Science fiction and horror dominate the Channel Surfing TV picks this week. Find out what’s next for the people of Earth, Mars, and the Outer Planets Alliance in the fifth season of The Expanse. The fate of humanity rests in the hands of a few survivors confronting a dark threat in The Stand. Finally, get ready for some Christmas scares in the television movie, Letters to Satan Claus.
On Their Own
For the past four seasons, the crew of the Rocinante have been traveling the solar system trying to maintain the uneasy balance between Earth, Mars, and the Belters in The Expanse. When we last left the series, the crew are able to switch off the protomolecule machines saving countless lives.
The new season has the members of the Roci taking care of their personal affairs that they’ve neglected since venturing into space. Some try to resolve family issues whether its reconnecting with a wife and child or searching for an estranged son. Others head home to revisit their dark past. Elsewhere, the three factions are trying to stake their claims on the newly accessible planets using the Ring Gate and they’re still unlocking the secrets of the protomolecule. Plus, a Belter leader is looking to destroy Earth.
See how all these stories intertwine in the fifth season of The Expanse. The first three episodes premiere on Wednesday, December 16, on Amazon Prime Video.
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A Steven King Post-Apocalypse Revisited
It’s been over 25 years since The Stand miniseries aired on television so based on Hollywood standards, it is ripe for a remake. Enter CBS All Access and their brand new version of the post-apocalyptic dark fantasy tale.
The source material is a Steven King novel of the same name about a world ravaged by disease and the remaining survivors are recruited for the ultimate showdown between good and evil. Much like its 1994 counterpart, this iteration boasts an all-star cast including James Marsden, Whoopi Goldberg, Amber Heard, and Alexander Skarsgård.
The Stand premieres on CBS All Access this Thursday, December 17.
The Weather Outside Isn’t the Only Thing Frightful
Because of the festive spirit, you might not equate the holidays with horror. However, the season isn’t immune to the genre with classics such as Black Christmas and Gremlins to more recent films like Krampus all set in December.
Letters to Satan Claus is one of the latest films to follow in those footsteps. A young big city hotshot reporter, named Holly, returns to her quaint hometown during the holidays. She comes face to face with a demon from her past all because she made a spelling error in a letter to Saint Nick. Now, she must fight off Satan and prevent him from killing people.
Letters to Satan Claus is a special Syfy original movie and will air on the cable network on Saturday, December 19.
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