Between streaming services, network television, and YouTube the number of options for shows is astronomical. Yet there is one network where quality is always guaranteed and the viewer is rarely left unsatisfied. Since the late 80s and early 90s, HBO has become the definition of a premium television network.
Not only have they lived up to this label but each year brings new and astonishing shows that push what the medium of TV can do. From OZ to Raised By Wolves, HBO remains a place for innovative and groundbreaking TV shows. Their new streaming service, HBO Max continues the network's legacy of greatness with numerous classics available to stream and many more soon to arrive.
10 Flight Of The Conchords
New Zealand musicians Jemaine and Bret move to New York City and try to hit the big time. This premise has been done a multitude of times and yet it has never been so funny. Flight of the Conchords is not only full of laughs but the musical numbers are fantastic.
The main and supporting cast all shine in their own unique and hilarious way. The real-life musical duo of Jemaine Clement and Bret McKenzie in conjunction with James Bobin crafted one of the greatest comedy series of the late 2000s. Sadly the show was canceled after two seasons but the music still remains just as great as ever.
9 Game Of Thrones
Very few shows are able to captivate an audience the way Game of Thrones managed to do. Starting in 2011, the show started as a fantasy fix for fans and it evolved into a must-see TV show that grabbed viewers the world over. Following the lives of many characters in the bloody and violent world of Westeros, the show pushed boundaries in terms of storytelling and special effects.
Even with a high budget, the show paid off for HBO as it continues to be popular.
8 Boardwalk Empire
After already revolutionizing the gangster genre once before, HBO decided to do it again with Boardwalk Empire. The epic tale of prohibition-era criminal Nucky Thompson is rich and layered with many twists and turns. Steve Buscemi gives one of the best performances of his life.
The supporting characters are all real-life big-name crooks like Lucky Luciano, Al Capone, Arnold Rothstein, and Meyer Lansky. Each season is filled with great storytelling and masterful acting.
7 True Detective
Good mystery crime shows are a dime a dozen and lackluster endings can ruin them. In the case of True Detective, each of its three seasons follows a different mystery with vastly differing conclusions. The first season opened the show off on a very strong note.
Season 2 followed a more complex mystery that left some viewers less than enthused with the show. After taking a few years gap, the next season came back strong and renewed interest in the show. As a whole, the show is always engaging and the mysteries are thrilling.
6 Barry
Who would have ever guessed that SNL alum Bill Hader would make of the funniest and well-written shows in HBO history. Barry follows an assassin that discovers his love for acting and decides to switch his career path. As one could guess this is not a simple transition.
Mixing fantastic cinematography with clever writing, the show manages to rise to legendary status in a mere two seasons. Season 2 especially raises the bar and has some of the best TV moments of 2019.
5 Todd McFarlane's Spawn
HBO has a very limited animated output, with 2016's Animals being their latest one. However, from 1997 to 1999 one animated show they created managed to stand the test of time. The dark and moody world of the Image Comics character Spawn was a perfect fit for the animated treatment. Todd McFarlane's Spawn captivated audiences with its great animation, adult themes, and philosophical overtones.
The long tortured character of Spawn/Al Simmons tried to make sense of a very dark world week after week. His quest for redemption remains just as captivating today as it was in 1997.
4 Watchmen
For many comic book fans, DC Comics Watchmen 12 issue maxi-series is the pinnacle of what comics can be. For quite some time it was a world that no writer or artist dared to touch as it was essentially sacred. After a few attempts by DC Comics to revisit the world, HBO decided to try its hand.
Writer Damon Lindelof and his team took what made Watchmen great and added in a brutal look at the current political landscape of American society. Combined with some phenomenal acting and cinematography, this show honored its source material while treading a bold new path of its own.
3 The Sopranos
Creator David Chase took a good long look at just where the Italian Mafia would be after the golden age of crime had ended. By focusing on Tony Soprano and those around him, audiences got to see a once-proud world of crime that had fallen to near ruin.
The Sopranos took the best parts of gangster films and mixed them with a large dose of reality. Along with some great acting, writing, direction, and cinematography, this show is frequently cited as one of the best TV shows of all time.
2 Curb Your Enthusiasm
For over twenty years fans have been following the hilarious and cringe-inducing life of Seinfeld creator Larry David. While one can argue which of the two is funnier, there is no doubt that Curb Your Enthusiasm remains neck and neck with Seinfeld. Larry David's general outlook on life has proven to be the stuff of comedic gold once again. Season after season, Larry David and company have proven that life is absurd and full of laughter.
1 The Wire
What more can be said about David Simon and Ed Burn's brutal look at the city Baltimore in The Wire? The show is considered by many to be the best that TV has to offer by a long shot. The show looks at the corruption and crime found at every level of the city of Baltimore's infrastructure.
From street level to political crimes, the show never fails to show just how wrong the American Dream has gone for far too many people in Baltimore. HBO has yet to top themselves in terms of the quality of The Wire.