Many of them are original series from the platform, but there are also some that were originally from other channel and are now being licensed to be part of the HBO Max catalogue. In case you want to check it out, you can read our complete list down below!
1. Sex and the City
To start our list of must-watch HBO Max series, we have the classic Sex and the City. This original HBO series was a big hit during its running days, spawned a movie franchise and even has a special episode to be recorded soon. Fortunately, you can check out every season on this new streaming service. For those unfamiliar with the plot, all you need to know is that it is about these four friends living in New York and sharing stories of their love and professional lives. Despite being a bit dated in some ways, it can still be quite the watch.
2. Curb your Enthusiasm
Our next suggestion is another excellent original series from HBO. Curb your Enthusiasm was created by and also stars Larry David, who is one of the creators of Seinfeld, considered one of the best comedy series of all time. In fact, its premise is Larry’s fictional life after the end of Seinfeld and how his life has been ever since. As he gets constantly bothered by everything and everyone, in addition to being often misunderstood, the situations he gets into are very funny. It’s definitely worth checking out for the Seinfeld fans out there!
3. The Sopranos
There would be no way to make a list of must-watch HBO Max series without talking about The Sopranos. This is not only regarded as the best series the network has ever produced, it is also regarded as one of the best series ever made. If you haven’t watched its six seasons yet, this is a great opportunity. Throughout the episodes, we see a bit of the life of Tony Soprano, a mobster who tries to balance his personal and criminal life after having a panic attack. If you want to watch something of impeccable quality, you don’t need to look for anywhere else.
4. Band of Brothers
For those who like war series and movies, Band of Brothers is an amazing watch. It is based on the eponymous nonfiction book released a few years earlier and tries to tell the story of some of the members of a battalion during World War II. There are reports of battalion survivors at the beginning of each episode. It’s good to keep in mind that the series itself has a lot of poetic license rather than just focusing on trying to show what really happened to the soldiers. As it only has 10 episodes, it might be perfect for those looking for something short and high quality.
5. Fresh Prince of Bel-Air
Once a must-watch Neftlix series, Fresh Prince of Bel-Air is now a must-watch HBO Max series. If you’ve been in the mood to rewatch all its seasons featuring the fictional life of a teenage Will Smith, this is your chance. Of course, even for those who have never checked the series, you can still check it out! After all, even more than 30 years after its release, it is still very funny and doesn’t have many jokes or dated situations.
6. Veep
We’ve already made a list on some comedy series, but we are not losing an opportunity to talk about Veep. This series portrays the life of fictional American Vice President Selina Meyer, not at all about conventional politics, especially when there are no cameras around. With each episode she is faced with increasingly complicated situations that are not consistent with what she thought the position of vice president would bring. The series spanned seven seasons and there hasn’t been a year that has not had numerous nominations or awards won on its behalf.
7. Girls
We’ve already suggested Sex and the City, so it’s also worth mentioning the series that is considered its spiritual successor. The big difference is that Girls focuses on four friends in their 20s, which in itself brings very different scenarios. This is very noticeable in their worldview and the problems they encounter in relationships and careers. Other than that, they have very privileged lives, which makes some of the “problems” rather funnier than dramatic.
8. Friends
Another must-watch HBO Max series you just can’t miss is Friends, which is one of the best known sitcoms in the world. It was previously in the Netflix catalog as well, but can now only be found on this new HBO service. The plot is the one we already know: six friends live everyday situations in New York. Of course, most episodes have very funny moments that are a little out of reality.
9. Looking
Our next suggestion is Looking. This show only had two seasons, so it’s great for those who are looking for something a little shorter to watch on their free time. It basically shows the day-to-day of three gay friends, each going through a very different time in their lives. Still, they do what they can to try to understand and help each other. The best part is that the series was highly praised by the gay community, especially for not exploring too much the sexuality of boys. Instead, Looking focuses on just showing them living their lives the way straight people are often portrayed.
