Google TV is making it easier to find festive movie recommendations by adding an advent calendar to its home screen, which subscribers can visit every day leading up to Christmas.
Advent Calendar 2023: Count Down to Christmas will suggest one movie a day for 25 days, capping it off with a special Christmas Day recommendation. A banner on the main Google TV page will host a countdown along with a hint as to what the movie might be before clicking Open Now to unwrap it, such as teasing the line “Keep the change, ya filthy animal” from Home Alone. In addition to the home screen, the advent calendar can also be found on a slideshow at the top of the homescreen.
While several streaming services offer specially curated playlists for the holidays, and Hallmark has a Countdown to Christmas movie marathon, Google TV appears to be the only one suggesting titles using an advent calendar structure filled with suggestions from Disney+, Apple TV, Prime Video, Netflix, and other streaming platforms.
So far, Google suggested The Shepherd, The Nightmare Before Christmas, Little Women, and The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special, according to Android Authority. However, 9to5Google says it saw Home Alone, The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special, Elf, and Arthur Christmas, suggesting the lineup may be different for everyone. If you don’t want to wait for the daily suggestion, scroll down to the Advent Calendar 2023: Count Down to Christmas section to see the complete list of titles.
In addition to counting down until Christmas, Google TV is also showcasing the best movies and TV series of 2023, such as The Super Mario Bros. Movie, The Last of Us, and Yellowstone. On November 29, the Best of 2023 went live on Google TV devices and the app, breaking down the best genre, most-watched, most often added to the watchlist, and other categories.
Google TV was not available before publication.