What We're Watching Now

Clear the schedule and grab some popcorn, because WINTER IS COMING. Game Of Thrones, the cult show that spawned a million memes, is returning to the small screen this month along with season seven of Mad Men. While we’ve been itching for more Westeros intrigue and Peggy Olson sass, being drip-fed a weekly installment of two very addictive shows is going to be tough – and that goes double for the binge-watchers among us.

We’ve selected our picks of other top shows that may have slipped your attention, coming soon to a box set near you. No self-restraint required.

The Scandinavian trifecta

The Killing
Based around the brusque character of Detective Inspector Sarah Lund, this dark thriller-ish Danish police show has been so popular it’s spawned a US remake and a novelisation of the first series.

The Bridge
A crime drama that begins with the discovery of a body on a bridge between Sweden and Denmark, before taking an even more gruesome turn. Another strong female lead to boot.

Borgen
Rounding out the Scandinavian trifecta is this Danish series, which tells the story of Birgitte Nyborg, a politician who unexpectedly finds herself becoming the first female prime minister of Denmark.

The BFFs

Girls
Curl up on the couch with season three of Girls, Lena Dunham’s hit series following the trials of four 20-something women in Brooklyn.

Orange Is The New Black
A favourite with critics, this show is based on the memoirs of Piper Kerman, who was ripped from a comfortable middle-class existence and sent to a women’s prison for a crime she’d committed a decade earlier. Season two begins in June, so make sure you’re up to date.

The political power players

House Of Cards
Based on the 1990 UK series of the same name, the US drama follows congressman Frank Underwood (Kevin Spacey) as he navigates the halls of Washington DC. The first series also charts his unconventional relationships with his wife and an ambitious young journalist.

Veep
Julia Louis-Dreyfus (aka Elaine from Seinfeld) is hilarious as the vice president of the United States – and discontent to play second fiddle to the most powerful man in America.

Scandal
Kerry Washington stars as Olivia Pope, a White House press aide who starts her own crisis management firm. It’s as gripping for Ms Pope’s power suits as its plot twists.

Southern comfort

Nashville
Set in the country-music capital, Nashville is a campy drama, musical, and addictive box set all rolled into one. Depicting the rivalry between a fading country music star (Connie Britton) and the young gun (Hayden Panettiere) out to steal her glory, it’s perfect for anyone who likes a box set that doesn’t make them think too hard.

True Detective
A bone-chilling series that follows two detectives, Rust Cohle (Matthew McConaughey) and Marty Hart (Woody Harrelson), investigating a Louisiana murder over a 20-year timespan.

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