15 Most Popular HBO Shows Of All Time Ranked (2024)

HBO has always been focused on quality when it comes to its programming and the exclusive shows the network produces, and the best HBO series of all time are a testament to exactly that. Now that the network has its own streaming platform, Max, it's easier than ever to catch up on the most popular HBO shows. From popular series like Sex and the City to Euphoria to Game of Thrones, HBO already has plenty of impressive series under its belt, and even a couple of negatively received series have become water-cooler events.

With many exciting HBO shows still being developed, HBO continues to be the gold standard of network TV despite the network's name being dropped from Max. While there is a debate over which series was the best in HBO's history, popularity is a different discussion with different factors to consider. Taking into account viewership, each show's impact on pop culture, how long they last before getting canceled or coming to a natural end, and spin-offs and movie sequels, these HBO series had the most people talking at the water cooler.

15 Big Little Lies (2017)

2 Seasons, 14 Episodes

Big Little Lies

Cast

Reese Witherspoon , Nicole Kidman , Zoe Kravitz , Shailene Woodley , Laura Dern , Alexander Skarsgard , Adam Scott , James Tupper , Jeffrey Nordling , Iain Armitage , Kathryn Newton , Meryl Streep

Release Date

February 19, 2017

Seasons

2

Showrunner

David E. Kelley

Stream now on Max

Based on the Big Little Lies novel by Liane Moriarty, Big Little Lies is a must-see for several reasons, the foremost being its all-star cast featuring Reese Witherspoon, Nicole Kidman, Meryl Streep, and more. The Emmy-winning show tells the story of a group of upper-class mothers who end up banding togetherin the face of secrets and murder. Highlighting the competitive and cutthroat nature of the upper class, the show puts a spin on the seemingly perfect lives of the rich and successful.

The series manages to pull off a lot with its look at the class divide, the gripping mystery at the center, complex relationships, and some heavy subject matter. After two intense seasons, there is now confirmation that Big Little Lies season 3 is happening, bringing the audience back to this beautiful-looking community with darkness lurking under the surface.

14 Barry (2018-2023)

4 Seasons, 32 Episodes

Barry

Cast

Sarah Goldberg , Anthony Carrigan , Henry Winkler , Glenn Fleshler , Stephen Root , Bill Hader

Release Date

March 25, 2018

Seasons

4

Showrunner

Alec Berg

Stream now on Max

Coming off of his time on Saturday Night Live, Bill Hader's series Barry delivered something that his fans likely weren't expecting as it is one of the boldest dark comedies in recent television. Hader plays Barry, a troubled ex-soldier and current hitman who travels to Los Angeles for a job and finds himself falling in love with the world of acting. While it might sound like a goofy fish-out-of-water story, Barry is much more than that.

The show has a typical HBO approach with its violence and drama with underlying dark comedy, and that is why it has become one of the most popular HBO shows of all time. Barry's final series has unfortunately followed suit just like many other HBO shows, as the Barry ending divided some critics. However, that's just a testament to how consistently great most of the show is, and it's so difficult to satisfyingly bring a beloved and supremely popular show to an end.

13 True Detective (2014-Present)

4 Seasons, 30 Episodes

True Detective

Cast

Matthew McConaughey , Woody Harrelson , Colin Farrell , Rachel McAdams , Taylor Kitsch , Mahershala Ali , Carmen Ejogo , Michelle Monaghan , Michael Potts , Ray Fisher , Jodie Foster

Release Date

January 12, 2014

Seasons

4

Showrunner

Nic Pizzolatto

Stream now on Max

True Detective season 1 is the first major example of A-list movie stars fully embracing the television medium, as Woody Harrelson and Matthew McConaughey play two detectives investigating a cold case. Each season that followed brought in a new case with a new set of A-list actors including the likes of Colin Farrell, Mahershala Ali, and Jodie Foster. While the cases were all intriguing, the show was always more focused on the characters who investigated them.

The inconsistent season releases have kept the series from achieving the level of popularity that crime dramas like The Sopranos reached. However, the long break between seasons means that the network and showrunners are prioritizing the series' quality, it is a series that continues to grab the attention of the audience, with the latest season 4 of True Detective becoming one of the most talked-about series of the year.

