HBO Max was one of the most popular streaming services in the world due to the volume and the quality of the shows and movies on the platform. You’ve probably noticed when you log into HBO Max that the platform has been replaced by Max. What does this mean? WarnerMedia and Discovery have merged all of their content into one convenient location. You can still enjoy all of the shows like Succession and The Sopranos that were available on HBO Max, and this new streaming service also includes the kinds of reality shows that were available on Discovery+. Essentially, the libraries of the two services have been merged.
As is the case for many young TV lovers, HBO was one of the places I checked first for great TV, and some of the shows on this list made me realize everything that TV was capable of. What’s even better, though, is that Max always has another show on deck.
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Whatever kind of show you’re looking for, you’re likely to find it on Max. From iconic dramas to some of the funniest comedies ever created, every show on this list is a must-watch, whether it’s 30 years old or just came out this year. Here are the best Max shows.
The Wire (2002)
5 Seasons
Genre
Crime, Drama
Stars
Dominic West, Lance Reddick, Sonja Sohn
Created by
David Simon
Watch on max
Arguably the greatest show in the history of TV generally, not just HBO, The Wire tells the story of the Baltimore drug trade from a wide array of different perspectives. The series famously takes on a variety of different perspectives, from the school system to the police department to the drug dealers themselves, to provide a humanist portrait of how the system is failing everybody. It’s a brilliant, incisive series that reminds us that people are what matters most. It’s a stinging indictment of everything, and that’s the whole point.
Curb Your Enthusiasm (2000)
84%
8.8/10
12 Seasons
Genre
Comedy
Stars
Larry David, Jeff Garlin, Susie Essman
Created by
Larry David
Watch on max
A side-splitting comedy to add to your collection, Curb Your Enthusiasm is a Larry David masterpiece that is both absurd and rooted in the normal annoyances of everyday life. Wonderfully satirizing and exaggerating his own life, Larry David attempts to weave through small inconveniences but continues to get hung up on the details, causing an episode-length set of problems for him and his friends. Curb has been going for well over a decade, and it’s one of the best HBO shows.
The White Lotus (2021)
83%
7.6/10
2 Seasons
Genre
Comedy, Drama, Mystery
Stars
Theo James, F. Murray Abraham, Jennifer Coolidge
Created by
Mike White
Watch on max
Both a high-strung mystery and a pretty great comedy, The White Lotus is a show that will make you want to scream if you’ve ever worked in the service industry before. The show takes its name from a fictional, expensive destination resort chain with locations in Hawaii and Italy where only the richest people go, and where, if money is never an issue, multitudes of other issues are either created out of boredom or sheer arrogance.
Barry (2018)
88%
8.4/10
4 Seasons
Genre
Comedy, Crime, Drama
Stars
Bill Hader, Sarah Goldberg, Anthony Carrigan
Watch on max
An excellent but undefinable mix of genres, Barry is a story of a depressed hitman who discovers his passion for acting after being sent to Hollywood to find his latest “mark.” Featuring Bill Hader as the hitman and Henry Winkler as his acting coach, the show draws frequent and hilarious parallels between the world of acting and Barry’s actual job. As the show evolved, it only continued to get more experimental and earned even more acclaim, as a result.
The Rehearsal (2022)
One of the more surreal limited series to ever grace Max, The Rehearsal is a documentary series that follows Nathan Fielder as he attempts to rehearse actual situations from life so that he is prepared when they happen for real. While the show starts out with a fairly light, funny premise, it eventually becomes a rumination on what it means to go through life not knowing what comes next and how impossible it ultimately is to prepare for whatever might be coming.
Last Week Tonight with John Oliver (2014)
76%
8.9/10
12 Seasons
Genre
Talk, Comedy, News
Stars
John Oliver
Created by
John Oliver
Watch on max
One of the most hard-hitting sources for what’s actually going on in the world today, Last Week Tonight with John Oliver is highly informative and thorough, even as Oliver is careful to balance his topics out with a panoply of jokes. Oliver’s polemics have only gotten sharper with each passing year, and while it’s a bit annoying that he just keeps winning the Emmy, it’s hard to argue that he doesn’t sort of deserve it.
Watchmen (2019)
85%
8.2/10
1 Season
Genre
Crime, Drama, Action & Adventure, Sci-Fi & Fantasy
Stars
Regina King, Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, Jeremy Irons
Created by
Damon Lindelof
Watch on max
Set in an alternate history and based on the graphic novel of the same name, Watchmen is a show with plenty of ideas on its mind that is also the perfect complement to the graphic novel story it takes its inspiration from. Anchored by an unbelievably good performance from Regina King, and featuring an ending that neatly ties the entire story together, Watchmen is one of the great HBO series ever produced.
