It’s the time of year most TV fanatics hate — when all of our favorite Primetime series go on break.
We’ve got tips for fighting the fall finale funk to help you get through the next few weeks of reruns and missing series. These ideas are meant to be fun and festive.
If you’re struggling with seasonal withdrawals and feel out of sorts without anything to do until your favorite shows come back on, try these funk-fighting tips. You can always catch a rerun of one of your series favorites, like NCIS: Origins.
Check Out the Late Start Series
Many of today’s popular TV shows go on a multi-week hiatus around the end-of-year holidays, giving TV networks time to fill with seasonal specials and holiday favorites.
However, the break in regular programming is also the perfect time for other shows to try to capture an otherwise distracted audience.
Landman is a Paramount+ masterpiece starring Billy Bob Thorton and Ali Larter and focuses on the lives of those in the oil industry.
Star Wars fans might enjoy yet another series spinoff — Star Wars: Skeleton Crew — airing December 2 on Disney+.
And Dexter fans get the pleasure of another series spinoff — Dexter: Original Sin — airing December 13 on Paramount+.
Based on a true story, The Sticky — airing Prime Video starting December 6 — is a dramatic reimagining of a maple syrup farmer (Margo Martindale) who turns to a life of crime when her farming business becomes at risk.
Fans of animated kids’ films like Inside Out (and sequel Inside Out 2) might appreciate the upcoming series Dream Productions, featuring Joy, Disgust, and Fear, as they put on movies “dreams” in Riley’s mind every night. Check Disney+ starting December 11.
Of course, if you’re trying to fill several hours with mindless oblivion, binge-watching old shows is always a popular choice. You can find dozens of full-run series on your favorite streaming service.
It’s the perfect time to jump into ongoing series like NCIS, Chicago Fire, Law & Order: SVU, or Grey’s Anatomy.
Most of these shows have one or more spinoffs.
Watch Holiday Movies
A lot of us struggle to get into the holiday spirit as the days seem to move faster and the world continues to stop making sense.
Christmas is the biggest commercial holiday of the year, bringing in thousands of dollars in revenue. So it’s not surprising that dozens of new holiday movies are created each year to keep up with popular demand.
If you’re feeling funky cause your favorite series has gone on hiatus, cheer up and get into the holiday spirit with a fun Christmas flick. It can be family-friendly or freaking scary as hell.
My current favorite Christmas movie is on Paramount+ and stars the amazing Jack Black. I highy recommend Dear Santa if you want a new spin on the regular Santa story.
For a holiday romance, Netflix offers Hot Frosty, a rom-com inspired by Frosty the Snowman starring Lacey Chabert.
As someone who loves slapstick, I couldn’t resist checking out the newest Christmas film featuring Ben Stiller. You can stream Nutcrackers on Hulu.
Football fans, specifically those who support the Kansas City Chiefs, would love to check out the new film Holiday Touchdown: A Chiefs Love Story.
Hallmark has a ton of holiday films to browse, especially for paid Hallmark+ users, including over 600 hours of original holiday content in The Very Merry Holiday Collection.
If you’re in the mood for a Christmas flick on the big screen, head to the theaters to check out the latest Christmas comedy starring Dewayne “The Rock” Johnson and Chris Evans (Captain America), Red One.
Of course, you can always return to faithful classics like Frosty the Snowman, Rudolph, A Christmas Story, Die Hard (yes, it counts as a Christmas movie), Home Alone, Elf, and National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation.
Try Seasonal Reality Series
If a good seasonal movie isn’t your thing, you can curl up with a tasty hot beverage and a fun Christmas reality series.
Reality cooking shows are quite popular this time of year. One of the year’s most anticipated Christmas series features celebrity chef Gordon Ramsay (and daughter Tilly). MasterChef Junior: Home for the Holidays airs on FOX.
Cooking fans can also try series like Superchef Grudge Match, Netflix‘s Is It Cake?, and the Holiday Baking Championship.
Another great seasonal series to watch with your children (or alone if you’re a LEGO nerd) is the imaginative LEGO Masters: Celebrity Holiday Bricktacular.
Prefer a show with more not-so-good-natured competition for the cool season? Try Big Brother Reindeer Games, starting December 11.
Grab a Good Christmas Book
A lack of things to watch on TV is the perfect time to put your nose in a book.
There are many Christmas-themed books to read, whether you want a classic story or a new adventure.
One of my favorite things to do as a TV fanatic is to read books that have been — or will be — adapted to TV. It might surprise you how many exist.
Harry Potter is a popular example of a book series that successfully turned into a film franchise.
The Potter ‘verse is so successful it has inspired a new series called Wizards of Baking, featuring the Phelps brothers (the Weasley twins), coming to Max in 2026.
You can also dive into the world of Dickens with A Christmas Carol.
After you’ve read the classic storybook, you can check out the numerous film adaptations, including the comedic musical Spirited, starring Ryan Reynolds (Deadpool) and Ebenezer Scrooge.
How the Grinch Stole Christmas is a beloved story to share with the family for the Christmas holiday. Not only is the Dr. Seuss book perfect for young minds to practice their reading skills, but the film adaptations are some of the best in the biz.
Get Creative with Christmas Crafts
The Christmas holiday means that children will be home, dying of boredom and eating everything under your roof.
Crafts are great for keeping your kids occupied, reducing screentime (for your kids), and saving you money on holiday decorations. You can present your children’s artwork around the house without breaking child labor laws.
Crafting is a great way to spend quality time with your kids, and you’ll end up with some adorable keepsakes to treasure for years to come.
The easiest and most affordable Christmas crafts for your kids include popcorn garlands, construction paper ring garlands, cookie-cutter salt ornaments, clothespin snowflakes, and cardstock ornaments.
It may seem like we have a long wait until the return of our normal TV schedule, but these fun tips can make the wait less excruciating.
What do you like doing with your time to prepare for the festive season? Do you have a favorite holiday movie or tradition you enjoy? Is there a favorite dessert or craft you create every year that makes it feel like the holiday?
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