Best TV Shows to Stream this Weekend on HBO Max, Including ‘American Monster’

Looking for fresh series to line up between Friday and Sunday? Max has a mix of brand-new premieres, returning unscripted staples, crime docs, and timely spooky specials rolling out across the last week of October and into the weekend. Below are ten shows—picked from this week’s arrivals and recent drops—so you can zero in on plots, creators, casts, and exactly when they land.

‘IT: Welcome to Derry’ (2025–)

A prequel to the ‘It’ films, the series is set in Derry in the early sixties and explores the town’s dark history and the origins of Pennywise. It’s created by Andy Muschietti, Barbara Muschietti, and Jason Fuchs, with Fuchs and Brad Caleb Kane serving as showrunners. The cast features Jovan Adepo, Taylour Paige, Chris Chalk, James Remar, and Bill Skarsgård returning as Pennywise, with music by Benjamin Wallfisch. New episodes are streaming on Max this weekend.

‘Fatal Engineering’ (2025–)

This documentary series examines major engineering failures and unpacks the design choices, human errors, and oversight lapses behind them. Episodes reconstruct incidents with expert analysis, digital models, and forensic breakdowns to highlight how small miscalculations can cascade into catastrophe. The show emphasizes lessons learned for real-world infrastructure and safety practice. It is streaming on Max this weekend.

‘Survival of the Beast’ (2025–)

Explorer and survivalist Max Djenohan studies how animals endure extreme environments, then translates those tactics into human survival takeaways. Each episode blends wildlife cinematography with field demonstrations to illustrate strategies for heat management, water-finding, shelter, and hunting. The production spans multiple harsh ecosystems to ground its practical guidance. It is streaming on Max this weekend.

‘Dangerously Obese’ (2025–)

This medical-reality series follows individuals whose extreme obesity requires urgent, physician-guided interventions. Bariatric surgeon Dr. Charles Procter leads evaluations, treatment plans, and potential surgical steps, with episodes tracking milestones, setbacks, and post-procedure outcomes. The format highlights clinical detail alongside patient support systems. New installments are streaming on Max this weekend.

‘Jonathan Ross: Haunted Homecoming’ (2024)

Broadcaster and horror devotee Jonathan Ross returns to London’s East End to investigate local ghost stories and eerie urban legends. The mini-series mixes historical context, eyewitness accounts, and on-location visits, layering folklore with archival material. Episodes pair place-based storytelling with Ross’s personal connections to the neighborhoods. It is streaming on Max this weekend.

‘Holmes Family Rescue’ (2022–)

Contractor Mike Holmes teams up with Mike Holmes Jr. and Sherry Holmes to fix hazardous, botched home renovations and make them safe. Episodes assess structural, electrical, and design issues and bring in recurring collaborators to “do it right.” The series emphasizes building science and code compliance, with clear walkthroughs of each rescue. New drops are streaming on Max this weekend.

‘Naked and Afraid Brazil’ (2021–)

The localized survival format drops pairs of participants into punishing environments for 21 days with no food, water, or clothing. Contestants may bring a single tool, must build shelter, and secure resources, with crew intervention limited to medical emergencies. Installments document day-by-day conditions, strategy, and endurance across South American locations. It is streaming on Max this weekend.

‘Expedition X’ (2020–)

From the ‘Expedition Unknown’ team, the series dispatches field biologist Phil Torres and investigator Jessica Chobot to probe strange phenomena worldwide. Investigations blend on-site expeditions, night operations, interviews, and lab analysis, with additional researchers appearing in later seasons. The production consults local historians and technical experts to vet claims methodically. Fresh episodes are streaming on Max this weekend.

‘American Monster’ (2016–)

This true-crime series profiles murder cases that hid in plain sight, using home videos, archival footage, interviews, and dramatizations to reconstruct events. Narration and case timelines focus on how seemingly ordinary families and neighbors masked chilling secrets. The procedural approach emphasizes relationships, motives, and the investigation steps that exposed each crime. New seasons and batches are streaming on Max this weekend.

‘House Hunters’ (1999–)

The long-running real-estate staple follows buyers as they tour three homes, weigh budgets and trade-offs, and make a final choice, with a brief post-move check-in. Episodes outline buyer profiles and local market context while showcasing property layouts and features. Produced by Pie Town Productions, the format has spawned numerous spin-offs across locations and price tiers. Fresh drops are streaming on Max this weekend.

Tell us which of these you’re queuing up first this weekend—and why—in the comments!