(Photo by HBO Max)

The Best HBO Max Shows To Stream Now

Updated as of August 1, 2021

HBO Max launched in May 2020 with a handful of originals, including Anna Kendrick–starring series Love Life, reality competition programming Craftopia and Legendary (one for crafting fans, one for ballrooom voguers), kids’ programming Looney Tunes Cartoons and The Not-Too-Late Show with Elmo, and documentary film Off The Record.

More than a year later, the upstart streamer with the gold-plated HBO brand name boasts a deep well of content from the libraries of the brands bundled under the WarnerMedia division of AT&T, as well as licensed content like the complete collection of Studio Ghibli films, British import I Hate Suzie, and 700 episodes of iconic BBC series like Doctor Who, The Office, and Luther.

The latest additions to the service’s originals slate include British import rom-com series Starstruck and Jean Smart comedy Hacks, both shows with celebrated first seasons sitting at 100% Fresh on the Tomatometer, and other new releases including dark comedy Made for Love, teen drama Genera+ion, plus recent critical darlings like Certified Fresh miniseries It’s a Sin, celebrated Spanish import Veneno, and more.

Read more:

• Best Movies HBO Max Right Now
• Best HBO Series of All Time Ranked

Below are all of the HBO Max originals series ranked by Tomatometer, including new-to-the-service series like Search Party, Harley Quinn, and Doom Patrol, late 2020 splashy releases The Flight Attendant and Raised By Wolves, and historical LGBTQ miniseries Equal. In order to be included series must have a Fresh score on the Tomatometer, which means series like reality competition The Bridge aren’t included — yet.

Keep checking back to find out which HBO Max originals are worth a watch.

Looking for more great TV and streaming recommendations? Pre-order our upcoming book, The Ultimate Binge Guide, releasing this October.

Recently Added: Through Our Eyes

Love Life (2020)
65%

#32

Synopsis: Anthology series featuring Darby Carter from first to everlasting love, including the people she encounters along the way.... [More]

Starring: Anna Kendrick, Rob James-Collier, Andrea Lowe, Zoë Chao

Directed By: Sam Boyd

#31

Friends: The Reunion (2021)
66%

#31

Adjusted Score: 67.289%

Critics Consensus: It may work best for die-hards, but when it cuts out the noise and focuses on the connections Friends: The Reunion is as warm and comforting as a night in the café.

Synopsis: "Friends" stars Jennifer Aniston, Courteney Cox, Lisa Kudrow, Matt LeBlanc, Matthew Perry, and David Schwimmer return to the iconic comedy's... [More]

Starring:

Directed By: Ben Winston

Raised by Wolves (2020)
73%

#30

Synopsis: From executive producer Ridley Scott, Raised by Wolves centers on two androids tasked with raising human children on a mysterious... [More]

Starring: Amanda Collin, Abubakar Salim, Winta McGrath, Travis Fimmel

Genera+ion (2021)
74%

#29

Synopsis: Genera+ion is a dark yet playful half-hour following a group of high school students whose exploration of modern sexuality (devices... [More]

Starring: Nathanya Alexander, Chloe East, Lukita Maxwell, Sam Trammell

The Trial of Christine Keeler (2019)
77%

#28

Synopsis: The minister, his mistress, and her lover the spy. The story of the woman at the centre of one of... [More]

Starring: Chloe Harris, Ellie Bamber, Sophie Cookson, Emilia Fox

The Not Too Late Show with Elmo (2020)
81%

#27

Synopsis: Elmo is the host of his very own talk show and he's going to bring you some (not-too-late) fun with... [More]

Starring:

Equal (0)
83%

#26

Synopsis: EQUAL honors the rebels of yesteryear with never-before-seen archival footage along with stylistic depictions that bring to life the gripping... [More]

Starring: Billy Porter, Alexandra Grey, Anne Elizabeth Ramsay, Anthony Rapp

Expecting Amy (2020)
85%

#25

Synopsis: Miniseries following comedian Amy Schumer throughout her difficult pregnancy, career and life.... [More]

Starring: Amy Schumer, Bridget Everett, Kim Caramele, Rachel Feinstein

Craftopia (2021)
86%

#24

Synopsis: Craftopia is an epic kids crafting competition show hosted and executive produced by YouTube influencer Lauren Riihimaki aka (LaurDIY). Creating... [More]

Starring: Lauren Riihimaki, LaToya Moore-Broyles

The Head (2021)
88%

#23

Synopsis: The summer commander of a South Pole scientific station studying climate change returns to a shocking discovery.... [More]

Starring: John Lynch, Katharine O'Donnelly, Tomohisa Yamashita, Alexandre Willaume

Directed By: Jorge Dorado

Heaven's Gate: The Cult of Cults (0)
88%

#22

Synopsis: Heaven's Gate: The Cult of Cults is a thorough examination of the infamous UFO cult through the eyes of its... [More]

Starring:

Looney Tunes Cartoons (2020)
88%

#21

Synopsis: Looney Tunes Cartoons echoes the high production value and process of the original Looney Tunes theatrical shorts with a cartoonist-driven... [More]

Starring: Eric Bauza, Jeff Bergman, Fred Tatasciore, Candi Milo

Trigonometry (2020)
89%

#20

Synopsis: A love story about three people who are made for each other.... [More]

