In the meantime, we've got you covered for what to watch while you wait.
Medici (2 seasons)
Dynasty, destiny, and lavish costumes. It's all here in this political family drama set in Florence in the early 15th century. When banker Giovanni de Medici (Dustin Hoffman) drops dead, his son Cosimo (Richard Madden) is pushed reluctantly to the head of the family dynasty. Cosimo and his brother Lorenzo (Stuart Martin) suspect their father was murdered by arch-rival Rinaldo Albizzi (Lex Shrapnel), who’s drumming up support in opposition to the Medicis. With tangled love interests and the golden-hued locales of the Florentine elite, this intriguing family provides no end of tales to chase round the back streets of Florence.
Season 2, called Medici: The Magnificent, begins 20 years later, and this time round, we’re seeing drama unfold for Cosimo’s grandson, Lorenzo (Daniel Sharman).
The Longest Day In Chang'an
Fans of 24 will be familiar with the structure of this Chinese period drama, set in 744AD, which follows one very stressful day in the cosmopolitan heart of the Tang dynasty, Chang’an. On the day of the Lantern festival, when the city will be filled with revellers, attackers are planning to destroy it. The young leader of the bureau must scramble to stop the attack, which would devastate not only the city, but the court itself. Lu Cai (Saving Mr Wu) plays the Intelligence leader with decisive constraint and a maturity belying his youthfulness. To head up the immediate investigation, he retrieves a former army officer from his tortured life on death row (Lei Jiayin) and teams him up with an eager young investigator, Li Bi (played by pop idol Jackson Yee).
Hernán
The Spanish "Conquistador" Hernán Cortés arrives on the shores of what today is Mexico and faces both local demons and those who've sailed with him. Each episode focuses on the viewpoint of someone who met and was close with the Spaniard Conquistador, like Marina – the intelligent local interpreter, Bernal – the insightful writer, and finally Hernán himself. How could a man, with a few hundred soldiers, subjugate an empire of warriors at the peak of its glory? The series Hernán is the answer.
Years and Years
For a more contemporary take on chaos, try Years and Years, one of the most talked-about shows of 2019. The world we see through the eyes of Manchester family, the Lyons, from 2019 to 2034 seems all too real to be as dystopian as this six-part series from Russell T. Davies (Queer As Folk) is billed to be. Emma Thompson stars as wealthy businesswoman Vivienne Rook, who sets her sights on politics, running on a campaign of being an ordinary person who is here to get things done. But she’s living anything but the life of everyday people, as she skyrockets to power and gets drunk on it. Sound familiar?
The Young Pope
Things get wild in Academy Award-winner Paolo Sorrentino's saga about the sinful goings on in the heart of the Catholic Church. Jude Law and Diane Keaton star in the tale of pontiff Pius XIII / Lenny Belardo, the first American Pope in history. Young and charming, his election might seem the result of a simple and effective media strategy by the College of Cardinals. But, as we know, appearances can be deceptive. Especially in the place and among the people who have chosen the great mystery of God as the guiding light of their existence. Turns out, the most mysterious and contradictory figure of all turns out to be Pius XIII himself. Shrewd and naïve, old-fashioned and very modern, doubtful and resolute, ironic, pedantic, hurt and ruthless, Pius XIII tries to walk the long path of human loneliness to find a God for mankind. But also for himself.
The New Pope
All the Italian decadence (and possibly also the promos of Jude Law walking down the beach in speedos) made The New Pope a hit with audiences. The follow-up to Cannes Jury Prize-winning director Paolo Sorrentino’s , as the title would suggest, this season we have a new pope, played by none other than John Malkovich.
In the second season (spoilers for season 1) Pius XIII (Jude Law) is still in a coma, leaving the Cardinals and Vatican staff to search for a worthy successor (who is also malleable, of course). Eventually succeeding him after a few mishaps is the charming and moderate English aristocrat Sir John Brannox (Malkovich) with the name John Paul III. Quickly, the new pope realises it won’t be easy to replace Pius XIII who has become a Saint with thousands of faithful followers now idolising him. Like season 1 this season has fantastic acting, intrigue and a surprisingly awesome soundtrack (be right back, making a playlist).
Temple (1 season)
In this UK remake of gripping Danish series Valkyrien Mark Strong plays Daniel Milton, a talented and successful surgeon. After a personal tragedy shatters his comfortable life, Daniel partners up with the young and lonely Lee (Daniel Mays) to start a literal underground clinic in London’s vast labyrinthine network of subterranean tunnels. There, Daniel treats those who can’t or won’t seek more legitimate healthcare: criminals, illegal immigrants, and the just plain odd. Game of Thrones’ Carice Van Houten plays Anna, a guilt-ridden medical researcher who joins the illegal clinic. In the vein of and Trust Me, Temple centres on the good doctor doing his best to juggle his team of misfits and their increasingly unpredictable clientele.
Season 1 of Temple is available to
War of the Worlds
No matter how bad 2020 was, at least we didn’t have an alien invasion to deal with, but we did enjoy watching it with this new reimagining of HG Wells’ classic sci-fi novel. A clear favourite with audiences, this contemporary take is written and created by (Misfits, Merlin) and stars Gabriel Byrne (), Elizabeth McGovern (Downton Abbey), Léa Drucker () and Daisy Edgar-Jones (Normal People). We are pleased to share that a second season of the series is currently in production.
War of the Worlds is now streaming at (also available with and subtitles).
And just for something completely different...
The Last Man on Earth
Phil Miller (Will Forte) is the last man on Earth, and he got the attitude and the personal hygiene that comes with such a predicament. And the beard. Having spent several years driving around north America to find fellow occupants of the earth, he's called off the search, and, resigned to an eternity alone, he stays put in Arizona, with a view to seeing out what's left of humanity's days getting drunk and wrecking things. Welcome to The Last Man on Earth, created by and starring Saturday Night Live's Will Forte. Being the last man on earth offers no shortage of surprises, and across four seasons, Forte manages to draw laughs and drama out of Phil's catastrophe.
Season 1 - 4 of The Last Man on Earth are available to
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