HBO Max: The 31 Best TV Shows to Watch (2023)

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What was originally a limited series was so good that HBO renewed it for a second season. theSketch about guests at a fancy resortgradually reveals the darker edges of your perfect postcard. The White Lotus features a full cast including Jennifer Coolidge, Alexandra Daddario, Steve Zahn, Molly Shannon and other hilarious characters that make this series soar. If that's not enough, a crime thriller will keep you thoroughly entertained with the big reveal waiting until the end.

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HBO's The Staircase is a dramatized miniseries based in part on a 2004 documentary of the same name. Colin Firth plays Michael Peterson, a novelist and husband of Kathleen (Toni Collette), who is found dead under suspicious circumstances. You'll want to tune in to see what happens next. Sophie Turner, Dane DeHaan, Parker Posey and others also lend their talents to the drama.

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In this captivating dramatic miniseries, Alicia Vikander (Ex Machina, Tomb Raider 2018) plays Mira, a young film star who takes on a role outside of her usual blockbuster - the muse of a criminal gang in a true French silent film remake. The vampires. The series is based on a 1996 cult film of the same name, both directed by Olivier Assayas. For interesting characters, great dialogue, and a show that says something about today's filmmaking, tune in to this HBO series.

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Following the life of TV chef and cookbook author Julia Child, this drama offers a generous dose of humor and charm (and delicious food, of course). Sarah Lancashire is endlessly worth watching as the famous American chef who paved the way for future cooking shows with her long-running series The French Chef. All eight episodes of the season are now available on the streamer, and HBO Max has confirmed that a second season will be released.

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Post-apocalyptic TV fans will get their money's worth with Station Eleven. The show's non-linear narrative will keep you engaged, and well-crafted characters add to the appeal. As most of humanity succumbs to a flu-like virus, a young girl named Kirsten and an adult named Jeevan seek refuge from the Scourge. But from there, the show immediately jumps 20 years into the future, opening the story up for new dramatic twists and leaving us wondering about the past. It's pretty good television and will likely satisfy those who don't typically go for post-apocalyptic stories.

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Small-town detective Mare Sheehan investigates the murder of a young woman, but Sheehan's own life is marred by personal struggles, including a divorce and the death of her son.

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The second episode of Euphoria is available now on HBO Max. This visually stunning series has garnered its fair share of fans, and it's not hard to see why - the immersive performances, cinematography, and exploration of mature themes are what make this show shine. At least stay close to see Dune star Zendaya playing teenage Rue.

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in this comedyRhys Darby plays Stede Bonnet on the high seas, an aristocrat who gives up his easy life and family to become the captain of a pirate ship. Spoilers: He hilariously fumbles throughout the show. Under Bonnet's leadership, the show's seamanship is a far cry from the tough, swashbuckling bunch you might find on something like Pirates of the Caribbean (they spend their free time sewing by hand and enjoy a competently told bedtime story). All of this leads to many moments of laughter. Game of Thrones fans can spot Hodor actor Kristian Nairn in the crew, and the series also stars Taika Waititi as Blackbeard.

Nathan Fielder, best known for his Comedy Central show Nathan For You (and Cringe Comedy), writes, directs and stars in this new HBO series. On the show, the comedian does everything he can to let people rehearse moments before they happen. In the first episode, Fielder helps a man prepare for a confession for a friend and builds an exact replica of the bar where they plan to meet (the attention to detail is incredible). After planning everything weird that might happen, we see the real exchange between the two friends unfold. Bizarre and genuinely intriguing, The Rehearsal should earn you some screen time.

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Rap Sh!t is a half-hour comedy series directed by Issa Rae (the star and creator of the acclaimed HBO series Insecure) and features two former high school friends. Shawna is an aspiring socially conscious rapper and Mia is a makeup artist and single mom who works multiple jobs. At the end of the first episode, the young women (now in their 20s) reunited and made an intriguing rap video that took off on the internet. The show's protagonists are phone obsessed, constantly checking social media and shooting videos, which affects the viewing experience in interesting ways.

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The great Jean Smart deserves a spotlight in this acclaimed comedy-drama series. Smart stars as Deborah Vance, a legendary Las Vegas comedy diva who tosses iPads in pools and flashes withering stares as she faces the prospect of attracting younger audiences or being forgotten. She teams up with Ava (Hannah Einbinder), a young and equally sarcastic comedy writer, to update her material. Hacks is one of HBO Max's finest originals, perfectly balancing its scathing take on how the comedy biz treats women with the warmth of an uncomfortable buddy sitcom.

