HBO Max, rebranding as Max on May 23, has quickly become one of our favorite streaming services. With a great back catalog of movies and TV, as well as a continually updated list of new and exciting original content, we can truly say that Max keeps it fresh with high-quality content. With that being said, here are three of our favorite HBO series you can stream on Max right now:
The Last of Us
When The Last of Us began airing weekly episodes in January of this year, it felt good to have that sense of “watercooler conversation” once again. With the increase in different streaming services and a constant flurry of content being pushed on audiences, many have lost that sensation with their attention divided amongst many avenues.
The Last of Us centers around Joel, a hardened father who’s lost his daughter, and Ellie, a 14-year-old girl who may be civilization’s last hope. They’re survivors of a global pandemic that all but wiped out humanity. The Last of Us managed to capture audiences with varied interests, highlighting a science fiction concept, but ultimately focusing on human drama, which became the true reason to stay.
With fan favorite Pedro Pascal leading the show, and rising child star Bella Ramsey at his side, this show fires on all cylinders; great acting, emotionally resonant storytelling, and stunning visuals make this a prestige drama to watch. If all of that is not enough praise, we’ll add that this show is currently being credited as leading the way in removing “the video game curse,” which is the internet’s way of saying that adaptations of video games traditionally have been total failures. This show bucks that trend.
Barry
Prior to Barry, Bill Hader was known primarily for taking on comedic roles, leading to a bit of a surprise when this show debuted in 2018. Yes, the show contains comedic elements, but ultimately they take a backseat to the highly compelling drama at play.
Barry centers around the titular character, Barry, a jaded hitman who wants to be an actor instead. He finds it difficult to escape his life in the shadows, leading to compelling emotional dilemmas, interpersonal conflict, exciting moments of action, and a dark sense of humor.
With three highly acclaimed seasons under its belt, Barry has held its standard of quality across over 30 episodes to date. Here’s some good news – the fourth season just started airing, so you’re not too late to catch up.
Succession
Succession has continued to carry the HBO stamp of quality for three seasons to date, and a currently airing fourth. This show is known for one thing: giving the watcher no one to love. If you’re looking for a good guy to root for, this is not that show.
The Roy family controls the biggest media and entertainment company in the world, and they’re all fighting for control of the company. Not a single member has a redeeming quality about them. This is an unscrupulous bunch that will stop at nothing to get their way.
You can stream all of these shows now on Max.