12 Westworld (2016-2022)

4 Seasons, 36 Episodes

Westworld

Cast

Anthony Hopkins , Evan Rachel Wood , Shannon Woodward , Ed Harris , James Marsden , Jimmi Simpson , Jeffrey Wright , Tessa Thompson , Thandie Newton , Rodrigo Santoro

Release Date

October 2, 2016

Seasons

4

Showrunner

Jonathan Nolan , Lisa Joy

It might seem surprising that a complex and challenging sci-fi series would come out of an adaptation of a mostly forgotten B-movie from the 70s, but Westworld surprised many people. The story is set in the future where one of the most popular attractions for high-paying tourists is a theme park styled on the Old West in which guests interact with an expansive world with robotic characters there to serve their every whim. However, this changes when the robots begin thinking for themselves.

Westworld is full of iconic scenes and features a great ensemble cast, starring Evan Rachel Wood, Thandiwe Newton, Jeffrey Wright, Anthony Hopkins, and many more throughout its three seasons. The popular show dives into a uniquely trippy and calculated dream world that is both futuristic and vintage, making it difficult for viewers to pinpoint what is coming next. The drama is action-packed as well as mysterious, which is partly why the show has a devoted following. Though Westworld's abrupt cancelation proved the show had fallen from favor, the first season of the show was an epic pop culture event.

11 Band Of Brothers (2001)

1 Season, 10 Episodes

Band of Brothers

Cast

Kirk Acevedo , Eion Bailey , Michael Cudlitz , Dale Dye , Scott Grimes , Frank John Hughes , Damian Lewis , Ron Livingston , James Madio , Neal McDonough , David Schwimmer , Richard Speight Jr. , Donnie Wahlberg , Matthew Settle , Rick Warden , Marc Warren , Dexter Fletcher , Colin Hanks , Ross McCall

Release Date

September 9, 2001

Seasons

1

Showrunner

Steven Spielberg , Tom Hanks

Stream now on Max

Band of Brothers was a ground-breaking bit of television that showed the epic stories that could be told on the small screen, giving way to hugely ambitious shows to follow. This 10-part miniseries chronicled the journey of the soldiers of Easy Company from their days in basic training to the frontlines of World War II in Europe to the end of the war. Throughout the series, they achieve great victories, suffer devastating losses, and learn why they fight.

The Emmy-winning series not only offers a touching story about brotherhood, but it details the harrowing experiences on the battlefield as well with stunning war sequences unlike anything seen on television at the time. Based on Stephen E. Ambrose's novel of the same name, the show was hugely successful at the time of its release, but it has managed to hold onto its acclaim and popularity, which is a rare feat for a miniseries.

10 Entourage (2004-2011)

8 Seasons, 96 Episodes

Entourage

Cast

Kevin Connolly , Adrian Grenier , Kevin Dillon , Jerry Ferrara , Jeremy Piven , Debi Mazar , Perrey Reeves , Rex Lee , Rhys Coiro , Gary Cole , Emmanuelle Chriqui , Scott Caan

Release Date

July 18, 2004

Seasons

8

Creator(s)

Doug Ellin

Stream now on Max

While HBO shows are sometimes remembered as overly serious series, some of them were focused purely on entertainment, such as with Entourage. Loosely based on the career of Mark Wahlberg, the comedy follows rising Hollywood actor Vincent Chase as he takes along his childhood friends on his dizzying journey of fame and fortune while dealing with his abrasive agent, Ari Gold (Jeremy Piven).

Entourage was far from a well-received show when it came to critics, complaining about the low stakes and immaturity. However, there's no denying how rewatchable the show is, embracing the wish-fulfillment experience through the main characters, who live their best lives in Hollywood, hanging out on film sets, partying with movie stars, and driving supercars. It's the same reason why series like Sex and the City and Ballers were so successful. Entourage lasted eight seasons and even got a movie sequel, cementing it as one of the most popular HBO shows of all time.

9 Chernobyl (2019)

1 Season, 5 Episodes

Chernobyl

Cast

Stellan Skarsgård , Jared Harris

Release Date

June 3, 2019

Seasons

1

Showrunner

Craig Mazin

Stream now on Max

Though Chernobyl is another limited miniseries, the 2019 release is easily one of the most popular HBO shows of all time. Even years later, the series is still widely talked about. Covering the 1986 Chernobyl disaster, in which a reactor at the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant exploded, the turmoil that ensues is enough to keep viewers intrigued, as emotionally exhausting as it might be.

Although the show is based on a real-life event that has been covered in history books and documentaries, the show provides a unique and intimate perspective on the effects of the devastating circ*mstances. It is a story about the massive failure of a country that led to many deaths and brutal devastation. However, it is also an inspiring story of the little-known heroes of the incident who put their lives on the line to save as many people as they could and to ensure it would not happen again.

