Best HBO Series of All Time

Set in Utah, Big Love is the story of fundamentalist Mormon polygamist Bill Henrickson and his three wives – Barb, Nicki, and Margene. The show portrays the challenges and joys that come with this unique – and illegal – lifestyle, and charts the family’s life in and out of the public sphere in their Salt Lake City suburb, as well as their associations with a fundamentalist compound in the area.

Based on the British series of the same name, “Getting On” concerns the daily lives of the staff working in the geriatric extended-care ward of a hospital. Many of the patients are in the hospital at the end of their lives, and the staff must deal with the emotional and logistical challenges this atmosphere of impending death presents. The series is darkly comedic, and ultimately shows the compassion and humanity of the staff as they care for their patients.

Based on a series of novels by Philip Pullman, “His Dark Materials” is a fantasy adventure drama taking place in alternate worlds, populated by animal spirits called daemons and full of strange creatures and devices. It follows the story of Lyra, a young girl who is drawn into a battle between good and evil. Along the way, she meets Will, a boy who is also fighting for the side of good, and stumbles upon a kidnapping plot involving a mysterious substance called Dust.

In this poignant half-hour comedy-drama series, 40-something Sam returns to her hometown of Manhattan – Kansas – where she has to deal with the recent death of her sister and her own sense of loneliness and failure. RogerEbert.com wrote that “authenticity shines through in a way that cannot be faked, in the specificity of the world and the characters that make the series absorbing.”

Real-life writer Jonathan Ames created an alter-ego for this series, bearing his name, who decides to become a private investigator when his girlfriend breaks up with him. With the help of his friend, comic book artist Ray Hueston, and Ray’s girlfriend, Leah, Jonathan sets up shop as an unlicensed PI and takes on various often oddball cases around New York City.

In “True Blood,” vampires who feed on a synthetic blood substitute instead of human blood, aren’t bothered by daylight, and are not afraid of crosses or garlic live among ordinary humans in a small town in Louisiana. The main characters deal with the prejudices of both humans and vampires in a way that echoes real-life issues like discrimination against minorities and the importance of religion.

Set in luxury resorts – in Hawaii for the first season, Sicily for the second – “The White Lotus” is a dark comedy about entitled travelers whose ethics are dubious, misguided attempts at sex and romance, and hotel employees with agendas of their own, all against stunningly beautiful backdrops.

After a 15-year absence, sitcom star Valerie Cherish is desperate to return to the spotlight. She gets her chance when she’s cast as a has-been reality star in a new HBO series. “The Comeback” is a biting comedy that follows Valerie’s hilarious and often heartbreaking attempts to stay relevant in Hollywood.

Riffing off Rae’s web series “Awkward Black Girl,” “Insecure” addresses the Black female experience in contemporary America, as the character christened Issa Dee deals with work and relationship issues and the insecurities they provoke.

Based on the legendary EC Comics series of the same name, this show features the Cryptkeeper, a wisecracking puppet corpse, as he tells horror stories that typically end with a gruesome death. The stories are usually full of black comedy and feature a diverse selection of famous celebrities as guest stars – among them Arnold Schwarzenegger, Kirk Douglas, Iggy Pop, Daniel Craig, Tom Hanks, Ted Danson, Roger Daltrey, and Dan Aykroyd.

The creators of “Downton Abbey” turn their focus to America, specifically to New York City in the 1880s. The cast of characters includes established members of high society, social climbers, the city’s Black upper class, and the domestic workers who labor for them all. The show depicts a time of great change, with the country on the brink of a new era.

North Jackson High School vice-principals Neal Gamby and Lee Russell jockey for the position of principal when the current holder of that position (played by Bill Murray) retires. However, the rivalry between the two causes them to sabotage each other’s efforts, while an outsider is given the job instead.

This is an anthology comedy-drama series that follows “The Guy,” a cannabis courier, as he delivers his product to clients around Brooklyn. Each episode focuses on different characters as their lives intersect with The Guy’s. Guest stars over the course of the series have included Martha Stewart, Hannibal Buress, Lena Dunham, and Rosie Perez.

Based on Wally Lamb’s novel of the same name, this six-episode miniseries concerns identical twin brothers Dominick and Thomas Birdsey (played by Ruffalo in a dual role), raised in Three Rivers, Connecticut, whose lives take very different paths. When Thomas, who has been diagnosed as a paranoid schizophrenic, mutilates himself, Dominick is forced to confront his own mental health issues.

