Twenty shows to watch while waiting for Game of Thrones season 8

8) The Pillars of the Earth (STARZ mini-series, 2010)

Adapted from Ken Follett’s novel of the same name, this eight-part miniseries chronicles the betrayals and tribulations of powerful families in a time of war. The Pillars of the Earth sports a nice Game of Thrones pedigree, featuring alumni Ian McShane (Brother Ray) and Kate Dickie (Lysa Arryn), plus stars like Donald Sutherland, Eddie Redmayne and Haley Atwell.

Set during a period of 12th century English medieval history called the Anarchy (1135-1153), the story centers around the construction of a cathedral in the fictional town of Knightsbridge. Though some historical figures are present, most of the drama surrounding the struggle for the English crown is heavily fictionalized.

The general consensus among critics is that Pillars is a somewhat busy but watchable melodrama. Robert Lloyd of The LA Times felt that “things get wacky by the end,” but “it’s kept watchable by (the) cast…The Pillars of the Earth is at least this good: It makes you anxious for the safety of its serially imperiled heroes, some of whom will not make it to the end, and compels you to stick around if only to see the villains at long last get their comeuppances.”

Pillars sounds a bit heart-on-the-sleeve, yes, but these actors are a lot of fun to watch. It must have something going for it: Rotten Tomatoes reviewers score the medieval miniseries at 86%, audiences at 92%.