Let’s start 2022 with Cobra Kai, The Lost Daughter, and a Harry Potter reunion

Here’s what’s happening in the world of television for Thursday, December 30, Friday, December 31, and Saturday, January 1. All times are Eastern.

Top picks

The Lost Daughter (Netflix, Friday, 3:01 a.m.): “Actor Maggie Gyllenhaal makes her feature filmmaking debut (as a writer, director, and co-producer) with a movie that doesn’t shy away from the beguiling ambiguities of Elena Ferrante’s fiction. This is the story of a brilliant academic who has spent much of her adult life pursuing the very reasonable desire to have some time alone with her thoughts—which is something that kids, needy lovers, demanding bosses, and obnoxious tourists make extremely difficult.” Read Katie Rife’s full review of the film here. Olivia Colman, Dakota Johnson, Jessie Buckley lead the cast.

Cobra Kai (Netflix, Friday, 3:01 a.m.): “The fourth season of The Karate Kid spin-off delivers 10 new episodes that will surely please those who’ve watched the first three seasons, the formula relaxing enough to enjoy itself. It nicely continues the journeys of our favorite (and only) Valley karate fanatics, delivering fun along with impressively high kicks, moments of true emotion, and just enough stunted development to keep it all spinning.” Here’s the full review by Cristina Escobar.

Regular coverage

And Just Like That… (HBO Max, Thursday, 3:01 a.m.)
Doctor Who (BBC America, Saturday, 2 p.m.)

Wild cards

Return To Hogwarts (HBO Max, Saturday, 3:01 a.m.): To celebrate the 20-year anniversary of Harry Potter, HBO Max is doing what it clearly does best—staging a long-overdue, definitely expensive reunion. The film’s cast—including the central trio of Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson, and Rupert Grint—reunite for this special to reminisce. The retrospective will feature interviews with the cast and others involved in the making of the movies.

Queer Eye (Netflix, Friday, 3:01 a.m.): Get your tissues ready because the Queer Eye crew is finally back for long-delayed-due-to-pandemic season six. Karamo Brown, Bobby Berk, Tan France, Antoni Porowski, and Jonathan Van Ness, a.k.a. the Fab Five, are taking over Texas to change the lives of their new clients, who range from a rodeo cowboy (obviously) to a transgender bodybuilder.

Stay Close (Netflix, Friday, 3:01 a.m.): Based on Harlan Coben’s 2012 novel, this British crime drama follows Megan (Cush Jumbo), a working mother of three; Ray (Richard Armitage), a once-promising documentary photographer; Broome (James Nesbitt), a detective unable to let go of a missing person’s cold case; and Lorraine (Sarah Parish), an old friend of Megan’s. As the past comes back to haunt them, their dark secrets get exposed, threatening to ruin lives.

Gary Owen: Black Famous (Showtime, Friday, 9 p.m.): In his fifth hourlong stand-up comedy special for Showtime, comedian Gary Owen hilariously embraces his new life as a divorcé following a very public and messy end to his marriage. Unable to diffuse rumors until now, Owen airs some of his dirty laundry while sharing real-life stories.

Hilda And The Mountain King (Netflix, Thursday, 3:01 a.m.): This animated adventure movie is based on Luke Pearson’s Hilda graphic novel series, and is a continuation of the TV show. Bella Ramsay returns to voice Hilda, who has turned into a troll after switching places with Baba. In the film, she goes on an adventure to find a way to turn human again as her mother, Johanna (Daisy Haggard) searches for her.