Easter might look a little different than normal this year, but there’s never been a better time start a new TV show with VodafoneTV, now just $149. Whether you’re a bubble of one, two or 10, we’ve got you covered, as we run down the 10 most popular shows on Lightbox right now.
The Handmaid’s Tale
Genre: Dystopian drama
Available seasons: All seasons (1-3)
Age: Suitable for Mature audiences 16 years and over. Contains adult themes and is directed primarily at mature audiences.
Trailer: https://www.lightbox.co.nz/trailer/5b414cc4-1c09-4e8a-bdfe-f4c6a41638a6
Currently in its third season, The Handmaid’s Tale is based on Margaret Atwood’s best-selling novel of the same name. It follows the story of Elizabeth (or Offred) as she navigates a dystopian near future USA, or Gilead as it’s now called.
Forced to re-populate the global infertility caused by environmental damage, Offred (played by a brilliant Elisabeth Moss) searches for a way to survive and escape this brutal new regime so she can reunite with her daughter.
It can be tough watching at times, so be sure to follow it with something like…
Modern Family
Genre: Family sitcom
Available seasons: Season 1-10 (of 11)
Age: Suitable for Mature audiences 16 years and over. Contains adult themes and is directed primarily at mature audiences.
Trailer: https://www.lightbox.co.nz/trailer/d2828500-6161-4fba-9c5d-c9795175b216
The show finished filming its last season (11) back in February this year (2020) and is well known for its hilarious portrayal of family life.
If you’ve been with it from the start, the end of the show will be like saying goodbye to your own family, but the good news is you can catch all but the newest season on Lightbox and relive the highs and lows of the three families at the show’s core.
Another (less modern) family at the heart of one of Lightbox’s most popular shows is the Lothsbroks in…
Vikings
Genre: Drama
Available seasons: Season 6
Age: People under 18 years should not view. Contains themes which may be challenging or offensive even to some adult viewers.
Trailer: https://www.lightbox.co.nz/trailer/b537fa01-2e26-4420-8b5d-a5058118d3b2
Arguably the History Channel’s most popular show ever, Vikings introduces us to Ragnar Lothbrok, a legendary Norse hero, who quickly rises among Vikings ranks to become a fearless warrior and commander of the Viking tribes, his family right there alongside him.
Aside from the beautiful scenery (as with Game of Thrones, Ireland was the setting for much of the show's filming), the show is known for its brilliant storytelling, intense drama and graphic violence - it’s definitely not for the faint-hearted!
Season six is streaming now on Lightbox so if you’re up to date on season 1-5, why not dive into the current season this weekend.
The Good Doctor
Genre: Medical Drama
Available seasons: All season (1-3)
Age: Suitable for Mature audiences 16 years and over. Contains adult themes and is directed primarily at mature audiences.
Trailer: https://www.lightbox.co.nz/trailer/3016dc63-281e-4e6d-9c71-9af3dbac4201
With the vast amount of medical dramas on offer, you’d be forgiven for thinking there couldn’t possibly be a new angle to the genre. However, the Good Doctor does just that.
Adapted from the 2013 award-winning South Korean series of the same name, Freddie Highmore (Bates Motel, Charlie and The Chocolate Factory) stars as Dr. Shaun Murphy, an up-and-coming surgeon who also happens to have autism and savant syndrome.
The show follows Shaun as he uses his extraordinary medical skill and intuition to save lives and challenge the scepticism of his colleagues. It’s a feel good drama that often leaves you feeling uplifted, while giving you some insight into the portrayal of an autistic character.
Castle Rock
Genre: Drama Horror
Available seasons: All seasons (1-2)
Age: Suitable for Mature audiences 16 years and over. Contains adult themes and is directed primarily at mature audiences.
Trailer: https://www.lightbox.co.nz/trailer/1ddbf40e-0064-4d00-9ffc-aec4ba866237
From medical drama to an entirely different type of drama – psychological horror fans, this one’s for you. Set in the Stephen King multiverse, it features and is inspired by the characters, settings, and themes from the stories created by Stephen King and his fictional town of Castle Rock.
Each season has new characters and new stories set within Stephen King’s cursed town, and if this approach to a TV show sounds familiar that’s because it is – fans of American Horror Story will recognise this approach.
As well as The Shawshank Redemption, the fictional town has featured prominently in Stephen King’s work – Cujo, The Dark Half, It, Needful Things, The Body and Rita Hayworth and The Shawshank Redemption, so expect for more recognisable characters, story lines and visual nods appear in the coming seasons.
Suits
Genre: Legal Drama
Available seasons: All seasons (1-9)
Age: Suitable for Mature audiences 16 years and over. Contains adult themes and is directed primarily at mature audiences.