This British series, starring a mostly Black British cast, centers around Arabella, a young writer who is sexually assaulted while out clubbing. Considered groundbreaking for its significant impact on the cultural conversation about sexual assault, it mixes drama, comedy, and social commentary, and has been praised for its honest and unflinching portrayal of these issues.

Set in New York City in the 1970s and ’80s, this series tells the story of the Golden Age of Porn – the legalization and rise of the porn industry around Times Square (“The Deuce” was a nickname for 42nd Street between Seventh and Eighth avenues). Following twin brothers (both played by Franco) who get involved with the Mafia as well as sex workers and XXX-rated filmmakers, the show deals with such themes as government and police corruption, the violence of the drug epidemic, and the barbarous world of Manhattan real estate.

“The Righteous Gemstones” is a dark comedy based around an extended (and dysfunctional) family of televangelists who are surrounded by people trying to take advantage of them, including a rival preacher and their own staff. Blackmail, betrayal, and even murder are part of the story, which explores themes of greed, corruption, and hypocrisy.

Based on the true story – and diaries – of Anne Lister, who has been called “the first modern lesbian,” the series depicts the challenges she faces as she tries to turn her estate into a profitable concern, while meanwhile attempting to seduce a wealthy heiress who lives nearby. The series title was a nickname given to Lister by her detractors, in reference to her masculine build and wardrobe.

The TV show Looking follows the lives of three gay friends in San Francisco who are all looking for love and happiness – a young bar manager, an artist struggling with his romantic relationship, and a personal trainer trying to open his own restaurant. The series was praised for its diverse cast and its sensitive handling of complex issues. (In 2016, “Looking: The Movie” picked up where the series left off, and served as its finale.)

Set in New Orleans in the wake of Hurricane Katrina, “Treme” focuses on a diverse group of characters, including musicians, chefs, bar owners, and others who are trying to rebuild their lives and their city. Along the way, it depicts the cultural and historical significance of New Orleans, and the importance of music and food to the city’s identity. Among the real-life musicians who appeared in the show were Fats Domino, Elvis Costello, Dr. John, Allen Toussaint, and Steve Earle.

The remake of a popular Israeli TV series, “Be Tipul,” this show centers around a therapist who deals with the complexities of treating patients with varied degrees of mental illness while struggling with his own issues. Each episode depicts a single therapy session. “In Treatment” ran for three seasons before being canceled, but was rebooted for an additional 24-episode season in 2021, featuring different actors.

The Los Angeles Lakers of the 1980s were one of the most revered and successful sports teams of all time, led by hoops stars Magic Johnson and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. This dramatic portrait of the team in this celebrated period explores the personal lives of the players and coaches (and owner Jerry Buss) as they navigate the ups and downs of success and failure.

A mockumentary sitcom written and directed by co-stars Gervais and Merchant, “Extras” is about the lives of Andy Millman, an aspiring actor who can get work only as an extra (or as he prefers to call it a “background artist”), his friend Maggie, and his barely competent agent, Darren. Considered to be one of the best British sitcoms of the 21st century, it’s a funny, heartwarming, and insightful look at the lives of ordinary people trying to make it in a highly competitive line of work.

Danny McBride stars as Kenny Powers, a washed-up former professional baseball player who returns to his hometown in North Carolina to teach physical education at his old middle school. Powers is foul-mouthed and has a bad attitude, which does not endear him to his students or the principal, but he nonetheless becomes the coach of the school’s baseball team, leading them to victory.

A post-apocalyptic tale about the aftermath of a Rapture-like event, based on the Tom Perrotta novel of the same name, the series follows the lives of the residents of Mapleton, New York, three years after 2% of the world’s population has inexplicably vanished. It explores the ways in which the survivors cope with the event, and the impact it has on their relationships, faith, and sense of self.

A satirical look at the inner workings of the U.S. government and the people who run it, this political comedy features Louis-Dreyfus as a hapless American vice-president who ascends to the presidency, then loses the office, then ultimately decides to run yet again. Her uncomfortable relationships with her daughter and ex-husband complicate her public life. The actress won a record-breaking six Primetime Emmys for her performance.

This dark comedy-drama stars Hader as a Marine vet who has become an accomplished hitman. On a trip to Los Angeles to kill a target, he almost accidentally ends up in an acting class, which gives him a sense of community and belonging that he had never known before. Struggling to keep his true identity from his new friends, he begins to dream of a new life for himself as an actor, while suspecting that he can never truly escape his past.

“Euphoria” is a teen drama series adapted from an Israeli series of the same name. Actress-singer Zendaya stars as a recovering teenage drug addict who is trying to find her way back to permanent sobriety. She and her fellow students at a high school in a fictional California town deal with love, loss, sex, identity, trauma, social media, and their futures.

