(Photo by HBO)
Game of Thrones’ may have been HBO’s most popular show ever — but is the epic fantasy series HBO’s all-time best-reviewed show?
Well, the short answer is no.
The longer answer is that the premium cable network offers plenty of new, buzzworthy series on its current lineup with higher scores than the drama, including dark comedy Barry, the sci-fi mystery of Westworld, and award-winning drama Big Little Lies. And that’s not to mention HBO’s signature prestige dramas including The Sopranos, Chernobyl, and Western period drama Deadwood.
In 2020, the highly anticipated first season of horror-fantasy Lovecraft Country and troubling docuseries The Vow joined those classics in our list of HBO’s best shows, along with a few more new additions in 2021: docuseries The Lady and the Dale, Allen v. Farrow, and Tiger Woods–focused Tiger; series Painting with John, and J.K. Rowling’s crime series C.B. Strike, whose new season gave it the number of reviews needed to join the list. And then there was the zeitgeist-capturing duo of crime drama Mare of Easttown and biting comedy The White Lotus.
2022 saw the majorly anticipated return of Game of Thrones with prequel series House of the Dragon, and then the record-breaking The Last of Us in 2023.
Read more:
We’ve rounded up Tomatometer scores for the best HBO series and miniseries to make a list to fill your binge-watch calendar into next year. To qualify for the list, a series must have at least 10 reviews counting toward its score.
Synopsis: Hey now! This series offers a behind-the-scenes look at late-night talk show host Larry Sanders (Garry Shandling) and the production… [More]
Synopsis: Seeking to address the failures of the comedy landscape and entertainment industry to include vital voices, this narrative series set… [More]
Synopsis: A primarily Spanish-language comedy (with English subtitles), the series follows the adventures of Renaldo, a horror and gore enthusiast who… [More]
Synopsis: Documentary filmmaker John Wilson embarks on an odyssey of self-discovery and cultural observation by covertly filming the lives of fellow… [More]
Synopsis: Sam, a true Kansan on the surface, struggles to fit her hometown’s mold; grappling with loss and acceptance, singing is… [More]
Synopsis: The story of Elizabeth Carmichael, who released a fuel-efficient vehicle during the 1970s gas crisis; as she wins over major… [More]
Starring:
Synopsis: “The Defiant Ones” tells of the unbreakable bond of trust and friendship between music legends Jimmy Iovine and Dr. Dre,… [More]
Synopsis: Writer/director/producer Terence Nance is the mastermind behind this project, a “show about the beauty and ugliness of contemporary American life,”… [More]
Synopsis: Filmed at his worktable, artist John Lurie hones his intricate watercolor techniques and shares reflections on what he has learned… [More]
Synopsis: Disillusioned at the thought of taking down another “mark,” depressed, low-level hit man Barry Berkman seeks a way out. When… [More]
Synopsis: After being sexually assaulted in a nightclub, Arabella’s life changes irreversibly and she is forced to reassess everything, including her… [More]
Synopsis: The Guy is a nameless marijuana dealer in Brooklyn who delivers his goods via bicycle to stressed-out clients across New… [More]
Synopsis: Young women navigate the predominantly male-oriented world of skateboarding in New York City…. [More]
Synopsis: Modern-day black women might be described as strong and confident; in other words, just the opposite of Issa and Molly…. [More]
Synopsis: Set in post-Katrina New Orleans, this hourlong drama series, from “The Wire” executive producers David Simon and Eric Overmyer, follows… [More]
Synopsis: Pseudonymous author Elena Ferrante has written four mega-popular Neapolitan novels that explore the complicated intensity of female friendship. “My Brilliant… [More]
Synopsis: This series, originally broadcast on HBO, tells the story of Easy Company, 506th Regiment of the 101st Airborne Division, U.S…. [More]
Synopsis: Written, directed by and starring Julia Davis (creator of the original British series “Camping”), “Sally4Ever” is an HBO/Sky Atlantic co-production… [More]
Synopsis: Joel and Ellie must survive ruthless killers and monsters on a trek across America after an outbreak…. [More]
Synopsis: Based on the celebrated graphic novel by Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons, the exciting and dark “Watchmen” takes place in… [More]
Synopsis: An exploration of the case of the Golden State Killer who terrorized California in the 1970s and 1980s, committing 50… [More]
Starring:
Synopsis: Small-town Pennsylvania detective Mare Sheehan investigates a murder as life crumbles around her…. [More]
Synopsis: Brave men and women act heroically to mitigate catastrophic damage when the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant suffers a nuclear accident… [More]
Synopsis: Based on the movie of the same title, the series follows Mira, an American movie star disillusioned by her career… [More]
Synopsis: Nathan Fielder returns to television to explore the lengths one person will go to reduce the uncertainties of everyday life…. [More]
Synopsis: Acclaimed actress, writer and producer Tracey Ullman, a longtime HBO favorite, returns to the network to front another sketch comedy… [More]
Synopsis: Whistleblowers, insiders, newly leaked documents, behind-the-scenes access to investigations and exclusive interviews offer insights into Big Pharma, political operatives and… [More]