The Larry Sanders Show (1992)
95%
8.5/10
6 Seasons
Genre
Comedy
Stars
Garry Shandling, Jeffrey Tambor, Wallace Langham
Created by
Dennis Klein, Garry Shandling
Watch on max
Truly one-of-a-kind, The Larry Sanders Show followed the behind-the-scenes happenings of a late-night talk show. Due to its endlessly witty and crisp writing, the show is an absolutely hilarious perspective on how these shows run that still feels fresh today. Featuring an ensemble of all-time great comedic talents, few series have had a bigger impact on what comedy is than The Larry Sanders Show.
Hacks (2021)
85%
8.2/10
4 Seasons
Genre
Comedy, Drama
Stars
Jean Smart, Hannah Einbinder, Carl Clemons-Hopkins
Created by
Jen Statsky, Lucia Aniello, Paul W. Downs
Watch on max
When a young and inexperienced comedy writer happens upon the once-incredible Las Vegas comedian Deborah Vance (Jean Smart), a twisted and dysfunctional mentorship begins to form and fester. Hacks is as cleverly written as it is dark, detailing the highs and lows of the entertainment industry and all the push and pull it takes to make it whether you’re in the spotlight or not.
Chernobyl (2019)
82%
9.4/10
1 Season
Genre
Drama
Stars
Jared Harris, Stellan Skarsgård, Emily Watson
Created by
Craig Mazin
Watch on max
Chernobyl tells the story of the brave men and women who fought to extinguish the disastrous 1986 nuclear accident, as well as the irresponsible and arrogant men who made it happen. Besides having some fantastic characters backed by some incredible performances, the story told in Chernobyl is an important reminder about the pervasive power of the truth, even when every attempt is made to obfuscate it.
Band of Brothers (2001)
87%
9.4/10
1 Season
Genre
Drama, War & Politics
Stars
Damian Lewis, Donnie Wahlberg, David Schwimmer
Watch on max
A show known in part because it managed to cast so many stars before they were stars, Band of Brothers is like an incredible — and accurate — war movie that just keeps going. Following the American 101st Airborne Division through their missions in WWII, “Easy Company” goes through hardships and loss as we follow their story, and see interviews with the actual soldiers who were a part of those missions.
Succession (2018)
4 Seasons
Genre
Drama
Stars
Nicholas Braun, Brian Cox, Kieran Culkin
Created by
Jesse Armstrong
Watch on max
It’s hard to summarize what Succession is about without it feeling contrived or trite in nature. The greatness of this dark comedy is in the minutiae of a conversation, a zipping one-liner that cuts razor-sharp wounds in your psyche, or the pity you feel for the rich people on screen who should be infinitely happy, yet aren’t. The Roy family has generational wealth and generational trauma; the fact that the latter often outweighs the former is what makes the show so absolutely compelling. After four seasons, Succession has proven to be one of the best shows on HBO Max.
The Sopranos (1999)
6 Seasons
Genre
Drama
Stars
James Gandolfini, Edie Falco, Jamie-Lynn Sigler
Created by
David Chase
Watch on max
The Sopranos first aired its pilot almost a quarter of a century ago, but the show that brought the world the misery and the mishaps of Tony Soprano (James Gandolfini) and his business and family associates is still a story many people can relate to. With the mob as the backdrop to something much deeper, Tony’s juggling act of being a gangster and a father is often secondary in the story to the questions around Tony’s mental health and the way toxic masculinity absolutely ruined a generation of men.
The Last of Us (2023)
1 Season
Genre
Drama
Stars
Pedro Pascal, Bella Ramsey
Created by
Craig Mazin, Neil Druckmann
Watch on max
Video game adaptations basically never work, which is part of the reason so many people were apprehensive about The Last of Us. In spite of all of those concerns, though, this show, which follows a young girl and an older smuggler as they travel across the country 20 years after an apocalyptic virus decimated humanity, delivered on everything fans of the show wanted. Telling the story of the first game, The Last of Us is a story about found family, survival, and the greater good, and it’s anchored by two incredible performances from Bella Ramsey and Pedro Pascal.
