These are Screen Rant’s top picks for the greatest TV shows and limited series to watch only on HBO Max for the week of September 29, 2025.
Screen Rant has got you covered with some of the most critically acclaimed series and relevant new releases to watch on HBO Max right now.
This week’s lineup includes an Emmy-winning comedy, an addictive financial drama, a hilarious travel series, a classic gangster show, and one of the best vampire shows of all time.
Also, check out our top TV choices to stream this week on Prime Video, Hulu, and Netflix, and catch up on some highly bingeable HBO Max shows that you can watch in just one weekend.
Hacks
Hacks is one of the best comedy series of all time on HBO Max. Still fresh off multiple 2025 Emmy wins, the celebrated series is unexpectedly timely following the recent Jimmy Kimmel controversy. Lead actress Jean Smart plays Deborah Vance, who becomes a late-night talk show host in Hacks season 4.
Hacks season 4 also features a guest appearance from Kimmel himself, who jokingly intimidates Deborah when she first gets the job. Kimmel reminds Deborah that he’s still the number one late-night host and gets in her face on a Hollywood studio lot.
Apart from this unforeseen relevance, Hacks is a hilarious series, known for its sharp writing and great characters. It’s primarily a showbiz show in the same vein as Entourage and Curb Your Enthusiasm, mixed with elements of classic stand-up comedy shows like Louie and Crashing.
Hacks has a near-perfect Rotten Tomatoes score of 99%. Screen Rant gave season 4 10/10 stars, noting, “Hacks season 4 follows on from last year’s bombshell cliffhanger with another hilarious, heartwarming batch of episodes that feel fresher than ever.”
Industry
Industry is a celebrated yet underrated workplace drama series on HBO Max that already has three seasons under its belt with a fourth on the way. It follows a group of young bankers and traders in the aftermath of the 2008 financial crisis, starting 10 years later in 2018.
Industry earned a 90% Rotten Tomatoes score, including a near-perfect 98% rating for its most recent season, which many critics agree is the best of the bunch. Industry has evolved to become a good replacement series for Succession, which ended in 2023.
The Atlantic’s review of Industry season 3 noted, “What you see are young people and their hopes and wishes running headlong into a brick wall. It’s a thrill to watch what they decide to do after that point of collision.” If you can get through the less engaging first season, you’re in for a wild ride in Industry’s later seasons.
Conan O’Brien Must Go
This Emmy-winning series starring Conan O’Brien makes for easy viewing on HBO Max. Offering a great blend of comedy and travel series elements, Conan O’Brien Must Go makes for some very entertaining and unpredictable TV viewing.
Following a fun parody introduction by acclaimed documentarian and filmmaker Warner Herzog, Conan O’Brien Must Go dives into popular destinations around the world through the unhinged and hilarious perspective of Conan himself. If you’ve been watching Conan for years, this series is an absolute must-watch.
Conan O’Brien Must Go recently won the 2025 Emmy Award for Outstanding Hosted Nonfiction Series or Special. It also has an 87% Rotten Tomatoes score. Collider gave it 9/10 stars, noting, “Conan O’Brien Must Go offers an abundance of heart and humor while rendering the comedian’s latest chapter irresistibly captivating and uproariously funny.”
Boardwalk Empire
Boardwalk Empire is one of the best gangster drama series ever made. It has an outstanding ensemble cast led by Steve Buscemi, Michael Shannon, Shea Whigham, Michael Kenneth Williams, Paul Sparks, and Stephen Graham as Al Capone.
Boardwalk Empire won 20 Emmys during its five-season run on HBO between 2010 and 2014, including Best Directing for Martin Scorsese. It also earned a 92% Rotten Tomatoes score from critics, and an even better 95% from audiences.
USA Today’s season 1 review of Boardwalk Empire noted, “There’s not a dull character or bad performance among them. They help make Boardwalk a show to be admired and honored.” If you’re looking for a truly immersive gangster series on HBO and have already re-watched The Sopranos, then Boardwalk Empire is a great option this week.
True Blood
HBO’s True Blood is one of the greatest vampire series ever made. It would make for a truly classic way to kick off spooky season 2025. Created on the heels of the Twilight phenomenon, True Blood is an addictive blend of genres, representing a bygone era of prestige television.
True Blood won an Emmy for its outstanding cast, which includes Anna Paquin, Chris Bauer, Alexander SkarsgÃ¥rd, and more. True Blood’s later seasons were not as well-received as its earlier ones, but that doesn’t make seasons 1-5 any less binge-worthy.