EntertainmentTVThe 10 best shows on Max to watch right nowWhen you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.
EntertainmentTVThe 10 best shows on Max to watch right nowWhen you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.
When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.
(Image credit: HBO Max)
What are the best shows on Max to watch right now? It’s a tricky question, since the streaming service (formerlyHBO Max) includes some of thebest shows of all time, as well as the bestnew TV showsthat have recently grabbed our attention. Not all of them can fit into this list if we want to avoid endless scrolling, which we do, so we’ve selected 10 unmissable series that should rise to the top of your watchlist right now.
From legacy series that still live in popular culture like The Sopranos, to recent hits like The Last of Us, this is a varied list covering all eras of HBO and doing justice to Max’s phenomenal catalog.
It’s also made to respond to every mood you’re in at the moment. Are you looking for a heartwarming comedy to brighten your day? Are you craving the thrills that only a great action show can give you? Do you fancy being challenged with complex narratives and twisted stories? We’ve got you covered.
Including some genre favorites that are too often underrated, like Scavengers Reign and Doom Patrol, here’s our very eclectic but totally brilliant list of best shows on Max.
Let’s get into what one of thebest streaming serviceshas to offer.
10. House of the Dragon
(Image credit: HBO Max)
Year:2022Seasons:2
Game of Thrones was a true behemoth of television, a dragon that towered over pop culture for almost a decade. HBO’s first attempt at a spinoff, the House of the Dragon prequel, doesn’t quite soar in the same way, but watching white-haired Targaryens battle for the Iron Throne all over again is still a thrill that can’t be missed.
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In a standout cast bursting with talent, it’s the dual talents of Emma D’Arcy and Olivia Cook that will burn in your memory long after the show’s over and the timelines converge.House of the Dragon season 3is also on its way, so now is the time to get caught up with one of the best shows that Max has to offer.
If you need a Westeros refresher, you can read ourHouse of the Dragon timelineguide or check out thisHouse of the Dragon season 2 review.
9. Doom Patrol
(Image credit: HBO Max)
Year:2019Seasons:4
The heroes of Doom Patrol are a scrappy, ragtag bunch of weirdos whose powers have only brought them trouble, but the real tragedy is how overlooked DC’s best series was across four seasons. Such bizarre source material shouldn’t work in live-action, yet even with The Beard Hunter and the horny cockroach and, of course, those zombie Were-Butts, Doom Patrol was just as heartfelt as it was hilarious.
It helped that the cast was so game, too, including Brendan Fraser and Matt Bomer, who gave two of their most moving performances here despite rarely appearing as their characters in the flesh. It’s rather fitting that these strange oddballs weren’t widely appreciated at the time, though, because that’s true to the essence of Doom Patrol, through and through.
8. The Last of Us
(Image credit: HBO Max)
Year:2023Seasons:1
Video game adaptations often make people cry for all the wrong reasons, but with such cinematic source material to work with, The Last of Us is the rare show that gets it right, channeling the bleak apocalyptic horror of the games through a tender lens. Much of that emotional heft comes from Pedro Pascal and Bella Ramsey, who trek together across a zombified wasteland in search of hope, but the show succeeds on just about every other level, too, and even more when it deviates from the game.
Who could have ever known that the mushroom zombie show would give us one of the most enduring gay love stories of the past decade?The Last of Us season 2is also racing towards us, so now is the best time to catch up on all the Clicker action over on Max.
For more information on this post-apocalyptic gem, read ourThe Last of Us episode 1 review.
The Last of Us$17.26at Walmart$18.97at Amazon$25.45at Walmart
The Last of Us
$17.26at Walmart$18.97at Amazon$25.45at Walmart
$17.26at Walmart
$18.97at Amazon
$25.45at Walmart
7. The Other Two
(Image credit: HBO Max)
Year:2019Seasons:3
When their 13-year-old brother Chase (Case Walker) becomes an overnightYouTubesensation, his adult siblings Brooke (Heléne York) and Cary (Drew Tarver) struggle to reconcile his success with their own perceived failures. Sounds grim, but in this harrowing disappointment, The Other Two mines actual gold with what might be the most obnoxiously funny comedy of the decade.
The jokes hit even faster than Chase releases singles, including the all-time classic “My Brother’s Gay and That’s Okay!” It’s the kind of series that demands endless rewatches so you can catch every joke and quote them endlessly to your other chronically online friends. They’ll thank you for it.
6. Our Flag Means Death
(Image credit: HBO Max)
Year:2022Seasons:2
Season two, especially, is the equivalent of buried treasure for anyone who hasn’t discovered the delights of Our Flag Means Death yet. Jump aboard and binge both seasons as heartily as you can before joining the campaign to renew this series for another much-needed and well-deserved third season.
Check out ourOur Flag Means Death season 2 reviewfor more details on this delightful pirate streaming pick.
5. Scavengers Reign
(Image credit: HBO Max)
Year:2023Seasons:1
Scavengers Reign literally transports you to another world with its story of a spaceship crew stranded on a strange alien planet where they must do everything they can to survive. Hypnotically beautiful yet disturbingly dangerous, the eco-system they find themselves in is one of animation’s most visually inventive.
Every frame could be hung in the Louvre, and the same could be said for every page of the script as well because this is astonishingly well-written and paced, capturing deeply complex existential thoughts and philosophical musings with gorgeous symbolism in an eco-horror framework. You’d be hard-pressed to find a better sci-fi to represent the best this genre is capable of.
Read our list of thebest animated TV showsof all time if you want more recommendations, like Scavengers Reign!
