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The Rookie: Feds was a short-lived series that only lasted one season on ABC, but the stars of the series have continued to appear on the main show The Rookie following the cancellation.

It has been revealed that Britt Robertson will be back as FBI agent Laura Stensen in season 7 of The Rookie.

Keep reading to find out more…

The Rookie actor Eric Winter spilled the news to TV Insider following recent appearances from Felix Solis, Kevin Zegers, and Devika Bhise all reprising their Feds roles.

Eric said, “I love Felix and I get some stuff with him throughout the season. And Kevin’s partner…Britt comes in. I get some great scenes with Britt. She’s lovely. She’s a lot of fun. So there are more coming throughout the season where we utilize Feds in the right way and still keep those characters active in our universe.”

It...

The Rookie: Feds may have only lasted a single season, but the Niecy Nash-led spinoff continues to feed us with frequent appearances on The Rookie by its former cast members. Felix Solis, who originated his Feds character of FBI field-division chief Matthew Garza on the mothership, has popped up a few times since Feds‘ cancelation in 2023. And just last week, we saw Kevin Zegers and Devika Bhise return as FBI Special Agent Brendon Acres and his forensics-expert girlfriend Antoinette Benneteau to help Nolan (Nathan Fillion) and company with a manhunt. Now, we have exclusive confirmation that actress Britt Robertson will be badging up again as Acres’ FBI training agent, Laura Stenson. During his chat with us on TV Insider’s The Rookie aftershow this week, Eric Winter revealed that not only would Solis be back, but that we could count on some Bradford-Stenson stuff in the future. Melissa O’Neil,...

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Paradise is a sci-fi political conspiracy thriller series created by Dan Fogelman. The Hulu series is set in an idyllic community housing some of the most important people in the world, and it follows Special Agent Xavier Collins after the President of the United States is murdered. Paradise stars Sterling K. Brown, Julianne Nicholson, Sarah Shahi, Nicole Brydon Bloom, Aliyah Mastin, Percy Daggs IV, and James Marsden. So, if you loved the political intrigue, genre-blending plot, and compelling characters in Paradise, here are some similar shows you should check out next.

Salvation (Rent on Prime Video) Credit – CBS

Salvation is a sci-fi mystery thriller drama series created by Liz Kruger, Craig Shapiro, and Matt Wheeler. The CBS series follows a group of people as they discover that an asteroid will hit the Earth in six months and destroy the planet.

The last thing you want to do is watch the Ball Drop on New Year’s Eve. You’ve watched it every year, and it’s really just the same thing over and over again. Why not put on some of the best Netflix movies of 2024 instead?

Now, the exact movie you watch will depend on who you’re seeing 2025 in with. Is this a family affair, or do you get a quiet night in to say hello to the New Year in silence? There’s nothing wrong with either—I’ve done both!—and they both have their benefits.

So, whether you need something for the whole family, or you want something meaningful and poignant for 2025, here are five Netflix movies you need to watch instead of the Ball Drop this New Year’s Eve. Just a note, they are all Netflix Original Movies. There are no outside-production movies on this list,...

There’s still plenty of time to fully get in the Christmas spirit. Whether this be through holiday favorite films like Dr. Seuss’ How the Grinch Stole Christmas or with newer hits like The Holiday and Last Christmas, many options — cable and streaming — exist to watch festive films and TV shows.

Below find a list of classic Christmas movie titles by alphabetical order and where they are streaming or airing on cable this season. Further down, a list of holiday-themed television show episodes is outlined, and various networks’ offerings for Christmas will be sprinkled throughout.

Where To Watch Christmas Movies:

A Charlie Brown Christmas

A Charlie Brown Christmas is available to stream via Apple TV+.

Related: Deadline’s 50 Classic Holiday Movies Gallery: From ‘It’s a Wonderful Life’ And ‘A Christmas Story’ To ‘Die Hard’ And ‘The Holiday’

A Christmas Story & A Christmas Story Christmas

Bob Clark’s hit film starring Peter Billingsley,...

The entertainment industry is in the midst of a general contraction after last year’s SAG and WGA strikes, but there’s one sector that continues to thrive: holiday-themed TV movies! Granted, last year’s 116 has very slightly declined to a mere 110 in 2024, but that should still provide you with enough distraction to minimize your obligation to make conversation with loved ones.

There are probably sicko fans out there who commit to watching every single one of these titles. I am, however, normal, and thus limited my in-depth investigation to a single platform: Netflix, which has released “only” five new Christmas comedies. Which (if any) should be your next watch? This guide should help narrow it down.

“I want to watch something from an actual comedy legend”

Comedy fans of a certain age will remember Fear of A Black Hat, a feature mockumentary about fictional hip-hop act Nwh, and a...

