What to watch this weekend Dec. 27, 2024: TV awards contenders

The days between Christmas and New Year’s Eve exist outside of our perceived reality. It’s a period of temporal lawlessness, one in which you can do whatever you want and it won’t count, which means it’s the perfect time to sprawl on the couch and queue up the long-awaited second season of Netflix’s Emmy-winning drama “Squid Game.” 

The seven-episode follow-up features a two-year time jump, with viewers following Seong Gi-hun (Emmy winner Lee Jung-jae) in the wake of the deadly battle royale that pits hundreds of desperate individuals against one another for enormous sums of money. Unable to simply walk away with his hard-earned winnings, he embarks on a mission to take down the diabolical minds behind the murderous game at all costs. Say what you will about the firmly anti-capitalist series becoming a key piece of our own capitalist society since its debut in 2021, the show remains a colorful and engaging drama in its sophomore run, making “Squid Game” the awards contender to watch this weekend.

SEE What to watch this weekend Dec. 20, 2024: TV awards contenders

However, if the thought of yet more murder is going to kill what’s left of your spirit in the post-holiday craze, other contenders include:

• “Doctor Who”: For those not yet ready to take down the tree and pack away the decorations, this year’s Christmas special is a festive treat full of the sci-fi series’ trademark timey-wimey-ness. Penned by former showrunner Steven Moffat and co-starring “Bridgerton” and “Derry Girl” star Nicola Coughlan opposite Ncuti Gatwa’s Doctor, the episode, aptly titled “Joy to the World,” finds the duo at the Time Hotel attempting to stop the birth of a star that will destroy the world. The special is now streaming on Disney+.

• “Shrinking”: The second season of Apple TV+’s Emmy-nominated comedy comes to an emotional but fulfilling end this week, with Jimmy (Jason Segel) finally having a much-needed heart-to-heart with Louis (Emmy winner and series co-creator Brett Goldstein) and ultimately forgiving himself for what has transpired in the wake of his wife’s untimely death. The episode is now streaming on Apple TV+.

• “Bad Sisters”: It is actually a week of endings for the tech-turned-media company. The sophomore outing of Sharon Horgan’s Emmy-nominated Apple series also wraps up its story (likely for good), as the truth about Ian (Owen McDonnell) and what happened the night of Grace’s (Anne-Marie Duff) death comes to light in a cathartic finale titled “Cliff Hanger.” The episode is now streaming on Apple TV+.