It is better to say that HBO is not a television channel but a cultural phenomenon. Before streaming took over, HBO was already the benchmark of the most daring and impressive productions of TV. The network used to tell stories about the mafia, wars in the Middle Ages, or even about the lives of sinking comedians and untidy millennials. It never stopped the network from taking risks, triggering discussions, and changing what TV was capable of. Here are the 10 HBO series that not only went off the screen but also changed the game.
10. Veep
Julia Louis-Dreyfus gave us the character of the antihero of politics we did not know we needed with Veep. She portrayed Selina Meyer, egocentric, ruthless, and hilariously incompetent, to such an extent that politics was reduced to only satire. As a result of the acid-like writing and the extremely harsh insults thrown at each other on television, Veep showed that the craziness of Washington can be funny to the last degree.
9. The Leftovers
What if 2% of the world’s population disappeared overnight? The Leftovers converted that eerie inquiry into TV’s most emotionally heartbreaking pilgrimage. The slow-burning masterpiece of Damon Lindelof was an exploration of grief, devotion, and hunger for explanation in a ridiculous universe. It is not a mere show but an experience that stays with you when the credits are already displayed.
8. Watchmen
Lindelof did his magic a second time on Watchmen, another daring reshaping of the graphic novel legend. By integrating superhero myth with the history of racism in the U.S., the show tackled issues of power, pain, and heritage with amazing boldness. Regina King delivered a strong performance in a story that was both grand and personal, a modern classic that rejected doing things as usual.
7. Band of Brothers
Steven Spielberg and Tom Hanks used all the facilities of moviemaking to make the small screen magnificent with Band of Brothers. The series accompanied the fight of Easy Company during World War II with gut-wrenching realism and great humanity. Its amalgamation of historical truth, emotional intensity, and impressive acting became the prime example of war dramas.
6. Barry
A hitman who aspires to be an actor is a joke, but Barry made it dark, twisted genius. Bill Hader’s tragicomic turn conveyed a man caught between brutality and vulnerability, and the show itself wove absurd comedy together with existential terror. Both hilarious and terrifying by turns, Barry is evidence that HBO has the magic ability to remake a genre.
5. The White Lotus
Imagine the most terrific paradise, but everyone in it is miserable. The White Lotus morphed from the very essence of luxurious vacations into a biting social criticism from which the viewer could easily laugh at the whole spectrum of luxury, from the arrogant to the decadent. With every season, the series got a new setting, new characters, and new confusions, making it impossible to leave it at that. Gorgeous, sharp, and dangerous to stop from watching.
4. Succession
So far, the corporate wars have never been more enjoyable. Succession brought to the screen the Roys, a billionaire family killed off by internal infighting, which, however, does not stop the plot from being as funny as tragic. The saga, with its Shakespearean texture, biting dialogues, and never-ending one-liners, turns into a mirror of modern-day greed and an icon of pop culture.
3. Euphoria
If we look at Euphoria, it is a very flashy and pretty show that talks about teenage years in the age of Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter. Zendaya, in her role as Rue, delivers a performance of uncompromising truth that breathes life into a series that is addicted to candor when it comes to topics like addiction, identity, and emotional survival. The show that you either love wholeheartedly or vehemently hate not only revolutionizes the way of the teen narrative genre but also manages to open a cultural discourse that is impossible to dismiss.
2. The Sopranos
It is not that Tony Soprano only led the mob; Tony Soprano redefined TV forever. The Sopranos was a show that combined crime and psychology, and used dark comedy to create one of TV’s most complex characters: Tony Soprano. David’s masterpiece broke all the conventions, making the antihero the new king of prestige TV. The consequences of its omnipresence can still be felt, and the depth of its legacy is hard to undermine.
1. The Wire
In short, The Wire is the standard. David Simon’s unflinching depiction of Baltimore studied institutions, inequality, and the American dream with unparalleled realism. Every season stripped away another layer of the city’s machinery, police, politics, schools, media, revealing a story that was as systematized as it was human. Not only HBO’s best work, but possibly television’s finest work.
HBO not only provided us with excellent programming, but it also redefined the way we consume, discuss, and consider TV. Whatever it is, crime, comedy, or anarchy, the network’s legacy is one of unapologetic storytelling. One thing is certain: when HBO launches a new show, the world still takes notice.