What to Watch This Week: ‘Squid Game’ S2, Beyoncé’s NFL Half-Time Show, and More

After three long years, Squid Game‘s highly anticipated second season drops this Thursday, the day after Christmas. The dystopian thriller series was a near instant sensation when it first premiered on September 17, 2021, becoming the most-streamed show in 90 countries. Netflix is hoping lightning strikes twice for its sophomore turn, which will consist of seven episodes.

“I never imagined that we’d make a second season,” Lee Jung-jae, who plays Gi-hun, told Netflix at the show’s premiere in Seoul recently. “Developing new stories and writing a full season is a tremendously daunting task, but the script came out unbelievably well.”

When season two premieres, several new cast members will also join the series, which picks up with Player 456 determined to find the people behind the game and put an end to their vicious sport.

However, if you’re looking for something a bit more wholesome this holiday season, then there’s the Kennedy Center Honors (which air on CBS tonight) as well as Christmas staples like Home Alone and It’s a Wonderful Life.

Christmas day, which is also the first night of Hanukkah this year, has several new movies premiering in theaters—including the Bob Dylan biopic, A Complete Unknown, and Nosferatu—but it’s also a big day for the NFL and Beyoncé fans. Netflix will host the first of two NFL games, with game one being the Travis Kelce and the Kansas City Chiefs against the Pittsburgh Steelers, and game two featuring Beyoncé performing during halftime as the Houston Texas host the Baltimore Ravens. Knowing that Taylor Swift will probably show up to support Travis in game one, and then Beyoncé will perform in game two, is probably the best gift a pop culture fan can get.

And if you’re just catching up on all things Virgin River, check out what Benjamin Hollingsworth (Brady) had to say about those cliffhangers at the end of season six (he’s as shocked as you are), plus what showrunner Patrick Sean Smith has to say about where we pick up in season seven.

For everything else this week, including all the details on Squid Game S2 and your NFL and NBA schedule, see below. I’ll see you back here next Sunday, and Merry Christmas and Happy Hanukkah (btw, if you want those Mickey Mouse light-up Hanukkah ears I’m wearing in this week’s Watch This video, you can buy them here) to all those who celebrate!

Sunday, December 22

Happy Howlidays (Hallmark Channel/Hallmark+): Starring Jessica Lowndes (90210) and the recently crowned winner of Finding Mr. Christmas, Ezra Moreland, in his onscreen debut (btw, we were actually on the set—watch that here). Here’s the synopsis for this Hallmark original movie: Mia (Lowndes), a meticulous webpage editor for the Seattle Tourism Board, finds herself unexpectedly navigating the holidays alone. As the only one working, she’s drawn into an unusual encounter when she encounters a stray dog. Unsure how to handle the situation, she crosses paths with Max, a dog shelter owner. Mia agrees to let Max’s ailing dog find solace with her newfound companion, in exchange for Max showing her the hidden gems of Seattle. Through their journey together, they both step out of their comfort zones, discovering new perspectives and forming a meaningful connection.