Best TV Shows On HBO Max That Still Feel Essential
Best TV Shows on HBO Max: The Ones Worth the Time
The best TV shows on HBO Max right now include Succession (95% Tomatometer), The Wire (94%), Mare of Easttown (95%), The Pitt (96%, 2025 Emmy winner for best drama), Hacks (99%), Barry (98%), The White Lotus (90%), and Chernobyl (95%). These series represent the platform's elite programming with critical acclaim and audience engagement.
Top 10 Highest-Rated HBO Max Series by Tomatometer
Rotten Tomatoes ranks HBO and HBO Max series using the Tomatometer score, requiring at least 10 critic reviews for qualification. The following table shows the top-ranked shows with their scores and key details:
| Rank | Show Title | Tomatometer | Audience Score | Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Somebody Somewhere | 100% | 94% | 2022- |
| 2 | The Larry Sanders Show | 100% | 73% | 1992-1998 |
| 3 | Pee-wee as Himself | 100% | 92% | 2024 |
| 4 | How to With John Wilson | 100% | 91% | 2020-2023 |
| 5 | The Chair Company | 100% | 67% | 2025- |
| 22 | Hacks | 99% | 83% | 2021- |
| 39 | Succession | 95% | 88% | 2018-2023 |
| 40 | The Wire | 94% | 96% | 2002-2008 |
| 41 | Mare of Easttown | 95% | 94% | 2021 |
| 46 | The Pitt | 96% | 86% | 2025- |
Must-Watch Prestige Dramas
Succession dominates as one of HBO's most acclaimed dramas, following the Roy family's power struggle at media conglomerate Waystar Royco with Brian Cox and Kieran Culkin delivering career-defining performances. The series concluded in 2023 after four seasons, earning 95% on the Tomatometer and multiple Emmy awards for outstanding drama series.
The Wire remains arguably the best TV series of all time according to many critics, offering an unflinching look at Baltimore's narcotics scene through law enforcement and drug dealer perspectives. Dominic West and John Doman star in this David Simon creation that achieved 94% Tomatometer with 96% audience score.
Mare of Easttown features Kate Winslet as a small-town Pennsylvania detective investigating murder while personal life crumbles, earning 95% Tomatometer and 94% audience score. Julianne Nicholson and Jean Smart provide exceptional support in this 2021 limited series.
Newest Hits Introduced in 2025
The Pitt debuted in 2025 and recently clinched the Emmy for best drama, setting in a hospital's emergency department showcasing events of a single shift across 15 episodes. Noah Wyle stars as Chief Attendant Michael Robinavitch with 96% Tomatometer and 86% audience approval.
Task (2025-) from Mare of Easttown's Brad Ingelsby features Mark Ruffalo as an FBI agent probing thefts while Tom Pelphrey plays an unsuspecting family man entangled in crimes. The crime drama achieved 96% Tomatometer with compelling cat-and-mouse narrative.
The Chair Company by Tim Robinson achieved perfect 100% Tomatometer, following William Ronald Trosper investigating a far-reaching conspiracy after embarrassing workplace incident. Lake Bell and Sophia Lillis join this fresh 2025 offering.
Comedy Series Worth Binging
Limited Series and Miniseries Excellence
Genre-Bending and Sci-Fi Standouts
Game of Thrones remains HBO's most popular show ever despite 89% Tomatometer, adapting George R.R. Martin's "A Song of Ice and Fire" with Peter Dinklage and Emilia Clarke. The epic fantasy shaped television storytelling for a decade.
Scavengers Reign achieved perfect 100% Tomatometer with 96% audience score, depicting crew stranded on beautiful but dangerous planet after deep space freighter damage. Wunmi Mosaku and Bob Stephenson star in this visually stunning series.
Westworld (80% Tomatometer) explores futuristic amusement park for rich vacationers with robotic hosts, starring Evan Rachel Wood and Thandiwe Newton. The concept allows visitors to live out fantasies without consequences.
What are the most common questions about Best Tv Shows On Hbo Max That Still Feel Essential?
What are the absolute best TV shows on HBO Max right now?
The absolute best shows are Succession (95%), The Wire (94%), Mare of Easttown (95%), The Pitt (96%, 2025 Emmy winner), Hacks (99%), and Chernobyl (95%) based on Tomatometer scores and critical consensus.
Which HBO Max shows won Emmys in 2025?
The Pitt, the 2025 medical drama debuting this year, recently clinched the Emmy for best drama. The series features 15 episodes set in Pittsburgh's Trauma Medical Center emergency department.
What shows have 100% Tomatometer on HBO Max?
Seven shows achieved perfect 100% Tomatometer: Somebody Somewhere, The Larry Sanders Show, Pee-wee as Himself, How to With John Wilson, The Chair Company, Los Espookys, and A Black Lady Sketch Show.
Are Game of Thrones and Succession still on HBO Max?
Yes, both Game of Thrones and Succession remain on HBO Max as beloved series in the platform's library. Succession concluded in 2023 after four seasons while Game of Thrones ended in 2019.
What new shows arrived on HBO Max in 2025?
New 2025 additions include The Pitt (medical drama), Task (crime drama), The Chair Company (comedy), Duster (J.J. Abrams getaway driver series), I Love LA (comedy), and Alex vs. A-Rod (docuseries).
