Lesser-Known HBO Max TV Shows That Are Totally Worth Watching

HBO Max (now commonly branded as Max) hides a deep bench of series beyond the headline-grabbers, and a little digging uncovers character-driven dramas, inventive comedies, international thrillers, and standout docuseries that reward your time. Below are 45 under-the-radar picks with practical context—creators, casts, formats, and what each show actually covers—so you can zero in on what fits your mood next.

‘Station Eleven’ (2021–2022)

Based on Emily St. John Mandel’s novel, ‘Station Eleven’ follows a traveling Shakespeare troupe as interlocking timelines reveal how people rebuild after a global disaster. Patrick Somerville developed the adaptation, with episodes directed by filmmakers like Hiro Murai and Jeremy Podeswa. The ensemble includes Mackenzie Davis, Himesh Patel, and Matilda Lawler across arcs that connect artists, first responders, and survivors. It’s a single-season limited series with a complete story told across 10 episodes.

‘Tokyo Vice’ (2022–2024)

‘Tokyo Vice’ adapts journalist Jake Adelstein’s memoir about reporting on organized crime from inside Tokyo’s media ecosystem. J.T. Rogers created the series, with early episodes directed by Michael Mann to establish the procedural tone. Ansel Elgort, Ken Watanabe, Rinko Kikuchi, and Rachel Keller lead intersecting newsroom and police storylines. Two seasons map sources, rival gangs, and institutional pressures across investigations.

‘Somebody Somewhere’ (2022– )

Set in Kansas, ‘Somebody Somewhere’ tracks a woman rebuilding community through local arts spaces and new friendships. Hannah Bos and Paul Thureen created the series, with Bridget Everett and Jeff Hiller anchoring a grounded ensemble. Episodes explore work, family responsibilities, and small-town logistics alongside low-key comedy. The show’s compact seasons make for an easy, character-focused watch.

‘Irma Vep’ (2022)

In ‘Irma Vep’, Olivier Assayas reimagines his film as a meta series about an American actor in Paris headlining a remake of a silent crime serial. Alicia Vikander stars with Vincent Macaigne and Adria Arjona as production challenges blur with the fiction being filmed. The show examines artistic ambition, shoot schedules, and transatlantic celebrity. Eight episodes tell a self-contained story.

‘Landscapers’ (2021)

‘Landscapers’ dramatizes a British case involving Susan and Christopher Edwards and bodies found in a suburban garden. Ed Sinclair created the series and Will Sharpe directed, with Olivia Colman and David Thewlis in the leads. Visual devices—stage-like sets and perspective shifts—frame questioning, evidence, and courtroom strategy. Four episodes cover investigation through verdict.

‘The Baby’ (2022)

‘The Baby’ blends horror and dark comedy as a woman becomes the caretaker of a mysterious infant with violent consequences. Created by Siân Robins-Grace and Lucy Gaymer, it stars Michelle de Swarte, Amira Ghazalla, and Amber Grappy. Episodes explore autonomy, social expectations, and the logistics of sudden caregiving through genre set-pieces. The limited series runs eight episodes.

‘DMZ’ (2022)

Adapted from the DC/Vertigo comic, ‘DMZ’ imagines Manhattan as a demilitarized zone divided by factions and influencers. Roberto Patino developed the series, with Rosario Dawson and Benjamin Bratt leading missions across contested neighborhoods. Storylines map rival territories, medical outreach, and media leverage within the fractured city. Four episodes deliver a contained arc.

‘I Hate Suzie’ (2020–2022)

‘I Hate Suzie’ follows a performer whose life implodes after a phone hack exposes private material. Created by Lucy Prebble and Billie Piper, the series structures episodes around emotional “stages” that shape publicity, work, and friendship fallout. Billie Piper stars with Leila Farzad and Daniel Ings across shifting professional and personal negotiations. Eleven episodes across two runs tell the story from crisis to aftermath.

‘Los Espookys’ (2019–2022)

‘Los Espookys’ centers on friends who turn practical-effects skills into a business staging custom horror scenarios. Created by Julio Torres, Ana Fabrega, and Fred Armisen, it mixes Spanish and English while embracing surreal, deadpan comedy. The ensemble—Torres, Fabrega, Cassandra Ciangherotti, Bernardo Velasco, and Armisen—juggles client gigs with ongoing arcs. Two seasons add up to twelve episodes.