Game of Thrones (2011)
8 Seasons
Genre
Sci-Fi & Fantasy, Drama, Action & Adventure
Stars
Peter Dinklage, Kit Harington, Nikolaj Coster-Waldau
Created by
David Benioff, D.B. Weiss
Watch on max
Fans may not have been thrilled with the way Game of Thrones ended, but it’s hard to deny that the show had an immense cultural impact. Telling a fantastical story that involves ice zombies, dragons, and tons of palace intrigue, Game of Thrones at its best knew how to balance its fascinating world with intricate, idiosyncratic characters who were often smart and always unpredictable. Featuring an ensemble cast giving some of the best performances in TV history, as well as some stunning set pieces, Game of Thrones is the kind of sprawling fantasy saga we don’t get enough of, even if it wasn’t perfect.
Station Eleven (2021)
1 Season
Genre
Drama, Sci-Fi & Fantasy, Mystery
Stars
Mackenzie Davis, Himesh Patel, Matilda Lawler
Created by
Patrick Somerville
Watch on max
Adapted from a novel of the same name, Station Eleven tells the story of the aftermath of a global pandemic that wipes out most of humanity. It was released in the middle of an actual pandemic, and so was understandably pretty brutal viewing for some people. If you can make it through the COVID-19 parallels, though, Station Eleven is a beautiful show about what it means to survive in a world where everything has changed. Featuring a riveting performance from Mackenzie Davis and a broad ensemble cast, Station Eleven is one of the best and most underseen limited series Max has ever released.
The Leftovers (2014)
3 Seasons
Genre
Sci-Fi & Fantasy, Drama
Stars
Justin Theroux, Amy Brenneman, Christopher Eccleston
Created by
Tom Perrotta, Damon Lindelof
Watch on max
Although it was critically acclaimed throughout its three-season run, The Leftovers never got the love it deserved from awards voters or the public. The show, which imagines a world in which 2% of the population just disappeared, and the other 98% are left to cope with their loss, is a beautiful show about unimaginable grief and the impossibility of ever truly moving on. Featuring standout performances from Justin Theroux, Carrie Coon, and the rest of its sprawling ensemble, The Leftovers is a beautiful, weird show about living with loss.
True Detective (2014)
4 Seasons
Genre
Drama
Stars
Jodie Foster, Kali Reis, Fiona Shaw
Created by
Issa López, Nic Pizzolatto
Watch on max
It’s been a full decade since the first season of True Detective premiered, and every other prestige crime show is still trying to imitate it. This anthology series follows a different investigation in every season, and while those seasons vary in quality, all of them are fascinating for one reason or another. Because the show is an anthology, it’s also able to draw in incredible talents who may not be willing to commit to a longer-running show. From Matthew McConaughey to Jodie Foster, True Detective has more than enough wattage to make it worth watching for their performances alone.
Quiet on Set: The Dark Side of Kids TV (2024)
This documentary series became an instant phenomenon when it hit Max, telling the stories of various former child actors who had worked at Nickelodeon and been abused in a wide variety of ways. Quiet on Set may not be surprising to anyone who has been following the MeToo revelations of recent years, but that doesn’t make the stories that unfold over the course of the series any less heartbreaking. If any documentary is going to convince you that child acting should be highly regulated, it’s going to be Quiet on Set.
Deadwood (2004)
3 Seasons
Genre
Western, Crime, Drama
Stars
Timothy Olyphant, Ian McShane, Molly Parker
Created by
David Milch
Watch on max
One of the most undersung masterpieces of the golden era of prestige TV, Deadwood is set in the town of Deadwood in the days of the Old West, when there were no laws except the ones a man could enforce. As cliched as that description may sound, Deadwood managed to make some of the most compelling drama in TV history out of its combination of real and imagined characters from the history of the West. Although it didn’t get a chance to end on its own terms, Deadwood‘s three-season run is every bit as great as any of HBO’s all-time great series.
The Jinx: The Life and Deaths of Robert Durst (2015)
Perhaps the most remarkable true crime documentary series ever made, The Jinx tells the story of real estate magnate Robert Durst and the aura of criminality that surrounded his entire life. The startling revelations that come at the end of the series are only part of the reason it’s worth watching. What’s fascinating front to back is Durst’s strange charisma. He’s a man who may have committed terrible crimes, but he’s also strangely compelling, and that’s true not just for viewers at home, but for the many people who found themselves charmed by him.