Starring:
Synopsis: Although he has no plans to step aside as the head of Waystar Royco, the international media conglomerate controlled by… [More]
Synopsis: Partially inspired by co-creator Mike Judge’s experiences as a Silicon Valley engineer in the 1980s, this comedy series follows the… [More]
Synopsis: This series looks at the narcotics scene in Baltimore through the eyes of law enforcers as well as the drug… [More]
Synopsis: Cutting edge musical comics Bret McKenzie and Jemaine Clement travel from their native New Zealand to New York in search… [More]
Synopsis: “Politics is about people,” former Sen. Selina Meyer is fond of saying. Unfortunately, the people Meyer, a charismatic leader and… [More]
Synopsis: Created by George Pelecanos and David Simon, who also collaborated on HBO’s “The Wire” and “Treme,” the semifictional drama series… [More]
Synopsis: Based on the book “We Own This City: A True Story of Crime, Cops and Corruption” by Baltimore Sun reporter… [More]
Synopsis: The reign of House Targaryen begins with this prequel to popular HBO series “Game of Thrones.” Based on George R.R…. [More]
Synopsis: “Seinfeld” co-creator Larry David plays a version of himself on the improvised series. He faces a constant barrage of life’s… [More]
Synopsis: Atlantic City at the dawn of Prohibition is a place where the rules don’t apply. And the man who runs… [More]
Synopsis: Tony Soprano juggles the problems of his fractious family with those of a “Family” of a different sort – the… [More]
Synopsis: Based on the debut novel of the same name by writer Gillian Flynn (“Gone Girl”), the eight-episode series “Sharp Objects”… [More]
Synopsis: “Deadwood” is set in a mining town that was not part of any U.S. state or territory in the post-Civil… [More]
Synopsis: It’s 1832 in West Yorkshire, England — the cradle of the evolving Industrial Revolution — where landowner Anne Lister is… [More]
Synopsis: Inmates and correctional officers inside the Oswald State Correctional Facility, nicknamed “Oz,” battle for power and survival amid warring factions… [More]
Synopsis: An all-star cast head to a resort and unleash their worst, most privileged impulses. The series is a sharp social… [More]
Synopsis: In a global cataclysm, “The Sudden Departure,” 140 million people disappeared without a trace. Three years later, residents of Mapleton,… [More]
Synopsis: After substance abuse and insanely self-destructive and obnoxious behavior throw a knuckle ball at his Major League Baseball career, former… [More]
Synopsis: Based on the accounts of Marines in World War II, this 10-part miniseries follows the intertwined journeys of three U.S…. [More]
Synopsis: Based on an Israeli Academy Award-winning TV drama series, “In Treatment” features a psychologist confronting some uneasy personal truths. For… [More]
Synopsis: The spark in parents Brett and Michelle Pierson’s marriage is all but extinguished. When his best friend, out-of-work actor Alex,… [More]
Synopsis: Three best friends living in San Francisco share the nuances and complexities of contemporary gay relationships as they explore a… [More]
Synopsis: As Pope Pius XIII hangs between life and death in a coma, charming and sophisticated moderate English aristocrat Sir John… [More]
Synopsis: Two American kids who live on a U.S. military base in Italy explore friendship, first love, identity, and all the… [More]
Synopsis: George R.R. Martin’s best-selling book series “A Song of Ice and Fire” is brought to the screen as HBO sinks… [More]
Synopsis: Based on the same-titled bestseller by Liane Moriarty, “Big Little Lies” weaves a darkly comedic tale of murder and mischief… [More]
Synopsis: An ordinary British family contends with the hopes, anxieties and joys of an uncertain future in this six-part limited series… [More]
Synopsis: The story of an ex-cop turned security officer who rigs the McDonald’s Monopoly game promotion for a decade, stealing millions… [More]
Synopsis: An American adaptation of the Israeli show of the same name, “Euphoria” follows the troubled life of 17-year-old Rue, a… [More]
Synopsis: Atticus Black joins his friend Letitia and his Uncle George to embark on a road trip across 1950s Jim Crow… [More]
Synopsis: Andy Millman is a British fellow who quits his day job to pursue fame and fortune in the film industry…. [More]
Synopsis: Fascinated by what really happens at that corporate chain hotel near the airport — from the funny and weird to… [More]
Synopsis: Based on the BBC series of the same name, “Getting On” follows the daily lives of overworked nurses and doctors… [More]
Synopsis: An ambitious corporate executive, Amy Jellicoe has succeeded despite the fact she can be her own worst enemy. After a… [More]
Synopsis: Two Roman soldiers are caught up in the historical events of an era that included the death of a republic… [More]
Synopsis: Graduates from all walks of life compete for a limited number of available full-time employment opportunities at Pierpoint, a top… [More]
Synopsis: Highly trained young Marines of the First Reconnaissance Battalion struggle with inadequate supplies, bureaucratic snafus and poor communication as they… [More]
Synopsis: A fast-break drama series that goes back in time to chronicle the professional and personal lives of the 1980s Los… [More]
Synopsis: An exploration of the exploitative and genocidal aspects of European colonialism, from America to Africa, and its impact on society… [More]
