Streamers deliver gifts you can count on – Winnipeg Free Press

Streamers deliver gifts you can count on – Winnipeg Free Press

EVEN beyond the Canada Post labor issue, the fact is that not all gifts arrive in time for the big day. Conversely, sometimes a gift is presented so far in advance, so to speak – perhaps bought on sale and stored in the “gift drawer” and forgotten – that the surprise factor makes it doubly welcome. Just me?

Maybe, but that sets up the first point of this bi-weekly show, “Let’s watch this TV series, shall we?”

Laid (Stream all two seasons now on Tubi)

Remarkable and then long forgotten is the 2011-12 Australian series about a woman named Roo (Alison Bell) who discovers that her former lovers are dying.

The pace of this dry cringe comedy is slow, but the payoff increases as the story progresses further and darker.

Nestled into the free streaming app Tubi, it’s a worthy placeholder until sometime this spring, when Stack/W Network will host the premiere of the livelier-looking U.S. version, recently filmed in Vancouver and starring Stephanie Hsu (Falling Guy, wonderful woman. Maisel) and Zosia Mamet (The flight attendant, Girl) as her best friend.

It may look like it’ll premiere on December 19th, but that’s only on the Peacock app, which – !&*#@ – isn’t available in Canada.


Nate Bargatze’s Nashville Christmas (Holiday special premieres Thursday, December 19th on CBS, Paramount+), Your Friend, Nate Bargatze (Comedy special premieres Tuesday, December 24th on Netflix)

Jon Morgan/CBS Comedian Nate Bargatze (left, with Darius Rucker) hosts a one-hour holiday-themed variety show on CBS.

Jon Morgan/CBS

Comedian Nate Bargatze (left, with Darius Rucker) hosts a one-hour holiday-themed variety show on CBS.

The headliner of this year’s Great Outdoor Comedy Fest at Assiniboine Park in July can look forward to two new specials.

The first appears to be an old-style variety show filmed at the Grand Ole Opry, featuring skits, scenes and music by Saturday evening LiveMikey Day and Ashley Padilla as well as musicians Noah Kahan, Martina McBride, Jelly Roll, Darius Rucker, Derrick Stroup, the Tennessee Titans and Carrie Underwood.

The first of his two new comedy specials for Netflix follows a few days later. The topics: “Pizza ordering strategies for men’s night, the desire for a second dog and dependence on his responsible wife.”

The second new Netflix comedy special will follow in 2025. If you don’t know Bargatze yet, you should watch his two previous Netflix specials, The tallest average American And The Tennessee Kid and/or Hello World on Prime Video.


Virgin River (Season 6 and all 10 episodes premiere on Thursday, December 19, on Netflix)

Netflix: When Virgin River returns, Mel (Alexandra Breckenridge, left) and Jack (Martin Henderson) get married.

Netflix

When Virgin River returns, Mel (Alexandra Breckenridge, left) and Jack (Martin Henderson) get married.

It’s been a long and winding road, but it looks like Mel (Alexandra Breckenridge) and Jack (Martin Henderson) are really getting married.

Likewise, love is omnipresent among the series’ many other couples, including silver-haired cuties Hope (Annette O’Toole) and Doc (Tim Matheson).

There will also be alternating death, birth, news of a long-lost family member and a flashback to Virgin River in the 1970s. Pop some champagne!


Squid game (Season two premieres Thursday, December 26, on Netflix)

No Ju-han/Netflix Lee Jung-jae returns as Seong Gi-hun in Season 2 of Netflix's Squid Game.

No Ju-han/Netflix

Lee Jung-jae returns as Seong Gi-hun in Season 2 of the Netflix series “Squid Game.”

If a debut series attracts 330 million people worldwide to watch for 2.8 billion hours, as this Korean-language series has done since its debut in September 2021, there are bound to be even more… even if creator Hwang Dong-hyuk never more swore after losing: “8 or nine” teeth during filming of the first season, as he recounted diversity.

These ratings convinced him and he gave up not one, but two more seasons. Three years later, the action picks up again and player 456 (Lee Jung-Jae) has returned with a slight change in strategy for another round of the $45 million game of life and death.


Six Triple Eight (Film premieres Friday, December 20, on Netflix after a limited theatrical release)

Laura Radford / Perry Wells Films Kerry Washington plays Major Charity Adams in The Six Triple Eight.

Laura Radford / Perry Wells Films

Kerry Washington plays Major Charity Adams in The Six Triple Eight.

Neither snow nor sleet nor sexism or racism will stop the Women’s Army Corps from fulfilling its World War II mission in this new film written, directed and produced by Tyler Perry.

Kerry Washington (scandal) plays Major Charity Adams, commander of the 6888th Central Postal Directory Battalion of the Women’s Army Corps colored unit.

Faced with mountains of undelivered mail to soldiers, “these unsung heroes gave hope and broke down barriers,” press materials say. The supporting cast includes Oprah Winfrey, Sam Waterston, Susan Sarandon and Dean Norris. Prepare to be humbled and inspired.

Broadcast dates subject to change. Questions and comments to [email protected].

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