8 The Wire (2002-2008)

Season 5, Episode 60

The Wire

Cast

Lance Reddick , Michael B. Jordan , Idris Elba , Dominic West , Wood Harris

Release Date

June 2, 2002

Seasons

5

Showrunner

David Simon

See Also

100 Most-Watched TV Series of 2023-24: This Season’s Winners and Losers

Stream now on Max

The Wire is a thrilling crime series that offers a unique perspective on the rising drug scene of Baltimore, from both the drug dealers' and law enforcement's points of view. Unlike most cop shows, The Wire took a realistic look at the work of a drug investigation with far fewer shootouts and raids, but endlessly compelling developments through the complex characters on both sides of the law.

The show is not only full of riveting drama and typical of the early 2000s style of crime shows, but it accurately depicts how police forces operate. The Wire remains one of the most popular HBO shows of all time, largely due to the characters, with the likes of Bubbles, Stringer Bell, and Omar Little becoming iconic. While most shows' quality dropped off in the later seasons, The Wire only got better, as it intertwined politics, the school system, and the Baltimore dockyard into the larger story.

7 Euphoria (2019-Present)

2 Seasons, Episode 18

Euphoria

Cast

Storm Reid , Jacob Elordi , Maude Apatow , Hunter Schafer , Zendaya , Barbie Ferreira , Alexa Demie , Nika King , Colman Domingo , Eric Dane , Sydney Sweeney , Angus Cloud , Algee Smith

Release Date

June 16, 2019

Seasons

2

Showrunner

Sam Levinson

Stream now on Max

A show that concentrates specifically on the lives of high school students, Euphoria highlights the trials and tribulations of growing up in a town where everyone has crippling struggles. Between extreme drug use and excessively troubling home lives, the HBO show shines a spotlight on the battles many teens go through.

Though Euphoria isn't as beloved by general audiences, it's one of the most-streamed HBO shows in history and Zendaya has won two Emmys for her lead performance. It has also made stars of many of its young cast members, including Sydney Sweeney, Jacob Elordi, and Hunter Schafer.

The show's relatable yet powerful commentary on common dangers modern teens face speaks volumes and has resonated with many throughout its two seasons. As a testament to its popularity, the anticipation for Euphoria season 3 has not died down despite still no concrete plans.

6 The White Lotus (2021-Present)

2 Seasons, 13 Episodes

The White Lotus

Cast

Alexandra Daddario , Fred Hechinger , Connie Britton , Murray Bartlett , Sydney Sweeney , Brittany O'Grady , Natasha Rothwell , Jake Lacy , Jennifer Coolidge , Molly Shannon , Steve Zahn , Aubrey Plaza , Theo James , Haley Lu Richardson , Michael Imperioli , F. Murray Abraham , Tom Hollander , Meghann Fahy , Adam DiMarco , Will Sharpe , Leslie Bibb , Dom Hetrakul , Jason Isaacs , Michelle Monaghan , Parker Posey , Tayme Thapthimthong

Release Date

July 11, 2021

Seasons

2

Showrunner

Mike White

Stream now on Max

Following a well-received first season that gradually grew in popularity, The White Lotus has become phenomenally successful following its second season. While the first season turned heads for its satire of wealthy and entitled families, the second season won multiple major awards and became one of the most streamed shows on Max thanks to word of mouth.

As the show is about the privileged acting on their worst impulses, it always leads to one or several deaths, making it such a unique mystery series as well as a biting satire. Though the "kill the rich" narrative has become overly used in recent years, no other show or movie pulls it off like The White Lotus. With The White Lotus season 3 on its way, it will follow the trend of a new cast of characters with the likes of Michelle Monaghan, Carrie Coon, and Walton Goggins.

5 Curb Your Enthusiasm (2000-2024)

12 Seasons, 120 Episodes

Curb Your Enthusiasm

Cast

Larry David , Jeff Garlin , Cheryl Hines , Susie Essman , J.B. Smoove

Release Date

October 15, 2000

Seasons

12

Showrunner

Jeff Schaffer

Stream now on Max

It is quite impressive that Larry David went from making one of the most popular sitcoms in history with Seinfeld to following it up with another one of the most successful sitcoms in history with Curb Your Enthusiasm. The show follows David who plays an exaggerated version of himself as he finds himself making the worst out of typical and relatable social situations.

The show's success is clearly due to David's comedic ability. The comedy show constantly stays fresh with frequent new characters as well as creative and humorous plot lines that cleverly dovetail. Like Seinfeld, it was a show that was not at all concerned with making a likable main character and instead only worried about delivering the laughs.

For fans of comedy that uses uncomfortable situations and cringe-worthy interactions, there was no better show on the air. Curb Your Enthusiasm finally ended in season 12, wrapping up HBO's most popular comedy series.

