Best HBO Max Limited Series You Can Finish in a Day

If you want a complete story without a long time commitment, these limited series on Max deliver start to finish in a single day. Each pick wraps its plot within a handful of chapters, so you can binge without leaving threads hanging. You will find gripping true stories, inventive sci fi, and character driven dramas that stick the landing. We also note the original network in passing, since many of these premiered on HBO or partner broadcasters before landing on Max.

‘Chernobyl’ (2019)

This five part dramatization follows the 1986 nuclear disaster and the investigation that exposed what went wrong. It features a meticulous reconstruction of events from the plant to the courtroom. The show originated on HBO with a UK co production. Total runtime is roughly five and a half hours, which makes the full story manageable in one sitting.

‘The Night Of’ (2016)

A college student is accused of murder and enters the maze of New York’s criminal justice system. The series maps every step from arrest to trial with procedural detail. It originally ran on HBO. With eight episodes at under an hour each, you can watch the case unfold in a day.

‘Sharp Objects’ (2018)

A reporter returns to her hometown to cover a pair of murders while confronting buried trauma. The series adapts the novel in full and reaches a closed ending. It premiered on HBO in the summer. Eight concise episodes add up to an all day binge without lingering cliffhangers.

‘The Undoing’ (2020)

A therapist’s life unravels after a murder investigation targets her husband. The story follows the legal fallout and media frenzy through to a final verdict. It debuted on HBO. Six episodes, each under an hour, make this an easy one day watch.

‘Mare of Easttown’ (2021)

A small town detective investigates a local murder while juggling family troubles and community pressure. The mystery provides answers inside a single run with no follow up season. It first aired on HBO. Seven episodes total land around seven hours of viewing.

‘Scenes from a Marriage’ (2021)

This modern take charts a couple through love, fracture, and the aftermath. Conversations unfold in long, intimate chapters that complete a single relationship arc. The series premiered on HBO. Five episodes keep the runtime compact for a focused day of viewing.

‘Watchmen’ (2019)

Set in the world of the graphic novel, the story tackles masked vigilantism and American history through a new conspiracy. The season closes its central mystery within nine episodes. It ran on HBO as a self contained continuation. The total runtime fits into a dedicated day.

‘Station Eleven’ (2021–2022)

Survivors of a pandemic connect across time through a traveling theater troupe and a graphic novel. The plot braids multiple timelines and then brings them together at the end. It launched as a Max Original and aired under the HBO Max banner. Ten episodes at about an hour each can be finished in a long day.

‘Olive Kitteridge’ (2014)

This four part adaptation follows a blunt retired teacher and her family over decades in a coastal town. Each chapter covers a different period yet builds to a complete portrait. It was produced for HBO. The limited episode count keeps the total viewing time under five hours.

‘Angels in America’ (2003)

The story weaves lives in 1980s New York as characters confront illness, politics, and faith. The two part presentation contains six chapters that cover the entire stage work. It premiered on HBO. The combined runtime is about six hours, which works well for a single day plan.

‘Show Me a Hero’ (2015)

A young mayor faces a federal order to build public housing and a firestorm of local opposition. The series follows the policy battle and its human impact from start to finish. It originally aired on HBO. Six episodes tell the whole story in under seven hours.

‘Generation Kill’ (2008)

Embedded reporters follow a Marine unit in the opening weeks of the Iraq War. The series adapts the nonfiction book with a clear beginning and end to the deployment. It first aired on HBO. Seven hour long episodes make this a tight all day watch.

‘The Plot Against America’ (2020)

An alternate history shows a United States pulled toward authoritarianism through one election and its ripple effects. The family at the center faces changing policies and rising fear until the narrative concludes. It premiered on HBO. Six episodes complete the adaptation in one go.

‘John Adams’ (2008)

This historical biography traces a life from revolutionary lawyer to president and elder statesman. The series covers major events with a defined endpoint. It aired on HBO. Seven episodes total around eight hours and close the chapter fully.

‘Mildred Pierce’ (2011)

A single mother in Depression era California builds a business while navigating a volatile bond with her daughter. The narrative follows the novel closely and reaches a full conclusion. It was produced for HBO. Five parts keep the binge compact.

‘I Know This Much Is True’ (2020)

Twin brothers confront family secrets, mental illness, and sacrifice across decades. The limited run adapts the book without leaving threads open. It debuted on HBO. Six episodes wrap the story in a single day’s viewing window.

‘The Outsider’ (2020)

A gruesome crime leads to evidence that points two ways at once and brings in an unorthodox investigator. The case runs from forensic details to a final confrontation and resolution. It aired on HBO. Ten episodes are paced for a one day marathon.

‘Landscapers’ (2021)

A mild mannered couple becomes the focus of a cold case inquiry that uncovers hidden choices. The series presents the investigation and the couple’s shared story through to its end. It premiered on HBO in partnership with Sky Atlantic. Four episodes keep the total time brief.

‘The Third Day’ (2020)

A man and later a woman arrive on a mysterious island community with strange customs and shifting loyalties. The limited series is presented in two connected halves that complete a single arc. It aired on HBO with Sky Atlantic as partner. Six episodes make for a contained day trip.

‘Years and Years’ (2019)

A Manchester family experiences the next decade through political shocks and rapid technology change. The story moves year by year and lands on a firm endpoint. It originated on BBC One and aired stateside on HBO. Six episodes keep the runtime efficient.

