The BEST HBO shows of all time
Every HBO show, ranked
We've compiled the average episode rating for every HBO show to compile this list of best shows!
#1 - The Zen Diaries of Garry Shandling
When Garry Shandling passed away in 2016, he was widely remembered as a top stand-up comic and the star of two of the most innovative sitcoms in TV history. But to those who knew him, the “real” Garry Shandling was a far more complex person.
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#2 - George Carlin HBO Specials
Spanning 31 years (1977-2008), George Carlin performed 14 original standup performances for Home Box Office. Beginning with 1977's 'On Location: George Carlin at USC' and ending with 2008's 'It's Bad for Ya', Carlin's sometimes taboo material entertained millions of people.
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#3 - Louis C.K.
Louis C.K. was born on September 12, 1967 in Washington, District of Columbia, USA as Louis Szekely. He is a writer and producer, known for Late Night with Conan O'Brien (1993), Louie (2010) and Down to Earth (2001).
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#4 - The Wire
Follows one single drug and homicide investigation throughout the length of an entire season. Centered on the drug culture of inner-city Baltimore, the series' storyline unfolds from the points of view of both the criminals lording the streets and the police officers determined to bring them down.
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#5 - HBO Documentary Film Series
HBO presents a full spectrum of non-fiction programming by leading documentary filmmakers. Taking viewers from the hidden corners of America to the shocking reality of global issues, these powerful, uncompromising and award-winning films never fail to leave an impact. Now, with HBO Podcast, listen to interviews with many of our award-winning filmmakers - and even some of their documentary subjects!
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#6 - Band of Brothers
The story of Easy Company, 506th Regiment of the 101st Airborne Division, U.S. Army. Based on interviews with survivors of Easy Company, as well as soldiers' journals and letters, the series chronicles the experiences of these young men who knew extraordinary bravery and extraordinary fear.
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#7 - The Sopranos
New Jersey mob boss Tony Soprano deals with personal and professional issues in his home and business life that affect his mental state, leading him to seek professional psychiatric counseling.
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#8 - Game of Thrones
Seven noble families fight for control of the mythical land of Westeros. Friction between the houses leads to full-scale war. All while a very ancient evil awakens in the farthest north. Amidst the war, a neglected military order of misfits, the Night's Watch, is all that stands between the realms of men and the icy horrors beyond.
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#9 - Chernobyl
Chernobyl dramatizes the story of the 1986 nuclear accident — one of the worst man-made catastrophes in history — and the sacrifices made to save Europe from unimaginable disaster.
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#10 - Hard Knocks (2001)
“The first sports-based reality series” in television history presents viewers with an inside look at NFL training camps. From the top coaches to the rookies trying to make the team, Hard Knocks will showcase what it takes to be in the NFL.
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#11 - The Life & Times of Tim
Everybody makes mistakes, but for Tim - a self-conscious young guy living in New York - just getting out of bed in the morning could be the worst decision he makes all day. No matter the situation, life's little challenges always manage to demand the most offensive solutions, which wouldn't be such a problem if he weren't continually caught red-handed. From the mind of Steve Dildarian - the Clio-winning ad man behind Budweiser's famous 'Lizards' campaign - 'The Life and Times of Tim' follows this everyday working guy from one scandalous crisis to the next.
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#12 - Mr. Show
Mr. Show was the insanely funny, critically loved but HBO-loathed sketch comedy that ran on the channel for 4 years from 1995-1998. The show was created, executive produced, written and starred comics/writers Bob Odenkirk and David Cross. The show also starred Tom Kenny, Jill Talley and John Ennis. Featured performers/writers included Paul F. Tompkins, Jerry Minor, B.J. Porter, Scott Aukerman, Brian Posehn, and Jay Johnston. Featured performers included Mary-Lynn Rajskub, Brett Paesal, and Sarah Silverman. The show has spawned a movie based on popular character Ronnie Dobbs in Run Ronnie Run. Bob's wife, Naomi Odenkirk, has compiled everything you could ever want to know about the show in her wonderful book, Mr. Show: What Happened.
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#13 - Foo Fighters: Sonic Highways
In this new series, Foo Fighters commemorate their 20th anniversary by documenting the eight-city recording odyssey that produced their latest, and eighth, studio album. Foo Fighters founder Dave Grohl directs the series, which taps into the musical heritage and cultural fabric of eight cities: Chicago, Austin, Nashville, Los Angeles, Seattle, New Orleans, Washington D.C. and New York. The band based themselves at a legendary recording studio integral to the unique history and character of each location. One song was recorded in each city, and every track features local legends. Even the lyrics were developed in an experimental, unprecedented way: Grohl held off on writing them until the last day of each session, letting himself be inspired by the experiences, interviews and personalities that became part of the process.
