Christmas 2025 TV Dramas: Call the Midwife, Stranger Things, The Night Manager

Editor

Dec 10, 2025

From Call the Midwife in Hong Kong to Stranger Things finale, here’s the full guide to must-watch Christmas dramas of 2025. Read now!

Audiences across the UK, US, Canada, and Australia are set for a blockbuster festive TV season as networks reveal the Christmas and New Year 2025 drama lineup, featuring returning favourites and high-profile premieres. Major highlights include the two-part Call the Midwife special, Netflix’s Stranger Things season finale, and the highly anticipated return of The Night Manager starring Tom Hiddleston and Olivia Colman.

Key Highlights:

Call the Midwife splits episodes between Poplar and Hong Kong this Christmas.
Stranger Things season 5 finale airs on Netflix across Boxing Day and New Year’s Eve.
The Night Manager returns with an arms-trading storyline set in Colombia.

The BBC confirmed that Call the Midwife will feature one episode set in Hong Kong, where the midwives assist displaced orphans following a structural collapse. Back in Poplar, festive parades see the team dressed as angels atop floats.

Meanwhile, Netflix viewers will see the long-awaited conclusion to Stranger Things season 5, resolving cliffhangers and advancing the battle against the Upside Down. According to sources, the finale promises major twists, including the fate of Vecna.

The Night Manager marks the return of Jonathan Pine (Tom Hiddleston) and Angela Burr (Olivia Colman) to BBC One screens on New Year’s Day, exploring the dangerous world of illegal arms trade in Colombia. “Both actors have grown into global stars since the original series,” a BBC insider reported, “making this second season highly anticipated.”

Other Must-Watch Dramas:

Beyond Paradise (BBC One, 21 Dec) — DI Humphrey Goodman’s mysteries continue with a festive twist.
The Madame Blanc Mysteries (Channel 5, 23 Dec) — Jean defuses a ticking bomb during a museum event.
All Creatures Great and Small Christmas Special (Channel 5, 24 Dec) — Set in 1945, the Herriot family navigates post-war festivities.
A Ghost Story for Christmas: The Room in the Tower (BBC Two, 24 Dec) — Joanna Lumley leads a chilling seasonal tale.
The Lowdown (Disney+, 26 Dec) — Ethan Hawke stars in a citizen-journalist thriller exposing corruption.
The Hunting Wives (ITVX, 27 Dec) — A murder mystery unfolds among East Texas socialites.
The Good Ship Murder (Channel 5, 27 Dec) — Jack Grayling investigates a cruise ship murder.
Death in Paradise (BBC One, 28 Dec) — DI Mervin Wilson tackles a bizarre holiday homicide.
Run Away (Netflix, 1 Jan) — Harlan Coben thriller sees a father and private investigator searching for a missing teen.
ITV thriller with DS Hana Li & Clay Brody (1 Jan) — Murder inside the US embassy tests loyalties.

What This Means for Fans:
The 2025 Christmas lineup reflects a strategic mix of nostalgia and new content aimed at boosting streaming and broadcast ratings. BBC and Netflix have both leveraged returning stars and high-stakes storylines to maintain global viewer engagement. Industry analysts note that fans are especially drawn to location-based storytelling (Call the Midwife in Hong Kong) and high-profile returns (The Night Manager), which drive social media discussion and search traffic.

Viewers are encouraged to schedule viewing ahead of the holidays, as several series feature cliffhangers and multi-part specials that will dominate online conversations.