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EXmas is a Christmas romantic comedy film directed by Jonah Feingold from a screenplay by Dan Steele. The Amazon Freevee film follows Graham, who decides to surprise his family on Christmas, but when he gets there, he is surprised to find his ex-fiancée, who is the guest of honour. EXmas stars Leighton Meester, Robbie Amell, Michael Hitchcock, Kathy Greenwood, Steven Huy, and Veronika Slowikowska. So, if you loved the Christmas spirit, hilarious romantic drama, and compelling characters in EXmas, here are some similar movies you should check out next.

Our Little Secret (Netflix) Credit – Netflix

Our Little Secret is a romantic comedy film directed by Stephen Herek from a screenplay by Hailey DeDominicis. The Netflix film follows Avery, a young woman spending her first Christmas with her boyfriend’s family. Still, when she gets there, she unexpectedly finds her ex-boyfriend there,...

Inherent in any Christmas movie is an element of silliness; it’s just the way of things. More often than not, magic is involved, and highly improbable love stories result in moving halfway across the country and giving up massive paychecks. But this year, Netflix really leaned in on absurdity for their Christmas offerings, and in the end, it helped the stars and creators of the films find the heart of it all.

The streamer has five new original Christmas movies this year, and rolled out one new film every Wednesday beginning in early November. In one, a sexy snowman comes to life and struggles not to melt while also trying to woo the woman who unwittingly brought him to life. In another, a small-town bar needs saving, so the owners’ daughter creates a Christmas-themed all male revue, because what better way to rake in cash?

Those films are “Hot Frosty” and “The Merry Gentlemen,...

A new spinoff series for “The Rookie” is in the works at ABC, TheWrap has learned.

The show, which is currently in early development at Lionsgate Television and 20th Television, will stick to the cop world found in “The Rookie,” unlike its previous spinoff series “The Rookie: Feds,” which centered on oldest rookie (played by Niecy Nash-Betts) in the FBI Academy.

Set in Washington state, the series will follow “a male cop who is stepping into a new phase of life in his second act,” per the official logline.

“The Rookie” creator Alexi Hawley will write the new spinoff series, which will be co-produced by Lionsgate Television and 20th Television. Hawley will also executive produce alongside “The Rookie” star Nathan Fillion as well as “The Rookie” EPs Michelle Chapman and Bill Norcross.

“The Rookie” is currently headed into its seventh season at ABC, which will debut Jan. 7 at 10 p.m.

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Our Little Secret is a romantic comedy film directed by Stephen Herek from a screenplay by Hailey DeDominicis. The Netflix film follows Avery, a young woman who is spending her first Christmas with her boyfriend’s family but is shocked to find out that her ex is also there, and they decide to hide their shared romantic history. Our Little Secret stars Lindsay Lohan, Ian Harding, Tim Meadows, Jon Rudnitsky, Henry Czerny, Judy Reyes, Chris Parnell, and Kristin Chenoweth. So, if you loved the heartwarming love story, funny family drama, and compelling characters in Our Little Secret, here are some similar movies you should check out next.

Exmas (Prime Video) Credit – Amazon Studios

Exmas is a romantic comedy film directed by Jonah Feingold from a screenplay by Dan Steele. The 2023 film follows Graham, a young man who decides...

The last time General Hospital‘s Felix DuBois popped up in Port Charles, he helped pay tribute to the late great head nurse Bobbie Spencer at the character’s memorial service. As for the actor who plays Felix, Marc Anthony Samuel is currently having a great autumn. He appears in the number-one movie and the number-one TV show on Netflix.

Mr. Netflix

Samuel has taken advantage of the fact that his Gh character is rarely seen these days. Recently, he showed up in a couple of Netflix projects that required him to share scenes with Ted Danson, Britt Robertson, and Chad Michael Murray among others.

The Merry Gentlemen

‘Tis the season to watch a million holiday movies, and Netflix is one of the best sources for those feel-good films, especially those of the spicy variety. In The Merry Gentlemen, Samuel plays Rodger, who’s married to Marla Sokoloff’s Marie,...

'Tis the season to be jolly, and Netflix really gave us a lot to be jolly about this year! Beginning with the first week of November, the streamer has released one new original Christmas romantic comedy per week, beginning with Meet Me Next Christmas at the beginning of the month and concluding with Our Little Secret, which was released ahead of the Thanksgiving holiday.

Each of the four movies boast big stars that we all know and love, including Christina Milian, Lacey Chabert, Chad Michael Murray, and Lindsay Lohan. But there are so many more amazing cast members in all of the movies that make them a lovable, magical experience that tops the top 10 most popular movies ranking on Netflix. Speaking of rankings, which of this year's offerings was best?

In celebration of the culmination of the most festive month of the year on Netflix, we're ranking all four of...

Netflix's new Christmas movie with a Magic Mike twist has become their No. 1 film just days after its release. Since 2017, the streaming service has been producing original Christmas movies, starting with A Christmas Prince. Over the years, the streaming platform has established itself as a top destination for holiday films, including The Princess Switch starring Vanessa Hudgens, and The Christmas Chronicles starring Kurt Russell, both in 2018. Last year, one of Netflix's most popular holiday movies was Best. Christmas. Ever!.

