12 Upcoming New HBO Series To Be Excited About

2016’s The Young Pope stands as one of the most bizarre programmes HBO has ever made. Starring Jude Law as the titular Pontifex, it was a slow, dreamy, plaintive look at the inner workings of the Vatican. It was weird and wonderful, boasting probably Law’s career finest work, but it had all the hallmarks of single season sensation, as - surely - hardly anyone was watching it.

It seemed to be cancelled, but to the delight of probably not all that many, it’s now back as The New Pope. If this one has flown under your radar, though, it’s well worth getting to know. The Vatican (per the series) is a hotbed of political sniping, favour currying, lies, and intrigue. Jude Law, as Pope Pius XIII, must navigate these hallowed halls, striking a balance between controlling his kingdom and maintaining his spiritual purity.

Law and Diane Keaton are joined this time around by John Malkovich. With luck, this gives us a good idea of how things are going to play out: if you want your weird show to get even weirder, Malkovich is a good guy to have around. The Young Pope was a gorgeous looking show, more cinematic than the majority of what you’ll find on the big screen. Clearly it’s a labour of love - whether or not it ever finds a sizeable audience, it’s only a good thing that people are making TV so singular as this.

It’s not for everyone, that much is for sure. Its pacing is glacial, its characters more concerned by spiritual conflict than advancing any sort of plot. But if you’re the type of person who finds the idea of Twin Peaks meets Doubt (or, if you prefer, Sister Act) appealing, then you should get acquainted with Pope Pius XIII at your earliest convenience.