For over four decades, HBO has raised the stakes on what is possible in television. It’s not only where master works get made—it’s where television is reinvented. From revolutionary drama and cultural reference points to genre-shaping anthologies and unapologetic personal tales, HBO’s heritage is founded on fearless storytelling and irrepressible characters. Here are 15 of the greatest HBO original series that did not merely make waves—they rewrote the books.
1. The Sopranos
The Sopranos didn’t only usher in the golden age of television—it enabled it. Tony Soprano’s struggles with anxiety attacks and mob life made him the first real prestige anti-hero. Blending psychological nuance with mafia toughness, the show remapped the possibilities of serialized storytelling and paved the way for an entire generation of sophisticated dramas.
2. The Wire
Touted as the greatest show ever produced, The Wire is a complex, unflinching portrait of Baltimore that transcends cops and criminals. Creator David Simon made urban storytelling an art form, dissecting everything from schools and politics to media and labor. It’s a show that pays dividends with repeat viewing—and stays with you forever.
3. Succession
Half tragic satire, half dysfunctional family drama, Succession encapsulated the decay below the riches with surgical accuracy. Razor-sharp writing, unforgettable performances, and Shakespearean stakes combine in a pitch-black exploration of power, legacy, and failure. Each episode is a masterclass in tension and cringeworthy.
4. Curb Your Enthusiasm
Larry David’s long-running sitcom isn’t really about social discomfort—it’s about jubilantly pushing the boundaries of politeness and getting away with it. With spontaneous mayhem and an onslaught of fantastic guest stars, Curb has turned cringeworthy humor into a form of art and made Larry a contemporary curmudgeon icon.
5. True Detective (Season 1)
True Detective season one raised the standard for crime storytelling on television. Matthew McConaughey and Woody Harrelson’s troubled Louisiana detectives raised the anthology form to a haunting atmosphere and existential horror. Subsequent seasons were hit-or-miss, but that initial outing is still the stuff of legend.
6. Deadwood
Profanity, plotting, and Shakespearean soliloquies—all set amidst the mud and gore of a chaotic frontier boomtown. Deadwood revolutionized the Western for TV, providing a rich, hard-boiled portrait of the early days of American life, with memorable characters and some of the most intelligent writing ever composed.
7. Boardwalk Empire
With Prohibition-era glamour and gangster grime, Boardwalk Empire reanimated historical crime for the movies. Bookended by Steve Buscemi and a roster of A-listers, it mapped power, corruption, and ambition’s price with Scorsese-level scope.
8. I May Destroy You
Michaela Coel’s incendiary drama is a searing, personal examination of trauma, consent, and self-liberation. Brave, non-linear, and endlessly human, I May Destroy You broke rules—and viewers—in the very best ways. It’s not only great TV; it’s essential.
9. The White Lotus
Vacation never seemed so uncomfortable. With its acerbic class commentary, wicked humor, and murder-mystery atmosphere, The White Lotus reimagined luxury vacations as a pressure cooker of entitlement, dysfunction, and existential fear. Every season introduces a new cast and a new helping of dark social satire.
10. Oz
Before The Sopranos, there was Oz. Raw, brutal, and utterly unensored, this prison drama set the tone for HBO’s venture into gritty, adult-oriented storytelling. It was sloppy, provocative, and frequently shocking—but it set the stage for all that came next.
11. Sex and the City
Equal glamour and grime, Sex and the City was a game-changer culturally. Carrie, Miranda, Charlotte, and Samantha introduced honest discussion about sex, relationships, and friendship to mainstream pop culture, shaping fashion as well as feminism.
12. Six Feet Under
A funeral parlor would be the last place to expect a drama about life, but Six Feet Under made it unforgettable. The show was balanced perfectly with humor and sadness, and its hauntingly beautiful series finale is one of the best series finales in the history of television.
13. House of the Dragon
Taking up the baton from Game of Thrones, House of the Dragon brings fire, blood, and dynastic drama with the same sweeping scale and political depth. With dragons flying high again and family betrayal at its center, it’s evident HBO still dominates the fantasy kingdom.
14. Euphoria
Visually provocative and emotionally exposed, Euphoria plunges into contemporary adolescence with unflinching candor. Zendaya’s Emmy-winning turn grounds a series that doesn’t flinch from addiction, identity, or the tumult of adolescence, dishing up controversy as well as catharsis.
15. The Night Of
A lean legal thriller with horror overtones, The Night Of is a slow-burning plummet into the failed American justice system. Riz Ahmed and John Turturro give performances for the ages in a show that’s every bit as engrossing as it is intellectually stimulating.
HBO hasn’t only created some of the greatest television shows ever—it’s defined what we expect from television. These shows not only entertained us. They made us think, pushed what could be done, and reminded us that wonderful storytelling always cuts through the noise.