What’s New in Pop Culture: January 6-12, 2025
Releases this week in TV, Music, Movies & Games
New This Week: The Traitors Season 3 bows on Peacock; Ethel Cain releases Perverts; The Last Showgirl expands in theaters.
TELEVISION
Check out our Best of 2024: Television list for great shows you might have missed last year.
Monday 1/6: WWE Monday Night Raw (Netflix 8pm; Sports, Entertainment)
This special marks the WWE’s jump from cable TV to streaming, specifically the professional-wrestling giant’s new home on Netflix. Expect performers from both the SmackDown and RAW brands, and appearances by John Cena, Hulk Hogan, The Rock, and Shawn Michaels, plus rapper Travis Scott.
Thursday 1/9: American Primeval (Netflix; Western, Action)
Betty Gilpin (GLOW) and Taylor Kitsch (Friday Night Lights) star in this new Western about a mother and son on the run from a tragic past, who encounter great danger in the untamed American West.
Thursday 1/9: The Traitors (Peacock; Reality Competition)
The 2024 Emmy Winner for Best Reality Competition returns as host Alan Cumming welcomes a whole new batch of celebrities to his Scottish castle for a game of deception and deduction. Among this cast are Real Housewives (Dorinda Medley, Chanel Ayan), Survivors (Boston Rob Mariano, Tony Vlachos, Carolyn Wiger), famous relations (Zac Efron’s brother, Britney Spears’ ex-husband), a Drag Race winner (Bob the Drag Queen), and a Vanderpump Rules loser (Tom Sandoval).
Thursday 1/9: The Pitt (Max; Medical Drama)
ER star Noah Wyle returns to medical dramas with this new series, which will follow one 16-hour shift in a Pittsburgh emergency room in real time over the course of 16 one-hour episodes. In addition to the medical mysteries and life-and-death scenarios you would expect, it also seems like this show will touch on the harsh realities of the American healthcare system.
Friday 1/10: Goosebumps: The Vanishing (Disney+; Horror, Family)
The family-friendly horror anthology returns with a spooky tale of twin teenagers who discover that their family is entangled with the disappearance of four teens from 30 years prior, and a slew of supernatural activity. Starring Friends’ David Schwimmer with a truly tragic haircut.
MUSIC
Check out our Best of 2024 Music list for great albums you may have missed last year.
Wednesday 1/8: Ethel Cain Perverts (Alternative Pop/Folk Rock)
Friday 1/10: Franz Ferdinand The Human Fear (Rock/Pop)
Friday 1/10: Ringo Starr Look Up (Country/Rock)
Friday 1/10: Lambrini Girls Who Let the Dogs Out (Rock/Punk)
MOVIES
Check out our Best of 2024: Film list for great movies you might have missed in 2024.
Friday 1/10: Better Man (Wide; Biopic, Fantasy)
A biopic detailing the rise of British Boy Bander Robbie Williams, who left Take That to become a huge success in the UK and beyond. And who, for some reason, is depicted as a CGI monkey in this film. Yeah, I don’t know.
Friday 1/10: Den of Thieves 2: Pantera (Wide; Heist, Action)
Did we need a sequel to Gerard Butler’s 2018 action film Den of Thieves? Apparently we do, because Butler is back with O’Shea Jackson Jr. (Straight Outta Compton) and this time the score involves stealing diamonds from the Italian Panther mafia family.
Friday 1/10: Hard Truths (Wide; Drama)
Direct Mike Leigh reunites with his Secrets & Lies star Marianne Jean-Baptiste for this family drama about two sisters, one holding back trauma and prone to outbursts, and the other (Michele Austin) a sunny salon owner.
Friday 1/10: The Last Showgirl (Wide; Drama)
Pamela Anderson has already scored a Golden Globe nomination for Best Actress for this film by Gia Coppola, about a Vegas showgirl questioning her next act after her long-running revue suddenly closes. Also featuring Jamie Lee Curtis, Dave Bautista, Brenda Song, Kiernan Shipka, and Billie Lourd.
GAMES
If you’re looking for new games to play, check out our Best of 2024 Games list.
Monday 1/6: Cats of Mona Lisa (Steam; Cozy, Puzzle)
In this indie game you must find kitties cleverly hidden in classic masterpiece paintings; as you play you’ll also learn more about the artistic works you’re searching.
Tuesday 1/7: Ys Memoire: The Oath in Felghana (PS4, PS5, Switch; Action RPG, Remake)
A remake of the 2010s Ys: The Oath in Felghana, which was itself a remake of 1990’s Ys III: Wanderers from Ys.
Thursday 1/8: Gears & Goo (Apple Vision Pro; Strategy)
In this 3D real-time strategy game, you control workers who must build and man towers to defend from oncoming waves of goo.
Friday 1/9: Human Within (Meta Quest 3; VR, Puzzle)
In this adventure game, you play a software developer who must fight a predatory tech company that intends to weaponize her method for uploading consciousness into the digital world.
Saturday 1/10: Freedom Wars Remastered (PC, PS4, PS5, Switch; Action RPG)
Another JRPG remake, this one from Bandai Namco that was previously only available on the Playstation Vita. In the far future everyone is imprisoned in penal colonies sat at war against one another.
