One Delicious Christmas

Looking for a drama that respects your time, available in the US on HBO Max and Discovery +? One Delicious Christmas is a real answer. A tight runtime that never overstays its welcome. A 6/10 rating says what the writing already makes obvious: this one works. Vanessa Marano's performance alone is worth the time investment. There is no real reason to keep putting it off — it is right there on HBO Max.

Whatever else is competing for your attention this week, One Delicious Christmas is worth clearing space for. Character-driven storytelling at its most effective — One Delicious Christmas earns every emotional beat it goes for. Follows Abby, who inherited the property of Haven Restaurant and Inn, but being unable to manage both, she must team up with with hot shot chef Preston Weaver to "shake up" the holiday menu and get an investment from a restaurant mogul. Vanessa Marano and Alex Mallari Jr. Lead a cast doing genuinely serious work here. It hit screens in 2022. The writing trusts the audience to sit with ambiguity rather than wrapping everything up in a tidy conclusion — it is the approach that separates good drama from great. There is real craft here, even in the moments that do not fully land.

For anyone looking for storytelling that takes its characters seriously, One Delicious Christmas delivers. It does not lean on comparisons to make its case. It is a manageable watch, easy to fit into a single evening. Vanessa Marano is the centre of it, and it is one of their strongest performances on record. The patience it asks of you early on is paid back with interest.

One Delicious Christmas was released in 2022, directed by Stacey N. Harding. The full 85-minute film is available to watch now. Find exactly where it's streaming below, and TV Butler Pro makes it effortless to track your progress as you go. Just search the name, and Butler finds it instantly, tells you which service has it, and remembers exactly where you left off.