WhatCulture Christmas Gift Guide 2018: 102 Presents You Should Buy
TV Boxsets & Stand-Up Comedy
41. Sharp Objects
Based on the book of the same name by The New York Times bestselling author Gillian Flynn (Gone Girl, Dark Places), this eight-episode series tells the story of reporter Camille Preaker (Adams) who returns to her small hometown to cover the murders of two preteen girls. Trying to put together a psychological puzzle from her past, she finds herself identifying with the young victims a bit too closely.
40. Big Little Lies Season 1
Reese Witherspoon, Nicole Kidman and Shailene Woodley star in an HBO limited drama series that tells the darkly comedic story of three northern-California mothers whose seemingly perfect lives unravel to the point of murder.
Big Little Lies is based on the bestselling 2014 novel by Australian author Liane Moriarty.
39. Classic HBO Boxsets
You can always rely on HBO to make quality programming and every DVD owner should have some of the channel's most famous boxsets in their collection. They don't make anything that's not legendary and this year should be the year you pick up The Wire, Sex and the City, Band of Brothers, The Sopranos, True Blood or True Detective.
Buy them here: The Wire, Sex and the City, Band Of Brothers, The Sopranos, True Blood & True Detective.
38. Westworld Season 1 & 2
In the first season, the hosts didn’t understand the nature of their reality. They didn’t have an element of choice. All that changes with the pull of a trigger. In Season Two, chaos takes control as the rancher’s daughter, Dolores Abernathy (Evan Rachel Wood) takes charge, Maeve Millay (Thandie Newton) is on a mission and the mysterious Man in Black (series star Ed Harris) is back. A dark odyssey about the dawn of artificial consciousness, the birth of a new form of life on Earth, and the evolution of sin, the series also stars Jeffrey Wright, James Marsden, Tessa Thompson, Luke Hemsworth and Rodrigo Santoro.
Buy it here. Win a copy here.
37. The Crown: Season 1 & 2 Box Set
The Crown, created by Peter Morgan, follows Queen Elizabeth through the late 1950s and early ‘60s as she struggles to navigate a world that’s changing around her. She must face the challenges of a new era, from the Suez Canal crisis to the assassination of John F. Kennedy, while preserving both the monarchy and her marriage.
36. The Big Bad Fox And Other Tales
The countryside isn't always as calm and peaceful as it's made out to be, and the animals in this neighbourhood can't help but ruffle a few feathers. With tales including a fox who unwittingly mothers a family of chicks, a rabbit who plays the stork and a duck who steps in as Santa Claus, if you think life in the country is a walk in the park, think again!
From the creators of the Academy Award-nominated Ernest and Celestine, and voiced by some of Britain's finest acting talent, The Big Bad Fox and Other Tales is a collection of hilarious and heart-warming adventures that the whole family will love.
35. Charmed Season 1
Now, fall deeper under the spell of the Charmed Ones, as all 22 Season One episodes have been remastered in brilliant High Definition for this Blu-ray debut! Relive the adventures of the bewitching Halliwell sisters (Shannen Doherty, Holly Marie Combs, and Alyssa Milano) as they discover their unique, supernatural powers and put them to use against the malevolent forces of darkness.
34. Star Trek Discovery – Season 1
Star Trek: Discovery follows the voyages of Starfleet on their missions to discover new worlds and new life forms, and one Starfleet officer who must learn that to truly understand all things alien, you must first understand yourself. The series features a new ship and new characters while embracing the same ideology and hope for the future that inspired a generation of dreamers and doers.
33. Patrick Melrose
Patrick Melrose is a new kind of family saga which takes a scathing and sardonic view of the upper-classes, shining an unforgiving light on the privilege, greed, cruelty and vulnerabilities that lie within their ranks. Played to perfection by Benedict Cumberbatch, Patrick himself is many things: an aristocratic addict, a rakish and outr)ageously funny playboy, but he is also a man living as a victim of the sins of his parents (Hugo Weaving and Jennifer Jason Leigh). Based on the celebrated novels by Edward St Aubyn, this intelligent, beautifully told series, follows Patrick as he embarks on a harrowing yet humorous decades-spanning odyssey to come to terms with the effects of childhood trauma.
32. Picnic at Hanging Rock
A gripping reimagining of the iconic Australian novel that plunges us into the mysterious disappearances of three schoolgirls and their governess on Valentine s Day, 1900. Exploring the event s far-reaching impact on the students and staff of Appleyard College and its enigmatic headmistress (Natalie Dormer), theories soon abound, paranoia sets in, and long-held secrets surface, as the Rock exerts its strange power and the dark stain of the unsolved mystery continues to spread.
31. Paw Patrol: Mega Pawsome Pack
Get on the case with Chase, Skye, Marshall and the rest of the team in this super-mega DVD collection! Join the pups as they take their first flight in the Air Patroller, climb aboard a pirate ship, protect the royal throne of Barkingburg and fire up for more heroic adventures. Plus, see how the pups first meet Everest and Tracker!
30. Jojo Siwa DVD Giftset
The perfect gift for all JoJo fans this Christmas, this giftset includes a set of JoJo Mystery bows– one for you and one for your BFF! It also includes sticker sheets, JoJo’s documentary special ‘My World’ and JoJo’s first film Blurt!