In 2024, several of Netflix's Christmas movies have already topped their Global Top 10 chart for the past three weeks. In the first full week of November, Meet Me Next Christmas ranked first on Netflix's Global Top 10 films with 18.1 million views, followed by Lacey Chabert's Hot Frosty the following week with 16 million views. Now, yet another one of Netflix's Christmas movies has topped their Global Top 10 chart. It isn't even December yet,...

Christmas movies on Netflix are already hot — not frosty.

The streamer’s latest Global Top 10 list included three Christmas movies: Chad Michael Murray and Britt Robertson film “The Merry Gentlemen” debuting at No. 1, “Hot Frosty” slipping to number 2, and “Meet Me Next Christmas” with Christina Millian charting seventh in its third week on the list.

Forget Christmas — it’s not even Thanksgiving.

“The Merry Gentlemen” had 14.7 million views in the week of November 18, according to Netflix, while “Hot Frosty” with Lacey Chabert and Dustin Milligan had 12.7 million (it had 16 million views in its debut). “Meet Me Next Christmas” had 5.9 million views last week.

On the TV side, the new Mike Schur show “A Man on the Inside” starring Ted Danson crammed a lump of coal down “Arcane’s” chimney. “A Man on the Inside” debuted at number 1 with 6.9 million views, denying “Arcane” Season 2 the top spot. (The second “Arcane” season...

Netflix debuted yet another holiday rom-com last week, which audiences quickly boosted to the top of the English films list.

The Merry Gentlemen, starring Chad Michael Murray and Britt Robertson, amassed 14.7M views from November 18 to 24, making it the most-watched title of the week.

In fact, the English films list was largely dominated by holiday movies, including two other recent Netflix originals, Hot Frosty and Meet Me Next Christmas, which came in at No. 2 with 12.7M views and No. 7 with 5.9M views, respectively.

Netflix’s animated original Spellbound also made its debut on November 22, soaring to third place with 8.5M views in its first few days on the streamer.

As for TV, Mike Schur took the top spot with his new comedy A Man on the Inside, which got 6.9M views.

Season 2 of Arcane remained solid this week as well with another 6.4M views, which was good enough for second place.

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Holiday romcoms “The Merry Gentlemen” and “Hot Frosty” dominated Netflix’s list of most-watched movies this week.

“The Merry Gentlemen,” which stars Chad Michael Murray and Britt Robertson, debuted as the No. 1 most-watched movie during the week of Nov. 18 with 14.7 million views, while Lacey Chabert and Dustin Milligan-led “Hot Frosty” took second place with 12.7 million views in its second week on the streamer. Christina Milian’s “Meet Me Next Christmas” slid down to the No. 7 spot on the English movies list with 5.9 million views in its third week after coming in second place last week.

“Spellbound” took the third spot on the most-watched movies list with 8.5 million views, surpassing “Minions: The Rise of Gru,” which took the No. 4 spot with 7.8 million views, as well as “Ready or Not,...

Gizmo captured viewers' hearts worldwide thanks to the delightful dog's role in Netflix's The Merry Gentlemen. 

The streamer's latest holiday-themed romantic comedy stars Britt Robertson as Ashley, a former dancer who decides to save her parents' small-town watering hole by planning a sexy, steamy male dance revue. 

Gizmo joins Robertson alongside former One Tree Hill star Chad Michael Murray, playing the family pet owned by Ashley's sister, Marie. 

Read full article on The Direct.

The main setting in Netflixs The Merry Gentlemen is The Rhythm Room, and this fun place raises questions about whether its a real bar or not. Netflixs Christmas content is already in full force, and among its movies is The Merry Gentlemen, directed by Peter Sullivan. The Merry Gentlemen has a mix of comedy, drama, and a touch of spice that seems to be the style for Netflixs 2024 Christmas movies, and it brings back 2000s heartthrob Chad Michael Murray, who stars alongside Britt Robertson. The Merry Gentlemen follows Ashley (Robertson), a Broadway dancer who is replaced after a misstep onstage.

After not being home for the holidays for over a decade, this new situation leads Ashley to return to her hometown of Sycamore Creek. Ashleys parents own a bar called The Rhythm Room, but as they have been facing some financial issues, the bar is facing the possibility of being...

Before the cold temperatures fully hit for the winter — at least, depending on where you are — Netflix is steaming things up with their latest Christmas movie offering, “The Merry Gentlemen.”

Now streaming, the film is kind of like a Christmassy “Magic Mike,” starring Chad Michael Murray. He plays a bar handyman named Luke who hates city girls, but begrudgingly agrees to dance in a male revue led by city girl Ashley (Britt Robertson), when she needs to save her parents’ bar (the one he works in). He quickly finds that dancing in the show opens him up in more ways that he expected, and the two fall in love.

Naturally, that show has a whole lot of Christmas music for the men to dance to, so we’ve rounded up all the tracks for you.

Here are all the songs in “The Merry Gentlemen”:

“God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen...

