50 Best HBO TV Shows That Will Keep You Hooked For Hours

2019 | HBO (US); Sky Atlantic (UK) | Seasons: 1

This compelling five-part miniseries follows the disaster from the moment of the early-morning explosion through the pandemonium and loss of life in the coming days, weeks, and months. It tells the intense and visceral account of the deadliest man-made accident in history. It depicts the science and events underlying the explosion and the failures that caused it to occur in the first place. Additionally, it's a character-driven drama with a constant emphasis on the human cost. When watching Chernobyl, you'll need to remind yourself to relax your shoulders and loosen up your jaw, because it portrays the actual agony that hundreds of people went through on that terrible April 1986 morning, and in the years that followed. Chernobyl is more horrifying than most horror films. More than three decades later, the nation, Europe, and the rest of humanity are still plagued by this catastrophe. And the entire show is infused with that enveloping fear. It's challenging to watch, but it is unquestionably a must-see.

1999 - 2007 | HBO | Seasons: 6

The series, primarily set in New Jersey and New York City, centers on Italian-American mobster Tony Soprano, who lives in North Jersey and seeks to strike a balance between his family life and his position as head of the Soprano family. One of the interesting points about this series is that it asserts that there aren't any "good" or "evil" characters. People act in a way that they believe is best for the family. Another great aspect is that with The Sopranos, you never really know what to expect. Although the show is remarkable in its own merit, it also helped to provide the foundation for virtually all subsequent masterpieces, including HBO series like Game of Thrones, The Wire, Rome, and others. If you (for unlikely reasons) haven't seen it yet, it's a must-watch and our top recommendation!

2011 - 2019 | HBO | Seasons: 8

Perhaps there's hardly a single person who hasn't heard of the GOT franchise. Although the finale received a lot of (deserved) hate, it doesn't change the fact that this is a phenomenal series done right. So perhaps skip the final season and come up with your own ending? Or watch season 8 at your own risk. Nonetheless, this show will definitely go down in history as one of the best shows ever made for TV. Ever. The quality of it is spectacular. The environment is breathtaking, and the sets are incredibly evocative and aesthetically pleasing with great attention to detail. Also, the writing is of such a high caliber that the word "excellent" doesn't do it justice. Besides that, the show is an excellent rendition of the books it was adapted from, although it's important to mention that as the show became more popular, it started straying away from the book. Nonetheless, it's a rare TV series that respects and pays homage to its original source material. Overall, ignore the finale; Game Of Thrones is genuinely remarkable and deserving of being dubbed a modern classic in cinema.

2010 - 2014 | HBO | Seasons: 5
 

At the dawn of Prohibition, Atlantic City was a place where the rules didn't apply. And the town's treasurer, Enoch "Nucky" Thompson, a politician and a mobster in equal measure, is the one who controls everything, both legitimately and illegally. Together with his brother Elias, the sheriff of Atlantic City, a group of ward bosses, and several rough individuals from the area, Nucky establishes a reputation as the go-to person for illicit booze. He conducts business successfully with all of the leading gangsters, including Al Capone, Lucky Luciano, and "Big Jim" Colosimo, up until a former protege takes matters into his own hands and puts the Feds on Nucky's trail. Of course, there is violence, nudity, and other mature content. However, how else could you portray that period or someone like Al Capone? Therefore, if you are receptive to the above and accept that kind of cinema and storytelling, you will have a great time. Raise a glass to this, toast it, and enjoy it while it lasts.

2002 - 2008 | HBO | Seasons: 5

There are good guys and bad guys in the city of Baltimore. Sometimes, more than just a badge is required to distinguish them. The Wire follows a team of cops and the criminals they are chasing. This intensely realistic and completely unvarnished drama series depicts the whims of crime, law enforcement, politics, education, and media. This isn't just entertainment, despite how engaging it is; this is art, plain and simple. In reality, The Wire is about the life and spirit of an entire city, although, on the surface, it appears to be a show about crime. The screenplay, the direction, the incredible performances by the fantastic cast, the music, the camera work, and the realism are just excellent. If you appreciate intelligent television, we can only imagine how much fun it will be for you to watch this for the first time.

