Three reasons not to cancel your HBO subscription now that ‘GoT’ is over
We get it, it was a long and sad trek to the final episode of Game of Thrones, but it’s over now. We can all take a deep breath and be thankful that all the fan theorizing (read: hyperventilating) can be put to rest.
That is until HBO kicks off the rumored prequel series because they’ll only stop kicking a dead horse once it stops spitting out money.
While an average of 32.8 million of the company’s 140 million subscribers tuned into Game of Thrones every Sunday this season, it’s important to note that HBO is also giving a platform to some pretty incredible projects.
Now that the whole Iron Throne thing has been settled (don’t worry, no spoilers), here are three shows that might be a little more satisfying to spend some serious R&R with the summer.
Something to binge watch: Barry
If you haven’t already found a show to binge-watch over the next few weeks or days, depending on your dedication, Bill Hader’s HBO original series Barry is the perfect place to start.
Just finishing up its second season the show follows Barry, an ex-Marine-turned-hitman who decides after carrying out a job in LA to become an actor. One part laugh-out-loud comedy, one part grisly examination of the realities of violence, Barry pairs both its comedic and tragic elements in an excellent push-pull relationship that never allows one to outweigh the other.
Watch out for the episodes directed by Hiro Murai, who also served as the director on some of the most breathtaking episodes of Atlanta (2016-2018). You can catch up on Barry on HBO GO before its third season airs in Spring of 2020.
Something to catch up on before the season is over – Chernobyl
This mini-series is a drama following the horrific effects and subsequent socio-political turmoil following the massive 1986 explosion from the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant in Ukraine.
The wide cast of characters represents the scientific, political, and civilian levels of understanding the disaster in the greater context in which it occurred. The first episode alone is enough to get anyone completely hooked, however, the meticulous research that went into creating the series really shows.
Writer and executive producer of the show, Craig Mazin began research in 2014 and studied everything from government reports to first-hand accounts to gain a better understanding of the larger political, scientific, and cultural scope this event had. The last episode of the season is set to premiere Monday, June 3.
Something to look forward to – Euphoria
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vuAzkZIiGxI
In the wake of big commercial successes like Gossip Girl, Riverdale, and Pretty Little Liars, HBO has decided to take a stab at its own version of a teen drama. The upcoming show, Euphoria, stars Zendaya and was written by Sam Levinson (Assassination Nation).
HBO positions the series as a contemporary examination of what it is like to be a teenager navigating the world while working through trauma, social media, relationships, drugs, sex, and alcohol.
While this does seem to be a tired take, with big-name producers like Drake, Future the Prince, and the production/distribution company A24 (Lady Bird, Moonlight, 20th Century Women) supporting the project, it seems to be a promising series.
From the trailers that have already been released, we seem to be following Rue Bennett (Zendaya), a recovering drug addict, who befriends a trans girl Jules Vaughn (Hunter Schafer) after returning home from rehab.
The cast includes Maude Apatow (Girls), Sydney Sweeney (Sharp Objects), and Jacob Elordi (The Kissing Booth). The first episode is set to premiere on Sunday, June 16.