This weekend I have … an hour, and I need fun for all ages.
‘Piñata Masters!’
When to watch: Arrives Friday, on Netflix.
If you need something low-commitment but festive and enjoyable across family demographics, try this Mexican competition series (in Spanish, with subtitles or dubbed) in which contestants create elaborate piñatas. In terms of pure piñata-busting bliss, the show is weirdly stingy, but the imagination and craft on display almost makes up for it. Because of its panel of child judges, “Piñata” reminds me of Netflix’s elaborate-kid-invention show, “Making Fun,” and it has a similar energy to “Lego Masters.” I will add that if the D.I.Y. spirit dwells within you, this show will absolutely make you want to build your own piñata.
… 90 minutes, and I crave the unexpected.
‘Adult Swim Yule Log’
When to watch: Now, on HBO Max.
Sorry, log fans: This is not a yule log. It’s a warped, gory and sometimes hilarious horror feature written and directed by Casper Kelly, the creator of the viral hit “Too Many Cooks.” “Yule” follows Alex and Zoe (Justin Miles and Andrea Liang), who rent a cabin as a romantic getaway and discover instead a host of murderous foes. There’s a wild maximalism to everything except the budget, outrageous in all the best ways. For those seeking a more traditional TV yule-log experience, there are versions of the static fireplace scene on numerous channels and streaming services, with varying amounts of conspicuous branding.
… many, many hours, and I want to decide only once.
‘Taskmaster’
When to watch: Now, on YouTube.
Each season of this British panel show, hosted by Greg Davies and Alex Horne, pits five comedians against one another in a series of strange and goofy missions: Blow out a candle from the farthest distance, paint a horse while riding a horse, conceal a pineapple on your person. Clever workarounds and chronic ineptitude abound in equal amounts. The show recently aired its 14th season, but so far only 11 full seasons are available in the U.S.; you can’t go wrong, but I’m partial to Seasons 4, 5, 7, 9 and 11. If you somehow burn through all of them, a few international iterations are also available, and the New Zealand one is particularly fun.
