Dedicated followers of OTT content will be aware of the impending divorce between HBO content and Disney Plus Hotstar in India. Yes, we are referring to the recent news that all HBO shows — the entire library — are leaving Disney Plus Hotstar at the end of this month, which is 31st March. It is by far the most disappointing news for Indian fans of HBO content. As most will know, HBO content is only streaming in India on Disney Plus Hotstar. Now that HBO is leaving Disney Plus Hotstar, Indian fans of Game Of Thrones and Succession will have to patiently wait until HBO content becomes available on an Indian OTT again.
However, instead of moping around and ruing the upcoming exodus of HBO shows from Disney Plus Hotstar, why not spend the last two weeks of HBO availability on Disney Plus Hotstar by watching several compelling HBO limited series on the platform instead?
Of course, there’s not enough time to binge-watch longer, multi-season shows such as Game Of Thrones and Succession. But limited series is another matter altogether. HBO has a whole library of excellent limited series, most of which consist of 6-8 episodes each, and which you can binge-watch — one series per day — until 31st March.
Here are 10 top-notch HBO limited series for you to watch on Disney Plus Hotstar before they leave the platform forever –
1. The Undoing – 6 Episodes, 50-60 minutes each
Psychological thriller ‘The Undoing’ is directed by Susanne Bier, of ‘The Night Manager’ fame. It is created by David E. Kelly, the maker of Big Little Lies. The HBO limited series stars Nicole Kidman, Hugh Grant, Édgar Ramírez, Noah Jupe and Donald Sutherland, among others. These, in themselves, are convincing reasons to watch the series. Add to it, the gripping premise – a modern twist to a classical “whodunnit” tale, when the life of a wealthy New York therapist turns upside down after she and her family get involved in a murder case.
2. I May Destroy You – 12 Episodes, 30 minutes each
Rated 98% on Rotten Tomatoes, ‘I May Destroy You’ is a dark tragi-comedy, created, written and co-directed by Michaela Coel. The series centres on a young writer, played by Coel, who gets raped, and must rebuild her life piece by piece. The official premise – “After being sexually assaulted in a nightclub, Arabella’s life changes irreversibly and she is forced to reassess everything, including her career, friends and family.”
3. Watchmen – 9 Episodes, 1 hour each
Critically acclaimed and rated 97% on Rotten Tomatoes, ‘Watchmen’ is a limited series adaptation of the DC comics of the same name. The series centres on masked vigilantes, who are treated as criminals by government agencies. To fight back, some band together to start a mutiny, while others aim to stop it before it yields chaos. The ensemble cast includes Regina King, Don Johnson, Tim Blake Nelson, Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, Andrew Howard, Jacob Ming-Trent, Tom Mison, Sara Vickers, Jeremy Irons, Jean Smart and Hong Chau.
4. Mare Of Easttown – 7 Episodes, 1 hour each
Rated 85% on Rotten Tomatoes, ‘Mare Of Easttown’ is an investigative thriller and suspense mystery, which centres on the brutal murder of a young girl in the small town of Easttown, and the disappearance of another. It falls on local detective Mare Sheehan (Kate Winslet) to get to the bottom of the mysteries. Mare’s own world seems to be falling apart, as she deals with a divorce and grief over her dead son who took his own life. Kate Winslet, Jean Smart, Guy Pearce, Julianne Nicholson, Angourie Rice, David Denman, Evan Peters, among others, star.
5. Band Of Brothers – 10 Episodes, 1 hour each on average
‘Band Of Brothers’ is one of the highest rated shows on IMDb, at 9.4. It is rated 97% on Rotten Tomatoes. It is created by Steven Spielberg and Tom Hanks. The World War II series dramatizes and recounts the exploits of members of the US Armed Forces’ “Easy” Company, 2nd Battalion, 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment of the 101st Airborne Division. The series features a huge ensemble cast, including Tom Hardy, Scott Grimes, Damian Lewis, Ron Livingston, Shane Taylor, Michael Fassbender, David Schwimmer, among a host of others.
6. Sharp Objects – 8 Episodes, 47-52 minutes each on average
Rated 93% on Rotten Tomatoes, ‘Sharp Objects’ is a suspense thriller, with a dark and compelling tone. The show is adapted from Gillian Flynn’s bestselling novel of the same name. It stars Amy Adams, Patricia Clarkson, Chris Messina, Eliza Scanlen, Matt Craven, Henry Czerny, Elizabeth Perkins, among others. Troubled journalist Camille Preaker (Amy Adams) returns to her hometown to cover a story about a series of murders. While she’s there, Camille must face her critical mother and come to terms with her personal demons.
7. Mildred Pierce – 5 Episodes, about 1 hour each
Period drama ‘Mildred Pierce’ stars Kate Winslet as a Los Angeles mother, who throws her husband out of their family home after discovering he has been unfaithful. But she faces ruin as she struggles to raise her two daughters alone. Directed by Todd Haynes, the series stars Kate Winslet, alongside Guy Pearce, Evan Rachel Wood and Melissa Leo.
8. The Outsider – 10 Episodes, 55-60 minutes each
Rated 91% on Rotten Tomatoes, ‘The Outsider’ is a mystery thriller series, adapted from Stephen King’s best-selling novel of the same name. The series centres on gruesome murders, which seem straightforward at first, but when an insidious supernatural force edges its way into the case, it leads the investigators to question everything they believe in. It stars Ben Mendelsohn, Cynthia Erivo, Bill Camp, Paddy Considine, Julianne Nicholson, and Jason Bateman.
9. Generation Kill – 7 Episodes, 1 hour each
One of the highest rated limited series on IMDb, ‘Generation Kill’ is yet another compelling war drama from HBO. The series follows a bunch of young army recruits in the US Marine Corps’ 1st Reconnaissance Battalion, who fight for the US during its 2003 invasion of Iraq. The series features a huge ensemble cast, including Alexander Skarsgård, James Ransone, Lee Tergesen, Jon Huertas, Stark Sands, Billy Lush, among others.
10. Chernobyl – 5 Episodes, 1 hour each Multiple award-winning show, rated 95% on Rotten Tomatoes, and one of the highest rated shows on IMDb, ‘Chernobyl’ is an edge of the seat, dramatised account of the devastating nuclear disaster of 1986, and the clean-up operations that followed. The series features an ensemble cast, led by Jared Harris, Stellan Skarsgård, Emily Watson, Paul Ritter, Barry Keoghan, among others.
If you finish watching all of the above, here are several more HBO mini-series you might want to watch on Disney Plus Hotstar till time runs out –
Scenes From A Marriage – 5 Episodes, 1 hour each
Oscar Issac and Jessica Chastain star in a harrowing marital drama
I’ll Be Gone In The Dark – 7 Episodes, 1 hour each
True Crime documentary that centres on the hunt for the Golden State Killer
Mrs Fletcher – 7 Episodes, 30-35 minutes each
Kathryn Hahn stars as a sex-obsessed mother of a college freshman
The Pacific – 10 Episodes, 1 hour each
A World War II drama, centred on three marines stationed at the Pacific Theater
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