10. Westworld
You could say that Westworld is a must-watch HBO Max series for those looking for something different. The plot shows people who spend their time in a futuristic amusement park. In this place, these people can live out their fantasies, even the most illicit ones, using an artificial conscience. This way, they don’t commit anything really illegal and don’t have to face the consequences for what they do. Of course the series offers a lot more than that, but we don’t want to give away too many spoilers.
11. Big Little Lies
You may have heard of Big Little Lies before. We can say this because, in addition to being fairly recent, it was also highly praised and nominated for several awards. For those who don’t know, the series is based on a book of the same name, and the plot focuses on the lives of three women. They seem to live a normal life, but we soon discover that each family hides a secret. We can’t reveal more without spoiling some of the best moments in the series, but we guarantee that this is one of the best works on this list.
12. The Outsider
A must-watch HBO Max series you should check out is The Outsider. We follow a little league baseball coach who seems to live a normal and happy life with his daughters. Unfortunately, this changes overnight when he is accused of killing an 11-year-old boy. This case is further complicated when evidence is discovered that something supernatural might have occurred in the case.
13. Chernobyl
Another recent series that has hit the mainstream is Chernobyl. As the name implies, it tries to show the real-life story of the nuclear accident that occurred in Ukraine in 1986. It’s worth saying that this is a miniseries and it only has five episodes. That’s actually a good thing, since the whole theme of the series is pretty heavy and can be a bit shocking for more sensitive people. Still, we would like to emphasize that it is very good and worth the watch.
14. Succession
A lesser known series, but one that deserves your attention, is Succession. This show focuses on the Roy family, which has a large media conglomerate, but finds itself without a defined direction when the patriarch Logan Roy’s health starts to get progressively worse. His kids decide it’s time to prepare for future without their father, but that doesn’t mean they agree on the future of the company. It has its dramatic moments, but it can also be really funny.
15. Barry
Going along this line of more acidic comedies, we also have to talk about Barry. This series focuses on Barry Berkman, a former Marine who decided to start working as a hit man. Following one of his contracts, he ends up in Los Angeles and must pretend to be an actor. All this to avoid being discovered for his most recent crime, which leads to a lot of fun situations.
16. Game of Thrones
We believe that if there’s a series that doesn’t need introductions, it’s Game of Thrones. As many already know, it is based on the books in the saga The Chronicles of Ice and Fire by George R. R. Martin. The show itself had no less than 8 seasons and was very successful during that time. Its premise is basically about the noble families who want to control the region known as Westeros. Its actually quite the watch, but we’d like to warn everyone that its final season caused a not-so-positive commotion among the fanbase.
17. Watchmen
Watchmen is not only for comic book fans and definitely a must-watch HBO Max series as a whole. It tries to show what happened after the events seen in the comic book. This is another HBO miniseries, so you’ll only have to watch 9 episodes to check it all out. Our only suggestion is that you read the original comic book or see the film adaptation they made a few years ago. This way, you can better understand some situations and themes.
18. Six Feet Under
If you want an HBO Max series that is a channel classic, you have to watch Six Feet Under. This series focuses primarily on the Fisher family, who have owned a funeral home for many years. Each episode shows a client and a situation faced by family members. It might not seem very interesting in this mere synopsis, but we say it’s one of those dramas you can’t let go of.
19. Entourage
Entourage is another interesting series that was very successful on HBO on cable TV. It shows a bit of the life of Vincent Chase, an actor who is trying to make a living in Los Angeles. He does this with his childhood friends, who are also looking for an opportunity to grow their careers in the city. The premise is simple, but the eight seasons full of episodes are catchy and fun.
20. Gossip Girl
To end our list, we have Gossip Girl, which isn’t one of the original series on HBO, but is present in the catalog of the new service. It shows the everyday life of some very rich and privileged teenagers in New York. The whole story is sort of told by a person known as “Gossip Girl”, who is the girl that gossips about these teenagers to the rest of the school and to us. The premise may sound silly, but the show itself can be a good watch. Keep in mind that we are talking about the original series, as HBO Max is producing a new version that should also be released soon there.
How’d you like these must-watch HBO Max series?
And so it ends our list. So, what did you think? Any of these must-watch HBO Max shows caught your eye? Do you think we missed any great shows here? Comment down below, let us know!
