So you've got Foxtel Now. You've cleared your calendar. There's nothing between you and a weekend of bingeing. Except one question: what to watch? Foxtel Now has got more TV than you can shake a cable at and it can be hard hard to sort through it. That's why the WhistleOut team has put together our top favourites. Whether you like fantasy or reality, comedy or drama, we've got something for you.
The Great British Bake Off
Joe's judgement: There are few TV shows in the world as relaxing to watch as The Great British Bake Off.
Joe's rating:
Reality TV shows routinely pit contestants against one another to build homes, cook meals and argue over who is the richest and most glamourous; all set to overly dramatic music and punctuated with fake explosions. Aren't we supposed to be relaxing in front of the TV?
The Great British Bake Off is the answer. The guests are competing in a baking contest, but there is zero animosity, bitching or back-stabbing. Everyone helps one another, congratulates each other's successes and sympathises when it all goes wrong. Hilarious hosts Sandy Toksvig and Noel Fielding crack jokes while the contestants crack eggs. This is real feel-good TV.
The Goldbergs
Jacqui's gist: Creator Adam F. Goldberg says this hilarious, feel-good sit-com is based on his real dysfunctional family, and he's got the video tapes to prove it.
Jacqui's rating:
In the 1980s 11-year-old Adam Goldberg started to document his family life with a video camera. He caught the good times, he caught the bad times. He caught the shouty times, the times when his Dad wore no pants, the times when his Mum came into the bathroom while her teenager son was showering, and a whole lot more. Now thirty years later, Adam Goldberg has taken those magic memories and turned them into a sit-com and it is adorable. Hilarious, dysfunctional but also surprisingly sweet, The Goldbergs will give you all the warm fuzzy feels - Jacqui Dent
Sons of Anarchy
Tara's take: A gritty, violent bikie drama that's like Hamlet with Harleys.
Tara's rating:
If you like your protagonists on the wrong side of the law and aren't adverse to a little gun violence, Sons of Anarchy is worth checking out. The series focuses on a small-town bike club and the conflict between old-school president Clay, and his stepson/ second-in-command Jax. Their tense relationship escalates as Jax attempts to move the club's businesses in a more legitimate direction, while dealing with the return of a much-loved ex, an over-involved mother, and his role as a new father. Sons of Anarchy combines crime drama with family tensions and a storyline that will keep you watching: but be warned, not all your fave characters will make it out alive - Tara Donnelly
Looking for something new?
Try "The Terror" on Amazon Prime Video
Jacqui's gist: When two British explorer ships become trapped in the ice of the arctic north, the crew find themselves hunted by a mysterious supernatural beast.
Jacqui's rating:
It's hard to believe The Terror wasn't made by the BBC. It's got with everything you know and love about historical drama from the UK's national broadcaster – intelligence, nuance, slow-burning tension, skilful performances and a healthy dose of stiff upper lip. Add to that a dark, gripping horror and you get a result that's utterly enthralling. If it weren't for the unfortunately poor CGI in some scenes, this show would get five stars - Jacqui Dent
Big Little Lies
Jacqui's gist: People who don't usually watch domestic drama are watching Big Little Lies and loving it for its gripping narrative and frank exploration of violence against women.
Jacqui's rating:
What seems to start as a cat-fight between some rich and some not-so-rich mothers in the town of Monterey takes a darker turn that will eventually lead to a violent death. Big Little Lies features a stellar cast including Nicole Kidman and Reese Witherspoon, but what really stands out is the complex characterisation of the women. They're flawed, neurotic and sometimes even nasty. But you will be left with a profound sense of respect for all of them - Jacqui Dent
Carnivàle
Jacqui's gist: Forget
about Game of Thrones or Walking Dead. Carnivàle
is one of the greatest fantasy TV series of all time.
Jacqui's rating:
Long
before Danaerys Targaryen hatched her first dragon egg, Carnivàle's Ben Hawkins was travelling across Dust Bowl America
with an exquisitely creepy collection of carnies. Surrounded by people with dark and rare gifts, Ben explores his own supernatural powers while peeling at the edges of a mystery that to this day remains impossibly
strange and intriguing. And to that a dusty, haunting aesthetic and arresting
acting from dozens in the cast including Nick Stahl, Clea DuVall, Clancy Brown
and many more and you've got a masterpiece of modern television. Be prepared
for the fact HBO cut this series short after only two seasons. The final
cliff-hanger will burn you, but you should still watch Carnivàle - Jacqui Dent
Language: English | Rating: M
Genre: Creepy supernatural drama
Available on: Foxtel Now | Google Play | iTunes
Last Week Tonight with John Oliver
Jacqui's gist: Extreme comedy makes extreme politics easier to stomach in this searing weekly commentary on American and world events.
