There’s nothing quite like the combination of accomplishment and impatience that comes from finishing a series of television, then realising you have to wait until next year before you get to see more. And so here you are, wrapped up in the story of June and Moira, Serena Joy and the Commander, wondering how to keep yourself occupied until season two of The Handmaid’s Tale drops.
Fortunately, SBS On Demand has a ridiculously huge library of quality entertainment for your eye- and earballs. All we need to know is... what are you in the mood for?
Something lighter...
Search Party
If you’re feeling depressed about the future, a nice missing person mystery will cheer you up – especially if you’ve watched Arrested Development and thought, “Maeby deserves her own series.” Alia Shawkat leads a cast of self-absorbed college kids who stumble into the role of amateur investigators when fellow student Chantal goes AWOL. The comedy here is dark, but very funny. The perfect bridge from Gilead to New York City.
Watch the first episode:
Something critically acclaimed...
Atlanta
One of those rare shows where the creator’s sensibilities permeate every element, Atlanta is very lucky to have been dreamed up by writer/director/producer/star Donald Glover – and that’s reflected in how many awards the first season racked up. Set in the Georgian city of its title, this idiosyncratic comedy follows college drop-out Earn (Glover) as he reconnects with his rapper cousin Paper Boi, who’s on the brink of the big time. Very funny, with an amazing soundtrack, too.
Watch the first episode:
Something religiously political...
The Young Pope
Can’t get enough of Biblical what-ifs? Beyond the memes and jokes on its title, The Young Pope zigs where you think it’s going to zag: Jude Law may be young (for a pope), but his belief system is extremely old-school (again, for a pope). There’s plenty of dramatic conflict here, as the entrenched powerbrokers in the Vatican try to bring their new pontiff to heel. Along the way, it’s a deeply weird show.
Watch the first episode:
Something dystopic...
Trepalium
If you haven’t had enough of distressing potential timelines, take a trip to the not-too-distant-future’s Paris, where there’s an 80/20 split between people without jobs and people living in luxury on the other side of an enormous wall. When the unemployed masses start arcing up, the well-doers offer them an olive branch: 10,000 jobs. So that’s that then, right? Problem solved. Sorry... have you ever watched TV?
Watch the first episode:
Something with badass women...
Black Widows
Maybe you’ve had enough of women being ground beneath the boot of theocratic juntas. How about blending some Nordic Noir with dark comedy? Black Widows follows three Scandi women who plot to get rid of their husbands. Naturally, not everything goes smoothly for the conspiring trio, but there’s plenty of big action along the way.
Watch the first episode:
Something with women controlling their own futures...
Young and Promising
Written by lead Siri Seljeseth, there’s plenty to love in this comedy series about three twentysomething Norwegian women trying to make the most of their chosen careers: stand-up comedy, acting and writing. There’s awkward relationship drama, scatological cringe moments, generation-gap banter and unexpected twists into dark territory. After three episodes, you’ll be looking up flights to Oslo... especially if world politics keeps moving along its current track...
Watch the first episode:
Something that addresses the current political climate...
The Good Fight
Not just for fans of long-running series The Good Wife, this spin-off tackles the changing face of politics in America. One year on, a massive financial scam has wrought havoc on reputations and bank balances, leading Maia Rindell (Rose Leslie) and her mentor Diane Lockhart (Christine Baranski) to join an African-American-owned legal firm that’s tackling police brutality cases.
Watch the first episode:
Something brutal...
Cardinal
Haven’t had enough of fictionalised violence against women? Cardinal kicks off with the discovery of a missing young girl’s body in an abandoned mine shaft. It’s winter in Ontario, adding to the bleakness, and like all good atmospheric thrillers, our investigators are a back-in-action grizzled detective with a hunch and his conflicted-loyalties-toting younger partner.
Watch the first episode:
