What to stream during the holidays on Showmax
The holiday season is nearly here, and with it comes the perfect excuse to slow down, relax, and indulge in some quality screen time. Whether you’re curled up on the couch with family, hosting friends for a festive binge‑watch, or simply enjoying a quiet evening to yourself, Showmax has curated an irresistible lineup of shows guaranteed to keep everyone entertained, and this year, the streaming platform is pulling out all the stops.
THE CHAIR COMPANY S1
First on Showmax | Binge from Monday, 1 December
After an embarrassing incident at work, William Ronald Trosper finds himself investigating a far-reaching conspiracy.
Triple Emmy winner Tim Robinson (I Think You Should Leave With Tim Robinson) co-creates and stars as Trosper.
The HBO comedy is at #3 on Rotten Tomatoes’ list of the Best Shows of 2025, with a perfect 100% critics rating. The Guardian describes it as “an office rage comedy packed with massive, stupid laughs,” The New York Times as “absurdly funny“, The Hollywood Reporter as “delightfully unhinged“; TV Guide as “the funniest show of the year“; and Decider as “an absolute triumph.”
HBO has already ordered a second season, after The Chair Company became HBO’s top freshman comedy in platform history, with the season averaging 3.3 million U.S. cross-platform viewers and growing.
Watch the trailer, which has over 1.2 million views.
NOVOCAINE
M-Net (DStv 101) | 20:00 on Sunday, 30 November
Stream from Monday, 1 December on Showmax
Meet Nathan Caine. He feels no pain.
When the girl of his dreams is kidnapped, everyman Nate turns his inability to feel pain into an unexpected strength in his fight to get her back.
As Nate, Jack Quaid (Hughie in The Boys) was nominated for a Critics’ Choice Super Award for Best Actor in an Action Movie. Critics’ Choice Super nominee Amber Midthunder (Prey) co-stars as his love interest.
A #1 box office hit in the US, Novocaine has an 81% critics rating on Rotten Tomatoes, where the consensus says the film gets “an adrenaline shot from Jack Quaid and Amber Midthunder’s considerable charm while finding increasingly demented ways to utilise its concept.”
Novocaine was shot in South Africa with Blue Ice Africa. Look out for local stars like Evan Hengst. Watch the trailer, which has over 12 million views.
LIFE WITH FELIX S1
Binge from Monday, 1 December on Showmax
Get an inside look at the life of Durban-based radio presenter and comedian Felix Hlophe in the Mzansi Magic reality series Life with Felix.
Known for his bold personality and headline-making moments, Felix opens up like never before, sharing his personal journey, behind-the-scenes drama, and everyday experiences in this unfiltered and entertaining show.
The Gagasi FM breakfast show host was nominated as Best Local Radio Personality in the Best of Durban Readers’ Choice Awards 2025.
Watch the trailer.
ITHONGA
Binge first 10 episodes from Monday, 1 December on Showmax
SAFTA winner Bonko Khoza (The Wife, Red Ink) was nominated as Best Actor in a TV Series at the 2025 National Film and Television Awards as twin brothers Banele and Sanele in iThonga. Despite walking two completely different paths – one in the light, the other in the shadows – the twins share a mystical and unshakable bond.
Set in the world of KZN construction mafias, the Mzansi Magic daily drama is produced by Tshedza Pictures, the powerhouse behind Showmax record holders Youngins and Adulting, 2024 SAFTA Best Telenovela winner Outlaws, and the International Emmy nominee The River.
Nelisiwe Sibiya (Nompendulo on Umkhokha: The Curse) was up for Best Actress in a TV Series at the 2025 National Film and Television Awards for iThonga, which was also up for Best Scripted Series.
Watch the trailer.
TIFFANY HADDISH GOES OFF
First on Showmax | Thursdays from 4 December
Tiffany Haddish Goes Off is a six-part docuseries following superstar Tiffany Haddish and her three closest childhood girlfriends as they travel together on a four-week-long adventure exploring Africa and their connection to the continent.