Buy it here.
29. Pope Francis: A Man of His Word
Pope Francis - A Man of His Word, written and directed by three-time Academy Award® nomineeWim Wenders, is intended to be a personal journey with Pope Francis, rather than a biographical documentary about him. A rare co-production with the Vatican, the pope’s ideas and his message are central to this documentary, which sets out to present his work of reform and his answers to today’s global questions from death, social justice, immigration, ecology, wealth inequality, materialism, and the role of the family.
28. The Windsors Series 1-2 & Specials
An outrageous comedy series imagining the royal family as you’ve never seen them before. The action finishes with Harry and Meghan’s May nuptials, but the Windsors are divided: Prince Charles (Harry Enfield) wants his son Wills (Hugh Skinner) to show a more regal detachment, but Wills wants to fly the air ambulance and mingle with the people. Kate (Louise Ford) is trying to find acceptance in the royal family, and Camilla (Haydn Gwynne), alarmed at Wills and Kate’s popularity, is plotting to destroy them. Laugh-out-loud funny and perfect to follow The Queen’s Speech.
27. Our Girl Complete Series 1-3
One of the most successful primetime dramas on BBC One, this powerful series charts the gripping highs and lows of female British Army medics. Series One features Eastenders’ star Lacey Turner as the eponymous Our Girl and grabbed the attention of an audience hungry for a strong female lead. Series Two and Three sees Coronation Street favourite Michelle Keegan in the starring role. This action-packed, intense, exciting series has garnered a huge fan base. Catch up on all the action on the front line.
26. Versailles Complete Series 1-3
Versailles, 1667. Louis XIV in a Machiavellian political move in his 28th year decides to make the nobility submit to his will by imposing a move of the court from Paris to Versailles, his father’s former hunting lodge. Trapped by their king’s “invitation”, the nobles of Paris gradually come to see the castle as a gilded prison and soon even his most humble courtiers begin to show their viciousness and danger threatens the kingdom, even so far as the court of Versailles into which a deadly poison seeps.
25. The Tunnel Complete Series 1-3
The Tunnel aired its final ever episode at the beginning of 2018 and now this emotionally-charged, critically acclaimed thriller starring Stephen Dillane in his Emmy award-winning role as British Detective Karl Roebuck alongside Clémence Poésy as the French Detective Elise Wassermann, can be seen in its full three series glory with this bumper box set. This compelling and deeply disturbing drama sees the dynamic pair facing murders, kidnappings and personal tragedies together across the channel divide and had viewers hooked from the very beginning. Heat said “Stylish and edgy with an added sense of post-Brexit topicality...makes for a gripping binge-watch”.
24. Classic British TV Boxsets
Why not pick up some classic British TV in the shape of The Demon Headmaster (Buy it here), Jossy's Giants (Buy it here) Wasted (Buy it here) or Crashing (Buy it here)
23. Travel Man: 48 Hours In... Series 1 & 2
Richard Ayoade takes a 48 hour holiday to different destinations with a celebrity guest to experience its top tourist attractions in this acclaimed Channel 4 series.
Buy them here: series 1 & series 2.
22. Kevin Bridges The Brand New Tour Live
This brand new comedy show from Kevin Bridges was filmed as part of Kevin’s UK and Ireland tour and his 19 night residency at the Glasgow Hydro. It’s written and performed by a comedian at the top of his game with Kevin giving his take on the modern world, social media, anxiety, religion, conversations with his dog and having Barack Obama as his support act. This is by far Kevin’s best show to date and really is a stand up masterclass.
21. Jon Richardson - Old Man
Jon Richardson is back, embarking on his nationwide tour ‘Old Man’ to complain about the state of the world and offer no solutions! Since his last show Jon has become a husband and father, seen the UK vote to leave the EU and watched the rise of Donald Trump, all of which leaves him asking one question; Why does it seem that no one else alive can correctly load a dishwasher?
Filmed on the final night of Jon’s colossal 158 date sell out UK and Ireland tour at the historic Grand Theatre in Blackpool.
20. Mrs Brown’s Boys Really Big Box
The complete first three series, plus the eleven Christmas specials, and the Live episode of the Dublin-set sitcom depicting the life and times of Mrs Agnes Brown (played by writer/creator Brendan O'Carroll), mother of a feckless bunch of grown-up children, who rules her tastefully-wallpapered realm with a rod of iron.
19. Michael McIntyre – Complete Live Collection
Collection of four live stage performances by British comedian Michael McIntyre. In 'Live and Laughing', Michael is shown on stage during his 2008 UK tour, 'Hello Wembley' sees him perform at Wembley Arena in October 2009, 'Showtime' includes footage from his sell-out arena tour of 2012 and 'Happy and Glorious' captures his performance at the O2 Arena in London as part of his 2015 tour.
18. Lee Evans – The Big 3 Live
Collection of three live stand-up performances by English comedian Lee Evans. The shows included are: 'Big - Live at the O2' (2008), 'Roadrunner - Live at the O2' (2011) and 'Monsters' (2014).