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#14 - Deadwood
In the Black Hills Indian Cession, the town of Deadwood is a settlement violating treaty obligations; a violent and uncivilized outpost that attracts outlaws and entrepreneurs, ex-soldiers and racketeers, Chinese laborers, prostitutes, city slickers and gunfighters.
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#15 - The Last of Us
After a global pandemic destroys civilization, a hardened survivor takes charge of a 14-year-old girl who may be humanity’s last hope.
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#16 - Rome
Four hundred years after the founding of the Republic, Rome is the wealthiest city in the world. The Republic was founded on principals of shared power, never allowing one man to seize absolute control. But now, those foundations are crumbling...and two soldiers unwittingly become entwined in the historical events of ancient Rome. A drama of love and betrayal, masters and slaves, husbands and wives, Rome chronicles a turbulent era that saw the death of a republic and the birth of an empire.
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#17 - Last Week Tonight with John Oliver
Last Week Tonight with John Oliver is an American late-night talk and news satire television program. L.W.T draws its comedy and satire from recent news stories, political figures, media organizations, pop culture and often aspects of the show itself.
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#18 - Six Feet Under
A chronicle of the lives of a dysfunctional family who run an independent funeral home in Los Angeles.
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#19 - True Detective
An anthology series in which police investigations unearth the personal and professional secrets of those involved, both within and outside the law.
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#20 - Boardwalk Empire
An Atlantic City politician plays both sides of the law by conspiring with gangsters during the Prohibition era.
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#21 - Curb Your Enthusiasm
An unscripted series that brings the off-kilter comic vision of Larry David, who plays himself in a parallel universe in which he can’t seem to do anything right, and, by his standards, neither can anyone else.
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#22 - Oz
OZ is set deep inside the Oswald Maximum Security Prison, in an experimental unit known as Emerald City. Em City focuses on prisoner rehabilitation over public retribution. There's one set of rules from the outside looking in, and another once you're inside. Every group - Muslims, Latinos, Italians, Aryans - stick close to their mutual friends and terrorizes their mutual enemies.
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#23 - Succession
A drama about a dysfunctional media family dynasty in the 21st century. The Roy family – Logan Roy and his four children – controls one of the biggest media and entertainment conglomerates in the world. "Succession" tracks their lives as they contemplate what the future will hold for them once their aging father begins to step back from the company.
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#24 - From the Earth to the Moon
The story of the United States' space program, from its beginnings in 1961 to the final moon mission in 1972.
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#25 - The Newsroom (2012)
A newsroom undergoes some changes in its workings and morals as a new team is brought in, bringing unexpected results for its existing news anchor.
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#26 - Treme
Life after Hurricane Katrina as the residents of New Orleans try to rebuild their lives, their homes, and their unique culture in the aftermath of one of the worst natural disasters in the USA.
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#27 - Generation Kill
This seven-part miniseries focuses on the first 40 days of the war in Iraq as seen through the eyes of an elite group of U.S. Marines who spearheaded the invasion. The result is a vivid account of the soldiers and of the forces that guided them in an often-improvised initiative.
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#28 - Entourage
Film star Vince Chase navigates the vapid terrain of Los Angeles with a close circle of friends and his trusty agent.
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#29 - Silicon Valley
In the high-tech gold rush of modern Silicon Valley, the people most qualified to succeed are the least capable of handling success. A comedy partially inspired by Mike Judge's own experiences as a Silicon Valley engineer in the late 1980s.
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#30 - Westworld
Westworld is a dark odyssey about the dawn of artificial consciousness and the evolution of sin. Set at the intersection of the near future and the reimagined past, it explores a world in which every human appetite, no matter how noble or depraved, can be indulged.
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#31 - The Ricky Gervais Show
Based on the series of podcasts that Gervais did with longtime partner Stephen Merchant, this comedy team convenes to bring HBO an animated series about their hilarious friend Karl Pilkington.
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#32 - John Adams
U.S. history buffs won't want to miss this epic miniseries about one of America's greatest founding fathers John Adams. The mini-series is based on the 2002 book, John Adams, written by David McCullough, and stars three Academy Award nominated actors: Paul Giamatti, Laura Linney and Tom Wilkinson.
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#33 - My Brilliant Friend
A woman recounts the lifelong friendship and conflicts with a girl she met at primary school in Naples during the early 1950s.
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#34 - Carnivàle
During the Great Depression, an Oklahoma farm boy and a charismatic minister learn that they are key players in a proxy war being fought between Heaven and Hell.