The goofiest, strangest Christmas movie of 2024 has already taken over Netflix, but it seems that audiences are in the mood for more festive cheer. According to data obtained by FlixPatrol, "The Merry Gentlemen" is the latest holiday-themed caper to sleigh ride to the top of the charts in the United States. In the film, Chad Michael Murray and Britt Robertson play the lovestruck protagonists who are united by holiday magic, but there's more to this one than mushy, feel-good romance.

At first glance, "The Merry Gentleman" echoes the spotlight-obsessed ageism that informs "The Substance," aka this year's most bonkers and bloody body horror movie. Coralie Fargeat's splatterfest movie tells the story of a TV aerobics instructor who gets relieved of her duties as the network wants a younger star on its screens. Meanwhile, Peter Sullivan's "The Merry Gentlemen" sees Robertson's character, Ashley, get ousted from a Broadway...

The key to most Christmas movies is a small town setting, usually traveled to by a character from a big city. And that’s true for “The Merry Gentlemen” too — but was it actually filmed in a small town?

Now streaming on Netflix, the movie tells the story of Luke (Chad Michael Murray), a handyman and carpenter who hates anything and anyone to do with the city. He thinks city girls — like Ashley (Britt Robertson) — are divas. But, when Ashley needs to save her family’s business, where Luke happens to work, he begrudgingly agrees to dance in a male revue that she directs and choreographs for Christmas.

See, Ashley is a former Jingle Belle. When she unceremoniously gets fired for being too old — yes, she’s in her 30s, practically ancient for a dancer, apparently — she returns home from the city to clear her head and help her parents.

Chad Michael Murray joins the various famous actors starring in Netflix's 2024 Christmas movies with The Merry Gentlemen, which is reminiscent of the actor's former TV show, Gilmore Girls. Murray starred as Tristan DuGray in The WB's successful comedy-drama series about the relationship between a single mother and her teenage daughter. Unfortunately, Murray only appeared in 11 episodes over the course of the first two seasons of Gilmore Girls before he exited the show.

The Merry Gentlemen is just one of many holiday movies coming to Netflix in 2024. Others include Meet Me Next Christmas, Hot Frosty, Our Little Secret (starring Lindsay Lohan), and That Christmas.

Tristan was one of Rory Gilmore's classmates in Gilmore Girls who was also kind of a bully. He would often tease Rory, most notably about her virginity. As the episodes continued, though, romantic tension between Rory and Tristan began to form, making him a...

Peter Sullivan’s “The Merry Gentlemen” (2024) is an entirely bland, uncharacteristic Christmas glossy romance. It’s silly, sporadic and hyper-contrived. The proceedings flatten in a lump of dullness. Charm is amped up between the characters when what exists instead is a complete lack of chemistry. The film is just hollowed out by an absence of specific texture. What could have been a frothy, harmless breezy watch quickly turns tiring, predictable, and terribly uncool. Nothing seems to propel it. It runs on empty. Marla Sokoloff’s screenplay collapses to triteness from the very opening stretch.

You wonder how deeply the makers have invested any thought in strands of the narrative. Conclusion springs easily that none of the considerations in fleshing out a lively, compelling story jump-start. The characters lack a zing in their interactions. Banality crowds the film. A town coming back to life, a dancer replaced in showbiz, and a...

The Merry Gentlemen is streaming on Netflix, but where was this hunky holiday affair filmed?

The latest Christmas-themed romance stars Chad Michael Murray (of One Tree Hill fame) and Britt Robertson (The Longest Ride) in a steamy quest to save a fledgling small-town performing venue. 

The movie combines Magic Mike with Santa's milk and cookies, with Robertson's Ashley planning a male dance revue to keep her parents' business afloat. 

Read full article on The Direct.

Several fans accused Britt Robertson of wearing a wig in The Merry Gentlemen, and - seeing as she has a history of doing such for roles - these detractors may be onto something. 

Netflix's latest holiday-themed romance movie stars Robertson as Ashley, a small-town dancer who, after being fired from her longtime troupe, takes it upon herself to help save her parents' failing bar/performance venue with a ticketed male dance revue. 

The snow-kissed streaming blockbuster was released on Netflix on November 20, marking Robertson's first movie role since last year's The Re-Education of Molly Singer. 

Read full article on The Direct.

Exclusive: Lionsgate has picked up Rager, an adult comedy from Imagine Entertainment, which Jon Kasdan (Solo: A Star Wars Story) will direct from his script written with Emmy nominee Dan Klein.

While plot details are under wraps, we hear the film is in the spirit of The Hangover. Imagine developed the script with Kasdan and Klein and sold it on spec. Producers will include Brian Grazer, Jeb Brody, and Allan Mandelbaum, with Justin Wilkes exec producing.

In addition to co-writing Solo: A Star Wars Story, which Imagine Entertainment principal Ron Howard directed for Disney/Lucasfilm, Kasdan is known for writing and showrunning Disney+’s Willow, co-produced by Imagine. He also wrote and directed the romantic comedy, The First Time, starring Britt Robertson and Dylan O’Brien, as well as Warner Bros’ In the Land of Women, starring Adam Brody, Kristen Stewart, and Meg Ryan.