4. Station Eleven
(Image credit: HBO Max)
Year:2021Seasons:1
3. Hacks
(Image credit: HBO Max)
Year:2021Seasons:3
The legendary Jean Smart plays a very different kind of legend in Hacks. As the cantankerous comedian Deborah Vance, Smart is brash and gaudy and even unlikeable at points, but you’ll love her anyway thanks to Jean’s charisma, which carries Deborah through a hilarious set one minute and a deeply heartbreaking revelation the next.
2. Succession
(Image credit: HBO/Sky Atlantic)
Year:2018Seasons:4
After more HBO picks? Check out our list of thebest movies on Maxright now.
1. The Sopranos
(Image credit: HBO)
Year:1999Seasons:6
For more on Max, check out our guide on all thedeals and pricesavailable. We also have a list of thebest shows on Netflixand thebest shows on Amazon Primeif you fancy more streaming picks.
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GAME REVIEWSMOVIE REVIEWSTV REVIEWS
1Nemesis review: “A magical sense of tension”
1Nemesis review: “A magical sense of tension”
1
Nemesis review: “A magical sense of tension”
2Arcs review: “A whole lot of game in a small package”
2Arcs review: “A whole lot of game in a small package”
2
Arcs review: “A whole lot of game in a small package”
3Path of Exile 2 review: “A stellar start to a thrilling and brutal dark adventure”
3Path of Exile 2 review: “A stellar start to a thrilling and brutal dark adventure”
3
Path of Exile 2 review: “A stellar start to a thrilling and brutal dark adventure”
4Indiana Jones and the Great Circle review: “The best adventure Indy has embarked on in over 30 years”
4Indiana Jones and the Great Circle review: “The best adventure Indy has embarked on in over 30 years”
4
Indiana Jones and the Great Circle review: “The best adventure Indy has embarked on in over 30 years”
5Marvel Rivals review: “So preoccupied with trying to be like Overwatch that it forgets to play to its own strengths”
5Marvel Rivals review: “So preoccupied with trying to be like Overwatch that it forgets to play to its own strengths”
5
Marvel Rivals review: “So preoccupied with trying to be like Overwatch that it forgets to play to its own strengths”
1Sonic the Hedgehog 3 review: “Keanu Reeves as Shadow is wasted whilst Jim Carrey steals the show”
1Sonic the Hedgehog 3 review: “Keanu Reeves as Shadow is wasted whilst Jim Carrey steals the show”
1
Sonic the Hedgehog 3 review: “Keanu Reeves as Shadow is wasted whilst Jim Carrey steals the show”
2Mufasa: The Lion King review – “It’s no Hakuna Matata but this Disney origin story is a class above the 2019 movie”
2Mufasa: The Lion King review – “It’s no Hakuna Matata but this Disney origin story is a class above the 2019 movie”
2
Mufasa: The Lion King review – “It’s no Hakuna Matata but this Disney origin story is a class above the 2019 movie”
3Kraven the Hunter review: “The insistence on an R-rating helps save this, with a decent helping of bloodthirsty action”
3Kraven the Hunter review: “The insistence on an R-rating helps save this, with a decent helping of bloodthirsty action”
3
Kraven the Hunter review: “The insistence on an R-rating helps save this, with a decent helping of bloodthirsty action”
4The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim review – “An uninspired expansion of the most iconic screen take on Tolkien”
4The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim review – “An uninspired expansion of the most iconic screen take on Tolkien”
4
The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim review – “An uninspired expansion of the most iconic screen take on Tolkien”
5Nightbitch review: “Amy Adams' disappointing dark comedy is all bark and no bite”
5Nightbitch review: “Amy Adams' disappointing dark comedy is all bark and no bite”
5
Nightbitch review: “Amy Adams' disappointing dark comedy is all bark and no bite”
1Doctor Who 2024 Christmas special review: “Ncuti Gatwa is as magnetic as ever in this delightful festive treat”
1Doctor Who 2024 Christmas special review: “Ncuti Gatwa is as magnetic as ever in this delightful festive treat”
1
Doctor Who 2024 Christmas special review: “Ncuti Gatwa is as magnetic as ever in this delightful festive treat”
2Secret Level review: “An uneven experience with serious highlights that ultimately make up for the misses”
2Secret Level review: “An uneven experience with serious highlights that ultimately make up for the misses”
2
Secret Level review: “An uneven experience with serious highlights that ultimately make up for the misses”
3Skeleton Crew review: “Perfectly captures the vibes of classic Star Wars with a swashbuckling twist”
3Skeleton Crew review: “Perfectly captures the vibes of classic Star Wars with a swashbuckling twist”
3
Skeleton Crew review: “Perfectly captures the vibes of classic Star Wars with a swashbuckling twist”
4Creature Commandos review: “James Gunn’s heartwarming, R-rated tale about super-monsters proves that the DCU is in good hands”
4Creature Commandos review: “James Gunn’s heartwarming, R-rated tale about super-monsters proves that the DCU is in good hands”
4
Creature Commandos review: “James Gunn’s heartwarming, R-rated tale about super-monsters proves that the DCU is in good hands”
5Cobra Kai season 6, part 2 review: “Returns to the sort of hard-hitting form that made it such a fan favorite in the first place”
5Cobra Kai season 6, part 2 review: “Returns to the sort of hard-hitting form that made it such a fan favorite in the first place”
5
Cobra Kai season 6, part 2 review: “Returns to the sort of hard-hitting form that made it such a fan favorite in the first place”