‘Greatest show ever’ back on Netflix – plus 5 other series returning this November

Despite what Mariah Carey might be telling you today, it’s not quite Christmas yet. So while we wait for the festive telly to come rolling in, here’s a look at some of the best TV shows returning this November.

Our first shout-out has been a long time coming. Since the last episode aired, Millie Bobby Brown has tied the knot and adopted a child, despite playing one in the show.

But after a long break, the Duffer brothers are back and have delivered us with the final season of Stranger Things.

It’s three volumes, and the runtimes are lengthy. 

When Ross Duffer posted the ‘ACTUAL runtimes’ on Instagram, fans again started discussing whether the episode lengths are in fact too long. 

Can you have too much of a good thing? 

We’ve also picked other shows (some with slightly shorter runtimes) that you can get your teeth into this November. 

From the Upside Down to the Orange County, here are seven returning shows you won’t want to miss…

Stranger Things

Stranger Things season five will return to Netflix for volume one on November 27 in the UK and Ireland. The initial four episodes will pick up in the fall of 1987, a year after the events of season four. 

Volume two will arrive on Boxing Day and brings with it another three episodes, while volume three will debut on New Year’s Day with one final episode to conclude it all. 

This series is expected to answer remaining questions about the Upside Down and follow the gang as they try to defeat Vecna, in the hope that they’ll ‘end this once and for all’.

In the official trailer, Will, played by Noah Schnapp, can be seen rallying his friends.

The video, which dropped yesterday, sent shivers down the spines of those who watched it. Excitement is building online for the highly anticipated finale of one of Netflix’s biggest ever shows. 

With the final season reportedly costing $460million (£348million) to make, according to Puck News, some viewers are expecting a lot. 

Nastia_dream said on Reddit: ‘Those episodes gotta be long and good if they spent so much money on this season.’

65fairmont seemed hopeful: ‘The production value for [season] 5 looks like they’ll be next level.’

And TelephoneCertain5344 commented: ‘Just one of the shows following in the footsteps of Game of Thrones in bringing the blockbuster to TV.’ 

The previous seasons have received praise from Google reviewers, such as Joshua Amster, who called it ‘the greatest show ever’. Let’s see if it can finish that way.

Watch Stranger Things season five from November 27 on Netflix.

Squid Game: The Challenge

Also returning this month is the second season reality show inspired by the South Korean thriller series Squid Game – Squid Game: The Challenge.

The reality competition puts nearly 500 contestants through gruelling tests for the chance of winning $4.56m (£3.45m). 

Contestants will return to the huge dorm, modelled on the original series, where they’ll play high-stakes games to try and win the big cash prize.

Some users on X are looking forward to the release. @shebot said: ‘I love the challenge one. Probably more than the series. Can’t wait.’

@PromptSin is excited for the return: ‘Seeing the marbles and ladder of trust brings that thrilling anticipation right back.’ 

While @SonicDAO2 said: ‘Excited to see the hype continue!’

Squid Game: The Challenge returns on November 4 on Netflix.

A Man on the Inside

This quirky comedy, which scored 96% on Rotten Tomatoes the first time around, is back for season two.

In season one, Ted Danson plays a fake resident at a care home (a man on the inside), on a mission to help a private detective discover who stole a family’s heirloom. His mission: to live in the retirement community and spy on residents and staff.

The show is remarkably based on true events. An Oscar-nominated documentary about the real story was made in 2020 and is called The Mole Agent.

Season two will see retiree Charles (played by Danson) go undercover on campus with a brand new case. 

New cast members include Mary Steenburgen, who is Danson’s real-life wife. 

She’ll star alongside her husband in this ‘fantastically relatable production’. Michael Eaton on Google Reviews said: ‘This series is phenomenal, and an absolute must watch.’ 

Nigel Rudyard also loved the first season, calling it: ‘One of the best things Netflix has commissioned.’

Aaron Norton said: ‘Man on the Inside isn’t just a mystery, it’s a heartwarming exploration of human connection in later life.’ 

A Man On The Inside returns to Netflix on November 20.

Celebrity Race Across the World

It’s the British travel show that’s seen lovers fight, siblings cry, and heart-warming moments between parents and their children. 

Race Across the World is back for its third celebrity season. 

This time around, the pairs will be racing 5,900km across Central America, on strict budgets and no VIP treatment. 

Celebrity Race Across the World will star Roman Kemp and his sister Harleymoon, Anita Rani and her Dad Bal Nazran, Dylan Llewellyn and his Mum Jackie, and Molly Rainford with her fiancé Tyler West.

It’ll start on what promises to be a fantastic night of British television, with The Celebrity Traitors final airing an hour later.

Celebrity Race Across the World comes back to BBC One on November 6. 

Selling the OC

Seemingly, the devil works hard, but the Oppenheim brothers work harder. Season four of the glamorous, drama-filled reality show Selling the OC is back with a bang on Netflix. 

The agents are out to sell some of the biggest houses in the area, and competition is fierce for the high-stakes listings. 

But of course, they’re not just selling houses. Creator of the show, Adam DiVello, told Tudum: ‘A lot has changed in the real lives of those agents since season three, so it’s exciting to get back down there.’

The trailer for the season shows an emotional Tyler Stanaland telling Alex Hall: ‘I will always love you.’ 

Fans on X can’t get enough of The O Group. @monolilium wrote: ‘New season of Selling Sunset AND Selling the OC arriving within weeks of each other, I will be insufferable.’ 

Steph agreed: ‘Selling Sunsets and Selling the OC is back in a few weeks, so I will also not be here.’

And KDH wrote: ‘Selling Sunset and Selling OC a few weeks apart on Netflix is fantastic. Love all the hilarious drama.’

Selling the OC returns November 12 on Netflix. 

Maxton Hall

The German-language series, Maxton Hall, is based on the best-selling series of novels by Mona Kasten, and became a global hit on Amazon Prime Video.

Now it’s back for a second season, meaning viewers will be transported back to the fictional secondary school, following the complicated love story between Ruby and James. 

As a scholarship student, Ruby finds the elite boarding school a difficult environment, and by season two, she’s pining for her old life back. 

Daniele Santos called it ‘simply the best teen romance literary adaptation of all time’ in her Google review.

And Lucy Pinzon agreed that it ‘stands out for its story and its acting’, giving it five stars. 

Maru Aballay wrote: ‘It grips you from start to finish’.

Maxton Hall will be available to watch on Amazon Prime Video from November 7.

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