Like most people, I felt gutted when the announcement came that Game of Thrones would end with season 8. Even before the bad finale, I felt a pang of separation anxiety. I started wondering what I’d watch to replace this great show. It’s the same feeling that fans got when shows like Arrested Development, King of the Hill and Firefly were canceled. It just doesn’t seem fair to cut short great shows like these but it happens anyway.
As fans, we have to search for the “next best thing” and that’s what this article is all about. After our favorite shows were canceled, we dedicated our time to finding the next hit. Our list includes 4 of the most awesome TV shows out now and we highly recommend you check them out.
1. Startup
Looking at the title of this show, one would assume that it’s another Silicon Valley spinoff. But you couldn’t be more wrong. This brilliant show provides a window into the underworld of the “Dark Web.” This is that murky corner of the web that we’re all afraid of. We’ve heard such terrible stories about it.
Its characters include a corrupt FBI cop named Phil Rask. The noticeable stutter hides a creepy persona that comes out in an unnerving twitchiness. If you want to know just how ruthless Rask is, consider this. He killed his own partner after striking a corrupt deal with Russian mobsters. He also conspired with a gangster matriarch to wrestle control over lucrative crypto from a computer prodigy.
Is this show a cliché? Sure, but it has all the ingredients and makings of a delicious guilty pleasure. That includes swag-dripping characters, killer dialogue, unexpected plot twists, and morally corrupt characters. It will make you doubt your faith in humanity.
2. Chosen
While some TV series take a few episodes to understand, this one draws you in from the start. Our advice would be to make sure you have at least an entire afternoon to spare for this TV show. This is because it’s like a good book. Once you start watching it, you won’t want to put your laptop (or remote control) down. It packs a punch throughout and delivers an ending that’s actually worthy of the build-up.
The series is based on a “game” that’s difficult to understand at first. It’s also insufferably action-packed that you can’t look away. In fact, the suspense and mystery of it all is the whole reason why you want to see it through till the end. But, the success of this series can be summed up in the fact that it puts you at the heart of the original human dilemma. This means having to choose between what’s right and wrong but realizing that the lines aren’t black and white. Ian, the main character, lives a life of survival where he has to kill or be killed. This is all while trying to save his family from a nefarious fate that he put into motion.
There are three seasons of Chosen and it’s one of the most awesome TV shows that we’ve seen in a long time. It offers a solid storyline and features a stellar cast that includes Katrina Law, Brett Davern, Nicky Whelan, and Diedrich Bader.
3. Animal Kingdom
Animal Kingdom is based on a film of the same name and opens with a powerful scene that features a young teen sitting next to his dead mother waiting for the medics to come. While it’s easy to identify this series as a spinoff of the movie during the first two episodes, it takes a completely different direction from that point forward, with unexpected twists and turns which make it one of the first series to successfully adapt the storyline of a successful film.
It’s a tale of criminals that are coming of age and making mistakes that leave the viewer saying, “how did you not see that coming?” It’s worth noting here that the creator and director of the show, David Michod, did a great job of dramatizing the story and adding a tragic dimension that resonates with viewers despite the need for quotations.
TNT has definitely toughened up with this series. It’s a clear departure from that usual fluff we see through the “Last Ship” and Rizzoli & Isles.” The best part is you’ll still enjoy this series even if you’ve watched the movie before. The creators have totally transformed it from a Melbourne epic to an Oceanside, California transplant that feels like a combination of “The O.C.” and “Sons of Anarchy.”
4. Kingdom
Kingdom is an original series from DirectTV that seems inspired by Rocky mixed with martial arts- literally. It stars a noticeably buff Nick Jonas as the son of Alvey Kulina who’s portrayed by Frank Grillo. The father runs a local gym that serves as the epicenter of this grimy yet dramatic series, with its accurate depiction of Venice, L.A.
Will you find a lot of boxing clichés in this movie? Definitely. But, it’s still a decent show considering that it centers around a struggling boxing gym. This gym is run by a passionate guy who wants to give a chance to every kid that walks in. Kingdom has its moments where it warms your heart, and it delivers a few notable action scenes. But its real saving grace comes in the form of a hopeful fighter. This fighter is so talented that Alvey wants to train him for the pro stage. But as with all things in the hero’s journey, Alvery must go through many obstacles in order to realize his dream to turn this kid into a champion. And for that, Kingdom comes 4th in our list of the most awesome TV shows out now.
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