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Starstruck is a classic screwball comedy starring the lovable goofy Rose Matafeo. She plays Jessie, a Londoner in her 20s having a good time on New Year's Eve and later discovers that she had a one night stand with Tom Kapoor, a celebrity played by Nikesh Patel. Follow Jessie as she juggles odd jobs, from film worker to babysitter, and her budding relationship with a movie star that isn't about fooling around. Watch out for scene thief Minnie Driver as Tom's agent in this hilarious, well-crafted comedy package.

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Mindy Kaling co-created this comedy-drama about four 18-year-old girls who start their freshman year together in Vermont. Endowed with distinct personalities, college freshmen navigate love and sex in their own unique ways. The show is hilarious, easy to consume and is helped by the chemistry between its female leads. A contemporary teen comedy with baffling experiences, relatable characters and salacious jokes.

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The best TV show of 2021 could already be here. It's a Sin follows a group of young gay men living in London in the 1980s when HIV/AIDS was first diagnosed. This unique look at the early stages of what became a death sentence is treated with creator Russell T. Davies' irrepressible joie de vivre. The warm, insightful characters continue to live their lives to the fullest, zipping between busy apartment communities and local bars to an '80s pop soundtrack. Fast, stylish and insightful, with an overwhelming sense of hope, It's a Sin it's a growing triumph for everyone to fall in love with.

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In I Hate Suzie, Billie Piper reunites with Lucy Prebble, author of Secret Diary of a Call Girl. The result is a frantic tour de force of ideas fueled by a vulnerable performance from Piper. She plays the titular Suzie, an actress who, shortly after winning a role in a Disney film, finds out she's one of the victims of a celebrity hacking scandal. Each episode explores a phase of trauma and how compromising leaks can both disrupt and perhaps liberate a person's life. Amidst the relentless satire, Suzie and her manager, Naomi (Leila Farzad), form a wonderful friendship.

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In the words of CNET reviewer Richard Knightwell, "2020 sucked. You woke up every morning and everything was a little bit worse. But every now and then a ray of sunshine peeked through the clouds. One of those bright spots was Betty, a fly-on-wall tale of skateboarding teens in balmy New York City. Totally real and breathtaking, the HBO TV sequel to the indie hit Skate Kitchen painted a portrait of young women taking on the world and gaining speed and reducing obstacles into things waiting to be jumped, while looking cool. My daughter made one while this show was on and I can't wait to get her on a skateboard. I hope she finds her own team of Betty.

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Sibling rivalry runs high and is set for hilarity in this comedy from some Saturday Night Live writers. Chris Kelly and Sarah Schneider tell the story of Cary (Drew Tarver) and Brooke (Heléne Yorker), siblings in their late 20s who are struggling with the sudden rise of their 13-year-old brother, Justin Bieber's channeler. Molly Shannon is a delight as her mother Pat, leading her children to success through open doors. Once you get past the gimmicky premise, The Other Two's pop culture satire and surprisingly heartfelt stories are a winning combination. Schitt's Creek fans should check this out.

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This scandalous series puts the spotlight on a deeply dysfunctional family of famous TV preachers called the Gemstones. In the first season of the series, a family member is blackmailed and ridiculous shenanigans ensue. John Goodman plays family patriarch Eli, and Danny McBride, Edi Patterson and Adam Devine also reprise the role, delivering an absurd and addictive dark comedy. The show's second season has just concluded and HBO has already renewed the series for a third.

(Video) Top 10 Best New Series On HBOMAX, Netflix and Prime video /New released 2022-2023

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From the minds of the gang behind Horrible Histories comes Ghosts, a sitcom that manages to get better and better with every episode. The ever-reliable Charlotte Ritchie (Feel Good, Call The Midwife) plays Alison, a woman who is renovating the old mansion she inherited with the help of her amateur husband. In addition to financial problems, their renovation plans are not supported by the ghostly residents who want the house to themselves. If you're looking for a purely light-hearted portrayal, Ghosts has a high gag rate, a talented comic ensemble, and even an endearing friendship arc. Above all, it's delightfully silly.

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In Barry's opening scene, SNL alum Bill Hader casually exits a hotel room containing a dead body. The actor plays hitman Barry Berkman, who isn't satisfied with life or his unconventional job, but changes his path when he travels to Los Angeles and is forced to act in a theater class. Barry features plenty of violence and a deeply disturbed protagonist who leans toward the "dark" part of his dark comedy title. But it's also really funny and there are three seasons to enjoy. At the very least, you should tune in to really great scenes between Hader and his acting coach, played by Henry Winkler.