Emmy-nominated for his writing on the Jon Stewart...

The Holiday season is upon us, and so is the season of unoriginal Christmas-themed rom-coms. With an obvious attempt to disassociate myself from The Grinch, I would like to add that I am quite the sucker for films that embrace the Yuletide cheers. Originality is not the first thing I look for when it comes to Christmas Movies, although it does not hurt when something uniquely joyful wanders into our path at this time of the year — like 2019’s “Klaus” for instance. However, I can look past the obvious, the cliched, for the predictable comfort of a half-decent Christmas movie.

Having said that, there is a fine line that separates the familiar cheers from the absolute trites. And Netflix’s “The Merry Gentlemen” is too hackneyed to be taken seriously. Even with the leniency reserved for films that have more than three Christmas songs, and the leniency that the Holiday season demands of us,...

With a few key locations, The Merry Gentlemen creates a cozy and familiar setting perfect for lovers of a small-town Christmas. Marking Netflixs third 2024 Christmas rom-com release after Christina Milians Meet Me Next Christmas and Lacey Chaberts Hot Frosty, The Merry Gentlemen stars a nostalgic cast. Led by Tomorrowlands Britt Robertson and One Tree Hills Chad Michael Murray, and with supporting talents that include everyones favorite Aunt Zelda actress Beth Broderick, Wizards of Waverly Place mom Maria Canals-Barrera, and Grease 2s Maxwell Caulfield, the jolly movie benefits from its stars pasts in some of the best pop culture classics.

The Merry Gentlemen is about returning to a simple yet meaningful place whose traditions and community continue to bring purpose to ones life. The 2024 Christmas movie features the signature places of the fictional town of Sycamore Creek, such as the local diner, venue, and main street. In The Merry Gentlemen's ending,...

T’is the season — for male strippers? Yes, actually. Yes indeed.

Netflix’s new Christmas movie “The Merry Gentlemen” is now streaming, telling story of a young dancer who comes home to find that her parents’ business — and thus, her whole childhood, essentially — may be going under. So, to help save it, she organizes a Christmas-themed male revue to pull in ticket sales.

The movie features a lot of familiar faces, but perhaps some new ones for you too. So, we’ve got you covered.

Here are all the major players in “The Merry Gentlemen.”

Netflix Ashley (Britt Robertson)

Ashley is a professional dancer, who is unceremoniously fired for being too old (in her 30s). She’s played by “Tomorrowland” and “The Longest Ride” star Britt Robertson. She also starred in “The Space Between Us” and more recently, “The Rookie: Feds,” as well as a few episodes of “The Rookie.

In addition to Hot Frosty starring Lacey Chabert and Dustin Milligan, another Christmas film involving bare-chested men and rock-hard abs has arrived on Netflix ahead of the holidays.

The Merry Gentlemen, starring Chad Michael Murray and Britt Robertson, follows Robertson’s Ashley, a loyal Jingle Belles dancer who unexpectedly gets let go and goes home to her small town for the holidays, where she discovers that her parent’s local venue, The Rhythm Room, isn’t raking in the cash like it used to. Ashley combines a tangled garland meet cute with Murray’s Luke and a confession from her sister to brainstorm a way to get the town talking about the Rhythm Room once more: a Christmas-themed shirtless male revue comprised of dancers led by Luke.

Steamy dances and a genuine love story unfold to balance the film with both allure and classic Christmas romance. Murray and Robertson detailed their process making the film,...

Christmas-themed releases have always been a mix of movies that can be enjoyed by everyone, regardless of where they are from or what religion they follow, and then movies that are for a certain kind of audience. Upon closer inspection, you’ll also notice the difference in the quality of filmmaking between these two categories of Christmas films, with one feeling timeless and the other reeking of blandness and regression. I have grown up watching stuff like Home Alone, Die Hard, Jingle All the Way, and of course, How the Grinch Stole Christmas. Amongst recent releases, there are some good examples like Klaus, Anna and the Apocalypse, Krampus, and Merry Little Batman. But it seems like this snowy landscape has been hijacked by Netflix now. And the streaming platform is giving Hallmark a run for its money with garbage like the Princess Switch films, Love Hard, A Not So Merry Christmas,...

This steamy holiday rom-com purposely subverts a lot of the genre’s most recognizable tropes.

Depending on where you are in the country, the next few months could get pretty cold. Fortunately, Netflix has the perfect movie to heat up your holiday season as the original Christmas movie “The Merry Gentlemen” is available to stream starting on Wednesday, Nov. 20. The film stars Chad Michael Murray and Britt Robertson and involves a Broadway dancer who stages an all-male, Christmas revue to save her hometown performing arts venue. Anticipation for this one has been high since the movie’s very steamy trailer was released early this fall. Don’t miss a single second of the action with a subscription to Netflix.