‘It’s a Sin’ (2021)

A group of friends builds a life in London as the AIDS crisis arrives and reshapes their world. The limited run follows the characters across several years and ends with closure. It premiered on Channel 4 in the UK and streamed in the US on HBO Max. Five episodes total under five hours.

‘DMZ’ (2022)

A ceasefire turns Manhattan into a demilitarized zone where a medic searches for her son. The miniseries adapts the comic’s premise and concludes within its brief run. It launched as a Max Original. Four episodes make this one of the quickest binges here.

‘The Staircase’ (2022)

This dramatization tracks a writer’s murder case while a documentary crew films the family. It covers the investigation, trials, and personal fallout to a defined end. It was released as a Max Original and aired on HBO in some regions. Eight episodes complete the arc.

‘Love and Death’ (2023)

A suburban Texan affair leads to a killing and a courtroom reckoning. The series follows the case through investigation and verdict with no loose ends. It premiered as a Max Original alongside HBO branding in key markets. Seven episodes keep the commitment under a full workday.

‘Full Circle’ (2023)

A botched kidnapping in New York exposes secret ties among families and investigators. The limited run follows the case from incident to resolution across intertwined perspectives. It debuted as a Max Original. Six episodes bring every thread to a close without extra seasons.

‘We Own This City’ (2022)

This six episode account follows the Baltimore Police Gun Trace Task Force from formation to federal takedown. The narrative draws on reporting and court records to show how the unit’s tactics unraveled. It premiered on HBO. The full run lands at about six hours, which is easy to cover in one day.

‘The Pacific’ (2010)

The series tracks three U.S. Marines across the Pacific Theater from Guadalcanal through Okinawa. It pairs battlefield sequences with letters and diaries to map the campaign’s timeline. It originally aired on HBO. Ten episodes total roughly ten hours, so a full day gets you through the entire story.

‘Band of Brothers’ (2001)

This World War II chronicle follows Easy Company from training in Georgia to victory in Europe. Each chapter covers a specific operation with interviews from surviving veterans. It debuted on HBO. Ten episodes come in near ten hours, which works for a focused one day marathon.

‘The Sympathizer’ (2024)

A North Vietnamese mole embedded in the South Vietnamese military relocates to Los Angeles after the fall of Saigon. The series adapts the novel through a confession that frames his double life. It premiered on HBO. Seven episodes, each under an hour, make the complete arc a single day watch.

‘White House Plumbers’ (2023)

Political operatives chart a path that leads directly to the Watergate break in and its aftermath. The production follows the planning, cover up attempts, and legal consequences through the final episode. It aired on HBO. Five parts keep the total commitment under five hours.

‘Gunpowder’ (2017)

A nobleman and his allies plan the 1605 plot to blow up the English Parliament. The story moves from persecution laws to recruitment, logistics, and discovery. It first ran on BBC One and aired stateside on HBO. Three episodes make this an evening length binge.

‘Catherine the Great’ (2019)

The series spans the later reign of Empress Catherine and her political alliances at court. Diplomatic moves, territorial expansion, and succession struggles drive the four part structure. It premiered on HBO in partnership with Sky Atlantic. The concise runtime fits easily into a day.

‘The Girl Before’ (2021)

Applicants compete to live in a minimalist London home with strict rules while a past resident’s story resurfaces. The plot alternates timelines as the lease reveals hidden risks. It debuted on BBC One and streamed in the U.S. on HBO Max. Four episodes keep the viewing time short.

‘The Investigation’ (2020)

Detectives reconstruct a journalist’s disappearance using forensics and maritime searches rather than courtroom spectacle. The series centers the police work and victim support teams until the case concludes. It originated on Denmark’s DR and aired in the U.S. on HBO. Six episodes total under six hours.

‘Mosaic’ (2018)

A prominent children’s author disappears in a mountain town and conflicting versions of events surface. The narrative presents different character perspectives to piece together what happened. It premiered on HBO. Six parts make this a tidy day long watch.

‘Mrs. Fletcher’ (2019)

An empty nester explores identity while her son navigates freshman year, and both stumble through missteps and growth. The story follows parallel arcs that reconnect by the finale. It aired on HBO. Seven short episodes add up to around three and a half hours.

‘Our Boys’ (2019)

Investigators in Jerusalem respond to the abduction and murder of a Palestinian teen and the spiraling tensions that follow. The production draws from case files and public records to track the inquiry. It was produced by HBO with Keshet in Israel. Ten episodes finish the complete case within a day.

‘Empire Falls’ (2005)

A small Maine town’s fortunes are tied to an aging mill owner and a family restaurant’s manager. The two part adaptation covers long standing grudges, class divides, and a school crisis. It premiered on HBO. The combined chapters run about three and a half hours.

‘The Corner’ (2000)

A family in West Baltimore tries to survive amid addiction and street level economics. The limited run follows outreach workers and residents across a single year. It aired on HBO. Six episodes keep the watch manageable in one stretch.

‘I May Destroy You’ (2020)

A writer rebuilds her life after a sexual assault as memories return and relationships shift. The season maps reporting, therapy, and creative choices to a definitive endpoint. It originated on BBC One and aired on HBO in the U.S. Twelve half hour episodes total roughly six hours.

Share your favorites from this list and tell us which limited series you think belongs here in the comments.