The Best TV Shows & Movies To Watch In January

Welcome to the new year — a time of renewal, fresh starts, and newness — and this is true of the movie and TV shows hitting screens this month. Things kick off with the 2025 Golden Globes, which are looking back and celebrating the best in film and television from last year. But January’s premieres are also full of reunions that bring us back to a different time. 

Take Paradise, an intriguing political murder-mystery that reunites Sterling K. Brown with his This Is Us creator, or To All The Boys spinoff XO, Kitty which returns for another season of endearing coming-of-age romance (with Noah Centineo back in his role as the Internet’s favorite boyfriend Peter Kavinsky). And twisty sci-fi series Severance is finally back for Season 2, and even though there are no obvious reunions (that we know of) expected, it feels like one for us as viewers because the wait in between seasons has been so long.

So, let’s move forward and discover what else is coming our way on screen this January.

Babygirl

After a holiday period filled wholesome festivities and families coming together, it’s fair to say we’re craving a little spice. Enter Babygirl, a seductive thriller from A24 that will have you wondering whether being on the naughty list is really where the fun is at. 

Romy (Nicole Kidman) is a prominent CEO who has it all — the job, the money, a zaddy hubby (Antonio Banderas), and two kids — but it’s all wrapped by a tightly controlled, repressive package. So when she begins a cat-and-mouse affair with a much younger and most definitely hot intern named Samuel (Harris Dickinson), her position of power and peace at home begins to unravel — all by her choice (or is it?). It’s not often we get to explore the inner consciousness of a powerful woman excited by the idea of not calling the shots, and in a time when we’re constantly doubting whether the dream of having it all is not only attainable but even worth pursuing, Babygirl taps into those anxieties with a steamy story that’ll have you blushing.

Where to watch: Cinemas
When: January 10
Watch if you like: 50 Shades Of Grey, Fatal Attraction

XO, Kitty Season 2

Second seasons are hard — especially when the first season found a big audience and set expectations high. But I’m very pleased to report that in Season 2, To All The Boys spin-off series XO, Kitty doesn’t miss a single step. 

The soft and wholesome romcom follows Lara Jean Song Covey’s idealistic and sometimes meddlesome younger sister Kitty (Anna Cathcart) to Seoul, where she’s attending an international school to learn more about her late mother, chase love, and reconnect with her Korean roots. But by the end of her first semester (and Season 1), Kitty has broken up with her sweet boyfriend, realised she’s bisexual after developing feelings for a friend (who isn’t single), had her ex’s best friend confess his feelings for her, and gets kicked out of school for breaking one too many rules. But Kitty finds her way back for a second semester and is ready to avoid drama, enjoy the single life — while casually exploring her sexuality — and refocus on her mother’s past. Let’s just say that two of these things are easier to accomplish than the third. Plus, Noah Centineo is making a special appearance and reprising his role as Peter Kavinsky, which is the best kind of feel-good news. 

XO, Kitty is really hitting its stride. It hits the swoon-y and sentimental notes that made us all fall in love with the To All The Boys movies, while also carving out its own identity as a tender, modern coming-of-age story about found family, identity, and doing things your own way. 

Where to watch: Netflix
When: January 16
Watch if you like: To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before, The Summer I Turned Pretty

Severance Season 2

It may have dropped nearly three years ago, but the Season 1 finale of Severance is still one of the most exhilarating episodes of TV in recent memory. Perfectly building on everything cold and twisty that came before it — the sci-fi mystery is set in a world where a vaguely menacing company can “sever” its employees, separating their memories and identifies while they’re at the office from the people they are outside of it — the episode was a stunning and frenzied affair. And, by the end of it, our main cast of characters had managed to bring their “innies” (their severed office selves) to their real lives, uncovering bombshell secrets in the process. 

Now, after a long hiatus, we’re finally about to find out what happens in the aftermath of Season 1’s cliffhanger. The innies — Mark (Adam Scott), Helly (Britt Lower), Dylan (Zach Cherry), and Irving (John Turturro) — are back at work, but will Lumon punish them for their insubordination? Will the innies or outies figure out what kind of work Lumon has them doing? Or that Helly’s outie is actually the daughter of Lumon’s CEO and a company executive in her own right? And will Mark figure out his wife, who he thinks is dead, has been severed and lives trapped inside Lumon? Part of the fun of Severance is trading theories while the show teases the answers. 

Where to watch: Apple TV+ 
When: January 17
Watch if you like: The OA, Black Mirror, Mr. Robot

A Complete Unknown

I love a good biopic, but it’s not always easy to depict a faithful rendition of a celebrity, especially one who is still alive and retains the kind of living legacy that Bob Dylan has. But A Complete Unknown does just that with a seasoned hand and impeccable casting. Directed by James Mangold (who also directed the Oscar-winning 2005 film Walk The Line), the film honors the early part of the singer-songwriter’s journey, from breaking into the industry to disrupting the folk music genre with the then-controversial use of the electric guitar. Dylan’s impact on music history is undeniable, and fans will welcome A Complete Unknown’s take on this important period of his life.

What also doesn’t hurt is the stacked cast: Timothée Chalamet stars as Dylan and is joined by Monica Barbaro, Elle Fanning, Edward Norton, Boyd Holbrook, and Scoot McNairy. Chalamet’s take on Dylan is both loyal and his own, and it’s only even more impressive that the actor sings Dylan’s classics in the film, which means you’ll have a solid soundtrack to ease into the New Year.

Where to watch: Cinemas
When: January 17th
Watch if you like: Walk The Line, Ray, Elvis, Bohemian Rhapsody

Paradise

Sterling K. Brown is the type of actor who commands attention. If he’s speaking on screen, you’re going to be captivated, which makes just about anything he does a must-watch. But his latest TV project, Paradise, takes things to the next level, because it’s Brown reuniting with This Is Us creator Dan Fogelman. 

With This Is Us, Brown and Fogelman became highly skilled at making TV watchers everywhere break out into tears, but Paradise looks like it will be setting a much different tone. According to the official synopsis, the show takes place within a peaceful community where some of the world’s wealthiest and most powerful people live, but that sense of calm is flipped on its head because of a shocking murder. And, based on the trailer, it looks like the victim is the President of the United States (James Marsden). I’m seated. 

Where to watch: Disney+
When: January 28
Watch if you like: Scandal, This Is Us 

The Recruit Season 2

There are two types of TV shows: those you set aside time for and give your undivided attention to, and those you put on for fun while you scroll on your phone or fold your laundry. The Recruit belongs in the latter category — and I say that as a compliment. The action-comedy — about CIA lawyer Owen (Noah Centineo), who is always inadvertently getting caught up in field missions and high-stakes games of international politics — is silly and charming, and so easy to watch. It’s not hard to follow if you do get distracted by your IG feed, but it also offers a sense of humour, flashy action sequences, and an affable turn by Centineo for when you do finally put your phone down. 

In Season 2, Owen gets pulled into the South Korean spy trade after an agent in the country convinces him to help with a personal mission that his bosses cannot find out about. Past Lives star Teo Yoo joins the cast as said agent, getting to showcase a different side of his talents after breaking hearts in the 2023 movie. His presence helps elevate things, but, at its heart, The Recruit is still the goofy, mostly unserious show people got excited over when it first premiered. 

Where to watch: Netflix
When: January 30
Watch if you like: The Diplomat, The Night Agent, Reacher 

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