By Stacy Lee Kong

I don’t know about you, but I don’t plan on leaving my house for the next four to six weeks. First of all, it’s expensive out there! And also, I’ve decided I’m divesting from feeling cold this year and my sofa is the next best thing to a tropical vacation 🤷🏽‍♀️ If your winter plans look much the same, here are Friday Things’ top picks for what to watch while hibernating, including Pamela, a love story, Mindy Kaling’s Scooby Doo spinoff, Velma, That ‘90s Show, season 25 of RuPaul’s Drag Race and CBC reality TV show Bollywed. Read on for the full list of what we’re recommending on Apple TV+, CBC Gem, Crave, Disney+, Netflix Canada and Prime Video in January 2023.

Apple TV+

Servant, Season 4 (Premieres January 13) 

M. Night Shyamalan’s Servant follows a Philadelphia couple in mourning after an unspeakable tragedy creates a rift in their marriage and opens the door for a mysterious force to enter their home. Following its suspenseful season three finale, season four brings the final chapter of the Turner story to an epic and emotional conclusion. Leanne’s war with the Church of Lesser Saints heightens, threatening Spruce street, the city of Philadelphia and beyond. Meanwhile, the shattered Turner family must not only confront the increasing threat of Leanne, but the certain reality that Dorothy is waking up. As the Turner family brownstone continues to crumble, questions are finally answered: who is Leanne Grayson and who is the child in their home?

Truth Be Told, Season 3 (Premieres January 20) 

From acclaimed writer and executive producer Nichelle Tramble Spellman, Truth Be Told is an NAACP Image Award-winning series that provides a unique glimpse into America’s obsession with true crime podcasts. In season three, Poppy (Octavia Spencer), frustrated by the lack of media attention for several young missing Black girls, teams with an unorthodox principal (Gabrielle Union) to keep the victims' names in the public eye while chasing down leads to a suspected sex trafficking ring that may have ensnared them. Returning cast members include series regulars Mekhi Phifer, David Lyons, Ron Cephas Jones, Merle Dandridge, Tracie Thoms, Haneefah Wood, Mychala Faith Lee and Tami Roman. 

Shrinking (Premieres January 27) 

This new 10-episode comedy starring Jason Segel and Harrison Ford follows a grieving therapist (Segel) who starts to break the rules and tell his clients exactly what he thinks. Ignoring his training and ethics, he finds himself making huge, tumultuous changes to people’s lives … including his own. Shrinking also stars Christa Miller, Jessica Williams, Michael Urie, Luke Tennie and Lukita Maxwell.

CBC Gem

Death And Nightingales (Premieres January 6)

Based on Eugene McCabe’s modern Irish classic, Death and Nightingales is a riveting story of love, betrayal, deception and revenge, set in the beautiful haunting countryside of Fermanagh in 1885 when all of the country is an undivided province of the British Empire. A haunting tale of love and deception, it is a place where neighbours observe each other and inform; a world of spies, confessions and double dealing; where a pervading sense of beauty is shot through with menace and impending doom. Set over a desperately tense 24-hour period, it’s Beth Winters’ (Ann Skelly, Red Rock, Kissing Kansas) 23rd birthday—the day she has decided to join the charming Liam Ward (Jamie Dornan, The Fall, Robin Hood) and escape from her limited life and difficult and complex relationship with her Protestant landowner stepfather Billy (Matthew Rhys, The Americans, The Post). As decades of pain and betrayal finally build to a devastating climax, Death and Nightingales is a powerful and gripping drama that follows a woman struggling to control her own destiny and will illuminate tensions that tear both families and nations apart.

Stuff The British Stole (Premieres January 6)

Throughout its reign, the British Empire stole a lot of stuff. Today, those objects are housed in museums and cultural institutions across the U.K. and the world. They usually come with polite plaques. This award-winning series is about the not-so-polite history behind them.

I Hate You (Premieres January 11)

I Hate You is a comedy about best friends. Two best friends in their mid 20s—Charlie (Tanya Reynolds, Sex Education) and Becca (Melissa Saint, Ghosts)—and their intense, messy friendship in today’s intense, messy world. It’s about the one friend you can say anything to and do anything with: the idiotic in-jokes, and the laughing till you almost puke, as well as the insane bickering and late-night shouting matches. It’s about that one friend you really love—and really hate. Charlie is a bit of a worrier, thinks 99% of humans are dickheads, and Becca has no embarrassment gene, usually makes the wrong decision. The duo share a flat that is half spotless (Becca’s room) and half ‘shittery’ (Charlie’s room). Together they’re complete chaos. In the first season, Charlie learns the perils of jogging to jazz, Becca tries to seduce her own step-brother, the girls meet a guy who believes humans came from bears, and both start dating older guys— more specifically, men in their seventies. All this plus a lord who keeps a fly as his pet.