‘Strike’ (2017–2024)

Based on Robert Galbraith’s novels, ‘C.B. Strike’ pairs a private investigator with his resourceful assistant for multi-part cases. Tom Burke and Holliday Grainger lead investigations that track suspects, timelines, and forensics across London. Each case plays like a feature-length arc spread over several episodes. Seasons can be watched case by case without losing the thread.

‘Search Party’ (2016–2022)

‘Search Party’ begins with a missing-person hunt among Brooklyn acquaintances and evolves into a darkly comic exploration of guilt and reinvention. Created by Sarah-Violet Bliss, Charles Rogers, and Michael Showalter, it stars Alia Shawkat, John Reynolds, John Early, and Meredith Hagner. The show shifts genre each season while maintaining serialized plotting and payoff. Five seasons deliver fifty episodes in total.

‘Industry’ (2020– )

Set at a global bank’s London office, ‘Industry’ follows young recruits navigating deals, compliance, and internal politics. Created by Mickey Down and Konrad Kay, the cast includes Myha’la, Marisa Abela, David Jonsson, and Ken Leung. Episodes detail trading floors, client trips, and performance reviews with procedural specificity. The series tracks career trajectories and shifting teams across seasons.

‘Room 104’ (2017–2020)

‘Room 104’ is an anthology of standalone tales—horror, comedy, sci-fi, and drama—set in a single motel room. Created by Mark and Jay Duplass, it rotates casts and filmmakers episode to episode. The confined setting encourages inventive staging, choreography, and story twists. Four seasons compile short, self-contained chapters.

‘Gentleman Jack’ (2019–2022)

‘Gentleman Jack’ dramatizes the business and personal life of landowner and diarist Anne Lister in Yorkshire. Created by Sally Wainwright, it stars Suranne Jones with Sophie Rundle and Gemma Whelan. Episodes focus on estate management, industrial ventures, and legal disputes alongside relationships. Two seasons complete interconnected arcs based on historical journals.

‘The Third Day’ (2020)

‘The Third Day’ is a folk-mystery set on an island community with rituals and lore that unsettle newcomers. Created by Felix Barrett and Dennis Kelly, it stars Jude Law and Naomie Harris. The project includes a real-time live performance element that complements the televised narrative. Six main episodes present the on-screen story across distinct parts.

‘Warrior’ (2019–2023)

‘Warrior’ dramatizes San Francisco’s Tong Wars as a gifted fighter becomes an enforcer amid rival tongs and corrupt officials. Created by Jonathan Tropper from writings by Bruce Lee, it integrates period crime storytelling with martial-arts choreography. Andrew Koji, Olivia Cheng, Jason Tobin, and Dianne Doan lead intersecting gang, family, and law-enforcement arcs. Seasons chart turf conflicts, alliances, and city hall maneuvering.

‘Banshee’ (2013–2016)

‘Banshee’ follows an ex-con who assumes a small-town sheriff’s identity while facing local syndicates and unresolved debts. Created by Jonathan Tropper and David Schickler, the series blends noir plotting with close-quarters fight design. Antony Starr headlines with Ivana Miličević, Ulrich Thomsen, and Hoon Lee in recurring antagonisms. Heists, undercover work, and tribal politics weave through serialized arcs.

‘The Knick’ (2014–2015)

‘The Knick’ chronicles surgeons and staff at the Knickerbocker Hospital pushing medical frontiers under limited resources. Created by Jack Amiel and Michael Begler and directed by Steven Soderbergh, it stages detailed procedures and public-health challenges. Clive Owen, André Holland, Juliet Rylance, and Cara Seymour anchor clinical and administrative storylines. Production emphasizes period instruments, operating theaters, and emerging techniques.

‘How To with John Wilson’ (2020–2023)

‘How To with John Wilson’ builds essay-style episodes from street footage, interviews, and voiceover that spiral from simple prompts into layered observations. Nathan Fielder executive produces, and the show’s structure favors associative editing and visual callbacks. Topics range from small social rituals to housing logistics across New York City. Three seasons deliver concise half-hour chapters.

‘Mosaic’ (2018)

‘Mosaic’ is a murder mystery designed by Steven Soderbergh that debuted with an interactive app before airing as a linear limited series. The plot follows a children’s author’s disappearance and the tangle of investigators, con artists, and acquaintances around the case. Sharon Stone, Garrett Hedlund, and Beau Bridges lead dual-timeline episodes that reveal conflicting testimony. The series foregrounds forensics, financial motives, and legal maneuvering.