Trailer: https://www.lightbox.co.nz/trailer/5f924d39-489e-4b47-843e-5bba07d3b4f8
Most famous now for being the job Megan Markle had before she married Prince Harry, Suits is a legal drama, which centres on one Manhattan law firm, and the lawyers who work there. Harvey Specter leads the way, as a successful but morally questionable attorney, who hires a new associate, Mike Ross,despite the fact he has never been to Law school.
It’s the characters that stand out in this fast paced, enjoyable drama, and gave the show longevity even after two of the main characters left in season 7.
While the show has now come to an end, be sure to dive into the Suits world – rest assured you’ll come out the other side glad that you did.
The Act
Genre: Crime Drama
Available seasons: All seasons
Age: Suitable for Mature audiences 16 years and over. Contains adult themes and is directed primarily at mature audiences.
Trailer: https://www.lightbox.co.nz/trailer/0e731cd5-05d1-4091-804e-15fb406e830e
The Act only has one season with eight episodes, so if you’re not looking to commit yourself to a new TV show this one is for you.
The limited series, which adapts Michelle Dean’s 2016 BuzzFeed article about the murder of Dee Dee Blanchard, follows the relationship between Gypsy and her overprotective mother, revealing secrets along the way and ultimately ending in murder.
It’s pretty hard to watch at times,as a mother slowly suffocates her daughter’s spirit, so once you’ve made your way through the eight episodes, be sure to jump into Modern Family, Outrageous Fortune or any other light-hearted show on Lightbox as a pallet cleanser.
Mr Mercedes
Genre: Drama
Available seasons: All seasons (1-3)
Age: People under 18 years should not view. Contains themes which may be challenging or offensive even to some adult viewers.
Trailer: https://www.lightbox.co.nz/trailer/459ec77f-32dc-4bfe-af12-fd50d304548f
Stephen King strikes again with Mr Mercedes, a TV show based on his novels, which follows retired detective, Bill Hodges, still haunted by the unsolved case of "Mr. Mercedes" who claimed sixteen lives when he drove a stolen Mercedes through a line of job-seekers at a local job fair.
The show’s other main protagonist, ‘Mr Mercedes’, a brilliant young psychopath called Brady Hartsfield, re-emerges to focus his attention on the retired detective. What begins as an online cat-and-mouse game between the two soon has deadly real-life consequences as an increasingly desperate Hartsfield becomes bent on leaving his mark on the world.
Fans of Big Little lies should enjoy this one, as the story was developed for TV by the same writer – David E. Kelley.
Breaking Bad
Genre: Crime Drama
Available seasons: All seasons (1-5)
Age: Suitable for Mature audiences 16 years and over. Contains adult themes and is directed primarily at mature audiences.
Trailer: https://www.lightbox.co.nz/trailer/470b3036-939e-45b1-92a4-e42d60d867de
What to say about Breaking Bad that hasn’t already been said? A quick re-cap of the plot for those who haven’t heard of it (where have you been?) – kindly school teacher, Walter White gets diagnosed with cancer and turns to cooking meth with ex-student Jesse, in order to pay his medical bills.
The show entered pop culture history and is widely regarded to be one of the greatest TV shows of all time, winning 110 awards, and has spawned a prequel series, Netflix’s Better Call Saul, as well as a sequel film, El Camino: A Breaking Bad Movie.
If it sounds crazy, it is. It’s full of gangsters, drug deals, death, and at the heart of it all a man who started down the criminal path, all to take care of his family. If that doesn’t convince you to give it a go, we do know what will!
Mr Robot
Genre: Drama
Available seasons: Season 4
Age: Suitable for Mature audiences 16 years and over. Contains adult themes and is directed primarily at mature audiences.
Trailer: https://www.lightbox.co.nz/trailer/5f924d39-489e-4b47-843e-5bba07d3b4f8
One for the digital age, Mr Robot tells the story of a socially awkward young cyber-security engineer who becomes involved with a vigilante organisation, led by Mr Robot, whose mission is seemingly to take down corporate America.
Aside from the great performances from Rami Malek (Freddie Mercury and the new Bond Villain) and Christian Slater (True Romance), this show is worth the watch for its soundtrack, filming style, and the conversation it started around the power of the internet, privacy and the use of social media as a tool to control people.
Just don’t expect to feel like rushing back online anytime soon.
Happy watching! Let us know how you get on with these picks and tag us into your watch parties on @vodafonenz.
If you feel like spending the long weekend with the kids doing fun Easter activities, check out our top 7 must dos here, instead!
