 December

Selah earned SAFTA nominee Erica Wessels her third Silwerskerm Best Actress Award this year.  The actress (who previously won for Donkerbos and Vlees van my Vlees) portrays an exhausted mother facing the trauma of postnatal depression, a colicky baby, and the unspoken realities of new parenthood. 

Written and directed by SAFTA and Silwerskerm winner Brett Michael Innes (Fiela se Kind), Selah also stars SAFTA and AMAA nominee Keenan Arrison (The Fix, Binnelanders).

Maak Stil die Geblaf | Stream from Wednesday, 11 December

Maak Stil die Geblaf won the Best Short Documentary Award at this year’s Silwerskerm Festival, as well as Best Direction in the documentary category for Marisa van Tonder. 

Filmed in a farming community in the Hex River Valley, the heartwarming story follows a small group of 11-year-old children and their four-legged friends as they train for a dog jumping competition in Stellenbosch. 

Vergeet Van My | Stream from Wednesday, 11 December

Written and directed by Beer Adriaanse, Vergeet van My won Best Editing for Pierre-Arnold Theron in the documentary category at the 2024 Silwerskerm Festival.

Adriaanse is a Silwerskerm-winning actor (Wonderlus), a SAFTA-nominated writer-director (Hotel, Taktiek), and the former drummer of Zinkplaat. 

When his parents were decluttering in 2021, they came across a forgotten black crate. Out of this came photographs, journals and plastic bags full of video cassette recordings that captured 10 years of tours and gigs. Against the backdrop of a boom in alternative South African music, the archive material tells a story of discovery and youthful rebellion.

With music from Zinkplaat, Foto Na Dans, eF-eL, Straatligkinders, Tidal Waves, and New Holland, this is a doc you can dance to.

Comedy 

John Early: Now More Than Ever | Stream from Thursday, 12 December

In his first HBO comedy special, John Early brings his unique blend of cutting commentary, pop star swagger, and all-around loveable hilarity. 

In the style of a gritty 70s rockumentary, Early performs stand-up and explosive song covers, from Britney to Neil Young, intercut with Spinal Tap-esque backstage sketches. The comedy special has a 100% critics’ rating on Rotten Tomatoes.  

More to watch on Showmax in December 

2 December

Dloz’Lami S9 | Fire of Conscience | How To Train Your Dragon | Madagascar 3: Europe’s Most Wanted | My History Moments | Puss in Boots | Shrek Forever After | The Adventures of Kino & Zani | The Croods: A New Age 

3 December

Umbuso S1

4 December

No Excuse Pay Papgeld S6

5 December

Breaking News | Cats | Curious George | Over The Hedge | Project One | Rise of the Guardians | Spirit: Stallion of Cimarron | The Sniper | The Tale of Desperaux | Trolls World Tour

6 December

Noise & Neighbours | Liewe Dudu | Ons | Steek vir Steek

9 December

No Excuse Pay Papgeld S7

10 December

Forever Maybe

11 December

By Die Soutwater | Deuntjie | Die Boodskapper | Die Groot Twins | Hawking: Can You Hear Me? | In Die Verloop Van | Liminale | No Excuse Pay Papgeld S8 | Oh Griet! Sy’s Droog | Tussen Die Draad en Die Dropper

12 December

Admission | Antz | Blockers | Drunk Parents | Kom Ons Braai | Sam Jay: Salute Me or Shoot Me | Sinbad: Legend of the Seven Seas | The Holiday Dating Guide | Trivisa

16 December

Beethoven | Beethoven’s 2nd | Space Dogs: Adventure to the Moon | Sworn Justice | The Flintstones | The Flintstones in Viva Las Vegas | The Last Blood | What Happens Later

18 December

Hijacked: Flight 73 | Juan Carlos: Downfall of a King | Mzansi Comedy Nights S4

19 December

American Gangster | Bowfinger | Downtime With Somizi S1 | Ray | The Boy | The Boy Next Door |

23 December

Almost Christmas | Dr. Seuss’ The Grinch | Dr. Seuss’ How The Grinch Stole Christmas | Last Christmas | The Dilemma | The Heist Before Christmas

25 December

Menendez & Menudo: Boys Betrayed S1

26 December

Bulletproof | Catch A Fire | The Constant Gardener | Half Baked: Totally High | Waterworld

30 December

Driven | Kung Fu Panda 2 | Nobody | Warcraft