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This satirical show follows the family that controls the world's largest media and entertainment company, whose members become embroiled in a battle to take control when their father's health fails.

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This dark comedy takes us from London to Newcastle, Australia, and follows the misfortunes of a woman who loses everything after the untimely death of her husband (don't ask how he died). Broke and desperate, Sammy must return to her hometown with her son and daughter, where she soon finds that she is not exactly a popular resident. The embarrassment factor runs high as Sammy does everything in her power to return to London, with some standout moments when she's reunited with her argumentative brother.

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Search Party caught the attention of HBO Max and went into production with the streamer for its third and fourth seasons. The latter is arguably the best yet, taking the story of four unsuspecting millennials to even greater extremes, including a bizarrely brilliant cameo by Susan Sarandon. But we start with twenty-year-old Dory becoming an amateur detective to track down a missing woman she barely knew in college. Actually, she's looking for something else: herself. Also vain are her boyfriend Drew, scene thief Elliott and the hilarious blonde Portia. This unconventional show somehow creates the perfect cocktail of dark humor, mystery and wacky characters. A rare collector's item.

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This compulsive thriller starring Kaley Cuoco is one of the best new shows on HBO Max. Cuoco plays Cassie, a ruthless flight attendant who sleeps with a passenger on a wild night. She wakes up in Bangkok with almost no memory - and with a dead body in her bed. With the spirit of the deceased to help her piece things together, she sobers up and takes in the mystery of what happened. Look out for a fantastic title sequence as well as a surprisingly dark psychological overlay. But most of all, enjoy the fun combination of an inept detective fumbling around in the world of cold killers.

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The Tourist turns up the heat with an intense chase in the Australian outback. More specifically, Belfast star Jamie Dornan is being mercilessly chased off the road and through the desert by a semi truck. Next we know that Dornan's character is in the hospital with complete amnesia. The Tourist is a fun and twisty miniseries in which we can follow Dornan in his search for answers. A mystery that doesn't need to be solved? What you must see tonight.

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Set after the events of Suicide Squad 2021, this DC spin-off brings in Peacemaker (John Cena), our imposing, costumed protagonist, just released from the hospital. Peacemaker thinks of himself as a superhero, but with his oft-repeated quip "to achieve peace no matter how many people I have to kill to get it," the title really doesn't suit him. The show charts Peacemaker's next steps - he's not going back to prison, but on a covert mission that will get his hands dirty (again). The show usually does its jokes, and you'll especially like the amusing supporting cast.

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Award-winning filmmaker Nanfu Wang (One Child Nation, In the Same Breath) directs this compelling documentary series about the 1985 murder of 68-year-old Helen Wilson in the small town of Beatrice, Nebraska. There's a lot of history - six people were convicted of his murder and exonerated 20 years later. In the first episode, we learn about the impact of these events on Wilson's family and Beatrice's community. The show also features Burt Searcy, a former police officer who has decided to launch a private investigation into the case.

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Season 1 of Tokyo Vice, a crime drama based on a book by journalist Jake Adelstein, has cleverly made it to HBO Max. Set in Japan in the late 1990s, this noir follows an American journalist (Ansel Elgort) who eagerly joins the editorial staff of a major Japanese newspaper. A world of gruesome murders, neon nightclubs and powerful crime lords awaits you.

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This top crime miniseries is from David Simon and George Pelecanos, who also collaborated on The Deuce, Treme and The Wire (created by Simon). Directed by Reinaldo Marcus Green of King Richard. Based on a non-fiction book written by a reporter for the Baltimore Sun, the riveting six-episode series investigates police corruption through a story about the Baltimore Police Department's Gun Trace Task Force.

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With its fifth and final season, this Italian crime drama based on a true story has earned a place among the great mafia shows. It is notable for its realistic portrayal of the Naples underworld, which follows a clan's internal struggle for power following the arrest of its chief. With a dark, claustrophobic atmosphere and believable characters, Gomorrah is a refreshingly well-rounded piece of television.

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Coming two years after the end of Adventure Time, this four-hour special is a brilliant treat for fans of the animated series. The miniseries concludes the spinoff synopsis, introduces new characters and expands the Land of Ooo universe while staying true to its source material. Your heroes Finn and Jake, your magical canine friend, embark on new adventures alongside Princess Bubblegum, Marceline the Vampire Queen and BMO. The hour-long format is a great way to change up and add to the engaging narrative. A surprisingly thrilling ride packed with all the ingredients that made the original so popular.

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