“Tiffany Haddish Goes Off works not only because it allows Haddish to show up in her full humanity, but also, despite some squabbles and disagreements among the friends, because audiences can feel the love in the group,” says Variety. “The series is what The Real Housewives might be if the cast were actually friends.”
Travel highlights include Cape Town, Victoria Falls and Zanzibar.
Watch the trailer.
MASINGA – THE CALLING
Showmax Original | Stream from Friday, 5 December
Masinga – The Calling explores an exiled detective’s return to his homeland, where he is forced to confront the demons of his youth and the trauma of the ritual murder of his young albino brother, while rescuing an Asian girl from a similar fate.
In the title role, SAFTA winner Hakeem Kae-Kazeem (Pirates of the Caribbean, Hotel Rwanda) leads a star-studded cast that includes Shamilla Miller (The Umbrella Men, Devil’s Peak) as his rookie partner, plus SAFTA winners Abdul Khoza (The Wife), Fana Mokoena (World War Z, The Lab), Warren Masemola (The Republic, Tjovitjo), and Brandon Auret (Elysium, District 9, Rebel Moon), as well as Sean Cameron Michael (Black Sails, Die Byl) and Mbuso Khoza, who took home Best Supporting Actor at the 2025 Simon Mabhunu Sabela Awards.
Filmed in KwaZulu-Natal and London, Masinga – The Calling won Best Director and Best Screenplay for Mark Engels at both the 2025 Simon Mabhunu Sabela Awards in Durban and the Palermo Independent International Film Festival in Italy. The gripping crime thriller also won Best Produced Feature Film Screenplay at the Writers’ Guild of South Africa Muse Awards for Engels and co-writer Vicki Bawcombe.
News24’s Joel Ontong says: “Masinga – The Calling packs a powerful punch… The pacing is airtight, resulting in an instantly enthralling experience.”
Watch the trailer.
MARC MARON: PANICKED
First on Showmax | Stream from Friday, 5 December
In his second HBO special, comedian and podcaster Marc Maron offers up his nuanced perspective on our increasingly uncertain world.
Nina Rosenstein, Executive Vice President, HBO Programming, Late Night and Specials, says:
“Marc is one of the all-time greats. His standup has a way of making you laugh while also cutting right to the bone — he’s funny, raw, and entirely one of a kind.”
WTF with Marc Maron attracts over 50 million listeners every year, with over 1,600 episodes to date. Maron was nominated for a Critics’ Choice and Screen Actors Guild award for his role in GLOW and was up for a Writers Guild of America for his previous comedy special, From Bleak To Dark, which is also on Showmax.
Watch the trailer.
GREAT PHOTO, LOVELY LIFE
Stream from Friday, 5 December on Showmax
In Great Photo, Lovely Life, renowned photojournalist Amanda Mustard returns home to Pennsylvania to investigate the multiple sexual abuse crimes committed by her grandfather.
Nominated for Best Documentary at last year’s News and Documentary Emmy Awards, Great Photo, Lovely Life was also up for Best TV Feature from the International Documentary Association and for Outstanding Achievement in Broadcast Film at the 2025 Cinema Eye Honours Awards, among other honours.
The HBO documentary has a 100% critics’ rating on Rotten Tomatoes. Collider says,
“To make such a deeply personal and often unflinching work about the abuse committed by a family member is no easy undertaking, though this devastating documentary does so with the necessary care for its subjects while still asking the essential questions.”
Watch the trailer.
HOW TO MANIFEST A MAN S2
Binge from Monday, 8 December on Showmax
After a public humiliation, Dudu is on a mission to reclaim her once-perfect life. She pretends to have moved on while secretly using dark manifestation to manipulate everyone around her.
Two-time African Movie Academy Award nominee Enhle Mbali Mlotshwa stars as Dudu, opposite former Men’s Health cover star Mnqobi Kunene (Geja in Uzalo) as Simz.
