The 25 Best Max Original Series, Ranked

Nostalgia alone may very well make this worth watching. Sarah Jessica Parker, Cynthia Nixon, and Kristin Davis reprise their roles as Carrie, Miranda, and Charlotte for this follow-up to Sex and the City (1998-2004), which is #5 on our Best HBO Shows of All Time list. Their lives are still messy and we might not agree with some of their choices, but we can’t stop tuning in. Plus, additions to the cast like Nicole Ari Parker, Karen Pittman, and Sarita Choudhury expand their world and Kim Cattrall even returns for a Season 2 finale cameo. —Meredith Jacobs

In December 2001, Kathleen Peterson was found dead at the bottom of a staircase in her home. Her husband, Michael Peterson, was convicted of her murder in 2003 but eight years later was granted a new trial after a judge ruled that a prosecution witness gave unreliable testimony. This true-crime drama starring Toni Collette and Colin Firth applied the unreliable narrator element to a captivating degree. Through the use of The Rashomon Effect, viewers saw all the ways Kathleen could have died. Having the filmmakers behind the French documentary on which this fictional adaptation is based as characters was another engrossing element of this solid series. —Kelli Boyle

Fans are once again asking, who is A? A new set of Liars—Imogen (Bailee Madison), Tabby (Chandler Kinney), Noa (Maia Reficco), Mouse (Malia Pyles), and Faran (Zaria)—face the torment of a mysterious stalker (and other horrible people) and learn about the sins of their parents’ past in the first season (and there’s more to come). There are even connections to the original PLL (2010-2017) and the possibility of seeing some of those characters. —Meredith Jacobs

Hey, Upper East Siders, Max brought back Gossip Girl with a new spin, and we couldn’t be more thrilled. Eight years after the original website shut down, this reboot series follows a new generation of New York private school teens who have fallen prey to their own social predator – but this time G.G. is all over social media and just as inescapable. Like the original, the series tracks the students and their family lives but digs into more modern themes like social media anonymity and influencer culture. The new series also boasts a more diverse cast, opening the world to more folks of color as well as more queer characters. From the outfits to the tea, you won’t want to miss this drama. — Katie Song

She may kill alongside Martin Short and Steve Martin in Hulu‘s Only Murders in the Building, but Selena Gomez whips up some culinary delights in this cooking series. In each episode, Gomez welcomes a different professional chef into her kitchen, where they prepare a dish together. Guests on the series have included experts ranging from Gordon Ramsay to Roy Choi. — Meaghan Darwish

The former TBS series jumped over to HBO Max when it launched, making it a Max original. The premise of Search Party revolves around Dory (Alia Shawkat), a young woman who learns one of her acquaintances, Chantal (Clare McNulty), has gone missing. Determined to find Chantal, Dory enlists the help of her ragtag team of friends — Drew (John Reynolds), Elliott (John Early), and Portia (Meredith Hagner) — for an adventure none of them bargained for. The wacky series includes murder, kidnapping, and guest stars ranging from Susan Sarandon to Jeff Goldblum. — Meaghan Darwish

Titans followed the young heroes from across the DC Universe as they come of age and find where they belong. Running for four seasons, the series began with the young heroes operating separately before they reunite and recruit new members. Fighting crime across various locations ranging from Detroit and San Francisco to Gotham City, members of the crew included vigilante Dick Grayson (Brenton Thwaites), extraterrestrial Kory Anders (Anna Diop), and Rachel Roth (Teagan Croft), to name a few. — Meaghan Darwish

Based on the writings of martial arts legend Bruce Lee, Warrior follows Ah Sahm (Andrew Koji), who arrives in 19th-century San Francisco in search of his sister. Amid the city’s brutal gang wars in Chinatown, the martial arts prodigy must battle his way through the punches and politics of the new city. Despite being canceled after three seasons, the show is praised for its visceral fight scenes as well as its adherence to the spirit of Lee himself, with his daughter Shannon Lee an executive producer of the drama. — Katie Song

