The best shows to watch on HBO Max

Abbott Elementary (2021–present)

Quinta Brunson‘s lauded mockumentary, following five disparate teachers at an underfunded Philadelphia public school struggling to help their students, achieves something the form rarely does: It actually makes you laugh. Abbott Elementary is reminiscent of cult classic sitcoms like Arrested Development twisted with the warm, universal appeal of Modern Family. —Declan Gallagher

Where to watch Abbott Elementary: HBO Max

EW grade: A–

Cast: Quinta Brunson, Tyler James Williams, Lisa Ann Walter, Sheryl Lee Ralph, Janelle James, Chris Perfetti, William Stanford Davis

Awkwafina Is Nora From Queens (2020–present)

A funnier, edgier take on the Broad City formula — a tremendously high mark to match, let alone surpass — Awkwafina‘s Comedy Central showcase is prime comfort viewing. It follows the titular Nora (Awkwafina) who, along with her cousin, father, and eccentric grandmother, tries to navigate life in Flushing, Queens. —D.G.

Where to watch Awkwafina Is Nora From Queens: HBO Max

Cast: Awkwafina, Bowen Yang, Lori Tan Chinn, B.D. Wong, Jennifer Esposito

Barry (2018–2023)

Bill Hader masterminded this highly decorated dark dramedy, which wrapped up its final season in 2023. There’s no better time to binge the hilarious, often tragic exploits of its title character, a hitman (Hader) who worms his way into an acting class, and as a result, gets a second chance at life. As the batty instructor, Henry Winkler has rarely been better. —D.G.

Where to watch Barry: HBO Max

EW grade: B+

Cast: Bill Hader, Henry Winkler, Sarah Goldberg, Stephen Root, Anthony Carrigan

Batman: The Animated Series (1992–1995)

As the streaming home of DC media, Max has numerous Batman films and shows on its platform. And while everyone has their preferred take on the character, few would argue that Batman: The Animated Series is top-tier, if not the best. This is the gold standard for superhero television, from its striking visuals to the writing to its signature voice performances. —Kevin Jacobsen

Where to watch Batman: The Animated Series: HBO Max

Cast: Kevin Conroy, Efrem Zimbalist Jr., Loren Lester, Bob Hastings, Robert Costanzo, Mark Hamill, Arleen Sorkin

Big Little Lies (2017–2019)

The level of A-list talent on this Emmy-winning adaptation of Liane Moriarty’s best-selling novel is still astonishing in retrospect. Reese Witherspoon, Nicole Kidman, Shailene Woodley, Zoë Kravitz, and Laura Dern star as a group of five Monterey women involved in a murder investigation, though each has more than their fair share of drama in their personal lives, too. —K.J.

Where to watch Big Little Lies: HBO Max

Cast: Reese Witherspoon, Nicole Kidman, Shailene Woodley, Zoë Kravitz, Laura Dern, Alexander Skarsgård, Adam Scott, Iain Armitage, Kathryn Newton, Meryl Streep

Boardwalk Empire (2010–2014)

Martin Scorsese and Terence Winter’s rip-roaring prohibition-era crime epic follows Enoch “Nucky” Thompson (Steve Buscemi), Atlantic City’s treasurer who also happens to supply its illicit liquor. Working with gangsters such as Al Capone and lining the pockets of the metropolitan elite, Nucky soon becomes the most fearsome figure on the East Coast — and one of the most notable television characters of the 2010s. —D.G.

Where to watch Boardwalk Empire: HBO Max

EW grade: B+

Cast: Steve Buscemi, Michael Pitt, Michael Shannon, Kelly Macdonald, Gretchen Mol

Chernobyl (2019)

You might not expect one of the worst nuclear tragedies in history to make for enjoyable, or even watchable, television. Yet Craig Mazin‘s searing limited series — a disaster drama deconstructing the calamity and its aftermath — manages to be all of those things. It’s also one of the best-written shows in recent memory. —D.G.

Where to watch Chernobyl: HBO Max

EW grade: A–

Cast: Jared Harris, Stellan Skarsgård, Jessie Buckley, Emily Watson

The Comeback (2005; 2014; 2026)

This terrifically uncomfortable mockumentary show (created by Sex and the City‘s Michael Patrick King) had one season in 2005 before getting brought back for a fan-generated reboot in 2014. It has been announced that The Comeback will come back (wink) for a third/final season in 2026. The series follows the hubristic exploits of faded actress Valerie Cherish (Lisa Kudrow) as she tries to get her career back on track with a hip new sitcom and a reality television crew in tow. The Comeback gives its star many opportunities to flex her significant comedy muscles in an edgier setting than Friends allowed for. —D.G.

Where to watch The Comeback: HBO Max

Cast: Lisa Kudrow, Malin Åkerman, Laura Silverman, Robert Michael Morris, Damian Young

Conan O’Brien Must Go (2024–present)

Where to watch Conan O’Brien Must Go: HBO Max

Cast: Conan O’Brien

Curb Your Enthusiasm (2000–2024)

Larry David became everyone’s favorite curmudgeonly father over 12 seasons of antagonism, so much so that his real life blends with that of his onscreen counterpart. Curb is ambling and often shapeless (especially as it goes along) but the general thread of Larry insulting everyone he encounters with seemingly innocuous remarks and igniting petty grievances somehow never gets old. —D.G.

Where to watch Curb Your Enthusiasm: HBO Max

EW grade: A–

Cast: Larry David, Jeff Garlin, Cheryl Hines, Susie Essman, J.B. Smoove