“The Larry Sanders Show” is a satirical take on the kind of late-night talk shows that Shandling appeared on as a comic. Here, he plays an unpleasant, egomaniacal character, barely held in check by his producer and his onstage sidekick. Show-biz power dynamics are a common theme, and Shandling/Sanders often breaks the fourth wall, directly addressing the audience. A Who’s Who of real-life celebrities appear as themselves – among them Jennifer Aniston, Jay Leno, Sarah Jessica Parker, Jim Carrey, Hugh Hefner, Sting, Robin Williams, Gloria Steinem, and Wu-Tang Clan.

Based around the struggles of a programmer who founds a startup company called Pied Piper, this satirical comedy parodies the culture of the technology industry. The startup faces a number of challenges, including technical difficulties, financial problems, and corporate espionage, as it deals with the cutthroat culture of Silicon Valley, where success often comes at the expense of others.

Up-and-coming young movie star Vincent Chase takes on Hollywood with his brother, who’d had a minor movie career of his own, and his two closest friends from Queens. The four enjoy the perks and learn the downsides of the celebrity lifestyle while growing into their own identities and finding success in various ways – due at least partially to the machinations of Chase’s devious agent, Ari Gold (Jeremy Piven).

An A-list cast (joined by Meryl Streep in Season 2) appears in this drama based in Monterey, California, where someone (whose identity is not revealed at first) is murdered at a school fundraiser. Three mothers of kindergarteners are caught up in the intrigue – a young single mother, a wealthy socialite, and a retired lawyer with an abusive husband. The two seasons brought home a dozen Primetime Emmys in all.

A spinoff prequel to the smash hit “Game of Thrones,” this fantasy adventure series begins two centuries before the events of that show. Guaranteed to appeal to “Game of Thrones” fans, the series depicts the intrigues and warfare that lead to the eventual downfall of the House of Targaryen, with plenty of sex, violence, and fire-breathing dragons along the way.

A sci-fi Western based on a 1973 film of the same name, “Westworld” depicts a technologically advanced Wild-West-themed amusement park populated by android “hosts”. The park caters to high-paying guests who may indulge their wildest fantasies within the park without fear of retaliation. While it has been criticized for its violence, the show has also been praised for the way it deals with themes such as artificial intelligence, consciousness, and free will.

Based on the first volume of an acclaimed quartet of Italian novels by Elena Ferrante, “My Brilliant Friend” is the story of two girls growing up in Naples in the 1950 – Elena, from a middle-class family, and Raffaella, whose parents are working-class. They are best friends from a young age, but as they get older, their friendship begins to evolve. As the two women grow into adults, they must grapple with their changing relationship, and the choices they have made in their lives.

Canadian actor and comedian Fielder conceived and hosts this humor-filled documentary series in which he helps ordinary people prepare for important or potentially challenging moments in their lives by literally rehearsing them in elaborate recreations of the problematic situation – for instance, having replicas of an office, a cocktail lounge, or a living room constructed. He has helped people prepare for proposing marriage, having a baby, getting a divorce, moving to another city, and more.

“Flight of the Conchords” is a comedy about two New Zealanders who move to New York to try to make it as musicians. The show follows their struggles to find success, both in their music careers and their personal lives. The Conchords, who periodically break into song, are helped (and hindered) by their friends, family, and a variety of wacky characters, including an obsessive fan and their feckless manager, who doubles as the deputy cultural attaché at the New Zealand consulate.

In the gold-mining town of Deadwood, South Dakota, in the 1870s, the law is non-existent and violence is a way of life. The town’s residents are a mix of gunslingers, gamblers, thieves, and pioneering entrepreneurs. Into this mix comes former U.S. marshal Seth Bullock, who at first opens a hardware store – but later becomes sheriff and tries to bring order to the town. Real-life Old West personalities Calamity Jane and Wild Bill Hickock put in appearances.

The series begins in 1920, the day Prohibition was enacted, and follows the rise of Enoch “Nucky” Thompson as he becomes the kingpin of Atlantic City. Partnering with mobsters from New York and Chicago, he smuggles liquor into the city, and he uses his political influence to protect his business interests. As Nucky’s power grows, he also faces increasing challenges. He is targeted by federal agents who are determined to bring him down, and he must contend with the ambitions of his rivals. He also has to deal with the personal problems that come with his lifestyle, including his alcoholism and his strained relationships with his wife and daughter.

This mix of comedy and documentary (the executive producer is Nathan Fielder of “The Rehearsal.” which also combines the two) is a series of 25-minute episodes featuring filmmaker Wilson as he meets people at random on the streets – usually in New York City – and strikes up conversations that may end up with his giving advice in his own quirky way.

