Game of Thrones, Succession, Sex and the City… the collection of incredible shows that have been made over the years by HBO is endless.
Today, the streaming platform HBO Max has finally launched in the UK and Ireland, bringing with it an array of films and TV programmes, new and old, for subscribers to binge at their leisure.
You might be thinking, ‘Do we really need another streaming platform?!’ and I get it, I really do. There are so many out there, it’s hard to keep up, and it’s financially a lot to sign up for everything.
But if you’re tempted to add HBO Max to your repertoire, there’s a plethora of amazing shows to sink your teeth into… and I’ve narrowed it down to seven of the best.
From brand new releases to legendary dramas that have stood the test of time, HBO does have it all.
Without further ado, let’s get bingeing!
The Pitt
The Pitt is one of those shows that you might have heard of, even if you know nothing about it, beyond it being a medical drama starring ER legend Noah Wyle. Trust me – you’re going to have a hard time not bingeing it all in one go.
The first season follows a full 15-hour shift in the emergency room, with an episode per hour, and it’s without a doubt one of the most riveting dramas I’ve seen in a long time. The full first season is out now, and season two will be coming out weekly.
The Sopranos
I hate to admit as an entertainment journalist that I’ve never seen The Sopranos – but now, thanks to the launch of HBO Max on our home ground, I can finally scratch it off my to-watch list. The psychological crime seam that made James Gandolfini an eternal TV legend, the ‘mafia masterpiece’ is regarded as being one of the best shows ever made.
The late Gandolfini, who died in 2013 aged 51, spoke about how he initially felt confused about the 2007 finale, before adding: ‘After I had a day to sleep, I just sat there and said, “That’s perfect.”’
A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms
There was some trepidation about the Game of Thrones spin-off A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms before it premiered this year. Could it live up to the original series, after House of the Dragon was criticised for dipping in quality at the end of season two? Thankfully, fans needn’t have worried.
The show about the unlikely duo Dunk and Egg has proven charming and gripping in equal measure, with many viewers saying it’s Game of Thrones at its best. With only six half-an-hour episodes, it’s an easy and thoroughly entertaining binge.
A breakdown of HBO Max's price tiers
Basic with ads
How much is it? £4.99 a month.
What does it include? This allows streaming on two devices in full HD.
Are there any exclusions? Subscribers on this tier won’t be able to watch new films that land on the streamer after their theatrical releases.
Standard with ads
How much is it? £5.99 a month.
What does it include? This allows streaming on two devices in full HD and includes 30 downloads. Subscribers on this tier will be able to watch new films on the streamer following their theatrical release.
Standard
How much is it? £9.99 a month.
What does it include: This is essentially exactly the same as the previous tier, just without ads.
Premium
How much is it? £14.99 a month.
What does it include? Premium allows streaming on four devices in 4K Ultra HDwith Dolby Atmos where available, and allows 100 downloads. Otherwise it’s the same as Standard, with no ads and access to HBO Max’s film and TV catalogue, including recent cinematic releases.
There is also a separate TNT Sports Plan, which can be purchased as a standalone plan or as an addition to other tiers.
TNT Sports Plan
How much is it? £30.99 a month
What does it include? This includes access to TNT Sports 1-4, TNT Sports Ultimate, live event feeds and TNT Sports Original Documentaries.
Friends
The panic that was felt across the Friends fandom when the sitcom was taken off Netflix at the end of last year was enough to cause a mini earthquake. It was a travesty, a disaster… until we found out the show was coming to HBO Max instead.
As someone who’s seen the entire show more times than I can count (honestly, give me any quote, and I’ll tell you the episode), I’m already planning my 2026 rewatch. Could I BE any more excited? Plus, I can’t wait to check out Lisa Kudrow’s The Comeback on the streamer too.
Six Feet Under
Another show that’s been on my to-watch list for years, and I’m finally going to get around to watching is Six Feet Under. This drama has been described over the years as being ‘groundbreaking’ and a TV ‘masterpiece’, with its 2005 finale – tired Everyone’s Waiting – receiving particularly high critical acclaim. Who knew that a TV show set in a funeral home in Los Angeles would be this big a hit?
‘Six Feet Under is one of the best shows ever made with probably the single best finale of any show. It really challenges you and it’s absolutely rewatchable,’ one fan wrote on Reddit. You can’t get a better recommendation than that.
Big Little Lies
Big Little Lies has become something of a blueprint for cutthroat dramas led by a stellar female ensemble cast. Starring Reese Witherspoon, Nicole Kidman, Zoe Kravitz, Sharlene Woodley and Laura Dern to name a few, it would have sufficed as a one-season thriller, but the second season had me just as gripped.
With a third outing officially in the works, I plan on giving this a rewatch to remind myself how perfectly it was crafted, telling the story of a mysterious death and how the opulent lives of these women intertwine.
The Last of Us
I’m a sucker for a high-octane post-apocalyptic series, but The Last of Us is so much more than that. Starring Pedro Pascal and Bella Ramsey as surrogate father-daughter duo Joel and Ellie, it asks a very important, moral question – if you had the choice between saving the most important person in your life or the rest of the world, what would you do?
Season two left fans devastated beyond belief with a crushing death early on, and I’m already anticipating that the upcoming third outing will leave us shaken to our core once again.
HBO Max is available in the UK and Ireland now.
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