It's the most wonderful time of the year.
Christmas is here, and if you celebrate, that probably means presents, honey-glazed ham and a lot of time spent with your family.
And while it's always good to see your loved ones, you might be in search of something to entertain a crowd and, perhaps, keep the peace as winter storms rage outside and the kiddies play with their new toys. So we rounded up the the best TV shows and films to watch this year with your family, whether the group is into sweet reality TV, the best bad TV show of the year, Tim Burton animation, adorable bears or whether the adults in the room want something R-rated and hilarious.
Nick Offerman and Amy Poehler are back for a second season of "Making It" on NBC. (Photo: Chris Haston, NBC)
If you already have watched 'The Great British Baking Show': 'Making It'If you are a TV fan, you've probably either been told how wonderful "The Great British Baking Show" is or experienced the delightful British baking competition yourself. But if you're looking for reality TV that champions hard work, good-natured competition and offers plenty of silly puns from beloved comedians, look no further than Nick Offerman and Amy Poehler's "Making It."
Two seasons of NBC's crafting competition feature "makers" from all over the country who try their hand at twee challenges such as 3D party invites or making a piggy bank in the shape of what you're saving for. The series borrows some of the best parts of "Baking," including an outdoor setting (a rural barn), a low-stakes competition (challenge winners get patches) and hosts that are established comedians, not just pretty people (Poehler and Offerman are, as usual, a delight). It might just inspire you to DIY next year's Christmas gifts.
Stream it on Hulu.
If you like a so-bad-it's-good TV show: 'The Witcher'Before we get any further, it's important to emphasize this point: "Witcher" is not a good TV show. The Netflix series, starring Henry Cavill and based on a video game, is hacky, full of confusing timelines, bizarre monsters, unnecessary nudity and terrible dialogue. But "Witcher" is the rare series that transcends its badness to become addictively watchable. Maybe's its Cavill's gruff, monotone delivery of every line (Witchers don't have many emotions, you see) or complicated plots around the dumb-sounding "Law of Surprise" or the silly-looking special effects. But all of the ridiculous elements of "Witcher" add up to a series perfect for your end-of-the-year soupy brain. The eight-episode season even gets a little interesting, ending on a surprisingly effective cliffhanger.
Now streaming on Netflix.
If you're almost (but not quite) finished with Christmas movies: 'The Nightmare Before Christmas'If you've already watched "Love, Actually" and every cheesy Hallmark, Lifetime and Netflix Christmas movie, you might turn to Tim Burton's notoriously dark children's film. A 1993 musical about what happens if the scary creatures who make Halloween were in charge of Christmas, the film will thrill and scare the little ones and make the adults remember what it was like being a kid. Bonus: A refreshingly brief 76-minute running time, considering how bloated modern children's movies are.
Stream it on Disney+.
More to watch: The 25 best TV shows of the decade, from 'The Americans' to 'Game of Thrones'
The beloved Peruvian bear (voiced by Ben Whishaw) goes on a new adventure in London in "Paddington 2." (Photo: WARNER BROS.)
If you want to feel unvarnished joy: 'Paddington 2'The two live-action Paddington Bear movies hold a unique place in cinema for touching the hearts of a group of extremely cynical adults (read: movie critics). What these unbelievably sweet films have on other children's movies is a certain CGI bear (voiced with softness and naïveté by Ben Whishaw) who champions kindness above all, floods bathrooms and accidentally gets locked up in prison, but is still the most lovable creature around. The first film was a revelation in 2015, and the second, released in 2017, cemented Paddington's place as a classic.
Stream it on HBO Go/HBO Now.
Beanie Feldstein and Kaitlyn Dever in "Booksmart." (Photo: Annapurna Pictures)
If you're OK watching an R-rated movie with your family: 'Booksmart'If you are ready to cackle your way through some truly awkward (but hilarious) gags and teenage buffoonery, it's worth watching this gem, from first-time director Olivia Wilde. One of the best films of this year according to USA TODAY's film critic Brian Truitt, "Booksmart" joins the ranks of great high school comedies with the story of Molly (Beanie Feldstein) and Amy (Kaitlyn Dever), two overachieving girls who try to party as hard as their peers on the night before graduation. Their pitch-perfect comic timing and palpable chemistry bring the electric script to life. A group of quirky supporting teen characters rounds out the film, which is so funny its pornography-related jokes are worth seeing, even with your parents nearby.
Stream it on Hulu.
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