Copyright Screen Rant
Every streaming service offers original shows, but these nine originals on HBO Max are the streamer's absolute best, and you need to watch them if you have a subscription. HBO Max offers a huge number of shows, including some of the best shows of all time. It's also the only source of HBO originals like The Sopranos and Game of Thrones. Shows like The Rehearsal and The Wire, while great, were made for HBO's broadcast channel and housed on HBO Max. Many of HBO Max's best shows are simply the best HBO shows ever made. There's a much shorter list of shows that were created specifically as HBO Max originals, but it's still an excellent selection. These nine series are the absolute best HBO Max originals that you need to watch. 9 Scavengers Reign If you're a fan of animation or science fiction, the HBO Max original Scavengers Reign is the perfect show for you. Scavengers Reign follows the crew of the Demeter 227 as they crash-land on and begin investigating the wild alien world of Vesta. That exploration of Vesta, its strange lifeforms, and the interpersonal conflicts of the Demeter's crew, make Scavengers Reign a great show. What makes Scavengers Reign a must-watch is its animation and its sci-fi elements. To put it simply, Scavengers Reign is a visual masterpiece. There are few other animated shows anything like it, and each scene feels like it could be a standalone art piece. To make matters even better, the science of Scavengers Reign is innovative and imaginative on a scale few other sci-fi shows even dream of. 8 Our Flag Means Death HBO Max also offers shows that cater to fans of romance and historical comedy, and Our Flag Means Death is the best example of that. Our Flag Means Death centers around the historical figure Stede Bonnet as he goes from merchant to "gentleman" pirate and meets his love interest, Blackbeard. It isn't Pirates of the Caribbean, but there's a lot to love about Our Flag Means Death. The two most prevalent features of Our Flag Means Death are its romance and its humor. Executive produced by Taika Waititi, the show features his signature offbeat humor and quick wit. The relationship Bonnet and Blackbeard nurture is also incredibly compelling and wholesome, and Our Flag Means Death is often listed as one of the best LGBTQ+ shows ever. 7 Adventure Time: Fionna and Cake The original Adventure Time is often cited as one of the best animated shows ever made, especially in the last decade, but it also has a sequel series. The HBO Max original Adventure Time: Fionna and Cake follows gender-swapped versions of Finn and Jake in an alternate universe where they traverse the multiverse with Simon Petrikov, the former Ice King. While it may not be quite as beloved as the original Adventure Time, Fionna and Cake is still a great series. It's more focused, more serious, and more than a bit of fun. Longtime fans of the franchise will like Fionna and Cake as much as Finn and Jake, but it's also the perfect starting point for new viewers. Plus, it inherited Adventure Time's great sense of humor and excellent worldbuilding, making it a great series. 6 Peacemaker Any fans of DC or superhero shows in general will want to check out Peacemaker. Based on an anti-hero from The Suicide Squad, Peacemaker follows the titular character as he tries to be a hero despite his violent and hyper-nationalistic nature. Peacemaker himself may not be the most impressive superhero, but the show gets into body-snatching humans, alternate realities, and much more familiar superhero fare. It's not really the superhero elements of Peacemaker that make it a must-watch original, however. Instead, it's the heart of the show. Peacemaker was created by James Gunn, and it features his signature sense of humor and story structure centering around a found family. John Cena in the lead role also makes for a surprisingly funny and earnest story about redemption and growth. 5 Station Eleven HBO Max is also home to one of the best miniseries ever made, Station Eleven. Staton Eleven is a sci-fi limited series about a traveling group of troubadours who try to eke out a living after a dystopian pandemic only to encounter a violent cult. It's a dark and all-too-timely take on the post-apocalypse, but Station Eleven is well worth watching for anyone who likes dystopian fiction. Station Eleven is unique in a lot of ways, but the reason you should watch it is because of its humanity. The troupe's entire goal is to keep the works of William Shakespeare alive even after the world has effectively ended, and the entire show is a somber reflection on what humanity will leave behind. It's tragic and grim, but also hopeful and optimistic at the same time, which results in an unmatched mixture. 4 Hacks The best comedy series on HBO Max - original or not - is Hacks. Hacks follows Debra, an older legendary stand-up comedian, and Ava, a young and flailing comedy writer, as they begin working together to revitalize their respective careers and form a friendship. In its four seasons (so far), Hacks has racked up 12 Primetime Emmy Awards. Comedy is one of the most subjective genres of television out there, but Hacks is perfect for fans of a specific brand of humor. Hacks is often mean-spirited, sarcastic, and downright critical of the comedy industry, but it's hilarious if you're into that kind of comedy. Ava and Debra's friendship also blossoms into something truly special, which means there's something to love about Hacks aside from its great jokes. 3 The Pitt Medical dramas are a dime a dozen, but HBO Max revitalized the subgenre with The Pitt. The Pitt takes a real-time approach to the 15-hour shifts of a group of emergency room doctors in Pittsburgh as they deal with various crises, moral dilemmas, and a mass shooting. That format grants The Pitt an air of urgency and suspense few other medical dramas are capable of. The Pitt was an instant hit when its first season debuted, and for good reason. Every character in The Pitt is well-written and well-developed, it has some important critiques of the healthcare industry, and it's chalk-full of raw, powerful emotion. Each episode is as likely to get your heart racing as it is to bring you to tears, which is no easy feat. The Pitt season 2 is also on the way, so there's even more to look forward to. 2 Love & Death Like medical dramas, true crime dramatizations are plentiful in the modern streaming landscape. HBO Max, however, may have delivered one of the subgenre's best installments with Love & Death. Love & Death depicts the true story of Candy Montgomery, who went on trial after an extramarital affair led to the death of her lover's wife. The actual story of Love & Death is engaging, but it's the way HBO Max told the story that makes it such a classic. Elizabeth Olsen gives a powerhouse performance as Candy, and the show handles everything surrounding her affair with a great deal of grace. That, coupled with a great supporting cast and some tremndous production value, makes Love & Death a great watch for true crime fans. 1 Task The newest HBO Max original on this list is also one of the streamer's best. Task is a crime thriller that follows FBI agent Tom as he investigates a group of criminals who are robbing motorcycle gangs. Task quickly gets more complicated than that, but part of the reason it's such a compelling show is because of how its story unfolds, so this list won't delve into spoilers.
