MORE THAN TV

Cathay Pacific launches a new channel dedicated to the network that changed contemporary television

For the past decade, media pundits in the West have been saying that we’re living in a new golden age of television. According to a study in the US, there were nearly 500 scripted series aired in 2018 on US TV alone. Shows on cable networks and digital platforms offer edgy alternatives to the safe, formulaic shows of traditional networks. Creators who usually work in film now turn to television, telling stories that they would never be able to tell under riskaverse film studios.

But before names such as Netflix, Amazon, Hulu, AMC and FX entered the public consciousness, there was HBO. The company – which stands for Home Box Office – began as a premium network in 1972, offering films uncut and commercial-free for a monthly fee. Taking advantage of its ability to air programmes too risqué for free television networks, HBO began producing original content in the 1980s.

Since HBO relied on subscribers instead of advertisers for revenue, it could take risks that no one else could – as long as those shows won awards. HBO soon became a prestige network with the creation of The Larry Sanders Show, Oz, The Sopranos, The Wire and Sex and the City. HBO’s critical success inspired other cable networks and burgeoning streaming platforms to follow in its footsteps.

This month, Cathay Pacific is working with HBO to launch a new channel to showcase programmes by the network.

Onboard this month is the long-awaited return of anthology series True Detective. Mahershala Ali stars in the third season as a detective who is haunted by a case involving missing children. There is already plenty of critical love and award buzz for Ali, who just won an Oscar for his performance in Green Book.

Before the final season arrives, revisit the first seven seasons of the network’s flagship series, Game of Thrones. Based on the Song of Ice and Fire fantasy novel series by George RR Martin, the epic drama traces the conflicts among noble families in a fictional world where dragons and black magic exist. Since its premiere in 2011, the show has earned a slew of awards and became a global pop culture phenomenon.

In addition to scripted series, the new HBO channel also features comedy specials and exclusive sports programmes. New Zealand’s favourite comedy-music duo Flight of the Conchords reunites this month for Flight of the Conchords: Live in London, a one-time- only live show featuring new songs. Also, get an inside look at the epic head-tohead match between golf legends Phil Mickelson and Tiger Woods with 24/7 The Match: Tiger VS Phil.