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Let’s face it – choosing what Christmas TV to watch with your family can be a nightmare.
Making the right selection is crucial for avoiding family arguments, awkward viewing and watching the same old repeats.
I’ve found that if you end up mindlessly browsing channels with no real agenda, you can end up with reruns of Dad’s Army or Blackadder – much to my Dad’s pleasure, but less fun for anyone under 50.
But swing too far the other way by deciding to watch the latest cinematic release, and you could end up with a nail-bitingly awkward Saltburn-esque situation – a memory from 2023 that many families never want to relive.
So let us give you some TV that passes the ‘suitable-to-watch-with-the-in-laws’ test and will appeal to the broad spectrum of people who could be wandering through your living room around Christmas.
Amandaland
If you haven’t already binged Amandaland in one delicious sitting, I’m jealous.
The spin-off series to Motherland has the same brilliant Sharon Horgan behind its creation, along with other writers from the award-winning show, as well as the wonderful Lucy Punch playing the titular character.
However, the location has changed – Amanda, a wannabe socialite and now-divorced Mum-of-two, is no longer residing in the affluent area around Chiswick, West London.
Instead, she’s downsized and moved to the neighbourhood of South Harlesden, which she’s named So-Ha in an attempt to rebrand it.
Dame Joanna Lumley stars as Amanda’s Mum, Felicity, making it an intergenerational giggle for the group.
If you start it now, there’ll be time to watch it all, ready for Christmas Day when the festive special drops ahead of series two coming out in 2026.
What are you waiting for?
Amandaland is available to watch on BBC iPlayer and the Christmas special airs on December 25 at 9.15pm on BBC One.
A Man on the Inside
Talking of intergenerational – A Man on the Inside follows a pensioner on a mission who goes undercover in an retirement home to try and solve a case involving a family’s missing heirloom.
Charles (Ted Danson), recently widowed, enters the home and embarks on an unexpected adventure that stirs more emotion than he first expected.
This gentle but quirky comedy was described as a ‘fantastically relatable production for all ages’ by Michael Eaton on Google.
It has notes of Netflix’s The Thursday Murder Club, based on Richard Osman’s best-selling book, but comes in bite-sized 30-minute episodes.
There are two highly rated seasons to catch up on, with the second instalment seeing Charles continuing his work as a private investigator but on a university campus instead.
A Man on the Inside is available to stream on Netflix.
Film Club
Starring Aimee Lou Wood, Film Club is about a slightly eccentric, movie-loving woman in her twenties whose Friday night viewing parties become the centre of her world.
But what happens when her friends’ lives move on, and everything has the potential to change?
Suranne Jones also stars as the wonderful mum of Evie (Wood), Suz, forming one half of the Northern mother-daughter power duo.
Although it’s set in Manchester, the show transports you to different universes as Evie goes all-out on set and costume to match the chosen film that week.
It’s the perfect series for film buffs wanting an excuse to quote the classics, with a romantic storyline that will have you glued to the TV.
Film Club is available to stream on BBC iPlayer.
Colin from Accounts
Australian rom-com series Colin from Accounts sees an unlikely couple meet in a very unlikely way.
After Ashley (Harriet Dyer) flashes Gordon (Patrick Brammall) while he’s driving, he hits a dog, and the pair are forced to take the injured terrier to the vet.
What was meant to be a playful tease turns into an expensive accident for the dog they decide to name Colin, as in Colin from Accounts.
As the couple navigate life as co-dog parents, they become increasingly close and give dating a go, despite their 12-year age gap, which throws up some problems for the pair.
If a cute dog in a wheelchair isn’t enough to draw you in, the other characters should be.
Lynelle (Helen Thomson) plays Ashley’s drama-obsessed and manic mother, who resembles something similar to Outnumbered’s Aunty Angela in her loveable frustration.
And the chemistry between Ashley and Gordon, who are together in real life, will have you pressing next episode before you can call the dog’s name.
Lucky for you, it’s returning for a third season.
Colin from Accounts is available to stream on BBC iPlayer.
Leonard and Hungry Paul
Looking for a beautifully shot, meandering but poignant series to binge over Christmas? Look no further.
Leonard and Hungry Paul, featuring Derry Girl’s Jamie-Lee O’Donnell and The End of the F***ing World’s Alex Lowther, is a picturesque, feel-good series exploring life in your early thirties.
The kind men it spotlights are a breath of fresh air, who might make you evaluate the pace at which you live your life.
As they get older, they’re forced to consider what really matters to them, and refreshingly, it might not be what matters to everyone else.
The witty script will have you feeling like you’re chuckling alongside friends, and the warm vibe will leave you seeing things in a bit more colour once you’ve finished this heartwarming series.
Leonard and Hungry Paul is available to stream on BBC iPlayer.
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