Ready to add a new Max show to your rotation?
These days, it’s Max — not HBO Max — that delivers HBO to the streaming masses. The service is home to popular shows like Succession, The White Lotus, Hacks and The Sex Lives of College Girls. There’s no shortage of exceptional fare to explore.
Max unites the HBO Max and Discovery Plus libraries. Here are the highly rated shows you shouldn’t wait to watch, plus this month’s new releases.
Read more: The Best Movies on Max
What’s new on Max in July
Note: These descriptions are taken from press releases and lightly edited for style.
July 18
- Kite Man: Hell Yeah!, season 1 premiere (2024- ): Spinoff from the animated series Harley Quinn. Kite Man and Golden Glider take their relationship to the next level by opening a bar in the shadow of Lex Luthor’s Legion of Doom.
July 24
- Charlie Hustle & the Matter of Pete Rose, premiere (2024- ): Documentary series. It tells the story of baseball’s all-time hits leader, whose on-field achievements and off-field transgressions have made him one of the most polarizing figures in all of sports.
Best HBO and Max original TV series
This list focuses on shows that have premiered a new season since 2023 (or are currently renewed for more seasons) and have a score of at least 70 on Metacritic.
Drama
The Last of Us (2023- )
This TV adaptation of a popular video game follows hardened survivor Joel (The Mandalorian’s Pedro Pascal) and spunky teen Ellie (Game of Thrones’ Bella Ramsey) as they face human and not-quite-human dangers in a postapocalyptic world.
House of the Dragon (2022- )
Creating a show as beloved as Game of Thrones is tough to pull off, but HBO spinoff House of the Dragon soars to impressive heights. Set hundreds of years before fantasy series GoT, the prequel depicts how infighting and tragedy consume House Targaryen. Multiple players clamor for power, including Rhaenyra Targaryen (Emma D’Arcy) and Alicent Hightower (Olivia Cooke).
The White Lotus (2021- )
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.
Industry (2020- )
If you’re missing the competition and drama on display in Succession, you should pay attention to this HBO series. The first season follows young graduates, including Harper Stern (Myha’la from Netflix’s Leave the World Behind), as they step foot into London’s Pierpoint & Co. The early 20-somethings hope for permanent jobs at the leading international bank.
Euphoria (2019- )
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.