We made it through February – or as I like to call it, the Tuesday of the year.

Onwards and upwards into March, with exciting things on the horizon and the promise of a public holiday this month.

Hey, whatever leads to another day off work is fine by me.

One of the great things coming your way is a whole list of new and exciting international series airing on Showmax this month.

Here are seven of the best to keep you entertained as the year plods on:

RAY DONOVAN S6

First on Showmax, March 1, 2019

As season six begins, we find Ray (Liev Schreiber) rebuilding his life in New York City. After being rescued from a plummet into the East River, his saviour, a cop named Mac (Domenick Lombardozzi), brings Ray into the fraternity that is the Staten Island Police Department.

While exploring this new world of brotherhood and corruption, Ray finds himself once again working for media mogul Sam Winslow (Oscar winner Susan Sarandon). Sam has teamed up with New York City mayoral candidate Anita Novak (Lola Glaudini from Criminal Minds), a partnership that puts Ray at odds with his new friends out in Staten Island…

STRIKE BACK S6

First on Showmax, March 1, 2019

When a Russian bomber crashes in the South China Sea, the covert special-ops soldiers of Section 20 — Thomas “Mac” McAllister (Warren Brown), Samuel Wyatt (Daniel MacPherson) and Gracie Novin (Alin Sumarwata) — are sent on a mission to investigate. There, they cross paths with a rogue Russian operative with questionable loyalties,  a triad gang in Kuala Lumpur, a wealthy Indian businesswoman running for Parliament, mercenary drug agents and terrifying warlords, as they uncover a conspiracy that threatens to push the world to the brink of global conflict…

BARRY S1

Fresh from the 2019 Golden Globes, March 1, 2019

A hitman (Saturday Night Live alumnus Bill Hader) follows his intended target to an acting class, finds himself intrigued, and decides to become an actor and change his life.

CRASHING S3

First on Showmax, March 1, 2019

Crashing draws on creator and star Pete Holmes’ own experiences as a comedian, providing a nuanced, hilarious look at the state of comedy today.

Crashing’s third season finds Pete reinvigorated – and no longer crashing on people’s couches – as he re-enters the New York City stand-up comedy world following his college tour. But even though he’s improved, that doesn’t mean he’s at the head of the pack…

TRUE DETECTIVE S3

Fresh from its run on M-Net, March 8, 2019

1980: Will and Julie, the children of feuding parents Tom and Lucy Purcell, go missing a week after Halloween in West Finger, Arkansas.

2015: Retired detective Wayne Hays (2017 Oscar winner and 2019 Golden Globe winner Mahershala Ali from Moonlight and Green Book), who originally investigated the crime, is asked to look back on the twists of the unsolved case with a true-crime documentary producer.

I have watched the first few episodes of this one, and it’s superb.

Remember the first season with Matthew McConaughey and Woody Harrelson? Yeah, that level of superb.

MY BRILLIANT FRIEND S1

Same time as M-Net, March 9, 2019, weekly

From the producers of The Young Pope comes an acclaimed adaptation of the internationally best-selling novel by Elena Ferrante, one of Time Magazine’s ‘100 Most Influential People In The World’ in 2016.

Set in a dangerous but fascinating Naples, My Brilliant Friend is the story of a lifelong friendship spanning 60 years. When the most important friend in her life seems to disappear without a trace, Elena Greco, an elderly woman living in a house crammed with books, switches on her PC and starts writing her own story, and that of Lila, her best friend, and her own worst enemy.

SMILF S2

First on Showmax, March 25, 2019

Created, starring and executive produced by Frankie Shaw, SMILF is a raw, honest look at the life of 20-something Bridgette Bird (Shaw), whose desires for relationships, sex and career collide with the realities of working-class single motherhood.

Right, that’s your international list sorted, but don’t forget about our homegrown binge-worthy SA shows like The Girl From St. Agnes, and the upcoming Trippin With Skhumba.

Trippin With Skhumba is flipping funny,” says director Vincent Moloi, who helmed the 2018 Best Drama SAFTA winner Tjovitjo and also took home Best Documentary Director last year for Skulls of My People.

“It’s real. It represents, to me, the ultimate exploration of South Africa’s humour in a very honest and truthful way. It has an uncompromisingly authentic texture. Be ready to laugh at our misfortunes and our greatness.

Surely that’s enough to get you through the month?

If you’re behind the times and don’t have Showmax yet, a reminder that you can sign up for a FREE two-week trial here, and DStv subscribers can also add the Showmax to their existing bouquet for free.

Otherwise, all the goodies on Showmax cost R99 per month, and unlike Telkom, you can cancel whenever you like.