James Gunn‘s follow-up to 2021’s The Suicide Squad, the series follows John Cena‘s titular anti-hero, a man who believes in peace at any cost, no matter how many people he has to kill in order to achieve it. In the show, he is forced to join the mysterious black ops squad known as A.R.G.U.S. as they tackle “Project Butterfly.” The mission is to identify and eliminate these alien butterfly-like creatures who have taken over human bodies around the globe. Along the way, viewers are introduced to Peacemaker’s pet eagle, Eagly, his evil dad (played by Robert Patrick), and more. Other cast members include scene-stealer Freddie Stroma, Danielle Brooks, Jennifer Holland, Chukwudi Iwuji, and Steve Agee. Oh, and the show has a ridiculously epic dance intro you’ll never want to skip. — Meaghan Darwish

Based on the true story of Candy Montgomery (Elizabeth Olsen), a housewife living in 1970s Wylie, Texas, Love & Death chronicles her affair with Allan Gore (Jesse Plemons), which, after a series of events leads to the brutal murder of his wife, Betty Gore (Lily Rabe). From Big Little Lies‘ David E. Kelley, this gripping drama is one of the higher-quality titles to land on Max in recent years. — Meaghan Darwish

With two seasons under its belt (and a third rumored to be underway), Tokyo Vice follows the American reporter Jake Adelstein (Ansel Elgort) as he joins the staff of a major Japanese newspaper. After successfully passing his language exams and becoming the first foreign-born journalist at the publication, the reporter gets taken under the wing of a veteran detective, exposing the seemingly murder-free country’s darker underbelly. Alongside Elgort, who learned Japanese for this role, the show stars Ken Watanabe, also known for his roles in The Last Samurai and Inception. Loosely based on the memoir by the real-life Adelstein, this series is gritty and has a real-life feel to it that makes for a great non-American true crime watch. — Katie Song

Harley Quinn is a breath of fresh air in the current superhero media landscape. Kaley Cuoco stars as the titular bubbly, deranged character, with Lake Bell as Poison Ivy, Harley’s sardonic best friend/love interest. It’s a funny, irreverent treat.  — Leah Williams

This moving docuseries from Ethan Hawke chronicles the love story between Paul Newman and Joanne Woodward. Over the span of six episodes, stars including George Clooney and Laura Linney give voice to the subjects by narrating Newman and Woodward’s transcripts. Featuring never-before-seen footage and personal stories, this series serves up a slice of Hollywood nostalgia worth streaming. — Meaghan Darwish

This Issa Rae creation was a singular piece of TV made for the age of social media. As estranged high school friends, Shawna (Aida Osman) and Mia (KaMillion), reunite to create a rap group, we see their social media activity play out onscreen from the POV of their phones. Sometimes you’re watching a FaceTime call, other times you’re seeing the scroll of an Instagram profile take up the entire frame. Through this, the series takes showing the world through its main characters’ eyes to a new, modern level. —Kelli Boyle

Clocking in at three seasons, this quick, but enjoyable series from creator and star Rose Matafeo is like a modern-day Notting Hill tale, tracking the romance between Jessie (Matafeo), an everyday woman trying to figure out her life, and Tom Kapoor (Nikesh Patel), a famous movie star. Unlike the rom-com film starring Julia Roberts and Hugh Grant though, things aren’t as simple for Jessie and Tom, who despite their connection are often drawn apart. Their rollercoaster romance is more than worthy of your viewership. — Meaghan Darwish

Hilariously defying Chicago-based stereotypes, South Side features Sultan Salahuddin and Kareme Young as Simon and Kareme, two friends who work at a furniture rental center in Englewood in Chicago. Between dealing with weird customers and their far-reaching side hustles, their escapades in their community highlight the strength and importance of the show: bringing “outsiders” into the rich and laugh-out-loud culture of the Black midwestern experience. Audiences were drawn in by the promised laughs and stayed for the even funnier ad-libs, realistic characters, and sense of play that rivals almost every other comedy show out on streamers now. Run, don’t walk, to watch this laugh-out-loud series. — Katie Song

What would you do if you woke up one morning to a dead body in your bed and had no idea what happened? That’s how it all begins for Kaley Cuoco‘s Cassandra, a flight attendant who ends up becoming a CIA asset in the second season. It’s darkly comedic, it’s outrageous at times, and it has you guessing everything you’re seeing. Not only is Cuoco outstanding, but the rest of the cast—including Michiel Huisman, Zosia Mamet, T.R. Knight, Michelle Gomez, Griffin Matthews, Rosie Perez, Mo McRae, and Cheryl Hines—is also top-notch. —Meredith Jacobs

