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7 series to stream while you wait for the next episode of 'Game of Thrones'

Cape Town - Now that Game of Thrones Season 8 has finally hit our screens, we can’t help but feel a little … well, frustrated.

Being in the age of streaming means we’ve got so used to being able to binge-watch a full season of a show that when we actually have to wait an entire week to get our next hit of the brutal magic that is HBO’s masterpiece, we don’t know what to do with ourselves. New episodes of Game of Thrones are available every Monday on M-Net at 03:00 and on Showmax at 22.00.

But in the meantime, let’s not forget that internet TV offers plenty of other - perhaps less anticipated, but no less deserving - delights, such as these series. They’ll keep your mind occupied while you count down the hours to the next episode of Season 8.

1. Billions S4 (Showmax and DStv Now) | New episodes every Wednesday at 21:00 

For backstabbing, betrayal, uneasy alliances and characters fighting tooth and claw to keep what’s theirs, get stuck into Billions. Seasons 1 to 3 are on Showmax to binge, and new episodes of Season 4 arrive at the same time as the DStv broadcast. Revenge is the central theme in the new season, and it even brings enemies Bobby Axelrod (Damian Lewis) and Chuck Rhoades (Paul Giamatti) together. Together with Wendy Rhoades (Maggie Siff), the trio has a sinister plan to take out those who’ve got in their way.

2. Future Man S2 (Showmax) 

This sci-fi comedy is an absolute trip, and just what the doctor ordered if you’re looking to stay in the fantasy realm but need something with less blood and more heart. Season 1 is also on Showmax, if you’d like to start from the beginning. You’ll meet Josh, a janitor by day and avid video-gamer by night, who has been chosen to save the world. And you know what they say - leave it to a gaming janitor to save the world and, well, he fails. In Season 2, Josh is back at it, this time in the year 2162. He and his misfit team try to save humanity from being exiled to Mars - if they can survive all the time travel.

3. A Very English Scandal (Showmax)

This is the real-life story of the British MP who stood trial in the 70s for the attempted murder of his ex-lover - with whom he’d had an affair at a time when homosexuality was illegal in the UK. In three episodes, this miniseries unravels the story that’s tragic and farcical at the same time, with exceptional performances by Hugh Grant as Jeremy Thorpe and Ben Whishaw as his former lover, Norman Scott.

4. Gigolos S1-2 (Showmax) | For adults only

Okay - don’t laugh. This reality show is the ultimate adult guilty pleasure. It follows the uncensored lives of five male escorts in Sin City who all work for the same agency, Cowboys4Angels. Their day-to-day jobs put them in some … ahem ... compromising positions. If you just can’t handle another show that requires serious emotional investment and continually breaks your heart (but are still partial to something with a bit of sexy time and bums), indulge in Gigolos.

5. Counterpart S2 (DStv Now) | S1 is on Showmax 

The mesmerising JK Simmons is Howard, a career agent who clocks in every day without much purpose. Then he meets his double, literally from a mirror reality, and becomes embroiled in a twisted plot of murder and mayhem. Season 2 finds and each Howard stranded in the other's world. As a cold war escalates between worlds and deepens the divide, both men find themselves growing increasingly like each other. Catch up on Season 1 on Showmax before streaming Season 2 from the beginning on DStv Now.

6. Our Planet S1 (Netflix) 

This stunning series narrated by David Attenborough will remind you that there’s a whole world of natural beauty out there, but be warned, it seems that we’re pretty much killing it all. A strong climate change message is at the core of this series.

7. Farscape S1-4 (Prime Video) 

This groundbreaking sci-fi series gained a massive cult following during its four-year run, between 1999 and 2003, and now, to mark the 20th anniversary of its launch, all four seasons have been remastered in HD. Whether you’re a Farscape virgin or afficionado, delve into the live-action, digital effects and state-of-the-art puppetry and prosthetics of this multi-award-winning show to hold you over.

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