Netflix is adding just 12 new shows, movies and live events to the streaming service this week. But one of those new shows is volume 2 of "Stranger Things" season 5. My guess is that Netflix is simply clearing the way for you to have time to binge the three-episode drop over the Christmas break.
Speaking of Christmas, Netflix is airing two NFL livestreams on Dec. 25, starting with Cowboys vs. Commanders at 1 p.m. ET, followed by Lions vs. Vikings. But those aren't the only things you'll want to watch this week. Kate Winslet made her directorial debut with the movie "Goodbye June" earlier this month, and now it's finally coming to Netflix. With a cast that includes Winslet, Helen Mirren, Toni Collette and Andrea Riseborough, you definitely need to make time for it.
Malcolm has been covering the latest in streaming shows and movies since 2023. Every week, he hunts down the top shows and movies to watch on Netflix.
New on Netflix this week: Top picks
'Stranger Things' season 5 volume 2
For those who have never seen an episode of "Stranger Things," the show is set in the fictional town of Hawkins, Indiana, in the mid-1980s. Home to the Hawkins National Laboratory, it becomes a focal point for the paranormal and supernatural when the lab opens a portal to an alternate dimension known as the "Upside Down."
This causes chaos, death and destruction, and one Hawkins resident, Will Byers (Noah Schnapp), disappears into the Upside Down in season 1. He's rescued by his friends and a young psychokinetic girl named Eleven (Millie Bobby Brown), but as the show goes on, he still maintains a connection to the dark dimension.
Season 5 is set four years after the events of season 1, and has the "Stranger Things" gang headed into the Upside Down one last time to defeat the evil entity known as Vecna (Jamie Campbell Bower). You've probably already seen the first four episodes of the show's final season, but this week the next three-episode volume arrives on Netflix on Dec. 25 at 8 p.m. ET. Start watching now before the series finale drops at 8 pm. ET on Dec. 31.
Watch volume 2 on Netflix starting Dec. 25 at 8 p.m. ET
'Goodbye June'
"Goodbye June" stars Kate Winslet as Julia, one of June (Helen Mirren) and Bernie's (Timothy Spall) four children. Her Christmas becomes far less merry when, suddenly, June falls ill. Unfortunately, it soon becomes clear that June probably won't get better, and now Julia and her siblings, Helen (Toni Collette), Connor (Johnny Flynn) and Molly (Andrea Riseborough) have to help their mother as she takes control of her final days.
This family drama is sure to be a heartbreaking one, if the trailer is any indication. But it also marks Winselt's directorial debut. If you want to feel sad this Christmas, then this bittersweet story is worth adding to your watchlist.
Watch on Netflix starting Dec. 24
'Tom Segura: Teacher'
Tom Segura is one of the more popular stand-up comedians working right now. He already has five Netflix comedy specials to his name and a Netflix series, "Bad Thoughts," that's been renewed for a second season.
But now, he's back with a brand new comedy special: "Tom Segura: Teacher." In this hour-long stand-up special, the dark and twisted comic talks about parenting missteps, getting blackout drunk and, in the trailer above, how Americans are probably the only people happy to see fighter jets flying straight at them.
Watch on Netflix starting Dec. 24
'Elway'
Let me state for the record that I do not like John Elway. His refusal to play for the Baltimore Colts, who drafted him in 1983, made him a less-than-beloved figure in my home state of Maryland, which was somewhat compounded by the (far more despised) Irsays moving the team to Indianapolis a year later. But regardless of who he was as a prospect, over 40 years later, there's no denying that Elway finished his career as one of the greatest quarterbacks in NFL history.
Based on the trailer for "Elway," it seems like his forcing his way out of Baltimore might get conveniently left out. Instead, this documentary has the two-time Super Bowl champion revisiting his Hall of Fame career, from the stinging defeats to his final game, Super Bowl XXXIII, where he and the Denver Broncos defeated the Atlanta Falcons and where Elway won his lone Super Bowl MVP.
Watch it on Netflix now
Christmas Gameday
![Culinary Class Wars: Season 2 | Official Teaser | Netflix [ENG SUB] - YouTube](https://img.youtube.com/vi/9QOkMXEcU_s/maxresdefault.jpg)
Just like last year, the NFL is coming to Netflix for Christmas. This year, it's bringing with it a pair of games that would have looked pretty good at the beginning of the season, but now might serve better as background noise than an exhibition of the best the league has to offer.
At 1 p.m. ET, Cowboys vs. Commanders pits two fierce division rivals who have basically nothing to play for. The Cowboys' elite offense has stumbled, and they're now preparing for next season after being eliminated last week. The Commanders are also playing for 2026. Star quarterback Jayden Daniels has been shut down for the year, and the team now has a real shot at finishing with the worst record in the league.
