With an extensive catalog of TV shows, HBO has established a brand so strong that you can almost instantly recognize their productions. The company has built a legacy as one of the greatest series houses in history. Since the ’90s, it has revolutionized the format and serialized storytelling, raising the bar for what’s expected from audiovisual content. With its own style, smart scripts, and a rare boldness to explore heavier themes, its projects have gained not only viewers but also worldwide critical acclaim. Game of Thrones, Euphoria, The Sopranos, The White Lotus, The Last of Us, Sex and The City, and now the Harry Potter reboot, are just some examples of this global landmark. No matter the genre, we’re talking about a powerful brand in TV.
Videos by ComicBook.com
With that in mind, here are the 10 best HBO shows of all time, ranked. These are, without a doubt, productions that helped cement this giant as a reference in the world of TV shows.
10) Veep
One of the best political satires ever made, Veep is a prime example of comedy centered on power. The show follows Selina Meyer (Julia Louis-Dreyfus), a vice president who, surrounded by blunders and scandals, tries to survive the American political game. The verbal pace is the real secret here: relentless, packed with quick jokes, sharp irony everyone loves, and an unfiltered view of incompetence and vanity at the highest government levels.
But beyond just making politics funny, Veep aims to dismantle the idea that leaders are bigger than their flaws. Many people know Dreyfus mainly because of this unforgettable role; she’s brilliant and truly a showstopper, effortlessly turning Selina into a character who’s both hilarious and tragic at once. On top of that, the show also maintains impressive consistency, being entertaining and critical in just the right measure, without excess, and never losing the intelligence of its writing. HBO is full of smart productions, but this one deserves special mention for that.
9) Six Feet Under
Among HBO’s series, Six Feet Under ranks as one of the less popular. However, that doesn’t keep it off this list. It starts with the premise of a family owning a funeral home, using death as a metaphor for life. What sets it apart is how something that could seem morbid turns into a show about vulnerability, human relationships, and, above all, the meaning of existence. Think of a series mixing dark humor and drama that explores grief, guilt, and acceptance, always with complex, multifaceted characters.
Perhaps because of its central theme, it doesn’t attract as wide an audience; but the truth is that, despite tackling taboo subjects, the writing never shies away from facing them head-on, crafting arcs that lead to impactful and poetic conclusions. The story simply breaks patterns by showing personal growth through loss, and not everyone is ready for that. It’s a very interesting watch for those looking for a more reflective vibe without giving up entertainment. Six Feet Under is anything but boring.
8) Band of Brothers
Who hasn’t heard of Band of Brothers? It’s a classic. This show follows the U.S. 101st Airborne Division during World War II, delivering some of the best action scenes while offering human and respectful portrayals of the soldiers. But what exactly keeps it so highly praised over time? Simply the balance between heroism and brutal reality: there’s no romanticizing war, just an honest focus on the emotional and physical cost for those on the front lines.
Band of Brothers is flawless in every aspect: from cinematography to direction, everything works to create an immersive yet deeply respectful experience. The series structure also allows for exploring different characters, showing their strengths and weaknesses in an extreme context. By far, it’s one of the best productions ever made about major historical events – raw, real, and proving that those behind the war are complex, vulnerable, and heroic, but never simplified. That’s why it remains relevant and powerful.
7) Deadwood
HBO also proves to be a master of period dramas: Boardwalk Empire and Rome stand as proof. But Deadwood is a true work of art in this regard. Blending historical figures with fiction in a frontier town at the end of the 19th century, the show is a study of power and civilization in the middle of chaos, where the law is fragile and human relationships are shaped by conflict, alliances, and survival. The dialogue is rich, almost poetic, elevating the Western genre to a rare intellectual level. It’s the ideal backdrop to examine how far civilization can develop when it’s still just beginning.
This is not just another Western full of gunfights and duels at sunset; it’s a deep exploration of power, corruption, and the building of a community surrounded by disorder. The attention to detail in the settings helps tell this story, making the environment almost a character as complex as any protagonist. Also, the series prefers to leave the audience in the discomfort of moral ambiguity rather than offer easy solutions. To sum up, Deadwood is a psychological portrait of a society in formation.
6) The Leftovers
The premise of The Leftovers is unique. It all begins with an unexplained event: 2% of the world’s population suddenly disappears without any reason. From there, the show dives deep into the psychological and spiritual consequences of this mystery, exploring pain, grief, and the search for meaning in a world that seems to have lost all logic. It’s easy to relate to, especially considering today’s world, which makes it a timeless production. The series’ bold narrative choice is that it’s not about solving the mystery, but about how the characters cope with absence and uncertainty.
The Leftovers has drama, symbolism, and is loaded with emotional and visual tension. At first, it might seem like just another similar show to many others out there, but HBO’s series challenges you to engage with the story and its search for meaning. It embraces ambiguity and multiple interpretations, and ultimately, it stays with the viewer long after it ends. It’s another reflective story, but its intention is to explore existential emptiness and the human need for connection. It stands out as one of the best because it speaks to the very essence of life.
