Need something to pass the time before the big holiday weekend arrives? Cheddar recommends some darker docs and dramas, high-fantasy action, trippy horror, an of course some Christmastime fare.
Don't Pick Up The Phone - Netflix
Picked by Lawrence Banton
This is probably one of the wildest and most unbelievable documentaries I've watched in a while, to say the least. In the early 2000s, fast food chains across the country were targeted by a man impersonating a law enforcement officer whose goal was to force individuals to commit sexual assaults through the guise of strip searches. He manipulated fast food workers through hours-long phone calls and directed them to carry out the assaults. But how could the workers fall for such a scam? You have to see it to believe it.
Kindred - Hulu
Picked by Newsletter Writer Graison Dangor
Hulu has adapted Kindred, sci-fi legend Octavia Butler's novel about a Black woman who finds herself repeatedly pulled back through time to a plantation before the Civil War. If the eight-episode series — which began streaming on Dec. 13 — is even half as good as the novel, it will be well worth watching. Just make sure you prepare yourself emotionally.
Dragon Age: Absolution
Picked by Digital Editor Mike Nam
It's another animated adaptation of a video game franchise on Netflix and a competent one at that. For fans of the Bioware fantasy RPG series, the story of mercenaries, wizards, warriors, and magical items, it won't be surprising that the show features some nuanced character development alongside the dungeons and dragons. Mostly, however, it's a fun, action-filled romp.
A Wounded Fawn - Shudder
Picked by Reporter Alex Vuocolo 
Just in time to make top 10 lists, horror streaming service Shudder released a new film that is easily one of the genre's best this year. A Wounded Fawn is part thriller and part psychedelic journey into the depths of an evil mind. What begins as a tense face-off between a killer and his prey in an isolated cabin becomes something much stranger and more horrifying. Outside, in the woods, there is something haunting the killer — and it might even be worse than him.
A Philly Special Christmas Mini Doc - YouTube
Picked by Growth Associate Keara O’Driscoll
This short documentary shows a different side of your favorite Eagles players and their hidden musical talent! Offensive linemen Jason Kelce, Lane Johnson, Jordan Mailata, and former Eagles linebacker Connor Barwin team up to tackle their toughest opponent yet — a Christmas album. They're releasing one song per week until the full album is released on December 23. Proceeds from the album, A Philly Special Christmas will benefit Philadelphia-based charities such as Children’s Crisis Treatment Center (CCTC).
Throwback Pick
Home Alone - Disney+
Picked by Sr. News Editor Dina Ross
Though Lawrence Banton steadfastly recommended Home Alone 3 last week, this week I'm going to bring it back to the original. This was the year I watched Home Alone with my son, with promises that even though there is no animation or Happy Meal toys associated with it, the film was worth a watch. Who knew this would be such a hard sell? As you can imagine, once the burglars started stepping on ornaments, getting hit with paint cans, and having their heads burned with blow torches, he was sold. This is a great holiday watch any year, but now that we are so far removed from the premiere in 1990, there's an additional level of complexity; you have to explain to today's kids what a pay phone is and how the McAllister family was able to race to their gate because there was no security at the airport. Perhaps the nostalgia makes it even more enjoyable to watch this time of year.
Looking for more to watch? Check out our recommendations from last week and the week before.