4 Succession (2018-2023)

4 Seasons, 39 Episodes

Succession

Cast

Hiam Abbass , Alan Ruck , Sarah Snook , Kieran Culkin , Natalie Gold , Nicholas Braun , J. Smith-Cameron , Matthew Macfadyen , Peter Friedman , Brian Cox , Arian Moayed , Jeremy Strong , Rob Yang , Dagmara Dominczyk

Release Date

June 3, 2018

Seasons

4

Showrunner

Jesse Armstrong

Stream now on Max

One of the more recent shows on HBO to make a huge pop culture impact has been Succession. The show sets up a Shakespearean story of a family within the modern corporate world. When the powerful patriarch Logan Roy shows signs of being ready to step down from his massive media company, the Roy family engages in an intense and chaotic struggle for power over who should take over.

With corporate business dramas on the rise in popularity in recent years, it's no surprise that Succession would quickly rise to the top and has become one of the most popular HBO shows of all time, as it also juggles a unique yet complicated family dynamic.

It is filled with complex and fascinating characters who are hugely compelling to watch even when they are detestable. The show's popularity could be down to recency bias, but Succession and its ending are sure to stand the test of time.

3 The Sopranos (1999-2007)

6 Seasons, 86 Episodes

The Sopranos

Cast

James Gandolfini , Lorraine Bracco , Edie Falco , Michael Imperioli , Dominic Chianese , Steven Van Zandt , Tony Sirico , Robert Iler , Jamie-Lynn Sigler

Release Date

January 10, 1999

Seasons

6

Showrunner

David Chase

Stream now on Max

While good mafia-centered television has become popular, the 21-time Emmy-winning series The Sopranos is the absolute gold standard of the genre, and it was the very foundation of the modern-day serial gangster drama. The Sopranos touches on the mob boss world, while Tony also struggles with his family life, leading him to seek counseling. It becomes a brilliant look inside the crime world and a man like Tony Soprano who paved the way for television protagonists who could be horrible people yet audiences still wanted to watch.

It is hard to overstate the influence The Sopranos had on television with it encouraging a new wave of challenging storytelling. Though it'd be easy to assume that mob members are confident and cutthroat leaders, the wildly successful series offers an alternative point-of-view, which has been applauded by both critics and general audiences. Even years since its finale, The Sopranoscontinues to be one of the most popular shows HBO has ever produced.

2 Sex And The City (1998-2004)

6 Seasons, 94 Episodes

Sex and the City

Cast

Kim Cattrall , Cynthia Nixon , Sarah Jessica Parker , Kristin Davis

Release Date

June 6, 1998

Seasons

6

Showrunner

Darren Star

Stream now on Max

Like Entourage, Sex and the City has become so popular because it's a show where audiences can live vicariously through its characters. The series follows four women living an extremely fashionable lifestyle in New York, going to the best clubs and parties, wearing designer clothes, and connecting over cosmos. However, the characters are the reason people fell in love with the show as these four friends and their various romances were always entertaining.

Sex and the City was a pivotal show in making HBO a network to watch with more mature programming than seen on network television. The series had the most successful movie sequel of any TV show ever, as the 2008 Sex and the City movie made $418 million worldwide, and it even spawned a sequel in 2010. 25 years after the pilot aired, Sex and the City still hasn't dwindled in popularity, as And Just Like That season 2 premiered in 2023.

1 Game Of Thrones (2011-2019)

8 Seasons, 73 Episodes

Game Of Thrones

Cast

Emilia Clarke , Lena Headey , Richard Madden , Michelle Fairley , Kit Harington , Maisie Williams , Alfie Allen , Peter Dinklage

Release Date

April 11, 2011

Seasons

8

Showrunner

David Benioff , D.B. Weiss

Stream now on Max

Game of Thrones is another HBO series that changed television forever with the scale and budget convincing people that television shows could rival movies in this respect. Based on George R.R. Martin's A Song of Ice and Fire book series, the fantasy show takes audiences to Westeros to explore the various Great Houses battling for the Iron Throne. In a world of ice zombies, dragons, and magic, Game of Thrones delivered thrills and iconic surprises for eight seasons.

Between Game of Thrones' visually breathtaking scenes and intense, action-packed moments, the show remains one of HBO's most popular series to date. Though the dark content of gore and explicit material isn't for everyone, Game of Thrones remains iconic for its twists, turns, violence, and vivid characters. Even though the final season was slammed by fans and critics, that was when it was ironically at its most popular. Its lasting legacy is clear with several Game of Thrones spinoffs securing it as HBO's biggest franchise.

​​​​​​​