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Tom Power

The best Max shows: 39 great series to stream in December 2024

Rick Flag Sr leads his supervillain team out of a plane in Creature Commandos.

Searching for the best Max shows to watch this month? We've got you covered. In this guide, our entertainment experts have rounded up 39 of the most highly-rated TV series on Max, all of which have been categorized by their primary genre. No matter what type of show you like to stream, then, you'll find something worth watching with our help.

You'll only find the best of the best in this article, too. Indeed, shows need to hold a Rotten Tomatoes (RT) critical score of 85% or above, be one of the most-viewed programs on the platform, or meet both criteria to secure a spot on tis list. That way, you'll know that they come highly recommended on one of the world's best streaming services. Without further ado, then, these are the best HBO Max shows to catch today.

Best comedy shows on Max

Barry

Barry is a criminally underrated show that deserves your attention (Image credit: HBO)

Seasons: 4
Age rating: TV-MA
RT score: 98%

Curb Your Enthusiasm

Curb Your Enthusiasm was one of the longest running HBO series until its recent ending (Image credit: HBO)

Seasons: 12
Age rating: TV-MA
RT score: 92%

Flight of the Conchords

Flight of the Conchords is an incredibly offbeat comedy-musical series (Image credit: HBO)

Seasons: 2
Age rating: TV-14
RT score: 94%

Friends

Friends is still one of HBO's most popular shows (Image credit: Prime Video )

Seasons: 10
Age rating: TV-14
RT score: 78%

Girls

Girls put Lena Dunham (second right) on the A-list creators' map (Image credit: HBO)

Seasons: 6
Age rating: TV-MA
RT score: 89%

Hacks

Hacks is finally earned the respect it deserves after its recent awards wins (Image credit: HBO Max)

Seasons: 3
Age rating: TV-MA
RT score: 99%

I Hate Suzie

Billie Piper wows as Suzie Pickles in I Hate Suzie (Image credit: HBO)

Seasons: 2
Age rating: TV-MA
RT score: 97%

I May Destroy You

I May Destroy You is an engrossing series that turned Michaele Coel into an overnight star (Image credit: HBO)

Seasons: 1
Age rating: TV-MA
RT score: 98%

Pushing Daisies

Pushing Daisies is a dark comedy that starred Lee Pace (second left) and Anna Friel (center) (Image credit: HBO)

Seasons: 2
Age rating: TV-PG
RT score: 96%

The White Lotus

The White Lotus has been a surprise hit for Max and HBO (Image credit: HBO Max)

Seasons: 2
Age rating: TV-MA
RT score: 92%

Best crime shows on Max

Boardwalk Empire

Boardwalk Empire is an impressive period crime drama (Image credit: HBO)

Seasons: 5
Age rating: TV-MA
RT score: 92%

Mare of Easttown

Mare of Easttown is Kate Winslet at the top of her game (Image credit: HBO)

Seasons: 1
Age rating: TV-MA
RT score: 95%

The Penguin

The Penguin is an absolutely brilliant crime drama (Image credit: Warner Brothers / HBO)

Seasons: 1
Age rating: TV-MA
RT score: 95%

The Sopranos

The Sopranos is one of the greatest HBO shows of all-time (Image credit: HBO)

Seasons: 6
Age rating: TV-MA
RT score: 92%

True Detective

True Detective's first season is still considered to be the best entry in the anthology show's back catalog (Image credit: HBO)

Seasons: 4
Age rating: TV-MA
RT score: 79%

The Wire

The late Michael K. Williams was one of the many breakout stars of The Wire (Image credit: HBO)

Seasons: 5
Age rating: TV-MA
RT score: 94%

Best drama shows on Max

Band of Brothers

Band of Brothers is still one of the finest – and most harrowing – war series of all-time (Image credit: HBO)

Seasons: 1
Age rating: TV-MA
RT score: 94%

Big Little Lies

Big Little Lies stars many well-known female actors, including Reese Witherspoon, Nicole Nidman, and Laura Dern (Image credit: HBO)

Seasons: 2
Age rating: TV-MA
RT score: 89%

Chernobyl

Chernobyl is a heart-wrenching series that's based on a real-life nuclear catastrophe (Image credit: HBO)

