Cable networks and streaming services will ring in the new year with several Emmy-winning and nominated returning series. 

On New Year’s Day VH1 will bring back its 2020 Emmy-winning competition series RuPaul’s Drag Race for a 13th season, while Emmy-nominated series Cobra Kai will make its third-season debut on Netflix. The first two seasons of the drama series, based off of The Karate Kid movie franchise, streamed on YouTube.

Also Read: Season 13 of ‘RuPaul’s Drag Race’ on VH1 New Year’s Day

History's Vikings series will shift to Prime Video for the drama series' 10 episodes on Dec. 30.

Also Read: Amazon Prime Gets Final Ten Episodes of ‘Vikings’ First

Below are video trailers and premiere dates for several shows debuting the week of Dec. 28 to Jan. 3 on cable networks and streaming services (for some videos, viewer discretion is advised):

Dec. 30 -- Yearly Departed (comedy) -- Prime Video

Dec. 31 -- Chilling Adventures of Sabrina (returning series) -- Netflix

Jan. 1 -- Doctor Who: Revolution of the Daleks (special) -- BBC America

Jan. 1 -- Insomnia (sci-fi) -- Crackle

Jan. 3 -- The Watch (sci-fi/comedy) -- BBC America

Amazon Prime will stream the final 10 episodes of drama Vikings starting Dec. 30. The series has thus far premiered on History, and streamed on Amazon. The first 10 episodes of the series’ final season, Michael Hirst’s family saga showcasing the adventures of Nordic raiders and explorers in the Dark Ages, aired earlier this year. 

“Prime Video has already delighted Prime members with all five and a half seasons of Vikings,” said Brad Beale, VP of worldwide content licensing for Prime Video. “On Dec. 30, Prime members in the U.S., U.K., Germany, Austria and Ireland will be the first to learn the fates of the beloved characters as the epic drama concludes in the final ten episodes.”

History, which has shifted its scripted original focus to limited series, will air the final ten episodes in 2021. 

The first part of the sixth and final season concluded with an epic battle between the Rus and Vikings where brother fought brother, Bjorn Ironside (Alexander Ludwig) fighting for his homeland alongside King Harald (Peter Franzen) against Ivar the Boneless (Alex Høgh Andersen) now fighting with the Rus forces in an attempt to gain control of Norway. The battle ends in tragedy. 

“Our monumental Vikings saga is coming to its conclusion, but not before you’ve had a chance to watch some of my all-time favorite episodes,” said creator and executive producer Hirst. “Prime Video will uniquely expose the series finale to a streaming audience first. Prepare to be astonished, and for many surprises along the way. And if you have tears to shed, then also be prepared to shed them.”

The other executive producers are Morgan O’Sullivan of TM Productions, Sheila Hockin, John Weber of Take 5 Productions, Sherry Marsh, Alan Gasmer and James Flynn. 

Vikings is an Irish/Canadian co-production by TM Productions and Take 5 Productions, in association with Corus Entertainment. MGM Television distributes the show outside of Ireland and Canada. 

The first week of December will feature the return of several veteran series including Emmy winning show The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, as well as a sequel of Showtime drama series The L Word.

The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel will debut its third season Dec. 6 on Prime Video with actress Rachel Brosnahan and Tony Shalhoub reprising their Emmy-winning roles.

Other shows returning this week include Netflix’s Fuller House for its fifth and final season (Dec. 6) and History's Vikings for its sixth and final season (Dec. 4).

On the new series front, Showtime will resurrect its drama series The L Word for a new series run. The Dec. 8 premiere of The L Word: Generation Q will feature Jennifer Beals, Katherine Moennig (pictured) and Leisha Hailey reprising their roles from the original series, which ran on Showtime from 2004-2009. 

Below are video trailers and premiere dates for several shows debuting this week on cable networks and streaming services (for some videos, viewer discretion is advised):

Dec. 2 -- Garth Brooks: The Road I’m On (documentary) -- A&E

Dec. 3 -- 24/7: Kelly Slater (documentary) -- HBO

Dec. 3 -- Tiffany Haddish: Black Mitzvah (comedy special) -- Netflix

Dec. 4 -- Toast of London (comedy) -- IFC

Dec. 5 -- Tell Me A Story (returning series) -- CBS All Access

Dec. 5 -- V Wars (sci-fi) -- Netflix

Dec. 6 -- Astronomy Club (sketch comedy) -- Netflix

Dec. 6 -- The Confession Killer (miniseries) -- Netflix

Dec. 6 -- Reprisal (drama) -- Hulu

Dec. 6 -- Truth Be Told (drama) -- Apple TV+

Dec. 8 -- Work In Progress (comedy) -- Showtime

A+E Networks' core brands are driving ratings by creating content that is appealing to their respective audiences, according to A+E Networks president of programming Rob Sharenow, who recently sat down with Multichannel News for a video interview. 

"We're really leaning into what our viewers want and expect from us, and delivering," he said. 

History announced Tuesday that it has ordered a 20-episode sixth season of its drama series Vikings.

The announcement for a sixth season comes as the series -- which tells the lives and adventures of raiders and explorers of the Dark Ages – launches its 20-episode fifth season Nov. 29, according to network officials.

Vikings averaged 4.1 million total viewers in Nielsen Live+7 delivery last season and 7.8 million viewers across all platforms, the network said. 

“Vikings has creatively sailed to monumental lengths … the series has evolved from early raids in England, to the heart-stopping death of Ragnar Lothbrok, to the fierce battles of the Great Heathen Army, and now we’ll see the sons of Ragnar exploring and conquering the known world,” said Eli Lehrer, History executive vice president of programming, in a statement. “Michael Hirst has only scratched the surface of his epic saga. We look forward to continuing our partnership with one of the greatest writers in this era of Peak TV and entertaining our viewers with 40 new episodes over the next two seasons.”

A bevy of cable networks and streaming video services gravitated to San Diego this past week to showcase the TV industry's top shows during the annual Comic-Con International show.

Networks such as AMC, History, HBO and TNT, as well as streaming services like CBS All Access and Netflix, presented to an estimated 100,000 Comic-Con attendees numerous panels featuring writers, directors and stars of major hit shows such as The Walking Dead, Vikings, Westworld, The Last Ship, Star Trek Discovery and Stranger Things.

Along with the panels, content providers also released video trailers from several series and specials, a sample of which appears below.


Twice Upon A Time (Doctor Who) -- BBC America 

Dirk Gently’s Holistic Detective Agency -- BBC America 

Stranger Things – Netflix

The Last Ship – TNT

Star Trek Discovery – CBS All Access

Vikings – History

The Defenders – Netflix

American Horror Story – FX

Westworld – HBO

Stargate – MGM

Krypton -- Syfy

History will launch the fourth season of its hit series Vikings on Feb. 18 with an additional four episodes added to its original 16-episode order, the network said Thursday.

The first 10 episodes of the series, which follows the lives and adventures of the raiders and explorers of the Dark Ages, will air on consecutive Thursdays beginning Feb. 18. The second half of the 20-episode order will air later in the year, according to network officials.

Vikings is executively produced by Michael Hirst (Elizabeth) as well as Sheila Hockin, John Weber, Sherry Marsh, Alan Gasmer and James Flynn, said History.