With most of HBO Max's July highlights, like landing in the last ten days of the month, and painstakingly dropping only once a week, now's an excellent time to raid one of the deepest catalogs in streaming.For this week, we're spotlighting three shows (in descending order based on Rotten Tomatoes score) you can stream right now, in their entirety if you like: a painfully honest comedy about a man's dream of making it as a stand-up, a legendary series from a notoriously petty legend, and a gorgeous animated multiverse trip from the people.3 Crashing Pete Holmes’ semi-autobiographical series is a joy Pete Holmes is easily one of my favorite stand-up comedians.
His quirky, existential takes on life and unflinchingly positive vibe (it's gold when he laughs at his own jokes) are infectious.So when he fired up his own semi-autobiographical series, , on HBO in 2017, I was all-in.Built around Holmes' own worst year, with Judd Apatow () producing and directing episodes across its three seasons (2017-2019), doubles as both a moving-on story and a love letter to New York's stand-up scene.
Holmes plays Pete, a sheltered, relentlessly nice aspiring comedian whose life implodes when his wife, Jess (Lauren Lapkus, ), leaves him for another man.Suddenly homeless, Pete crashes on the couches of other working comics on the scene—Artie Lange, T.J.Miller, and Sarah Silverman play warped versions of themselves—while grinding through open mic nights and soul-crushing bombing.
mines Holmes' real post-divorce years for laughs that sneak up on you, but it's his sincerity and genuinely sweet moments that will make you cheer for him.has a 90% critics' score on Rotten Tomatoes.Crashing TV-MA Comedy Drama Release Date 2017 - 2019-00-00 Where to watch Close WHERE TO WATCH Streaming RENT BUY Network Channel 4 Cast Pete Holmes, George Basil, Jamie Lee, Artie Lange, Lauren Lapkus, Dov Davidoff, Zach Cherry, Jermaine Fowler, Madeline Wise, Henry Zebrowski, Rachel Feinstein, Aparna Nancherla, Dan Naturman, Greer Barnes, Keith Robinson, Estee Adoram, Dave Attell, Jessica Kirson, Joyelle Johnson, Jason Huslin, John Mulaney Directors George Kane Main Genre Comedy Creator(s) Pete Holmes Producers Kenton Allen, Matthew Justice, Josh Cole Seasons 3 Streaming Service(s) M Powered by Expand Collapse 2 Curb Your Enthusiasm 12 seasons of Larry David's magnificently petty social warfare With currently rewriting American history on HBO, I thought now would be a great time to revisit the mothership of cringe.
co-creator Larry David's largely improvised comedy (do I even have to say its name?) ran for 12 seasons from 2000 to 2024, winning a Golden Globe, racking up 55 Emmy nominations (but, shocking, only two wins!), and influencing basically every awkward cringe comedy show since.For those who haven’t indulged in its brilliance, Larry plays a heightened version of himself—a wealthy, semi-retired TV writer bumbling around Los Angeles, turning minor social infractions—an unreturned phone call, sampling more than two ice cream flavors, the chat-and-cut to butt into a long line—into scorched-earth feuds of epic proportions. Quiz 8 Questions · Test Your Knowledge Name the Iconic HBO legacy TV showsTrivia challenge From mob bosses to fantasy kingdoms — can you name these legendary HBO series from their clues? DramaCharactersCreatorsPremieresSettings Begin 01 / 8 Characters Which HBO show features a New Jersey mob boss who sees a psychiatrist to deal with panic attacks and family stress? ABoardwalk EmpireBOzCThe SopranosDThe Wire Correct! The Sopranos follows Tony Soprano, played by James Gandolfini, as he balances running a crime family with his personal anxieties.
The show ran from 1999 to 2007 and is widely considered one of the greatest TV dramas ever made. Not quite — the answer is The Sopranos.Tony Soprano's therapy sessions with Dr.Melfi became one of the show's most iconic elements, blending dark comedy with raw drama across six acclaimed seasons. Continue 02 / 8 Settings Which HBO series is set primarily in the fictional city of Baltimore and explores the drug trade, politics, and law enforcement? ATremeBThe WireCHomicide: Life on the StreetDOz Correct! The Wire, created by David Simon, used Baltimore as a canvas to dissect American institutions across five seasons.
Each season focused on a different facet of the city, from the docks to the school system. Not quite — the answer is The Wire.David Simon drew on his experience as a Baltimore journalist to craft one of the most realistic and socially conscious dramas in television history. Continue 03 / 8 Drama Which HBO show was the first major prestige drama to depict life inside a maximum security prison from the inmates' perspective? AThe WireBDeadwoodCOzDSix Feet Under Correct! Oz premiered in 1997, making it HBO's first one-hour dramatic series.Set in the fictional Oswald State Correctional Facility, it was groundbreaking for its unflinching depiction of prison violence, race, and redemption. Not quite — the answer is Oz.
Premiering in 1997, Oz broke new ground for cable television and paved the way for the prestige drama era that followed with shows like The Sopranos and The Wire. Continue 04 / 8 Creators Which legendary HBO fantasy series was based on George R.R.Martin's book series 'A Song of Ice and Fire'? ACarnivàleBRomeCDeadwoodDGame of Thrones Correct! Game of Thrones adapted Martin's sprawling fantasy novels beginning in 2011, running for eight seasons.The show became a global cultural phenomenon, though its final season proved divisive among fans. Not quite — the answer is Game of Thrones.
Showrunners David Benioff and D.B.Weiss adapted George R.R.Martin's books into one of the most-watched TV series of all time before the story outpaced the source novels. Continue 05 / 8 Premieres Which HBO dramedy, premiering in 1998, follows the lives of four female friends navigating love and relationships in New York City? AGirlsBEnlightenedCSex and the CityDBig Little Lies Correct! Sex and the City, based on Candace Bushnell's columns and book, starred Sarah Jessica Parker as Carrie Bradshaw.