Seasons: 1
Age rating: TV-MA
RT score: 95%

Deadwood

Deadwood is a compelling western that stars Ian McShane and Timothy Olyphant (Image credit: HBO)

Seasons: 3
Age rating: TV-MA
RT score: 92%

Euphoria

Euphoria season 3 is on the way at some point (Image credit: HBO)

Seasons: 2
Age rating: TV-MA
RT score: 88%

Industry

Industry's third season saw Kit Harington (bottom right) join the acclaimed show's cast (Image credit: HBO)

Seasons: 3
Age rating: TV-MA
RT score: 90%

It's a Sin

It's a Sin is an engrossing albeit heart-wrenching British drama series (Image credit: HBO)

Seasons: 1
Age rating: TV-MA
RT score: 97%

The Last of Us

The Last of Us is an incredibly faithful TV adaptation of the one the best video games of the past decade (Image credit: HBO)

Seasons: 1
Age rating: TV-MA
RT score: 96%

The Leftovers

Justin Theroux plays police chief Kevin Garvey in The Leftovers (Image credit: HBO)

Seasons: 3
Age rating: TV-MA
RT score: 91%

Station Eleven

Station Eleven wowed critics back in 2021, but not many people watched it (Image credit: HBO Max)

Seasons: 1
Age rating: TV-MA
RT score: 98%

Succession

Succession was one of HBO's biggest success stories of the mid- to late 2010s. (Image credit: HBO)

Seasons: 4
Age rating: TV-MA
RT score: 95%

Best fantasy shows on Max

Game of Thrones

Game of Thrones is viewed as the show that ushered in the era of prestige TV (Image credit: HBO)

Seasons: 8
Age rating: TV-MA
RT score: 89%

House of the Dragon

House of the Dragon season 2 wasn't as good as the first, but it's still a fantastic series (Image credit: Theo Whiteman/HBO)

Seasons: 2
Age rating: TV-MA
RT score: 87%

Best horror shows on Max

Uzumaki

Uzumaki had a perfect RT score until viewers started to criticize its animation style in later episodes (Image credit: Adult Swim)

Seasons: 1
Age rating: TV-MA
RT score: 80%

Best sci-fi shows on Max

Doctor Who

You can watch series 1 through 13 of Doctor Who's TV revival on Max (Image credit: BBC)

Seasons: 13
Age rating: TV-14
RT score: 90%

Dune: Prophecy

Dune: Prophecy takes place 10,000 years before Paul Atreides becomes the so-called Lisan al Gaib (Image credit: HBO)

Seasons: 1
Age rating: TV-MA
RT score: 71%

Fringe

Fringe is another fascinating TV series from sci-fi auteur J.J. Abrams (Image credit: Warner Bros. Television)

Seasons: 5
Age rating: TV-14
RT score: 90%

Rick and Morty

Rick and Morty is an animated institution at this point (Image credit: Adult Swim)

Seasons: 7
Age rating: TV-MA
RT score: 90%

Scavengers Reign

Scavengers Reign is one of two Max series on the list with a perfect critical RT score (Image credit: Max)

Seasons: 1
Age rating: TV-MA
RT score: 100%

Best superhero shows on Max

Creature Commandos

Creature Commandos is the first project to arrive as part of James Gunn's rebooted DC Cinematic Universe (Image credit: Max/DC Studios)

Seasons: 1
Age rating: TV-MA
RT score: 96%

Doom Patrol

Doom Patrol is a rare DC Comics-inspired TV show that's really fun to watch (Image credit: HBO Max)

Seasons: 4
Age rating: TV-MA
RT score: 98%

Peacemaker

Peacemaker is returning for a second season sometime in 2025 (Image credit: WarnerMedia)

Seasons: 1
Age rating: TV-MA
RT score: 93%

Watchmen

A follow-up to one of the best graphic novels of all-time, 2019's Watchmen TV series was a critical success (Image credit: HBO)

Seasons: 1
Age rating: TV-MA
RT score: 96%


For more Max-based recommendations, read our guide on all of the new Max movies to arrive this month. Alternatively, see what the best Max movies are or get the lowdown on how much a Max subscription costs.

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