Bollywed (Premieres January 12)

A heartwarming docu-series centred around the Singh family, who have been operating the iconic bridal shop, Chandan Fashion, in Toronto’s Little India for the last 37 years. The series shines a fascinating light on the booming and glamorous world of Bollywood culture and fashion, and offers an authentic glimpse into an intergenerationally run business lead by patriarch Kuki Singh, his wife Sarab, their two children Chandan and Chandni, and daughter-in-law Roop. There’s plenty of old-school-meets-new-school drama and laughs as two generations take on the ever-changing and extravagant world of Indian weddings.

The U.S. & The Holocaust (Premieres January 13)

The U.S. And The Holocaust tells the story of how the American people grappled with one of the greatest humanitarian crises of the twentieth century, and how this struggle tested the ideals of their democracy. By examining the periods leading up to and during the Holocaust with fresh eyes, this film dispels competing myths that Americans either were ignorant of the unspeakable persecution that Jews faced in Europe, or that they looked on with callous indifference. It also takes a candid look at the roles that eugenics and racism, as well as xenophobia and antisemitism, played during this crisis and throughout American history. In the process, it grapples with questions that remain essential to American society today: Is America, truly, as it claims to be, a land of immigrants? Why did the U.S. fail to rescue a people at the time of their greatest need? How do the continued struggles over how Americans define their past shape their future as a country?

Finding Aicha (Premieres January 25)

Azdyne Amimour’s son Samy was one of the terrorists responsible for the 2015 Islamic State attacks in Paris that killed 130 people. Samy was one of the attackers at the Bataclan Hall; he was killed when police shot at him and his suicide vest exploded. Samy left behind a daughter, Aicha, born just days after the attacks in France. Amimour has never met her and even after years of searching, he hardly knows anything about her—except that she is in a camp, somewhere in Syria. In Finding Aicha, Amimour takes the first legal steps to find his granddaughter, while grappling with pain, guilt, grief and shame about his son. Finding Aicha was co-commissioned by CBC, BBC Arabic and BBC Our World.

How To Lose Everything: The Series (Premieres January 27)

How To Lose Everything is a series of animated short films that explore personal stories of loss. From instructions on how to survive tragedy, to parallels between two Scottish and Inuit communities, to a bear named Jesus, the five films’ stories span nations, languages, and perspectives on heartache. Created by Christa Couture and produced with Michelle St. John in collaboration with CBC Arts, each film is written and animated by a different pair of Indigenous artists, representing Cree, Ojibwe, Ktunaxa, Inuit, Chippewa, Potawatomi, Atikamekw and Métis nations.

Crave Canada

BMF, Season 2 (Premieres January 6)

Inspired by true legends, BMF chronicles the unconventional journey to success of the Flenory brothers, Demetrius Flenory “Big Meech” (Demetrius “Lil Meech” Flennory Jr.) and Terry Flenory “Southwest Tee” (Da’Vinchi), who rose from the depths of poverty, navigating the war on drugs in Detroit, and became game changers in hip-hop and culture. Throughout the season, the Flenory brothers continue their pursuit of the American Dream, as they build a better life in a system that was stacked against them, and work to expand BMF into a multi-state empire.

RuPaul’s Drag Race, Season 15 (Premieres January 6)

In this season, 16 new queens bring their all to the runway in an effort to impress the judges as they vie for the ultimate title of “America’s Next Drag Superstar,” and a grand prize of $200,000 – the highest amount in the herstory of the main franchise. In the season premiere, award-winning host RuPaul and mainstay judges Michelle Visage and Ross Mathews are joined by singer, songwriter, and actress Ariana Grande as the welcome a new cast of queens.

The Northman (Premieres January 6)

Prince Amleth is on the verge of becoming a man when his father is brutally murdered by his uncle, who kidnaps the boy’s mother. Two decades later, Amleth is now a Viking who raids Slavic villages. He soon meets a seeress who reminds him of his vow: save his mother, kill his uncle, avenge his father. Directed by Robert Eggers (The Lighthouse, The Witch), and starring an all-star cast, including Alexander Skarsgård, Anya Taylor-Joy, Björk, Willem Dafoe, Nicole Kidman, and Ethan Hawke.

Velma (Premieres January 12)

Created by and starring Mindy Kaling, HBO Max’s 10-episode animated comedy series tells the origin story of Velma Dinkley, the unsung and underappreciated brains of the Scooby-Doo Mystery Inc. gang. This original and humorous spin unmasks the complex and colorful past of one of America’s most beloved mystery solvers. Featuring the voices of Constance Wu, Glenn Howerton, and Sam Richardson.

The Last of Us (Premieres January 15)

Starring Pedro Pascal and Bella Ramsey, and based on the critically acclaimed video game of the same name, The Last of Us takes place 20 years after modern civilization has been destroyed. Joel (Pascal), a hardened survivor, is hired to smuggle Ellie (Ramsey), a 14-year-old girl, out of an oppressive quarantine zone. What starts as a small job soon becomes a brutal and heartbreaking journey as they both must traverse the U.S. and depend on each other for survival. Additional cast includes Gabriel Luna, Anna Torv, Nico Parker, Murray Bartlett, Storm Reid, Nick Offerman, and Melanie Lynskey.

Disney+ Canada

The Menu (Premieres January 4) 

A young couple travel to a remote island to eat at an exclusive restaurant where the chef has prepared a lavish menu, with some shocking surprises.