Industry (2020)
3 Seasons
Genre
Drama
Stars
Myha'la, Marisa Abela, Harry Lawtey
Created by
Mickey Down, Konrad Kay
Watch on max
One of the most gloriously ruthless shows on TV, Industry follows a group of young, determined financiers who are trying to prove themselves in one of the biggest investment brokerages in London. Although there’s plenty of tense deal-making, the great joy of Industry is in watching the ways each of the show’s central characters deal with the incredibly heightened reality they find themselves living in. This show is kind of like Succession if everyone actually knew what they were doing, and it turns out it’s just as riveting.
House of the Dragon (2022)
2 Seasons
Genre
Sci-Fi & Fantasy, Drama, Action & Adventure
Stars
Matt Smith, Emma D'Arcy, Olivia Cooke
Created by
George R. R. Martin, Ryan Condal
Watch on max
This prequel series to Game of Thrones, House of the Dragon tells the story of the moment the Targaryen dynasty that once ruled Westeros began to fall apart. The series focuses on a moment when two competing claims for the throne divided the entire realm, leading to a war between dragonriders unlike any that had ever been seen. Featuring a slew of great performances and sharp writing, House of the Dragon lives up to the legacy of its predecessor, but it has an even bigger sense of scale from the jump.
Ren Faire (2024)
1 Season
Genre
Documentary, Sci-Fi & Fantasy
Stars
Jeffrey Baldwin, Darla Smith, George Coulam
Watch on max
If you like the power struggles at the center of shows like Game of Thrones or Succession but wish they were taking place instead at a renaissance faire, then we’ve got the show for you. Ren Faire is a brilliant narrative, documentary series that tells the story of the king of the Texas Renaissance Faire, as he announces his retirement, leading to a cutthroat conflict between two men who want to be the heirs apparent to the empire that he built. It’s a smart, hugely entertaining documentary series that’s even more engaging than its premise might make it sound.
Conan O'Brien Must Go (2024)
Conan O’Brien remains one of the most beloved comedians of his generation, and Conan O’Brien Must Go is a series designed to remind us what makes him great. In the show, O’Brien travels to places all over the world to surprise the regular people he has featured on his podcast. Along the way, he learns more about the foods and cultures of the places he’s visiting and does plenty of funny or hilariously stupid bits. If you’ve ever found yourself reminiscing about his decades on late night, Conan O’Brien Must Go is the show for you.
The Penguin (2024)
1 Season
Genre
Drama, Crime
Stars
Colin Farrell, Cristin Milioti, Rhenzy Feliz
Created by
Lauren LeFranc
Watch on max
It may not be quite as great as The Sopranos, but The Penguin has proven to be a distinctly great mob series set in the universe of The Batman. Starring Colin Farrell in a truly unrecognizable performance, what really stands out in the series is the way it manages to build a real world out of this cartoonish universe. Of course, it doesn’t hurt that Cristin Milioti is chewing all the scenery in every scene she gets, but The Penguin is not just a great superhero show, it’s a genuinely fascinating study of one man’s rise up the criminal ranks.
Dune: Prophecy (2024)
1 Season
Genre
Sci-Fi & Fantasy, Drama, Action & Adventure
Stars
Emily Watson, Olivia Williams, Travis Fimmel
Created by
Diane Ademu-John, Alison Schapker
Watch on max
Set thousands of years before the events of the Dune films, Dune: Prophecy follows a pair of Harkonnen sisters who are working to battle sinister forces, and ultimately create the order that would become known as the Bene Gesserit. Featuring incredible production values, a star-studded cast headlined by Emily Watson and Olivia Williams, and the kind of world-building that we had already grown to love from the films and novels. Dune: Prophecy is still establishing the core of its story, but the parts are all there to make for a show well worth watching every week.
Abbott Elementary (2021)
4 Seasons
Genre
Comedy
Stars
Quinta Brunson, Tyler James Williams, Sheryl Lee Ralph
Created by
Quinta Brunson
Watch on max
One of the great comedies of the 2020s, Abbott Elementary was all the proof we needed that the mockumentary format wasn’t dead yet. The series follows the teachers and staff at a Philadelphia elementary school as they deal with their students, parents, and a system that seems designed to ensure that they fail. Featuring a colorful, vibrant ensemble, the kind of smart writing that is hard to come by on TV of any kind and a remarkable ability to generate new, fresh ideas, Abbott Elementary is not just good for a network sitcom, it’s good period.