Starring: Gary Carr, Ariane Labed

Legendary (2020)
91%

#19

Synopsis: Pulling directly from the underground ballroom community, voguing teams (aka "houses") must compete in unbelievable balls and showcase sickening fashion... [More]

Starring: Jameela Jamil, Dashaun Wesley, DJ MikeQ, Law Roach

Adult Material (2019)
92%

#18

Synopsis: Adult drama that delves inside the porn industry from the perspective of poster girl Jolene Dollar, who juggles her on-set... [More]

Starring: Hayley Squires, Sheridan Smith, Rupert Everett, Joe Dempsie

Beartown (2020)
93%

#17

Synopsis: Based on the Fredrik Backman's bestselling novel of the same name, Beartown explores the role a junior ice-hockey team has... [More]

Starring: Aliette Opheim, Miriam Ingrid, Tobias Zilliacus, Ulf Stenberg

#16

A West Wing Special to Benefit When We All Vote (2020)
93%

#16

Adjusted Score: 60.352%

Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.

Starring: Dulé Hill, Allison Janney, Rob Lowe, Janel Moloney

Directed By: Thomas Schlamme

Made for Love (2021)
94%

#15

Synopsis: A dark comedy following a thirtysomething woman on the run after 10 years in a suffocating marriage to a controlling... [More]

Starring: Cristin Milioti, Billy Magnussen, Dan Bakkedahl, Noma Dumezweni

Harley Quinn (2019)
94%

#14

Synopsis: Follow Harley's adventures after she breaks up with the Joker and strikes out on her own. With the help of... [More]

Starring: Kaley Cuoco, James Adomian, Lake Bell, Alan Tudyk

Directed By: Colin Heck, Tom Derosier, Vinton Heuck, Christina Sotta

I Hate Suzie (0)
95%

#13

Synopsis: Billie Piper stars in a bold, bracing, Sky original drama about the moment in life when the mask slips, asking... [More]

Starring: Billie Piper, Leila Farzad

Search Party (2016)
96%

#12

Synopsis: A dark comedy that centers on four self-centered twentysomethings who gather together in the wake of their college acquaintance's vanishing.... [More]

Starring: Alia Shawkat, John Early, John Reynolds, John Brently Reynolds

Directed By: Sarah-Violet Bliss, Ryan McFaul, Charles Rogers

Doom Patrol (0)
96%

#11

Synopsis: A re-imagining of one of DC's most beloved group of outcast Super Heroes: Robotman, Negative Man, Elasti-Girl and Crazy Jane,... [More]

Starring: Joivan Wade, Pisay Pao, Diane Guerrero, Tommy Snider

Directed By: Carol Banker, Salli Richardson-Whitfield, Amanda Row, Christopher Manley

The Flight Attendant (2020)
97%

#10

Synopsis: Starring Kaley Cuoco, THE FLIGHT ATTENDANT is a story of how an entire life can change in one night. A... [More]

Starring: Kaley Cuoco, Michiel Huisman, Rosie Perez, Zosia Mamet

It's a Sin (0)
98%

#9

Synopsis: It's a Sin follows the story of the 1980s, the story of AIDS, and charts the joy and heartbreak of... [More]

Starring: Olly Alexander, Keeley Hawes, Stephen Fry, Neil Patrick Harris

Through Our Eyes (2021)
100%

#8

Synopsis: From Sesame Workshop, this docuseries explores some of today's most challenging issues, parental incarceration, climate displacement, military caregiving and homelessness... [More]

Starring:

Veneno (0)
100%

#7

Synopsis: The series follows Valeria, a young journalism student who discovers she has more in common with La Veneno than she... [More]

Starring: Isabela Torres, Daniela Santiago, Lola Rodríguez, Paca la Piraña

Directed By: Javier Calvo

That Damn Michael Che (2021)
100%

#6

Synopsis: That Damn Michael Che is a six-episode original comedy series starring Michael Che. Each episode follows a theme or incident... [More]

Starring: Michael Che, Cecily Strong

#5

The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air Reunion (2020)
100%

#5

Adjusted Score: 41.718%

Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.

Starring: Will Smith, Tatyana Ali, Karyn Parsons, Joseph Marcell

Directed By: Marcus Raboy

Close Enough (2020)
100%

#4

Synopsis: From JG Quintel, creator of the Emmy(R) Award-winning Regular Show comes a surreal animated comedy about a married couple, their... [More]

Starring:

The Lady and the Dale (2021)
100%

#3

Synopsis: The saga of 1970s entrepreneur Elizabeth Carmichael, who rose to fame with her promotion of The Dale, a three-wheeled, fuel-efficient... [More]

Starring: Michael Michael

Directed By: Zackary Drucker

Starstruck (2021)
100%

#2

Synopsis: STARSTRUCK follows Jessie, a millennial living in East London juggling two dead end jobs and navigating the awkward morning-after-the-night-before when... [More]

Starring: Rose Matafeo, Nikesh Patel

Hacks (2021)
100%

#1

Synopsis: Hacks explores a dark mentorship that forms between Deborah Vance, a legendary Las Vegas comedian, and an entitled, outcast 25-year-old.... [More]

Starring: Jean Smart, Hannah Einbinder, Carl Clemons-Hopkins, Kaitlin Olson