Five shows to watch while waiting for Game of Thrones Season 7

4. Marco Polo

Hey, if the premium channels can do it, and if basic cable can do it, then why not online streaming? Netflix dipped their very large toe into the historical fiction drama genre pool with 2014’s Marco Polo, and made a splash.

I won’t sugarcoat it for you: Season 1 is a bit of a slow burn, but once you get to the fifth episode, the story picks up and never looks back. Don’t go into Season 2 without watching the Christmas special One Hundred Eyes first. It tells the story of the blind monk One Hundred Eyes, how he arrived at Kublai Khan’s court, and how he earned his nickname.

Season 2 picks up where Season 1 left off. There is absolutely no slow burn in Season 2, and that’s a wonderful thing, as it means Netflix learned from Season 1’s mistakes. Marco Polo Season 2 is a masterclass in storytelling, and I would rank it side-by-side with any Game of Thrones season…with the exception of Season 6.

Marco Polo is available on Netflix

Marco Polo is available on iTunes

Next: Black Sails