Need something to binge?
Max has launched in the US, replacing HBO Max but still delivering HBO to the streaming masses. Fans of prestige series like Succession and The White Lotus will find them on Max, and viewers can tune into Max Originals like Hacks and The Sex Lives of College Girls.
Here are the highly rated shows you shouldn’t wait to watch, plus this month’s new releases. And here’s more on Max, which unites the HBO Max and Discovery Plus libraries.
Read more: The best movies on Max
New releases for May
HBO Max became Max on May 23 in the US.
May 1
- White House Plumbers, miniseries premiere (2023): Political drama starring Woody Harrelson and Justin Theroux. It imagines the behind-the-scenes story of how President Richard Nixon’s political saboteurs accidentally toppled the presidency they were zealously trying to protect.
May 4
- The Other Two, season 3 premiere (2019- ): Comedy. The first season follows adult siblings whose lives are completely upended when their 13-year-old brother becomes incredibly famous overnight.
May 11
- Rick and Morty, season 6 (2013- ): Adult animated comedy. It follows a sociopathic genius scientist who drags his inherently timid grandson on insanely dangerous adventures across the universe.
May 19
- Spy/Master, season 1 premiere (2023- ): Drama. It’s set during the height of the Cold War and covers a week in the life of fictional character Victor Godeanu, the right-hand man and closest adviser to Romanian dictator Nicolae Ceaușescu.
May 23
- SmartLess: On the Road, premiere (2023): Docuseries. It follows Will Arnett, Jason Bateman and Sean Hayes during the North American tour of their hit podcast, SmartLess.
- Gremlins: Secrets of the Mogwai, season 1 premiere (2023): Animated family series. It’s a prequel to the Gremlins films.
Best HBO & Max original TV series
At time of writing, these TV shows all score at least 70 on Metacritic.
Comedy
Like feel-good shows? Somebody Somewhere is a great option you may have skipped over. In the first episode, 40-something Sam, living in her Kansas hometown and dealing with a recent loss, strikes up a friendship with a co-worker. Authentic, funny, with glowing performances, the half-hour series is the perfect thing to wind down to.
Our Flag Means Death (2022—)
Nathan Fielder, best known for his Comedy Central show, Nathan For You (and cringe comedy), writes, directs and stars in this new HBO series. In the show, the comedian goes to extraordinary lengths to let people rehearse moments before they happen. In the first episode, Fielder helps a man prepare for a confession to a friend, and builds an exact replica of the bar they’re planning to meet at (the attention to detail is incredible). After planning for any outlandish thing that might happen, we see how the real exchange between the two friends plays out. Bizarre and truly fascinating, The Rehearsal should get some time on your screen.
Rap Sh!t (2022—)
The great Jean Smart rightfully takes the spotlight in this acclaimed comedy-drama series. Throwing iPads into swimming pools and delivering withering looks, Smart plays Deborah Vance, a legendary Las Vegas comedy diva who must face the prospect of appealing to a younger audience or disappearing into obscurity. She’s partnered with Ava (Hannah Einbinder), a young and equally snarky comedy writer, to freshen up her material. Perfectly balancing its biting insight into how the comedy business treats women, with the warmth of an odd couple buddy comedy, Hacks is one of the best originals to come out of HBO Max.
Starstruck (2021—)
Mindy Kaling co-created this dramedy about four 18-year-old girls who start their freshman year of college together in Vermont. Equipped with distinctly different personalities, the college newcomers navigate love and sex in their own ways. The show is funny, easily bingeable and bolstered by the chemistry between its female leads. A contemporary teen comedy showcasing messy experiences, relatable characters and raunchy jokes.
I Hate Suzie (2020—)
This outrageous series highlights a highly dysfunctional family of famous televangelists called the Gemstones. In the show’s first season, a member of the family is blackmailed, and ridiculous antics ensue. John Goodman stars as the family patriarch, Eli, and Danny McBride, Edi Patterson and Adam Devine also commit to the bit, pulling off an absurd and addicting black comedy. The second season of the show just wrapped up, and HBO has already renewed the series for a third.
Ghosts (2019—)
The sibling rivalry is strong and primed for hilarity in this comedy from a couple of 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 struggle with the sudden rise to internet fame of their 13-year-old Justin Bieber-channeling brother. Molly Shannon is a treat as their mother, Pat, ushering her children through open doors to success. Once you get over the gimmicky premise, The Other Two’s pop culture satire and surprisingly heartfelt storylines are a winning combination. Schitt’s Creek fans should give this a look.
