It can easily be argued that HBO pioneered non-cable, binge-worthy television. And 26 years after The Sopranos premiered, the network is still going strong, bringing us recently acclaimed series like Succession, Hacks, and True Detective. This month on your Max app, you'll find even more can't-miss television, from returning series to new concepts that are sure to cause a stir. Read on for the four HBO shows everyone will be watching this February.
RELATED: 5 New Netflix Shows Everyone Will Be Watching This February.
1. The Pitt
Max
The Pitt may be the closest we'll come to an ER reunion. Starring Noah Wyle, the medical drama follows emergency room doctors in a Pittsburgh hospital. And while Wyle isn't reprising his role as Dr. John Carter, several members of ER's creative team are involved with the new show.
However, despite the similarities, The Pitt takes a very different format: The entire season takes place during one 15-hour shift, with each episode accounting for one hour (yes, it's very 24-esque).
"Where the show really shines is in its ability to tell a whole bunch of different stories with a sprawling cast of characters in a way that is still incredibly easy to follow," wrote Forbes critic Erik Kain when reviewing the show. "There are a bunch of doctors, student doctors, nurses, techs, medics and EMTs working the shift, and a rotating cast of patients and families filtering in and out of the ER throughout the day."
The Pitt dropped its first episode on Jan. 9; at the time of writing, five episodes were available to stream, with new ones airing on Max at 9 p.m. Thursdays.
2. Common Side Effects
Adult Swim
Adult cartoon-comedy takes on big pharma in this new series from the Adult Swim block. Common Side Effects follows former high school lab partners Marshall Cuso (Dave King) and Frances Applewhite (Emily Pendergast) as they "uncover a sinister conspiracy to destroy a mushroom that can cure all the world's diseases," according to the show page.
"What makes the series captivating is its style and deadpan voice," wrote The New York Times' chief TV critic James Poniewozik. "The two D.E.A. agents put on Marshall’s case, Copano (Joseph Lee Anderson) and Harrington (Martha Kelly), are an oddball well-meaning pair who might have walked out of a ’90s indie comedy."
"But maybe most refreshing is how Common Side Effects manages to tell a pointed, conspiracist story without cynicism or despair," Poniewozik added.
If you're skeptical, keep in mind that Common Side Effects was created by Steve Hely, who also worked on Veep and The Office, and Joseph Bennett, the brain's behind 2023's popular animated series Scavengers Reign.
Common Side Effects premiered on Feb. 2 with the first two episodes. New episodes will air Sundays at 11 p.m.
3. The White Lotus: Season 3 (Feb. 16)
Max
One of the most anticipated returns of the year graces our TV screens mid-month. The third season of The White Lotus takes place in dreamy Thailand and boasts an all-star cast including Carrie Coon, Walton Goggins, Michelle Monaghan, Parker Posey, Natasha Rothwell (reprising her role from season one as Belinda the spa manager), Patrick Schwarzenegger, and Leslie Bibb.
The first two seasons started with the murder of a yet-unknown person, but Time says that the newest installment "suggests a more terrifying escalation looms."
Series creator Mike White previously told The Hollywood Reporter that the first season was about money, the second about sex, and the third will be a "satirical and funny look at death and eastern religion and spirituality."
White has also said that the upcoming season will be "darker" than others and "longer, bigger, crazier," according to EW.
The White Lotus season 3 will occupy HBO's coveted 9 p.m. Sunday slot, premiering Feb. 16.
4. Last Week Tonight with John Oliver: Season 12 (Feb. 16)
Max
It's safe to say that John Oliver will have plenty to talk about when he returns for the 12th season of Last Week Tonight with John Oliver.
You can expect the same satirical, comedic, well-researched take on current events as in past seasons, with a season 12 trailer highlighting topics from infamous politicians to Moo Deng the hippo.
Last Week Tonight with John Oliver premiers Sunday, Feb. 16 at 11 p.m.