It ran for six seasons and became a defining pop culture touchstone of the late 1990s and 2000s. Not quite — the answer is Sex and the City.The show launched in 1998 and revolutionized how women's stories were told on television, spawning two theatrical films and a later revival series called And Just Like That. Continue 06 / 8 Characters In which HBO series does a funeral home family, the Fishers, confront mortality both professionally and in their personal lives? ABig LoveBSix Feet UnderCTrue BloodDCarnivàle Correct! Six Feet Under, created by Alan Ball, ran from 2001 to 2005 and opened each episode with a death that set the tone for that week's story.It is remembered for one of the most acclaimed series finales in television history. Not quite — the answer is Six Feet Under.
Creator Alan Ball previously wrote American Beauty, and he brought the same meditative examination of death and family dysfunction to this acclaimed HBO drama. Continue 07 / 8 Settings Which HBO Western series is set in a lawless South Dakota gold rush town and stars Timothy Olyphant as a newly appointed sheriff? ADeadwoodBCarnivàleCRomeDLuck Correct! Deadwood, created by David Milch, aired from 2004 to 2006 and is famed for its rich language, complex characters, and historical authenticity.A wrap-up film, Deadwood: The Movie, was released in 2019. Not quite — the answer is Deadwood.Set in the real historical town of Deadwood in the Dakota Territory, the show blended fact and fiction to portray the raw, brutal birth of civilization on the American frontier. Continue 08 / 8 Drama Which HBO series, set in ancient Rome, follows two soldiers — Lucius Vorenus and Titus Pullo — amid the fall of the Republic? ASpartacusBEmpireCRomeDGladiator Chronicles Correct! Rome, a co-production between HBO and the BBC, aired from 2005 to 2007.
Its massive production budget and lavish recreation of ancient Roman life made it one of the most expensive television series ever made at the time. Not quite — the answer is Rome.The show was a joint venture between HBO and the BBC, and its enormous production costs led to its cancellation after just two seasons despite critical acclaim and a devoted fanbase. See My Score Challenge Complete Your Score / 8 Thanks for playing! Try Again Cheryl Hines plays Larry’s long-suffering wife, Jeff Garlin () his enabling manager, and comedian J.B.Smoove plays Leon, the houseguest who never leaves.
There's also a who's-who of revolving guest stars, including an incredible seven-episode reunion arc that brings the whole gang back together.Pick any season; the pettiness is timeless.is a must-see binge that has a 92% on Rotten Tomatoes.
Curb Your Enthusiasm TV-MA Comedy Release Date 2000 - 2024-00-00 Where to watch Close WHERE TO WATCH Streaming BUY Network HBO Max Cast Larry David, Jeff Garlin, Cheryl Hines, Susie Essman, J.B.Smoove, Richard Lewis, Ted Danson, Bob Einstein, Ashly Holloway, Shelley Berman Showrunner Jeff Schaffer Directors Robert B.Weide, Larry Charles, David Steinberg, Bryan Gordon, Alec Berg, Andy Ackerman, David Mandel, Barry Gordon, Cheryl Hines, Dean Parisot Writers Jeff Schaffer, Larry David Main Genre Comedy Creator(s) Larry David Producers Gavin Polone, Jeff Garlin, Jeff Schaffer, Larry David, Laura Streicher, Alan Zweibel, Dale Stern, Erin O'Malley, Megan Murphy, Sandy Chanley, Scott Butler, Tim Gibbons, Tom Bull, Linda Balaban Seasons 12 Streaming Service(s) M Powered by Expand Collapse 1 Adventure Time: Fionna and Cake A multiverse animated adventure with a perfect RT score The lone animated pick here earned a perfect 100% Rotten Tomatoes approval rating for its first season, and it's easy to see why.
A spin-off of Cartoon Network's iconic (2010-2018), this HBO Max original is all about the adventures of best friends Fionna the Human and Cake the Cat—the gender-swapped versions of ’s Finn and Jake who debuted as in-universe fan fiction written by the Ice King back in 2011.Set after the original series finale, it finds Fionna (Madeleine Martin, ) working a dead-end job in a drab, magic-less reality where her beloved Cake (Roz Ryan, ) is just an ordinary house cat.When magic comes crashing back, the duo hops across the multiverse with Simon Petrikov (Tom Kenny, ), the tragic former Ice King, while dodging a cosmic entity called the Scarab bent on erasing them.
With two seasons now streaming, is aimed squarely at the grown-ups who grew up on Ooo.Adventure Time: Fionna & Cake Not Yet Rated Animation Adventure Comedy Fantasy Release Date 2023 - 2023-00-00 Where to watch Close WHERE TO WATCH Streaming Network HBO Max Cast Madeleine Martin, Roz Ryan, Tom Kenny Showrunner Adam Muto Franchise(s) Adventure Time Seasons 2 Story By Pendelton Ward Streaming Service(s) M Powered by Expand Collapse No new shows, no problem New shows are great, especially on HBO Max, but when you’ve got a plethora of legacy series and more recent gems to flip through when there’s nothing of-the-moment to check out, you could do much worse.And as always, if you’re looking for more, check out our streaming section.
HBO Max Subscription with ads Yes, $10.99/month Simultaneous streams 2 or 4 HBO Max is a subscription-based streaming service offering content from HBO, Warner Bros., DC, and more.In 2025, the service re-branded itself as HBO Max after having previously cut "HBO" from its name.Live TV Live sports available in Standard and Premium plans Price Starting at $10.99/month or $109.99/year See available plans Expand Collapse
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