How to watch ‘The Merry Gentlemen’ When: Wednesday, Nov. 20, 2024 TV: Netflix Stream: Watch with a subscription to Netflix. Sign Up $6.99+ / month netflix.com Everything you need to know about ‘The Merry Gentlemen...

Christmas movies are mostly known for celebrating romance. But Netflix wants to bring a little spice to everything nice. The streaming platform is dropping spicy holiday films for those who want to see more abs on the small screen. This is similar to the sultry scenes seen in your favorite soap operas. Think shirtless men and steamy kisses. Get the scoop on the new movies that will warm up the coldest nights.

Hot Frosty

The New York Times reported that Hot Frosty and The Merry Gentleman are two spicy movies that Netflix is bringing this holiday season. Hot Frosty stars Lacey Chabert, who’s considered the Queen of Christmas on The Hallmark Channel, but that may not last for long with the network’s changes.

She’s starring in a naughtier version of the classic Christmas film. She plays a widow named Kathy, who’s overwhelmed with running the diner.

“The Merry Gentlemen” is a Netflix romantic comedy starring Britt Robertson and Chad Michael Murray. It is directed by Peter Sullivan.

Today, Netflix adds another romantic comedy to its lineup, this time making a significant contribution to the field of philosophy (disclaimer: we’re being ironic): it brings us a group of handsome men performing striptease acts.

Don’t expect anything that would offend the most traditional families: “The Merry Gentlemen” is the quintessential romantic comedy for the holiday season, perfect for watching, smiling, and then forgetting about within five minutes.

Plot

After being let go from a show in New York, Ashley returns to her hometown for Christmas. There, she discovers that her parents are struggling financially with the bar they’ve owned for years. To help them out, she decides to put together a dance show featuring attractive, shirtless men, and enlists Luke, a blonde and muscular...

To describe “The Merry Gentlemen” as “The Full Monty” meets a Christmas-themed Hallmark movie might be overselling the goods. However, that’s essentially the elevator pitch for this feature, in which a big-city dancer returns to her small town to save her parents’ concert venue by having hunks go shirtless on stage. Yet director Peter Sullivan and writer/co-star Marla Sokoloff’s offering in the Netflix Holiday Cinematic Universe is uninventive, uninspired and presented with noticeably sloppy wrapping. Not only does the story flail trying to find its footing after a well-presented first act, some of the more cost-conscious aspects detract from the picture’s meaningful, understated sentiments.

Single, 30-something Ashley (Britt Robertson) is living the dream, high kicking and tap dancing in The Jingle Belles Christmas Revue and recouping from shows in her picturesque apartment in New York City. Lately, though, she’s feeling a little out of step...

It’s tough to critique a film like Netflix’s The Merry Gentlemen. This is Netflix’s take on the Hallmark-style holiday movie—a genre people eagerly consume during the festive season. Films like this are typically positive, warm, and unabashedly manipulative. In short, they go down like eggnog: light, comforting, and undeniably saccharine.

You can’t exactly tear The Merry Gentlemen to shreds because it’s not trying to compete with cinematic masterpieces like Oppenheimer. This movie is made for a specific audience: those who prefer their entertainment with minimal substance, filling a void during the holiday season.

While that doesn’t make this Chad Michael Murray-led film broadly recommendable, it certainly delivers for fans of the genre.

Chad Michael Murray and Britt Robertson in The Merry Gentlemen (2024) | Image via Netflix Related My Old Ass Review — A Hilarious and Tender Coming of Age Tale The Merry Gentlemen Review...

We know you remember the photos seen on the ‘gram: Chad Michael Murray, shirtless, cowboy-hatted, and doing a body roll. Perhaps you screen-shotted them, too. Alas, no matter how excited you might be for Murray’s resurgence as a Hollywood hunk it’s not enough to make his latest feature “The Merry Gentlemen” even sizzle.

“The Merry Gentlemen” opens with a not-so-merry woman, Ashley (Britt Robertson), an aging Jingle Belle dancer. The pseudo-Rockette is given the boot by her boss, and right before the big holiday season. That’s how Ashley ends up back in her hometown, where she’s promptly deemed “city girl” for ditching the Big Apple.

It’s there where Ashley runs into Luke (Murray), the local bar owner and handyman who — thanks to Ashley’s suggestion — also now moonlights as a shirtless dancer. Seeing his abs inspires Ashley to make a pivot of her own, as...

Netflix’s latest holiday offering, “The Merry Gentlemen,” debuts on the streaming site with a unique premise that combines small-town charm, dance performance, and joyful desperation. The film, starring Britt Robertson and Chad Michael Murray, follows Ashley, a newly dismissed Broadway dancer who returns to her hometown amid a financial crisis. With her family’s theater on the verge of failure, she devises an unusual solution: creating an all-male holiday revue featuring local hunks.

In the movie, Murray plays Luke, a local handyman with great abs and unexpected performance skills, transforming a faltering music venue into a makeshift dance platform. Ashley, played by Robertson, sees an opportunity to reinvent herself and save her parents’ struggling business through a funny Christmas-themed dance show that is equal parts “Magic Mike” and hometown heroes.

