Winter watch list: ‘Stranger Things,’ ‘The Pitt’ and other highly anticipated TV shows

From the beginning of the end to the start of new beginnings, this holiday TV season is a gift-wrapped smorgasbord of returning (and concluding!) favorites and hyped anew entries. There’s a little something for everyone, from the finale of one of Netflix’s most popular shows to fantasy adventures to a series about a hilarious group of women of a certain age creating a rock band.

Here are nine shows to add to your winter watch list (premiere dates are subject to change).

Stranger Things

Almost a decade since its premiere, Netflix’s acclaimed “Stranger Things” is coming to a close — or, at least it’s starting to. The fifth and final season of the horror/sci-fi/fantasy/coming-of-age series will be split into three parts, with Part 1 releasing this week, Part 2 on Christmas and the finale on New Year’s Eve.

Netflix, Nov. 26, Dec. 25 and 31

The Abandons

Set in the 1850s, this Western drama set in Oregon focuses on the trials and tribulations of Fiona (Lena Headey) and her adopted family as they struggle to keep their home out of the hands of Gillian Anderson’s Constance Van Ness. The theme is simple: Family is more than blood, and family protects family — no matter what.

Netflix, Dec. 4

Spartacus: House of Ashur

Did anyone else not have a “Spartacus” prequel on their 2025 TV bingo card? But here we are, a dozen years since the finale of Season 3. “House of Ashur” tells an alternative story in which Ashur (Nick E. Tarabay) isn’t killed at the end of Season 2 and instead his treachery is rewarded.

Starz, Dec. 5

Percy Jackson and the Olympians

The first season of “Percy Jackson” was a charming, enjoyable adaptation of the popular YA series, filled with solid action sequences and heartfelt dialogue. In Season 2, Camp Half-Blood is under threat, and Percy and Co. must embark on a dangerous mission to find a legendary item that can save the day — if the journey doesn’t kill them first.

Disney+, Dec. 10

Fallout

Most video game adaptations are, well … the less said, the better. Not so with the phenomenal “Fallout,” a postapocalyptic adventure that impressed both newcomers and fans of the highly regarded game franchise. In its sophomore outing, Lucy (Ella Purnell) and Cooper (a scene-stealing Walton Goggins) travel to New Vegas to learn the truth about Lucy’s father (Kyle MacLachlan). Oh, and maybe a war is coming?

Prime Video, Dec. 17

The Copenhagen Test

The always excellent Simu Liu stars in this new espionage thriller in which his character, a U.S. intelligence analyst, realizes his brain has been hacked. How, exactly, is still a mystery, but we do know that said hacking has put him in grave danger as his allegiance is called into question.

Peacock, Dec. 27

The Pitt

Deeply engrossing thanks to its attention to realism and its stellar cast (led by Noah Wyle), the award-winning series follows the staff of an emergency room during the course of a 15-hour shift. In Season 2, it’s a new day in the Pitt, which means more emergencies, more trauma and more blood — so much more blood.

HBO Max, Jan. 8

Riot Women

In this British series, five women “of a certain age,” as they say in the show, come together to form a rock band. Created by Sally Wainwright, “Riot Women” is an examination of how society treats women in midlife, how they don’t have to be silent about it and finding themselves along the way.

BritBox, Jan. 14

Star Trek: Starfleet Academy

The latest in the long-running “Star Trek” franchise follows the first new class of Starfleet cadets in more than a century. The coming-of-age drama promises all the sci-fi action you’d expect from a “Star Trek” series, along with the sense of optimism and hope the franchise has long been known for.

Paramount+, Jan. 15