“Oz” is short for Oswald State Penitentiary, a fictional maximum-security prison. The show examines the lives of the inmates and staff as they deal with prison life. Known for its realistic portrayal of prison violence, drug use, and sexuality, it also explores themes of race, religion, and politics.

“Six Feet Under” is about the Fisher family, owners of a funeral home in Los Angeles. The series follows the Fishers as they deal with the death of strangers as well as their loved ones, their own personal struggles, and the challenges of running their business. The show is both funny and heartbreaking, and it offers a unique and insightful look at life, death, and the human condition. It regularly appears on lists of the best TV dramas of all time.

Set in the 1st century B.C, during Rome’s transition from Republic to Empire, the series features a sprawling cast of characters, many based on real figures from historical records – but the lead protagonists are ultimately two soldiers named Lucius Vorenus and Titus Pullo, who find their lives intertwined with key historical events. The first season covers Julius Caesar’s civil war against the traditionalist conservative faction in the Roman Senate, his rise to dictatorship, and his assassination. In the second season, we see the results of Caesar’s murder, as his adopted son Octavian (later known as Augustus) and great-nephew Mark Antony vie for control of the Roman Empire.

A classic of cringe comedy, “Curb Your Enthusiasm” is about the life of comedian Larry David – co-creator of the all-time classic “Seinfeld.” The show is largely improvised, with the cast often being given outlines of scenarios but not dialogue. This can lead to comedy gold, as Larry’s crassness, overbearing personality, tone-deaf sensibility, and inability to keep his mouth shut often get him into hot water. The show has been a critical and commercial success, with many citing it as one of the best comedy shows of all time.

Perhaps the ultimate dysfunctional family drama (with comedic overtones), “Succession” portrays the Roy family, which operates a powerful media conglomerate under the iron fist of family patriarch Logan Roy – an unlikeable blowhard said to have been based on Rupert Murdoch. As Roy begins to experience health issues, his children, whom he alternately insults and ignores, begin to jockey ruthlessly to eventually take his place. The show has won 13 Primetime Emmys and five Golden Globes.

Based on a hit video game franchise, this post-apocalyptic TV is set 20 years after a pandemic caused by a mutated fungus has turned most of humanity into cannibalistic creatures known as The Infected. Joel, a hardened survivor, is hired to smuggle Ellie, a 14-year-old girl who is immune to the infection, out of a quarantine zone and across the United States. The two must travel through a dangerous, lawless country, facing both The Infected and others who are willing to do anything to survive.

This gritty three-season (so far) anthology crime series features ensemble casts solving often horrific crimes in varying locales. Season 1 featured Matthew McConaughey and Woody Harrelson as Louisiana State Police detectives tracking down a serial killer. Season 2, starring Colin Farrell and Vince Vaughan, addressed police corruption in a fictional California town. In season 3, Mahershala Ali and Carmen Ejogo appear in a story involving missing children, based in the Ozarks over three different time periods. The fourth season, in development, will take place in Alaska, with Jodie Foster as headliner.

This landmark crime drama, set in New Jersey and New York City, is built around mobster Tony Soprano (Gandolfini) as he tries to balance family life with his role as the leader of a criminal organization. It is considered one of the first shows to deal with organized crime in a realistic manner, giving its mostly villainous characters complexity and even extending them some sympathy. Widely regarded as one of the greatest TV series of all time, and praised for its writing, acting, directing, and production values, “The Sopranos” won numerous awards, including 21 Primetime Emmys and 5 Golden Globes.

Based on “A Song of Ice and Fire,” the best-selling book series by George R.R. Martin, “Game of Thrones” became a television phenomenon, regularly drawing more than 10 million viewers on HBO and probably millions more watching illegally around the world. It is the epic blood-and-sex-filled saga of nine royal families fighting to claim the throne of the mythical land of Westeros, then plotting to keep or regain it. Over its eight seasons, it set a record by earning 59 Primetime Emmys.

“The Wire” is a crime drama created by author and journalist David Simon, set in Baltimore, and concerning the lives of both police officers and criminals as they attempt to survive in the city. The show is known for its realistic portrayal of Baltimore and its many problems, but it is also a commentary on the nature and extent of surveillance (the “wire” of the title refers to wiretapping). The dysfunctional city institutions variously focused on include the police department, the public school system, city government, the dockworkers’ union, local media, and an established drug trafficking organization. “The Wire” is considered a groundbreaking series that has left its mark on popular culture.