“The Merry Gentlemen” will be available on Netflix on November 20 and promises a humorous study of community, career reinvention,...

When first photos from The Merry Gentlemen were released, it's safe to say that a legion of One Tree Hill fans were immediately excited to tune into the Netflix original movie. The pictures revealed Chad Michael Murray channeling Magic Mike by stripping down for a holiday-themed all-male dance revue. One Tree Hill fans were already on board, but this solidified it.

Obviously, the steamy role led to Murray releasing a sexy 2025 calendar, but just how sexy does The Merry Gentlemen get? In the movie, Ashley (Britt Robertson) returns home to Sycamore Creek when she's let go from her Broadway dancing job. After she learns that her parents' local venue is in dire straits, she produces a show full of shirtless men to bring in the big bucks.

In between the dances hotter than hot cocoa, romance blossoms between Ashley and local heartthrob Luke (Murray). It's the small-town holiday rom-com we all know and love.

Britt Robertson and Chad Michael Murray go through the motions in the streamer’s latest cheapo Christmas comedy

The unending expansion of Netflix, still easily the most streamed of all the streamers, has turned it into an ambitious one-stop shop for all, home to both the elegant and the gaudy. This gap is never clearer than at the end of the year when the platform’s prestigious Oscar-aiming fare is available alongside its cheapo Christmas movies, the same restaurant offering you both fillet mignon and beef jerky.

Just last week, on the same day that Netflix released Jacques Audiard’s acclaimed Cannes award-winning trans musical drama Emilia Pérez, it also launched Hot Frosty, a film starring Lacey Chabert as a woman falling for a snowman who comes to life. It’s part of the appeal, the multitudes within, but again, this season, it has highlighted what the people really want.

The holiday magic train isn't slowing down on Netflix on bit in November 2024 as the streamer continues its four-week sprint of new original Christmas romantic comedies. Following the hits Meet Me Next Christmas and Hot Frosty, next up is the spicier but no less festive and lovable The Merry Gentlemen starring The CW alums Britt Robertson and Chad Michael Murray.

The Merry Gentlemen begins with Britt Robertson's character Ashley Davis performing in her Jingle Belles show on Broadway, a dancing job she has had and loved for many years. Unfortunately, Ashley gets fired from The Jingle Belles due to her age (though that part isn't said out loud to her), and she returns home to Sycamore Creek for the holidays.

When she's reunited with her parents and older sister in the characteristically festive small town, Ashley discovers that her parents' local venue The Rhythm Room nears closing. Armed with Broadway...

The Merry Gentlemen delivers an undercooked Christmas movie that struggles to make sense of itself and the humor falls flat. While Netflix is known for producing new movies and shows at a break-neck speed, it's fair to say that a lot of them feel well-thought-out and executed. The same can't be said for The Merry Gentlemen, which follows in the footsteps of hollow Hallmark Christmas movies that fail to tell a cohesive or engaging story.

A former big-city dancer returns to her hometown to save her parents' struggling performance venue by organizing an all-male, Christmas-themed revue.

Director Peter SullivanRelease Date November 20, 2024Writers marla sokoloffCast Beth Broderick, Marc Anthony Samuel, Hector David Jr., Maxwell Caulfield, Colt Prattes, Chad Michael Murray, Michael Gross, marla sokoloff, Britt RobertsonRating PG-13Main Genre Holiday

When Ashley (Britt Robertson) gets cut from a big Broadway performance just before Christmas, she returns to her hometown where she...

Santa’s dancing his way into our hearts a little early this year. And who’s that driving his sleigh? Why, it’s Britt Robertson and Chad Michael Murray, stars of The Merry Gentlemen, a new rom-com heating things up this holiday season. You can unwrap this particular gift now –– and this sizzling Christmas entertainment is worth the wait.

Directed by Peter Sullivan (Secret Obsession) and written by Marla Sokoloff (Sweet on You), The Merry Gentlemen is the story of a steamy musical revue that just might save Christmas. “We got to change things up a little bit and push the envelope,” Murray, who portrays romantic lead Luke, tells Tudum. “We take a lot of the tropes that have been created for this particular genre and poke fun at them in such a tasteful way.”

And you’re invited to see all the hip-thrusting moves and heart-melting romance. Below, we...

Warning: Contains Spoilers for The Merry GentlemenThe Merry Gentlemen is a whole new kind of Christmas film for Netflix, taking more inspiration from Magic Mike than Frosty the Snowman. The Merry Gentlemen follows dancer Ashley as she returns home for Christmas to find that her parents' performing arts venue, The Rhythm Room, is close to closing down. In order to save her parents' business, Ashley hatches a plan to host a Christmas-themed performance by some of their town's most eligible bachelors.