Doom Patrol stars Diane Guerrero, Michelle Gomez, Brendan Fraser, Matt Bomer, and more as a ragtag team. Though they all have powers, they either got them through tragic means or are shunned by society for their differences. It’s darkly funny, occasionally heartbreaking, and mysterious, with excellent performances from the ensemble. — Leah Williams

This Julia Child biopic series is as pretty to look at as The French Chef’s recipes are delicious to eat. Warmth radiated from every frame as we watched the splendid Sarah Lancashire embody the cooking show trailblazer with ease, and the love shared between Julia and her beloved Paul (an apologetically dorky David Hyde Pierce) was a sweet treat to come home to at the end of each episode. The canceled-too-soon show handled issues of the 1960s such as racism, second-wave feminism, and Cold War anxieties with intelligence and ease. And anyone who loves TV history will get a kick out of the entertaining history lesson that is watching the WGBH crew create the first-ever cooking show. Bon appétit! —Kelli Boyle

From creators Mindy Kaling and Justin Noble, this hilariously raunchy comedy follows the exploits of roommates Kimberly, Bela, Leighton, and Whitney — played by Pauline Chalamet, Amrit Kaur, Reneé Rapp, and Alyah Chanelle Scott — who couldn’t be any more different. While attending the fictional Essex in Vermont, the girls explore the newfound freedom of being a college student as the series tracks their romantic and platonic relationships. There’s a reason this easy binge will be back for more fun in a third season. — Meaghan Darwish

One of Max’s first scripted series under the HBO Max banner was a wonderfully crafted romantic dramedy that followed the love life of one character each season. Anna Kendrick led the first season, and The Good Place‘s William Jackson Harper took the helm for a strong second season. Sadly, Max pulled the plug after those entries, removing the title from the platform. Luckily, you can still catch the show from creator Sam Boyd on platforms like Prime Video, where episodes are available for purchase and renting. — Meaghan Darwish

It is nearly impossible to watch this Comedy Central-turned Max original (starting with its second season) without bursting out laughing multiple times in an episode. Cary (Drew Tarver) and Brooke (Heléne Yorke) deal with their younger brother Chase’s (Case Walker) fame, then mom Pat’s (Molly Shannon) success … and not so well when they find some themselves. From those earworms by Chase to the surprisingly sweet relationship between Brooke and Lance (Josh Segarra) to the rest of the cast (Ken Marino, Wanda Sykes, and Brandon Scott Jones), there’s a reason it ended up on both our Best Episodes and Best Performances of 2023 lists. —Meredith Jacobs

This unlikely gem from David Jenkins kicked off its first season disguised as a silly pirate workplace comedy, but as the story unfolds, viewers are left with a sweetly touching queer love story between Stede Bonnet (Rhys Darby) and the famed Blackbeard (Taika Waititi). An underdog on the high seas, Stede captures the attention of Blackbeard, who has become tired of the reputation he’s constructed over the years. Along for the adventure is a truly delightful cast of characters portrayed by Samson Kayo, Vico Ortiz, Con O’Neill, Nathan Foad, Matthew Maher, Samba Schutte, Kristian Nairn, Nat Faxon, Leslie Jones, David Fane, Madeleine Sami, and Ruibo Qian. Canceled after just two seasons, this too-short series remains a must-stream title. — Meaghan Darwish

Station Eleven, based on the book of the same name, follows the survivors of a devastating pandemic in a new world. It’s full of remarkable performances, but Himesh Patel as Jeevan, a man tasked with taking care of a little girl at the end of the world, and Mackenzie Davis as Kirsten, that little girl all grown up, stand out. Station Eleven imagines a post-apocalyptic world where cults and traveling Shakespeare troupes flourish. It’s beautiful, devastating, and surprisingly hopeful. — Leah Williams

The Emmy-winning comedy follows aging standup Deborah Vance (Jean Smart) and the up-and-coming comedy writer Ava (Hannah Einbinder) as they team up to help the star make a relevant comeback. Including an ensemble that features Paul W. Downs, Megan Stalter, Carl Clemons-Hopkins, Mark Indelicato, and more, Hacks is a recipe for TV success, delivering season after season. — Meaghan Darwish