Grails: When Sneakers Change the Game (Premieres January 4) 

Two young black entrepreneurs create Eastside Golf to change how the game looks, but disrupting a sport as conservative as golf isn't going to be easy.

Beauty and the Beast: A 30th Celebration (Premieres January 6) 

Features live never-before-seen musical performances with brand-new sets and costumes inspired by the classic story, created to pay homage while also adding to the iconic story.

Darby and the Dead (Premieres January 27) 

After suffering a near-death experience as a young girl, Darby Harper gains the ability to see dead people. She becomes introverted and recluses from her peers. But all that changes when Capri, the Queen Bee of the school’s most exclusive clique, unexpectedly dies in a freak accident.

Netflix Canada

Kaleidoscope (Premieres January 1)

A master thief and his crew attempt an epic and elaborate heist worth $7 billion dollars — but betrayal, greed and other threats undermine their plans.

Ginny & Georgia, Season 2 (Premieres January 5)

New relationships and challenges await Georgia and Ginny as they navigate life in Wellsbury — until secrets from the past threaten everything.

The Pale Blue Eye (Premieres January 6)

West Point, 1830. A world-weary detective is hired to discreetly investigate the gruesome murder of a cadet. Stymied by the cadets’ code of silence, he enlists one of their own to help unravel the case — a young man the world would come to know as Edgar Allan Poe.

Pressure Cooker (Premieres January 6)

Living under one roof, eleven chefs use culinary skills and strategic plays in a tense cooking contest where they vote on who among them will win $100,000.

Vikings: Valhalla, Season 2 (Premieres January 12)

Enemies — old and new — await Freydis, Leif and Harald as they scatter to the far corners of the globe in pursuit of power and new worlds to conquer.

That ‘90s Show (Premieres January 19)

Hello, Wisconsin! It’s 1995 and Leia Forman, daughter of Eric and Donna, is visiting her grandparents for the summer, where she bonds with a new generation of Point Place kids under the watchful eye of Kitty and the stern glare of Red. Sex, drugs and rock ’n roll never die, they just change clothes.

Bake Squad, Season 2 (Premieres January 20)

After baking up a storm in season one, all four original members of the Squad are back and hungry for more!  The expert bakers elevate desserts with next-level ideas and epic execution, to create showstopping centerpieces for someone’s extra special big day.   Each brilliant member of the Bake Squad was personally selected by Milk Bar founder Christina Tosi, who built an empire on delicious cookie dough. With stunning sweet visuals and surprises at every turn, season two takes it up a level – from exploding cakes to a colossal cheesecake tower and an edible life-size piano. The bakers pull out all the stops and create desserts you can only dream of!

Bling Empire: New York (Premieres January 20)

A new cast of stylish Asian American socialites flaunts their fortunes — and fashions — while bringing the drama and living it up in New York City.

Kings of Jo’Burg, Season 2 (Premieres January 27)

The Masire brothers rule Johannesburg’s criminal underworld but a supernatural family curse and a tangled web of betrayal threaten to destroy them.

Lockwood & Co. (Premieres January 27)

A trio of teen ghost-hunters — two gifted boys and a girl with rare psychic abilities — run a tiny agency investigating deadly spirits haunting London.

Pamela, a love story (Premieres January 31)

An intimate and humanizing portrait of one of the world’s most famous blonde bombshells, Pamela, a love story follows the trajectory of Pamela Anderson’s life and career from small town girl to international sex symbol, actress, activist and doting mother.

Prime Video

The Rig (Premieres January 6) 

This character-driven Amazon Original mystery thriller follows the crew of the Kinloch Bravo oil rig as they fight for survival after a strange fog cuts off all communication with the shore, and leaves them stranded in the fierce waves of the North Sea. With their helicopter not coming and supplies limited, Offshore Installation Manager (OIM) and rig boss, Magnus tries to guide his already fractured crew through the evolving crisis. But his increasingly desperate efforts to restore contact with the mainland are repeatedly shattered as tensions and paranoia rise, the rig’s systems fail, and a devastating accident brings them all face-to-face with the deadly dangers of one of the most extreme working environments on the planet. 

Hunters, Season 2 (Premieres January 13) 

After an accident derails their exploits in Europe, The Hunters must band back together to hunt down history's most infamous Nazi—Adolf Hitler—who's hiding in South America. Meanwhile, a look to the past reveals Meyer Offerman (Al Pacino) encountering a dangerous threat that could unravel his secret and expose his true identity, with explosive reverberations for our Hunters. 

Shotgun Wedding (Premieres January 27) 

Darcy (Jennifer Lopez) and Tom (Josh Duhamel) gather their lovable but very opinionated families for the ultimate destination wedding, just as the couple begin to get cold feet. And if that wasn’t enough of a threat to the celebration, suddenly everyone’s lives are in danger when the entire party is taken hostage. “’Til Death Do Us Part” takes on a whole new meaning in this hilarious, adrenaline-fueled adventure as Darcy and Tom must save their loved ones—if they don’t kill each other first.