Jacqui's rating:
You've
probably already encountered John Oliver's comedy take on the news. Clips of
his hilarious commentary on everyone from Donald Trump to Tony Abbott and
everything from televangelists to North Korea go viral weekly, sparking delight
and fury across the internet. But whereas YouTube will give you snippets, with
Foxtel Now you can get the full episodes in all their sweary British glory. Foxtel
Now is currently offering all of season four and is releasing season five
episodes weekly. You'll learn much and laugh hard - Jacqui Dent
Homeland
Tara's take: A tight and suspenseful crime-drama with an outstanding cast and plenty of cliffhanger episodes.
Tara's rating:
Claire Danes is superb as Carrie Mathison, a biploar CIA operative who jumps head-first into investigating recently-returned but potentially dangerous war hero Nicholas Brody. Carrie's obsession with proving her suspicions about Brody correct leads to some spectacularly bad decision making, culminating in a tense and gripping finale - and that's just the first season. With so much on the line in every episode, Homeland is perfect for weekend binge-watching - and with five Golden Globes and eight Emmy awards to its credit, is every bit deserving of a wider audience - Tara Donnelly
Westworld
Jacqui's gist: "There's no such thing as too many robot cowboys." If you agree with that statement, Westworld is for you.
Jacqui's rating:
It
sucks to be a robot if you're from Westworld. You get tortured, raped, murdered
... and then you get to do it all over again, trapped in an endless narrative
loop for the benefit of the ultra rich. That is, until your programming goes
strange and you start trying to solve a mind-bending maze, or hatch a mad plot
to escape that incidentally involve more murder, mayhem ... You get the
picture. Westworld is based on a Michael Crichton movie, and if
that name sounds familiar it's because he's the guy who brought the world Jurassic Park. If that's not proof enough
that you should watch this, throw into the mix insane plot twists, Anthony
Hopkins at his creepiest and one bad-arse robot hooker - Jacqui Dent
Language: English | Rating: MA15+
Genre: Sci-fi western
Available on: Foxtel Now | Google Play | iTunes
The Walking Dead
Joe's judgement: Like the zombies in the title, The Walking Dead proves that great shows don't die.
Joe's rating:
The beginning of The Walking Dead looks a lot like a dozen other zombie apocalypse shows and movies, but as the story has developed over the past decade, Walking Dead has become something original and absolutely worth the investment in time. The characters evolve from a group barely holding onto life, to a marauding gang of survivalists struggling to stay on top of the food chain. They're still alive, but their humanity is always in question - Joe Hanlon
Language: English | Rating: MA15+
Genre: A brutal food fight
Available on: Foxtel Now | Google Play | iTunes
Game of Thrones
Jacqui's gist: You already know about Game of Thrones. The real news is that with Foxtel Now you can watch it for $15 a month.
Jacqui's rating:
Do I even need to tell you about Game of Thrones? For years now it's been a cultural phenomenon - and for good reason. The show is extremely addictive, with high production values and plot twists that continue to shock and excite the world over. Game of Thrones fans love the fact that anything could happen and anyone could die, which definitely makes for compelling viewing - if you can handle the heartbreak.
Every time a new season of Game of Thrones comes out Australia leads the world in illegal downloads, mainly because it was locked away on Foxtel's premium cable service. Now you can stream it on a Foxtel Now drama pack for only $15 per month - Jacqui Dent
Language: English | Rating: MA15+
Genre: Game of Thrones
Available on: Foxtel Now | Google Play | iTunes
Still can't find anything to watch? Check out the best shows on Amazon Prime Video Australia instead.
Are you on the right broadband plan for Foxtel Now?
Streaming is one of the most data intensive things you can do online, so it's important to consider what broadband provider you're with and what plan is best for you. If you're not careful, Foxtel Now can make a serious dent in your monthly data allowance. But if you pick the right plan, you can binge endlessly without having to keep one eye on your broadband bill.
If you're streaming on a regular basis, we tend to recommend plans with at least 500GB as a minimum to ensure you've still got enough data left for everything else you want to do online.
ADSL Plans
NBN 25 Plans
| Inclusions | ||
|---|---|---|
|
Tangerine Telecom 
|
|
|
|
SpinTel 
|
|
|
|
Southern Phone 
|
|
|
|
Internode 
|
|