With the help of her friends and family, Ashley creates the revue of a lifetime. The Merry Gentlemen is infused with both classic Christmas spirit and entertaining fun, boasting both heartfelt scenes and upbeat dance sequences. All around, The Merry Gentlemen is a fun time and keeps viewers entertained, and much of what makes The Merry Gentlemen work is the skill of its actors, and their performances as dancers.

Not to make you feel like the crypt keeper, but it’s been more than 20 years since “Freaky Friday” hit theaters. For Chad Michael Murray, that only made returning for the upcoming sequel that much more fun and “full-circle.”

Murray played greasy rocker Jake in the original film, by whom Anna (Lindsay Lohan) was completely smitten. He liked her, too. He just didn’t realize it because he began to fall for Anna’s mom Tess (Jamie Lee Curtis) without realizing the two had switched bodies. In the end, though, things work out and he becomes the “ultimate” muse.

Now, Murray is returning to reprise the role for the 2025 sequel. While speaking to TheWrap for his new Netflix Christmas film “The Merry Gentlemen,” the actor recalled just how excited everyone was to be back for another go with Disney.

“So much energy, so much life,” he shared. “It’s such a full-circle,...

We are halfway through November, Thanksgiving is coming sooner rather than later, and Netflix has a bunch of new movies and shows coming to their lineup. It's a busy week! The new additions include a new Christmas movie, a based-on-a-true-story movie about IVF, and a movie based on an August Wilson play.

First up this week is The Merry Gentleman. It hits Netflix on Wednesday, Nov. 20, 2024 and stars Britt Robertson, Chad Michael Murray, Marla Sokoloff, and Marc Anthony Samuel. The holiday movie tells the story of a young woman who stages an all-male Christmas-themed show in order to save her parent's small-town venue. You know... the usual tale. I cannot wait to watch this. It's like Christmas-themed Magic Mike!

Check out the trailer below:

Joy is also headed to Netflix this week! It hits the streaming service on Thursday, Nov. 21 and follows the story of the creation of in vitro fertilization (IVF) in the UK.

The Merry Gentlemen is a light-hearted new rom-com about an all-male Christmas revue. Its one of several Christmas movies hitting Netflix this holiday season, in a way offering a sort of festive take on Magic Mike. The film stars One Tree Hills Chad Michael Murray and Under the Domes Britt Robertson as the romantic leads, alongside Fuller Houses Marla Sokoloff and Beth Broderick of Sabrina the Teenage Witch.

Robertson plays Ashley, whos just lost her job dancing in the New York dance ensemble The Jingle Belles. For the first time in over a decade, she returns to her hometown for the holidays, only to find that her parents bar The Rhythm Room is under threat of being sold. In an effort to save the establishment, Ashley decides to stage a steamy, all-male, Christmas-themed show with help from handyman Luke (Murray). As the pair work on the show together, they grow closer to one another,...

One Tree Hill star Chad Michael Murray has opened up about the sequel series to the popular WB/CW young adult drama in development at Netflix, which will be executive produced and starring his former co-stars Sophia Bush and Hilarie Burton.

While discussing his upcoming Netflix film The Merry Gentlemen, in which he stars alongside Britt Robertson, Murray expressed excitement for fans who will see many of their favorites continue their stories. In the original, Murray starred as Lucas, half-brother to James Lafferty’s Nathan Scott.

“I really want some iteration of this show to come back for the fans,” he told Deadline. “I’ll tell you, whatever iteration of the show comes forward, I want that for the fans. There’s such a brotherhood and a bond between so many people all around the world with us. I’m grateful for that.”

Robertson playfully mentioned that she was trying...

Chad Michael Murray weighed in on that One Tree Hill sequel series that’s currently in development.

Back in August, it was revealed that a reboot of the popular series was in development at Netflix with several original stars expected to return.

Fans were thrilled by the news. During a recent interview, Chad also revealed what he thought about it.

Keep reading to find out more…

Speaking to Deadline, Chad, who played Lucas in the origianl series, cheered on the idea of the reboot.

“I really want some iteration of this show to come back for the fans,” he said. “I’ll tell you, whatever iteration of the show comes forward, I want that for the fans. There’s such a brotherhood and a bond between so many people all around the world with us. I’m grateful for that.”

Will he appear in it?

His The Merry Gentlemen costar...

Here comes Santa Claus? No, Santa Claus is so over! This year, it's all about Chad Michael Murray thanks to his starring role in the hot new Netflix original Christmas romantic comedy The Merry Gentlemen. On top of his sexy new role, Murray's really giving us a reason to celebrate with his companion calendar that will have you feeling festive every day of 2025.

One week before the release of The Merry Gentlemen on Nov. 20, Netflix revealed the very nearly Nsfw photoshoot that featured 12 shirtless pictures of Chad Michael Murray themed to a month of the year. (See for yourself below!) The streaming service teased the spread as a promotional calendar photoshoot timed to the male dance revue-themed movie, but...

Guess what? You can actually purchase the Chad Michael Murray calendar!

A Chad Michael Murray calendar photoshoot? Santa, you shouldn't have.

The Merry Gentlemen premieres in One Week. pic.twitter.com...