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#35 - The Pacific
A 10-part mini-series from the creators of "Band of Brothers", The Pacific focuses on the United States Marine Corps' actions in the Pacific Theater of Operations within the wider Pacific War. Whereas Band of Brothers followed one Army infantry company through the European Theater, The Pacific follows three Marines (Eugene Sledge, Robert Leckie and John Basilone) in separate combat actions.
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#36 - Flight of the Conchords
Bret and Jemaine are Flight of the Conchords, a folk-rock band from New Zealand living in New York City in search of stardom.
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#37 - Dream On
Dream On is an American adult-themed situation comedy about the family life, romantic life, and career of Martin Tupper, a divorced New York City book editor played by Brian Benben. The show centered on Martin's life in an apartment in New York City with his teenage son, and relating to his ex-wife, while trying to date other women and succeed as an editor for a small book publisher. The show was notable for its frequent use of clips from old movies and TV shows to express Martin's inner life and feelings, which lent it much of its quirky appeal, reminding viewers about the impact of TV on their consciousness. The show was also significant for being one of the first American sitcoms to use uncensored profanity and nudity.
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#38 - Euphoria (US)
A group of teenagers experience the ups and downs of love and friendship in a world of social media, sex, drugs, and violence.
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#39 - House of the Dragon
The story of House Targaryen, 200 years before the events of Game of Thrones.
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#40 - Tales from the Crypt
Based on the legendary and gruesome EC Comics from publisher William Gaines, this horror anthology featured stories of murder, the super natural, gore and humor and always had a twist ending of sorts. Some of Hollywood's biggest names took part, either working in front or behind the camera. Hosting duties fell to everyone's favorite decaying corpse, the Crypt Keeper. The success of this series spawned a Saturday morning cartoon series (Tales From the Cryptkeeper), a short lived Saturday morning gameshow on CBS (Secrets of the Cryptkeeper's Haunted House) and lots of merchandise. Two feature films (Demon Knight and Bordello of Blood) were also produced. Two other movies based on the EC Comics (Tales From the Crypt and The Vault of Horror) were released back in 1972 and 1973 respectively. But they are not connected to this series and will not be listed here! Tales from the Crypt has aired on HBO, Fox, in syndication and the Sci-Fi Channel. Most recently, the series has bee
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#41 - How To with John Wilson
In a uniquely hilarious odyssey of self-discovery and cultural observation, an anxious New Yorker who attempts to give everyday advice while dealing with his own personal issues.
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#42 - The Leftovers
Three years after the disappearance of two percent of the global population, a group of people in a small New York community try to continue their lives while coping with the tragedy of the unexplained nature of the event.
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#43 - The Jinx: The Life and Deaths of Robert Durst
Filmmaker Andrew Jarecki examines the complicated life of reclusive real estate icon Robert Durst, the key suspect in a series of unsolved crimes.
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#44 - The Rehearsal
Nathan Fielder gives people a chance to rehearse for their own lives in a world where nothing ever works out as expected.
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#45 - The Corner
Based on the nonfiction book "The Corner: A Year in the Life of an Inner-City Neighborhood", by journalists David Simon and Edward Burns, The Corner presents the world of Fayette Street using real names and real events. The Corner tells the true story of men, women and children living amid the open-air drug markets of West Baltimore. It chronicles a year in the lives of 15-year old DeAndre McCullough (Sean Nelson, "THE WOOD"), his mother Fran Boyd (Khandi Alexander), and his father Gary McCullough (T.K. Carter), as well as other addicts and low-level drug dealers caught up in the twin-engine economy of heroin and cocaine.
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#46 - Mare of Easttown
A detective in a small Pennsylvania town investigates a local murder while trying to keep her life from falling apart.
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#47 - The Night Of
After a mind-altering night of drugs and passion, Naz finds himself in the cross-hairs of a very life changing situation.
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#48 - Big Little Lies
Based on Liane Moriarty’s bestselling book, and featuring Reese Witherspoon, Nicole Kidman, and Shailene Woodley, this darkly comedic series tells the tale of three mothers whose seemingly perfect lives unravel to the point of murder.
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#49 - Olive Kitteridge
Olive Kitteridge tells the poignantly sweet, acerbically funny and devastatingly tragic story of a seemingly placid New England town wrought with illicit affairs, crime and tragedy, told through the lens of Olive , whose wicked wit and harsh demeanor mask a warm but troubled heart and staunch moral center. The story, which spans 25 years over the four parts, focuses on Olive, a middle-school math teacher, and her relationships with Henry, the good-hearted town pharmacist, their son Christopher, who chafes at his mother's parenting style, and other denizens of their community.
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#50 - Veep
A look into American politics, revolving around former Senator Selina Meyer who finds being Vice President of the United States is nothing like she expected and everything everyone ever warned her about.
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