Showmax turns to TV shows in less than two weeks, and time is running out to stream some seriously good shows. If you don’t binge them now, you may not get another chance.
There’s still no clear Plan B. The service shuts down at the end of April.
Before then, squeeze in a few must-watch titles. You won’t be sorry.
The Rookie, all seven seasons of it, remains one of the most entertaining cop-and-robber series on television.
Season seven only landed this year, and while an eighth is already in play internationally, there is hope it finds a home locally. Netflix recently added the show, which deserves a standing ovation.
HBO’s genius shows were already lost earlier this year, so if you missed Viper, Game of Thrones and many others, it’s too late.
Showmax ends 30 April
The good news is that Showmax Originals are moving to DStv’s streaming app. That likely means we will still be able to revisit The Real Housewives of Die Hoofstad and see what Mel Viljoen was like before fleeing crime in South Africa, only to land in trouble again in the United States for, well, alleged crime.
Other heavy hitters like Shaka iLembe should also survive the transition. HBO content, however, looks to be gone for now, along with some of the quirkier international films and series that gave Showmax its edge.
Over on Disney+ there is a one-season wonder worth your time. The Rookie: Feds may not have clicked with American audiences, but it is a proper romp of a watch.
Simone Clark, played by Niecy Nash-Betts, is a 48-year-old former guidance counsellor who swaps school corridors for the FBI Academy. She is the rookie everyone underestimates, much like John Nolan, but she is unconventional and very aware that she has something to prove.
Watch the trailer
Set in Los Angeles, the series sees Simone working under Special Agent in Charge Matthew Garza, tackling high-stakes investigations with a loud, unorthodox style.
Her years as a counsellor somehow translate into instinct on the job, adding an unexpected edge to her crime-solving.
There is plenty of lekker skop-skiet and donner along the way. It is fun, easy viewing, like a shortbread biscuit, very moreish. The only downside is that there is just one season.
Apple TV+ is also delivering at the moment, with a few shows as enjoyable right now as Your Friends & Neighbors Season 2.
Andrew Cooper is back, with Jon Hamm slipping comfortably into the role.
After turning down a return to his old life at the end of season one, Coop has made peace with his new reality as a suburban thief.
By day, he runs a small family office as cover. By night, he is out in a black cap and clobber, helping himself to other people’s valuables.
Watch the Your Friends & Neighbors 2 trailer
But stability never lasts. A new billionaire neighbour, Owen Ashe, suave, polished and quietly menacing, moves in and seems to know more than he should. Or does he?
Suddenly, Coop is not just stealing and coasting. There is a cat-and-mouse game unfolding, and he is scrambling to stay one step ahead.
The season is rolling out weekly, and based on the opening episodes, it is shaping up to be just as chaotic and gripping as the first.