5) Game of Thrones
Game of Thrones needs no introduction. Despite the controversy around its final season, the show deserves its place among the best for the lasting impact it still sparks, and its boundless ambition. Based on George R.R. Martin’s books, it built a vast and complex world full of intrigue, battles, complicated relationships, and characters who are neither heroes nor villains (and can die at any moment). You buy into that rich universe easily because the fantasy draws you in completely, keeping you on edge since literally anything can happen.
Very few shows have achieved what this one did, and many still “struggle” to reach its global success level (which explains HBO’s push to expand the universe with several spinoffs). The series was groundbreaking for its time, skillfully blending action, horror, romance, drama, and even comedy if you consider the sharp wit in some sarcastic dialogues. Overall, Game of Thrones is a masterpiece of world-building, character development, and storytelling. It truly changed the game for audiovisual productions.
4) Chernobyl
It’s still common to hear people talk about Chernobyl, even though it premiered six years ago. Depicting the 1986 nuclear disaster in Ukraine, the series is a prime example of precise writing and masterful tension building. By focusing on the efforts to contain the catastrophe and its human consequences, it transforms a technical, historical event into a universal tragedy about negligence, heroism, and even lies. The structure is simple and direct, no fluff; and the steadily rising pace makes you feel the disaster is inevitable, as if everything is moving down a path that’s cold and ruthless.
It’s not that you don’t know what’s coming, but it’s so easy to get immersed in that atmosphere that you end up feeling the story’s emotion as if you were living it yourself. Besides, Chernobyl goes beyond just recounting facts; it explores the political and moral dimensions of the crisis, exposing systems that favor silence and misinformation in the name of power. It’s safe to say it’s one of the most powerful accounts ever made for TV, as well as a timeless warning about abuse of power and irresponsibility. Highly recommended.
3) Succession
HBO knows how to make history with its shows, and with Succession, it proves that even after years, it can still deliver. One of today’s biggest hits, the series turns the competitive billionaire world into a family drama that’s as bitter as it is fascinating. The story revolves around the Roy family, who fight for control of an empire while dealing with betrayals, ambitions, and toxic relationships within that sphere. But, as expected from an HBO production, the writing is what really grabs attention (especially the sharp, intelligent dialogue paired with biting, well-timed humor).
It’s also worth highlighting the characters (and the cast, which seems to elevate the series even more). The story builds deeply flawed figures, and crafts situations of a cruelty that feels almost elegant – no one is a victim here. That moral ambiguity is what keeps viewers hooked. Modern and sharp, the series shows how greed affects a powerful family, placing the audience in the middle of a game where nothing and no one is trustworthy. What’s everyone’s next move? What’s the limit? That’s how it wins you over.
2) The Wire
At this point in the ranking, we’re approaching what could be called a masterclass in how TV can reflect society without losing its narrative drive. The Wire presents Baltimore from multiple perspectives: drug trafficking, politics, education, and the media. Through this, it builds a mosaic exposing systemic failures with brutal realism. The series shows that no one individual is solely responsible for the problems, and reveals how institutions become traps for those caught within them. It’s a deeply courageous and patient approach that demands close attention.
The Wire‘s strength lies in the complexity of its characters, because everything unfolds the way it does simply because of them. This allows for organic development of conflicts, which are always tied to broad topics like power, corruption, and inequality. It could have been just a police thriller, but it’s actually an intelligent, engaging analysis of society. Viewers realize they’re watching one of the most faithful and critical portrayals of contemporary America. Not that any other show on this list isn’t serious, but this one stands out as a profoundly significant production well worth watching.
1) The Sopranos
The top spot is nearly uncontested. No show has done more for TV than The Sopranos (in every sense). The psychological complexity of Tony Soprano (James Gandolfini), a mob boss trying to balance the violence of his “work” with therapy and family life, paved the way for stories exploring the darkest sides of human nature. This series goes beyond crime genre clichés; it dives deep into toxic masculinity, vulnerability, and the existential emptiness behind violence. The writing is a masterclass in brilliance, and Tony’s character development is so profound that even decades later, he remains a reference point for many anti-heroes in fiction.
Also, it’s no exaggeration to say The Sopranos revolutionized the series format by crafting story arcs that respect real dramatic timing (paced slowly yet mounting in tension). The dialogues are loaded with subtext, and the show’s cinematography, sound, and direction create such a claustrophobic atmosphere that viewers truly get inside the protagonist’s mind. This immersion is a key reason why the show remains timeless over 25 years after its premiere. It’s not just entertainment, but a deep study of human nature.
Most Viewed
-
Image courtesy of Marvel Studios. -
Image Courtesy of Marvel Studios