The Pitt (2025)
1 Season
Genre
Drama
Stars
Noah Wyle, Tracy Ifeachor, Patrick Ball
Created by
R. Scott Gemmill
Watch on max
Compelling medical drama has been a durable TV format for decades, and The Pitt knows exactly how to translate it to the modern era. The series follows the staff of an emergency room over the course of a single shift in what is essentially real-time. This structure gives us a chance to really understand the stories of the patients being treated, even as we see the way these character’s relationships with one another can change and deepen over a little more than half a day.
Search Party (2016)
5 Seasons
Genre
Comedy, Drama, Crime
Stars
Alia Shawkat, John Reynolds, John Early
Created by
Sarah-Violet Bliss, Charles Rogers
Watch on max
A wild, frequently hilarious sendup of all the terrible things about millennials, Search Party tells the story of a group of friends who slowly become obsessed with the disappearance of one of their friends from college. As they unravel that case, they dive down a rabbit hole that ultimately leads them into a cult, and into an elaborate coverup for murder. Search Party is crazier than almost any other show on TV, but it’s also frequently so funny that you will have to pause it so that you don’t miss other jokes. It’s that kind of good.
Sharp Objects (2018)
1 Season
Genre
Crime, Drama, Mystery
Stars
Amy Adams, Patricia Clarkson, Chris Messina
Created by
Marti Noxon
Watch on max
A brilliant miniseries adapted from Gillian Flynn’s first novel, Sharp Objects tells the story of a journalist who returns to her small Southern town to investigate the mysterious disappearance of two young girls. As she delves deeper into the mystery, we also learn more about her own past, and the parts of it that she may have been hiding from herself. Starring Amy Adams in one of her most revealing, emotional roles, Sharp Objects is equal part pulpy and fascinating and is the perfect miniseries for anyone looking for some mystery.
Mare of Easttown (2021)
1 Season
Genre
Drama, Mystery, Crime
Stars
Kate Winslet, Jean Smart, Julianne Nicholson
Created by
Brad Ingelsby
Watch on max
The prestigious crime miniseries has existed forever, but Mare of Easttown is one of the best versions of it. The series follows a detective living in a small Pennsylvania town who investigates a brutal murder even as she works to keep her own life from falling apart. Featuring an astounding central performance from Kate Winslet, Mare of Easttown is the rare series that perfectly balances the personal and professional life of its central character, in part because the crime at the show’s center is so close to home. It’s a great series that also happened to be exactly the right length.
What shows are coming to Max in May?
May 1
- 100 Foot Wave, Season 3 (HBO Original)
- Dylan’s Playtime Adventures, Season 1B (Max Original)
May 2
- Malditos, Season 1 (Max Original)
- Teen Titans Go!, Season 9A (Cartoon Network)
May 6
- Fareed Zakaria: The War on Government (CNN)
- The Playboy Murders, Season 3 (ID)
- Toxic, Season 1 (ID)
May 8
- Conan O’Brien Must Go, Season 2 (Max Original)
May 9
- Bloody Trophy (Krwawe Trofeum) (Max Original)
May 11
- Delicious Miss Brown, Season 10 (Food Network)
- The Bakersfield 3: A Tale of Murder and Motherhood, Season 1 (ID)
May 13
- Betting on Paradise, Season 1 (HGTV)
- Contraband: Seized at the Border, Season 6 (Discovery)
- Dream Destination: A Surprise Trip, Season 1 (discovery+)
May 14
- Cutthroat Kitchen: Knives Out, Season 1 (Food Network)
- Mini Reni, Season 1 (Magnolia Network)
May 15
- Duster, Season 1 (Max Original)
- Mermicorno: Starfall, Season 2 (Max Original)
- United States of Scandal with Jake Tapper, Season 2 (CNN Original)
May 17
- Bugs Bunny Builders, Season 2E (Cartoon Network)
May 18
- Love & Marriage: Detroit, Season 2 (OWN)
- Say Yes to the Dress, Season 21 (TLC)
May 19
- American Monster: Abuse of Power, Season 1 (ID)
May 21
- Homicide Hunter: American Detective, Season 5 (ID)
May 22
- Expedition Files, Season 2 (Discovery)
May 23
- Pee-wee as Himself (HBO Original)
- Restoring Galveston, Season 7 (Magnolia Network)
- Silly Sundays, Season 1B (Cartoon Network)
May 25
- Say Yes To The Dress With Tan France, Season 1 (TLC)
May 28
- Down Home Fab, Season 3 (HGTV)
May 29
- And Just Like That…, Season 3 (Max Original)
May 31
- Mountainhead (HBO Original)