Yet, it's still a division rivalry game, which means both teams will show up like it's the Super Bowl. The same can be said for Lions vs. Vikings, which kicks off at 4:30 p.m. ET. Last year, these were arguably the two best teams in the NFL, but now both might miss the playoffs. The Lions are currently on the outside looking in, and the Vikings are nearly as bad as the Commanders. They'll be looking to spoil Detroit's season, though, so expect a hotly contested game.
Watch on Netflix live starting at 1 p.m. ET on Dec. 25
'Cover-Up'
In "Cover-Up," American journalist Seymour Hersh reluctantly sits down with directors Laura Poitras and Mark Obenhaus to discuss his career. And what a career it has been. Hersh has exposed a whole host of U.S. war crimes, from the Vietnam War and America's secret bombing campaign in Cambodia to the Watergate scandal, the CIA's illegal domestic espionage programs and even the torture and abuse of prisoners at Abu Ghraib during the Iraq War.
In short, there are few journalists worth exploring more than Hersh, and "Cover-Up" provides unprecedented access to his work. That access doesn't come without conflict, though. In the trailer, you can see Hersh reluctant to explore certain things, refusing to discuss sources and even threatening to leave an interview. This film festival documentary is currently scoring rave reviews and racking up award nominations; it might be the best thing you can watch on Netflix this week. So don't miss it.
Watch on Netflix starting Dec. 26
'King of Collectibles: The Goldin Touch' season 3
If you've bought a vinyl record, a comic book, a baseball card or even a Cheeto that looks like a Charizard, then you're part of the multibillion-dollar collectables market. At the top of that exploding industry? Ken Goldin, who has sold over $2 billion in memorabilia and shows no signs of slowing down.
Now, Goldin has sold his company to eBay, hoping it will allow him to expand his reach and increase the range of collectibles he can deal in. In "King of Collectibles: The Goldin Touch" season 3, the hit Netflix reality show returns to explore this sale to eBay, and a cameo from WWE star Logan Paul and his Illustrator Pokémon worth millions of dollars.
Watch on Netflix starting Dec. 23
Everything new on Netflix: Dec. 22-28
DECEMBER 22
"Elway" (Netflix documentary)
Told in his own words, the definitive story of Denver Broncos quarterback John Elway goes deep on his NFL dreams, heartbreaks and Super Bowl redemption.
"Sicily Express" (IT) (Netflix series)
With Christmas around the corner, two blundering Sicilian friends working in Milan discover a dumpster that transports them to their families in seconds.
- "The Closer" seasons 1-7
DECEMBER 23
"King of Collectibles: The Goldin Touch" season 3 (Netflix series)
With billion-dollar dreams and a powerhouse partner, Ken Goldin goes global with an amazing array of memorabilia — and some truly unusual finds.
- "Eden"
DECEMBER 24
"Goodbye June" (GB) (Netflix film)
Kate Winslet directs and joins Helen Mirren, Toni Collette, Johnny Flynn and Andrea Riseborough in a tender tale of a family’s farewell to their mother.
"Tom Segura: Teacher" (Netflix comedy special)
This marks the comedian’s fifth stand-up special for Netflix, following Tom Segura: Mostly Stories (2016), Tom Segura: Disgraceful (2018), Tom Segura: Ball Hog (2020), and Tom Segura: Sledgehammer (2023). His dark and twisted comedic series, Bad Thoughts, which was nominated for an Emmy, is returning for a second season in 2026.
- "Downton Abbey: A New Era"
DECEMBER 25
Christmas Gameday: Cowboys vs. Commanders (Netflix live event)
Christmas Gameday returns with two big-time divisional matchups, featuring the Cowboys vs. Commanders and Lions vs. Vikings.
Christmas Gameday: Lions vs. Vikings (Netflix live event)
Christmas Gameday returns with two big-time divisional matchups, featuring the Lions vs. Vikings and Cowboys vs. Commanders.
"Stranger Things" season 5: Volume 2 (Netflix series) (Releasing at 8 p.m. ET)
With Hawkins under lockdown, El in hiding and danger lurking at every turn, the entire party unites with a single goal: to hunt and kill Vecna.
DECEMBER 26
"Cover-Up" (Netflix documentary)
This documentary traces the career of legendary investigative journalist Seymour Hersh, whose tenacious reporting exposed cover-ups from My Lai to Abu Ghraib.
Leaving Netflix This Week
Leaving 12/25/25
"Transformers"
"Transformers: Age of Extinction"
"Transformers: Dark of the Moon"
"Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen"
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