Succession (2018—)
Search Party caught the eye of HBO Max, shifting to production with the streamer in its third and fourth seasons. The latter is arguably its best yet, taking the story of four, clueless millennials to even greater extremes, including a bizarrely brilliant Susan Sarandon cameo. But we begin when twentysomething Dory becomes an amateur detective to track down a missing woman she barely knew in college. Really, she’s searching for something else: herself. Equally conceited are her boyfriend Drew, the scene-stealing Elliott and the hilariously blonde Portia. This oddball show somehow creates the perfect cocktail of dark humor, mystery and insane characters. A collector’s item that won’t come around very often.
It’s a Sin (2021)
In the words of CNET reviewer Richard Knightwell: “2020 sucked. You got up every morning and it all was all just a tiny bit worse. But every now and then a ray of sun would appear through the clouds. One of those bright spots was Betty, a fly-on-wall-style tale of skateboarding teens in a balmy New York. Utterly real and breathlessly dreamy at the same time, HBO’s TV follow-up to the indie hit Skate Kitchen painted a picture of young women facing the world head-on, pushing off and gaining speed and reducing obstacles into things waiting to be jumped over while looking cool. My baby daughter turned one while this show was on, and I can’t wait to plonk her on a skateboard. I hope she finds a Betty crew of her own.”
Frayed (2019-21)
In Barry’s opening scene, SNL alum Bill Hader casually leaves a hotel room that contains a dead body. The actor plays hitman Barry Berkman, who isn’t happy with life or his unconventional profession, but his path is altered when he travels to Los Angeles and gets roped into performing in an acting class. Barry features plenty of violence and a deeply troubled protagonist, leaning into the “dark” part of its dark comedy designation. But it’s also really funny, and there are three seasons to binge. At the very least, you’ll want to tune in for truly great scenes between Hader and his acting teacher, played by Henry Winkler.
The Last of Us (2023—)
What was initially a limited series was so good HBO renewed it for a second season. The satire about guests at a fancy resort gradually unveils the darker edges of its picture-perfect postcard. The White Lotus features an ensemble cast, including Jennifer Coolidge, Alexandra Daddario, Steve Zahn, Molly Shannon and more hilarious people, who make this series soar. If that wasn’t enough, a murder mystery with the big reveal waiting till the very end will keep you thoroughly entertained.
Julia (2022—)
Euphoria’s second installment is on Max now. This visually stunning series has garnered its fair share of fans, and it’s not hard to see why — the absorbing performances, cinematography and exploration of mature topics make this show shine. If nothing else, stick around to see Dune star Zendaya, who plays teenager Rue.
The Staircase (2022)
In this captivating limited series, Alicia Vikander (Ex Machina, 2018’s Tomb Raider) plays Mira, a young movie star who takes a role outside her normal blockbuster — a criminal gang’s muse in a remake of real-life French silent film The Vampires. The HBO show is based on a cult 1996 film of the same name, and both are directed by Olivier Assayas.
Station Eleven (2021-22)
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.
Harley Quinn (2019—)
Two years after Adventure Time ended, this four hour-long special came along, and it’s a brilliant treat for fans of the animated series. The miniseries nails the spinoff brief, introducing new characters and expanding on the Land of Ooo universe, while remaining true to its source material. Its heroes Finn and Jake, his magical doggo pal, set off on new adventures, along with Princess Bubblegum, Marceline the Vampire Queen and BMO. The hourlong format is a nice way to change up and add to the exciting storytelling. A surprisingly emotional ride packed with every ingredient that made the original so beloved.
The Tourist (2022)
This compulsive thriller starring Kaley Cuoco is one of the best new shows to come out of HBO Max. Cuoco plays Cassie, a reckless flight attendant who sleeps with a passenger on a wild night out. She wakes up in Bangkok with barely any memory — and a dead body in bed with her. With the ghost of the deceased helping her piece things back together, she sobers up and takes on the mystery of what happened. Watch out for a fantastic title sequence, as well as a surprisingly dark psychological layer. But mainly enjoy the amusing combination of an inept detective bumbling through the world of cold killers.
Peacemaker (2022—)
Documentary
Award-winning filmmaker Nanfu Wang (One Child Nation, In the Same Breath) directs this fascinating docuseries about the 1985 murder of 68-year-old Helen Wilson in the small town of Beatrice, Nebraska. There’s a lot to the story — six people were convicted for her murder and exonerated 20 years later. In the first episode, we learn about the impact of these events on Wilson’s family and the Beatrice community. The show also introduces Burt Searcy, a former policeman who decided to launch a private investigation into the case.
Tokyo Vice (2022—)
This well-reviewed crime miniseries comes from David Simon and George Pelecanos, who’ve also worked together on The Deuce, Treme and The Wire (which Simon created). It’s directed by King Richard’s Reinaldo Marcus Green. Based on a nonfiction book written by a Baltimore Sun reporter, the absorbing, six-episode show explores police corruption through a story about the Baltimore Police Department’s Gun Trace Task Force.
Gomorrah (2014-21)