Synopsis: During her search for a kidnapped friend, a seemingly ordinary but brave young woman from another world uncovers a sinister… [More]
Synopsis: Head of the Copenhagen Police’s Homicide unit Jens Møller investigates the murder of Swedish journalist Kim Wall…. [More]
Synopsis: HBO’s decidedly adult animated comedy series ventures into the nether regions of Earth’s least inhabitable environment, New York City, which… [More]
Synopsis: An adaptation of Ingar Bergmann’s 1973 Swedish TV miniseries about a marriage falling apart…. [More]
Synopsis: “Eastbound & Down” creators Danny McBride and Jody Hill team again for a dark comedy series — no surprise there!… [More]
Synopsis: Based on the best-selling novels by Robert Galbraith (aka J.K. Rowling), Tom Burke (“The Musketeers”) stars as private detective Cormoran… [More]
Synopsis: Well into the second generation of a grand televangelist tradition, the world-famous Gemstone family is living proof that worship pays… [More]
Synopsis: A four-part series documenting the accusation of sexual abuse against Woody Allen involving Dylan, his then 7-year-old daughter with Mia… [More]
Starring:
Synopsis: A three-year stay in federal prison has given Chester “Ace” Bernstein plenty of time to think, and what he devises… [More]
Synopsis: Adapted from David McCullough’s Pulitzer Prize-winning biography, this lavish seven-part miniseries chronicles the life of Founding Father John Adams, starting… [More]
Synopsis: Based on the EC Comics series of the same name, this campy and stylized anthology series recounts a string of… [More]
Synopsis: Laced with irony and dark situational humor, the show approaches the subject of death through the eyes of the Fisher… [More]
Synopsis: Westworld isn’t your typical amusement park. Intended for rich vacationers, the futuristic park — which is looked after by robotic… [More]
Synopsis: Bill Henrickson seems like a typical suburban husband and father, except for the fact that he has three wives, nine… [More]
Synopsis: Young and charming, newly elected Pius XIII, aka Lenny Belardo, is the first American Pope in history. His ascension appears… [More]
Synopsis: Legal drama set in 1932 Los Angeles and based on novels and short stories penned by Erle Stanley Gardner…. [More]
Synopsis: The American Gilded Age was a period of immense economic change, great conflict between the old ways and brand new… [More]
Synopsis: This offbeat comedy series stars Jason Schwartzman as young writer Jonathan Ames, who turns his fantasies culled from reading suspense… [More]
Synopsis: A man and a woman make separate journeys to a mysterious island off the British coast…. [More]
Synopsis: Law enforcement officers navigate a web of conspiracy to deal with a bizarre murder…. [More]
Synopsis: Raising two children together and sharing more than 10 years of marriage have taken a toll on Frances, who is… [More]
Synopsis: A confident, controlled and personable space cruise ship captain tries to get along with everyone…. [More]
Synopsis: A therapist’s life unravels after she learns that her husband might be responsible for a widespread disaster…. [More]
Synopsis: The music scene in 1970s New York is still awash in sex and drugs, but rock ‘n’ roll is giving… [More]
Synopsis: Following the parallel lives of identical twin brothers Dominick and Thomas Birdsey in a story of betrayal, sacrifice and forgiveness…. [More]
Synopsis: Tiger Woods’ dedication and obsession with the game of golf takes him not only to the heights of international fame… [More]
Synopsis: “The Comeback” tells the story of a B-list sitcom star so desperate to revive her career that she agrees to… [More]
Synopsis: A superstar during his football playing days, Spencer Strasmore tries to find the same success as a financial manager for… [More]
Synopsis: Natasha is furious that her closest friends are all having babies, but her life implodes when she unexpectedly ends up… [More]
Synopsis: A sex columnist, Carrie Bradshaw, and her three friends — Samantha, Charlotte and Miranda — explore Manhattan’s dating scene, chronicling… [More]
Synopsis: Small-town Louisiana waitress Sookie Stackhouse already is viewed as an oddball by her friends and neighbors, since she can read… [More]
Synopsis: Following the experiences of people deeply involved in the self-improvement group NXIVM, an organization under siege with charges including sex… [More]
Starring:
Synopsis: Led by Vince, an actor deemed the next big thing, four buddies migrate west from Queens, N.Y. Usually within his… [More]
Synopsis: British comedy stars David Walliams and Matt Lucas transplant some of their most popular “Little Britain” characters — including Fat… [More]
Synopsis: Arliss Michaels is the super athlete’s super-agent, wheeling and dealing in the higher echelons of the sports world – an… [More]
#103
Adjusted Score: 57547%
Critics Consensus: The top-shelf cast gives Coastal Elites a passionate pulse, but redundant speechifying and the stilted format result in a repetitive preaching to the choir.
Synopsis: Victorian women find themselves with unusual abilities, relentless enemies and a mission that may change the world…. [More]
Synopsis: Clare and Henry’s love story involves a marriage with a problem — time travel…. [More]
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Featured image: Mario Perez/HBO
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