The first season was nominated for a SAFTA for Rochelle Selling’s costume design.
Watch the trailer.
WATSON S1
Binge from Wednesday, 10 December on Showmax
Watson brings one of history’s greatest detectives into the modern day to turn his attention from solving crimes to solving medical mysteries.
Morris Chestnut (Lance in The Best Man franchise) stars as Dr John Watson, who returns to work as the head of a clinic treating rare disorders following the death of his friend Sherlock Holmes. But Watson’s old life isn’t done with him yet: Moriarty and Watson are set to write their own chapter of a story that has fascinated audiences for more than a century.
Created by showrunner Craig Sweeny (Elementary), the medical drama’s already been renewed for a second season.
Watch the trailer, which has over eight million views.
LOCKERBIE: A SEARCH FOR TRUTH
Binge from Thursday, 11 December on Showmax
Based on real events, Lockerbie: A Search For Truth stars Oscar winner Colin Firth (The King’s Speech, Love Actually) as a grieving father seeking justice in the aftermath of one of the worst airline disasters in history.
In the wake of a terror attack that killed 259 passengers and crew, Dr Jim Swire (Firth) is nominated spokesperson for the UK victims’ families. His quest for answers will jeopardise his stability, his family and his life – and completely overturn his trust in the justice system.
Named Best Scripted Television at the 2025 BAFTA Awards in Scotland, Lockerbie: A Search For Truth was hailed as “meticulously researched and sensitively told… superb” by Daily Mail in their five-star review.
Watch the trailer, which has over one million views.
Also look out for Lockerbie, named Best Factual Series at the 2024 BAFTA Awards and available to stream from Monday, 22 December on Showmax.
DÌDI
Stream from Thursday, 11 December on Showmax
In 2008, during the last month of summer before high school begins, an impressionable 13-year-old Taiwanese American boy learns what his family can’t teach him: how to skate, how to flirt, and how to love your mom.
Dìdi won 21 awards internationally, including the Film Independent Spirit prizes for Best First Feature and Best First Screenplay, as well as the US Dramatic Audience Award and Special Jury award for its ensemble cast at Sundance. Izaac Wang was up for the 2025 Critics’ Choice Award for Best Young Actor/Actress.
Dìdi has a 95% critics rating on Rotten Tomatoes. As The Spectator says, “It’s an absolute joy. It’s funny, moving, authentic and takes you right back to being 13. (Agh!).”
Watch the trailer, which has over six million views.
MARRIED TO MEDICINE: ATLANTA S12
First on Showmax | Thursdays from 11 December
Married to Medicine showcases the fast-paced and drama-filled lives of six of Atlanta’s most dynamic and successful women, including doctors and wives of doctors, as they juggle bustling careers, family, and social calendars.
Returning this season are Dr Jackie Walters, Dr Simone Whitmore, Dr Contessa Metcalfe, Toya Bush Harris, Quad Webb and Dr Mimi Sanders.
Dr Heavenly Kimes has her sights set on running for office, so returns as a friend this season, joining newcomers Angel Love Davis and Brandi Milton, who are both nurses.
Watch the trailer.
HELDERBERG
Binge from Friday, 12 December on Showmax
Just after midnight on 28 November 1987, Mauritian air traffic control lost contact with South African Airways Flight SA 295, shortly after it had started its approach to the island’s Plaisance Airport, en route from Taipei to Johannesburg. After being unable to reach the plane again, an emergency was declared – but South Africa’s worst-ever commercial aviation disaster had already taken place.
Almost four decades later, mystery still surrounds the exact cause of the fire that saw the Boeing 747, named Helderberg, crash into the Indian Ocean and claim the lives of all 159 passengers and crew aboard. Was it simply an accident – or an act of treachery?
Helderberg is produced by Relish Media and local true-crime pioneers IdeaCandy, the production company behind award winners like Steinheist and Devilsdorp and record-breakers like Tracking Thabo Bester and Rosemary’s Hitlist.
