The Best HBO Show of All Time, According to Critics
These acclaimed HBO series got great reviews over the course of their runs.
HBO used to sell itself with the tagline, "It's not TV, it's HBO." And over the years, the network has become something of the standard for what we expect from television, raising the bar on quality with some of the most acclaimed series in TV history. Choosing the best of the best can be a real challenge, which is why we turned to the critics to find out the greatest HBO shows of all time.
Rotten Tomatoes offers a ranked list of every top-rated HBO show. Naturally, it's quite lengthy, so we just focused on the top 30 picks. You might be surprised by some of the inclusions here, as well as some of the shows that are missing (sorry, Tony and Carrie), but all of the series on this list are worth revisiting—or diving into for the first time. And for more HBO shows to watch, check out these 14 TV Shows You Can Watch on HBO Max From Start to Finish This Weekend.
30
Band of Brothers (2001)
Rotten Tomatoes score: 94 percent
29
Flight of the Conchords (2007)
Rotten Tomatoes score: 94 percent
28
Olive Kitteridge (2014)
Rotten Tomatoes score: 94 percent
27
The Night Of (2016)
Rotten Tomatoes score: 94 percent
26
The Wire (2002)
Rotten Tomatoes score: 94 percent
25
Silicon Valley (2014)
Rotten Tomatoes score: 94 percent
24
Tracey Ullman's Show (2016)
Rotten Tomatoes score: 95 percent
23
I'll Be Gone in the Dark (2020)
Rotten Tomatoes score: 96 percent
22
Show Me a Hero (2015)
Rotten Tomatoes score: 96 percent
21
My Brilliant Friend (2018)
Rotten Tomatoes score: 96 percent
20
Chernobyl (2019)
Rotten Tomatoes score: 96 percent
19
Watchmen (2019)
Rotten Tomatoes score: 96 percent
18
Insecure (2016)
Rotten Tomatoes score: 96 percent
17
Betty (2020)
Rotten Tomatoes score: 97 percent
16
Sally4Ever (2018)
Rotten Tomatoes score: 97 percent
15
Treme (2010)
Rotten Tomatoes score: 97 percent
14
Last Week Tonight with John Oliver (2014)
Rotten Tomatoes score: 98 percent
13
High Maintenance (2016)
Rotten Tomatoes score: 98 percent
And for series you should avoid, find out The Worst TV Shows of 2020, According to Critics.
12
I May Destroy You (2020)
Rotten Tomatoes score: 98 percent
11
Barry (2018)
Rotten Tomatoes score: 99 percent
10
We're Here (2020)
Rotten Tomatoes score: 100 percent
9
The Corner (2000)
Rotten Tomatoes score: 100 percent
And for great series on another streamer, check out these 12 Shows You Can Watch on Amazon Prime from Start to Finish This Weekend.
8
Painting With John (2021)
Rotten Tomatoes score: 100 percent
7
Mr. Show with Bob and David (1995)
Rotten Tomatoes score: 100 percent
6
How To With John Wilson (2020)
Rotten Tomatoes score: 100 percent
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5
A Black Lady Sketch Show (2019)
Rotten Tomatoes score: 100 percent
4
The Defiant Ones (2017)
Rotten Tomatoes score: 100 percent
3
Random Acts of Flyness (2018)
Rotten Tomatoes score: 100 percent
And for more recent series worth watching, discover The Best TV Shows of 2020, According to Critics.
2
Los Espookys (2019)
Rotten Tomatoes score: 100 percent
1
The Larry Sanders Show (1992)
Rotten Tomatoes score: 100 percent
And for more shows you should stream, check out The 50 Best Netflix Shows Ever, According to Critics.
