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When the list of new releases on Netflix comes out every month, it sometimes feels like the leading streamer has opened up a firehose of content of all types: scripted, unscripted, international, and more. With everyone’s limited time, it’s hard to figure out which shows you want to sit down and binge.
The crew at Decider know how tough it is to figure what to watch… and we do this for a living. So let us be your guide. Below are quick previews of what we think the ten hottest, most intriguing series to debut on the service in January 2021 will be. They aren’t all Netflix Originals (though most are because of that firehose); just shows we know people will want to watch. Which shows will make it into the Netflix Top 10? Only time will tell!
'Cobra Kai' Season 3
PREMIERE DATE: January 1
CAST: Ralph Macchio, William Zabka, Xolo Maridueña, Mary Mouser, Martin Kove, Peyton List, Tanner Buchanan
RATING: TV-14
DESCRIPTION: Season 3 of the hit Karate Kid sequel series — the first new season since the series moved from YouTube to Netflix — deals with the aftermath of the high school karate brawl at the end of Season 2, which left Miguel (Maridueña) in a coma. Johnny Lawrence (Zabka) is wracked with guilt, and business is on the rocks for Danny LaRusso (Macchio) in the days that follow, and John Kreese (Kove) is now in charge of the Cobra Kai dojo. Johnny’s son Robby (Buchanan) is AWOL. So, will Danny and Johnny team up to find Robby and defeat their common enemy?
'History Of Swear Words'
PREMIERE DATE: January 5
CAST: Nicolas Cage
RATING: TV-MA
DESCRIPTION: Nic Cage and his new toupee host a comedic look at the history behind various swear words. The first season has a history of the words Fuck, Shit, Bitch, Dick, Pussy and Damn. Various historians and comedians wax funny on how each word came to mean what it meant and how they became swear words. If George Carlin were still around, he’d shed a tear at how far those “seven dirty words” have come.
'Surviving Death'
PREMIERE DATE: January 6
CAST: N/A
RATING: TV-MA
DESCRIPTION: Director Ricki Stern takes a look at people who have gone through near-death experiences, as well as exploring research into phenomena like reincarnation in this new docuseries, based on a book by Leslie Kean. What does it mean to die, and what, if anything, exists on the other side? These are questions as old as humanity, and Stern tries to find out what people who have experienced death and near-death have to say about it, as well as those who claim to communicate with the hereafter.
'Pretend It's A City'
PREMIERE DATE: January 8
CAST: Fran Lebowitz, Martin Scorsese
RATING: TV-MA
DESCRIPTION: Essayist Fran Lebowitz has lived in New York City her whole life — and complained about it for nearly as long. In this docuseries, directed by Martin Scorsese, Lebowitz takes us around her city and, in discussions with her friend Marty, talks about why she’s the only one who ever made a good real-estate decision, and why she thinks people who live in a challenging city can never seem to get enough action in their lives.
'Night Stalker: Hunt For A Serial Killer'
PREMIERE DATE: January 13
CAST: N/A
RATING: TV-MA
DESCRIPTION: Tiller Russell directs this four-part docuseries about the hunt for Richard Ramirez, aka “The Night Stalker,” who terrorized Los Angeles from 1984-85. The true crime docuseries will tell the tale of Ramirez’ murders and how two detectives, Gil Carrillo and Frank Salerno, doggedly pursued him.
Stream Night Stalker: The Hunt For A Serial Killer On Netflix
'Bling Empire'
PREMIERE DATE: January 15
CAST: N/A
RATING: TV-MA
DESCRIPTION: Bling Empire is a docusoap about the super-wealthy Asian and Asian-American families in and around Los Angeles. Think: Exclusive parties, designer duds, fast cars, and interpersonal strife. Think House of Ho, except the people in this show are even wealthier. Yep, that’s what we thought.
'Disenchantment' Part 3
PREMIERE DATE: January 15
CAST: Abbi Jacobson, Nat Faxon, Eric Andre, John DiMaggio, Tress MacNeille, Billy West, Matt Berry, David Herman, Maurice LaMarche
RATING: TV-14
DESCRIPTION: In Part 3 of Matt Groening’s series about reluctant Princess Bean (Jacobson), she and her demon Luci (Andre), along with her buddy Elfo (Faxon), find themselves trapped in a strange world underground. In the meantime, her father, King Zøg (DiMaggio) has to wiggle his way out of a sticky situation. May a lot of self-referential humor ensue.
'Blown Away' Season 2
PREMIERE DATE: January 22
CAST: Nick Uhas, Katherine Gray
RATING: TV-PG
DESCRIPTION: A new season of Netflix’s surprisingly popular blown-glass competition finds host Nick Uhas and evaluator Katherine Gray evaluating the glass sculptures and other works of 10 artisans. During each challenge, which often takes days because of how the glass needs to cool and be worked on, lots of tension surrounds whether the artisans will achieve their vision or break something at a very in opportune time. One thing is for certain: They’ll all look hot doing it (literally hot… like sweaty hot).
'Fate: The Winx Saga'
PREMIERE DATE: January 22
CAST: Abigail Cowen , Danny Griffin, Hannah van der Westhuysen, Elisha Applebaum, Freddie Thorp, Precious Mustapha, Sadie Soverall, Eliot Salt
RATING: TV-MA
DESCRIPTION: If you were a fan of Iginio Straffi’s Nickelodeon cartoon series Winx Club as a kid, then you may be into this more intense, YA-oriented live-action series based on those cartoons. Five fairies attend an Otherworld boarding school called Alfea, where they learn to harness their powers, while battling monsters and their own teenage horniness. Brian Young (The Vampire Diaries) created the series.
'We Are: The Brooklyn Saints'
PREMIERE DATE: January 29
CAST: N/A
RATING: TV-14
DESCRIPTION: Directed by Danny Valez, this four-part docuseries takes an inside look at the Brooklyn Saints, a youth football program for 9-13 year-olds. The series will have intimate scenes of not only the football part of the program, but the community that has built around it, supporting not only the kids that participate in the program, but the parents and coaches, as well.