Writing in Daily Maverick, Noelle Adams hailed Helderberg as “a must-watch… slickly made and visually dynamic.”
Watch the trailer.
CALEB HEARON: MODEL COMEDIAN
First on Showmax | Stream from Friday, 12 December
So True with Caleb Hearon has topped the podcast charts weekly since its launch in February 2024, with over 43 million views on YouTube and a 2025 iHeartPodcast Award nomination for Best Emerging Podcast.
In his debut stand-up special, Hearon unpacks life’s most absurd contradictions with his signature charm and razor-sharp wit. Taking us back to his roots in Kansas City, the newly 30-year-old deploys his generational Midwestern wisdom to solve most of the world’s problems: politics, internet trolls, learning we’re not that different from our parents, and more.
Named one of Variety’s “Top Comics to Watch“, Hearon was included in The Washington Post’s “Next 50” list that profiles 50 individuals set to shape society in 2025. He was also hailed by Vulture as a “comedian you should and will know“.
Watch the trailer.
THE NIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS IN WONDERLAND
Stream from Sunday, 14 December on Showmax
The Queen of Hearts has outlawed Christmas because she didn’t receive the gift she asked for. Years later, Father Christmas finally unearths her lost letter and travels to the whimsical world of Wonderland. With the help of curious young Alice, can Christmas be saved?
Gerard Butler (300) voices St Nick, with Emilia Clarke (Game of Thrones) as the Queen of Hearts.
In their five-star review, Common Sense Media recommends the animated movie for ages 5+. As they say, “Delightful and inventive, this Christmas animation is an enchanting throwback in both style and story… Full of heart and plenty of ho-ho-ho moments.. this is a don’t-miss holiday event.”
Watch the trailer.
DIE KWIKSILVERS
M-Net (DStv Channel 101) | 20:00 on Sunday, 14 December
Stream from Monday, 15 December on Showmax
80-something widow Elsabe road trips across the Karoo with three elderly friends to experience a meteor shower in Sutherland. They have only three days to get there – and her overprotective son is hot on their tail.
Screen legend Lida Botha (Die Kantoor) stars as Elsabe, with Silwerskerm winner Jacques Bessenger (Koek, Donkerbos) as her son. SAFTA winner June van Merch, Susanne Beyers and Theresa Sedras co-star.
Directed by rising star Jordy Sank through Sanktuary Films, the kykNET movie set a then-record for the most successful local box office performance by an Afrikaans film since the COVID pandemic and won several awards, including the Audience Prize at Silwerskerm.
Watch the trailer.
DIEPE WATERS S3
Tuesdays from 16 December on Showmax
Diepe Waters follows the Swarts family, owners of the Swartmarlyne swimming club, as they train Olympic hopefuls.
At this year’s Silwerskerm Awards, Justin Strydom took home Best Actor in a Telenovela or Soap as Gys Swarts, with Nadia Valvekens winning Best Actress as Sanet. And at this year’s MIPAfrica Inclusive Lens Awards, the show received the Recognition of Disability Award for its inclusion of Lucas (Caleb Swanepoel), a differently abled swimmer who competes alongside able-bodied athletes.
Produced by multi-International Emmy nominees Penguin Films (Home Affairs, Sokhulu & Partners), Diepe Waters was also up for Best Afrikaans TV series at the 2025 National Film and TV Awards South Africa, among other accolades.
Watch the trailer.
MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE – THE FINAL RECKONING
First on Showmax | Stream from Wednesday, 17 December
In Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning, four-time Oscar nominee Tom Cruise is back as agent Ethan Hunt. This time, he’s pursuing a dangerous AI that’s infiltrated global intelligence.
The ninth biggest movie of 2025 so far, The Final Reckoning won Best Action Movie and Best Actor: Action at the 2025 Critics’ Choice Super Awards, thanks in no small part to a Guinness World Record-setting burning parachute jump sequence (performed by Cruise himself, of course) filmed in the Drakensberg.
