With HBO changing its home in India from Disney+Hotstar to JioCinema, it has fallen off the radar for many viewers who are missing out on some great shows. From political satires to spoofs to video game adaptations, here are six shows that you need to watch on JioCinema.
The Regime (March 2024)
This six-episode HBO show is a political satire of populist authoritarianism that is reigning over many countries. Darkly funny, the show stars Kate Winslet as the germophobic Chancellor of a fictitious Central European country whose enforced isolation has disastrous outcomes as she becomes reliant on a violent ex-soldier who becomes her confidante and advisor. Everything aside, this should be on your watchlist for Winslet alone who is absolutely spectacular in the role.
The Franchise (October 2024)
This HBO spoof of the making of a not-so-important superhero film is an entertaining takedown of Cinematic Universes (*cough* MCU *cough*) with great comedic actors including Himesh Patel, who plays the overworked first assistant director Daniel Kumar, as the lead. The show is funny, even though not all the jokes land, and has plenty of tongue-in-cheek humour and quippy dialogues to keep the audience engaged.
Industry (2020)
Set in the cut-throat world of high finance, this London-based HBO offering created by two bankers and executive-produced by Lena Dunham follows a bunch of fresh graduates who are vying for permanent positions in a prestigious investment bank. The show, which addresses issues like workplace relations, gender relations, sexuality and exploitation in its first season alone, rings true to our times. Well-written and well-acted, Industry has just been renewed for season four.
The Penguin (2024)
This HBO crime drama is a spin-off of The Batman (2022) with Colin Farrell reprising his role as Oswald ‘Oz’ Cobb aka The Penguin from the film. More a Gotham crime series than a Batman series, the show follows the rise of The Penguin in Gotham’s criminal underworld. An unrecognisable Farrell gives the performance of a lifetime in this limited series, which has elements of mystery, drama and suspense and enough twists and turns to keep you on the edge of the seat.
The Sympathizer (2024)
This historical black comedy drama mini series about a North Vietnam spy planted in South Vietnam who is forced to flee to the US at the end of the Vietnam War is based on the Pulitzer-winning novel of the same name by Viet Thanh Nguyen. The show, which stars an incredible Robert Downey Jr in multiple roles, is equal parts espionage thriller and political satire. Beautifully shot and brilliantly acted, this HBO show is a must watch.
The Last of Us (2023)
The show that catapulted Pedro Pascal to ‘Internet Daddy’ fame is one of the best adaptations of a video game in recent years. Based on the 2013 game, The Last of Us follows Joel (Pascal), a smuggler who is tasked with taking an immune teenager Ellie (an exceptional Bella Ramsey) across a post-apocalyptic United States where a fungal infection that turns humans into zombie-like creatures has led to societal collapse. With the second season hitting the screens in 2025, it is time to catch up on the first season.