2001 | HBO | Seasons: 1

The miniseries, based on Stephen Ambrose's novel Band of Brothers, follows the men of Easy Company, 2nd Battalion, 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 101st Airborne Division. They were ordinary individuals caught up in the deadliest war in human history. This historic ten-part miniseries details the outstanding accomplishments of these American paratroopers whose World War II feats are both unbelievable and, unfortunately, very real. The fact that the troops are regular people put in terrible situations demonstrates how each one is capable (or not) of handling the very horrific circumstances. The special effects are breathtaking, and the battle scenes are compelling and realistic. The show also doesn't waver in revealing how war affects people. Do not pass up the opportunity to view this masterpiece. But beware, once you start, it's difficult to stop. Arguably, one of the best WWII films or television shows currently available.

2004 - 2006 | HBO | Seasons: 3

The setting is 1876. The richest gold strike in American history brought a horde of restless outcasts to an outlaw community in the South Dakota Black Hills. The town of Deadwood was a magnet for all fortune seekers: gold diggers, whores, criminals, and people who were merely trying to make a better life. However, Deadwood is "A hell of a place to make your fortune." It's a place where no law and no order exists. This is your series if you want to live up close and personal in the authentic Ol' West. No television program or motion picture has ever come close to accurately portraying what life must have been like in those lawless, young villages that sprang up almost overnight wherever gold was discovered. Deadwood has a strong and stirring quality. It's an intense drama with enduring characters that is also dark and brutal. You better not miss it if Westerns are your thing.

2005 - 2007 | HBO (US);  BBC Two (UK);  Rai 2 (IT) | Seasons: 2

Rome is a realistic portrayal of the lives of famous and ordinary Romans set in the closing days of the Roman Republic. While surrounded by historical personalities like Gaius Julius Caesar, Mark Antony, Gaius Octavian, and Cleopatra, they experience war, political intrigue, assassinations, family tragedies, and more. Even though there were only two seasons of the show before it was canceled, each one is truly remarkable. The main plot revolves around historical legends: Mark Antony in season two and Julius Caesar and his cohorts in season one. Parallel with the main narrative, we can also see the lives of the minor characters, troops, and families involved in the political climate of the time. Who needs fiction when you have a history so compelling? Whether interested in Roman history or not, this show will grab your attention from the very first scenes.

2016 - | HBO | Seasons: 4

The TV series Westwood was inspired by the 1873 film of the same name, written and directed by Michael Crichton. The movie depicted a futuristic amusement park with a Wild West theme populated by androids that go haywire and start murdering the people who go there. Westwood has taken the original premise and cleverly added levels of intricacy to its plot that reflect the state of humanity in the twenty-first century. This program is a sinister journey that explores the development of sin and the emergence of artificial consciousness. It explores a world where every human appetite, no matter how noble or depraved, can be satisfied. It is set at the nexus of the near future and the reimagined past. It's a dance between empathy and apathy. The viewer is given a terribly stark glimpse of what man is capable of, and the depth is stunning.

2014 - 2019 | HBO | Seasons: 3

True Detective is a murder-mystery series where each season is distinct from the others with a different cast and location, even though all seasons are in the same fictional universe. In the first season, two detectives named Martin Hart (Woody Harrelson) and Rust Cohle (Matthew McConaughey) make contact while on a 17-year manhunt for a serial killer in Louisiana. To follow the two detectives' search, the series uses numerous timelines that jump in time from 1995, when the initial investigation was started, through 2012, when it was reopened. We can't recommend this show enough if you want well-written, character-driven stories that can take you to some dark places and aren't put off by a slow pace. This is some great television.