The star-studded support cast includes Angela Bassett, Hannah Waddingham, Hayley Atwell, Nick Offerman, Pom Klementieff, Shae Whigham, Simon Pegg and Ving Rhames.
The Final Reckoning has an 80% critics rating on Rotten Tomatoes, with The New York Times hailing it as “blockbuster entertainment at its most highly polished.” Mission accomplished, then.
Watch the trailer, which has over 27 million views.
You can now binge all seven previous Mission: Impossible films in the franchise on Showmax too.
HAPPY’S PLACE S1
Binge from Wednesday, 17 December on Showmax
Bobbie is a tough but lovable woman who inherits her late father’s Tennessee tavern – only to discover that her new co-owner is also the half-sister she never knew she had!
They couldn’t be more different, but they’ll navigate this new life together … because at Happy’s Place, everyone is family.
Three-time Grammy winner Reba McEntire was nominated for a 2025 Kids’ Choice Award in the heartfelt sitcom.
Watch the trailer.
THE KING OF KINGS
Stream from Sunday, 21 December on Showmax
A father tells his son the greatest story ever told. What begins as a bedtime tale becomes a life-changing journey. Through vivid imagination, the boy walks alongside Jesus, witnessing His miracles, facing His trials, and understanding His ultimate sacrifice. The King of Kings invites us to rediscover the enduring power of hope, love, and redemption through the eyes of a child.
Emmy nominee Oscar Isaac (Poe Dameron in Star Wars) voices Jesus. Also listen out for Oscar winners Ben Kingsley, Forest Whitaker, and Kenneth Branagh, not to mention Mark Hamill (aka Luke Skywalker in Star Wars), Pierce Brosnan (aka James Bond), and Uma Thurman (The Bride in Kill Bill).
Among other accolades, The King of Kings was named Feature Film of the Year at the 2025 Gospel Music Association’s Dove Awards as well as the 2025 Korea Animation Awards. It opened at #2 at the US box office, with the best opening weekend of all time for a biblical animation.
Watch the trailer, which has over seven million views.
DEAR SANTA
M-Net (DStv Channel 101) | 20:00 on Sunday, 21 December
Stream on Showmax from Monday, 22 December
When a young boy mails his Christmas wish list to Santa with one crucial spelling error, a devilish Jack Black arrives to wreak havoc on the holidays.
From the Farrelly brothers, the Oscar-winning minds behind Dumb & Dumber, Dear Santa also features Emmy winner Keegan-Michael Key (Key & Peele), Brianne Howey (Georgia in Ginnie & Georgia) and 18-time Grammy nominee Post Malone.
Watch the trailer.
WIZKID: LONG LIVE LAGOS
First on Showmax | Stream on Friday, 26 December
Following Wizkid from Lagos to Tottenham Stadium in London, this documentary follows the Grammy-winning Nigerian musician’s rise as a global icon reshaping how Africa is seen – and heard – around the world.
Wizkid: Long Live Lagos premiered at the 2025 Tribeca Festival, with Variety hailing it as “entertaining and propulsive”.
Six-time Grammy nominee Femi Anikulapo Kuti also features.
Watch the trailer.
STAR TREK: STRANGE NEW WORLDS S3
First on Showmax | Binge from Wednesday, 31 December
Star Trek: Strange New Worlds follows Captain Christopher Pike, Science Officer Spock and Number One in the years before Captain Kirk boarded the USS Enterprise, as they explore new worlds around the galaxy.
Anson Mount and Celia Rose Gooding were nominated for Best Actor and Actress at last year’s Critics’ Choice Super Awards, while previous seasons have been up for both Best Drama Series at the Critics’ Choice Awards and Best Science Fiction/Fantasy Series at the Critics’ Choice Super Awards.
As Daily Telegraph says, “It has everything the discerning Trekkie could want.”
Paramount+ has already renewed the hit series for a fourth season.
Watch the trailer, which has over 4m views.
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