10 TV Shows To Fill That Game Of Thrones Shaped Void
8. Orange Is The New Black
A TV show about a woman who gets imprisoned for being her ex girlfriend's drug mule was never going to be the most conventional of dramas. Throw in American Pie star Jason Biggs as our female felon's fiancee, and the fact that she's locked away with the ex that put her in there, and what could have been a quirky comedy suddenly starts to develop some surprisingly competent narrative layers. With a great cast and a unique concept, seeing prison life through the eyes of naive middle class Piper Chapman is a funny and highly enjoyable experience. Not content with just Jason Biggs, a lot of the series comedy elements comes from another American Pie star -Natasha Lyonne as Piper gets exposed to increasingly out there situations. Yet the series isn't all fun and games, and quickly approaches darker subject matter. From extreme prison violence, to corruption and infidelity, one of the show's most endearing qualities is that as the show progresses it makes you question who you should be routing for. When initially presented with a clear protagonist, the switch to other character's perspectives makes you see each situation entirely differently. The mix of drama both in and out of prison combined with each inmate's backstory flashbacks means that each episode manages to feel entirely unique, and the frequent cliffhangers keep you coming back for more. While more drama than comedy, this is still by far the most light hearted entry on the list, and will make a nice change from the constant heart break of George RR Martin slaughtering all the characters you love. If you're looking for a show that makes you laugh but that also has a story that you can sink your teeth into, then this surprisingly well written drama is well worth checking out.
Having written for Official Playstation Mag, Godisageek and obviously What Culture. Tom is a London based writer who loves him some games. You may also find his articles lurking in the film and comic sections on rare occasions.