‘Our Boys’ (2019)

‘Our Boys’ reconstructs a high-profile criminal case in Jerusalem through police work, community reactions, and courtroom proceedings. Created by Hagai Levi, Joseph Cedar, and Tawfik Abu-Wael, it blends investigative procedure with dramatized testimony. Dialogue moves between Hebrew and Arabic while location shooting tracks leads and evidence. The limited series focuses on detectives, families, and prosecutors across the case.

‘Years and Years’ (2019)

‘Years and Years’ follows a Manchester family as social media, financial shocks, and rapid tech adoption reshape daily life. Created by Russell T Davies, it uses time jumps to chart policy shifts and information warfare. The ensemble—Rory Kinnear, T’Nia Miller, Jessica Hynes, Russell Tovey, and Emma Thompson—threads personal milestones through national events. Near-future devices and platforms function as plot drivers rather than background props.

‘Made for Love’ (2021–2022)

‘Made for Love’ adapts Alissa Nutting’s novel about a woman who escapes her tech-mogul husband only to discover he implanted a device that tracks her location and emotions. Developed for HBO Max, it stars Cristin Milioti, Billy Magnussen, and Ray Romano, with Christina Lee among the showrunners and executive producers. The series combines near-future gadgets, corporate labs, and desert hideouts to explore surveillance, consent, and control inside a Big Tech empire. Across two seasons, episodes follow hacks, legal maneuvers, and research breakthroughs as characters jockey for leverage inside and outside the company.

‘The Honourable Woman’ (2014)

‘The Honourable Woman’ is a geopolitical thriller about a business leader whose family company intersects with intelligence services and regional contractors. Created by Hugo Blick, the story navigates procurement, aid projects, and covert operations. Maggie Gyllenhaal stars alongside Andrew Buchan, Stephen Rea, and Lubna Azabal. Parallel investigations and flashbacks reveal how deals and loyalties intersect.

‘Olive Kitteridge’ (2014)

‘Olive Kitteridge’ adapts Elizabeth Strout’s linked stories about a retired teacher, her family, and neighbors in a coastal town. Directed by Lisa Cholodenko, the four-part series tracks relationships, institutions, and routines that build to turning points. Frances McDormand and Richard Jenkins lead a cast including Zoe Kazan and Bill Murray. Each part centers on a distinct piece of community life with precise attention to work and home.

‘The Outsider’ (2020)

‘The Outsider’ opens with a homicide investigation whose evidence points in contradictory directions, forcing investigators to widen their scope. Developed by Richard Price from a novel by Stephen King, it balances forensic detail with interagency coordination. Ben Mendelsohn, Cynthia Erivo, Jason Bateman, and Bill Camp steer interviews, lab work, and witness protection logistics. Episodes move from local policing to broader task-force involvement.

‘Treme’ (2010–2013)

‘Treme’ traces musicians, chefs, lawyers, and laborers rebuilding New Orleans through gigs, kitchens, courts, and neighborhood meetings. Created by David Simon and Eric Overmyer, it integrates live performance, city planning, and cultural preservation into ongoing plots. The ensemble includes Khandi Alexander, Clarke Peters, Wendell Pierce, Melissa Leo, and Steve Zahn. Storylines follow housing disputes, school systems, and music careers with documentary-style location work.

‘The Plot Against America’ (2020)

‘The Plot Against America’ presents an alternate United States through the perspective of a Newark family as policies reshape civic life. Created by David Simon and Ed Burns from Philip Roth’s novel, it details conventions, federal programs, and media campaigns. Winona Ryder, Zoe Kazan, John Turturro, and Anthony Boyle appear across neighborhood organizing and administrative decisions. The limited series emphasizes how regulations affect jobs, travel, and safety.

‘Perry Mason’ (2020–2023)

‘Perry Mason’ reimagines the defense attorney’s early career with cases that move from crime scenes to courtrooms through meticulous legwork. Developed by Rolin Jones and Ron Fitzgerald and later stewarded by Jack Amiel and Michael Begler, it maps investigations across detectives and experts. Matthew Rhys stars with Juliet Rylance, Chris Chalk, and Shea Whigham. Production recreates legal offices, city blocks, and trial strategy sessions anchoring each case.

‘The Investigation’ (2020)

‘The Investigation’ is a Danish procedural reconstructing a complex maritime homicide through interviews, dive operations, and lab analysis. Created by Tobias Lindholm with consultation from the real lead investigator, it centers professional methods over sensationalism. Søren Malling and Pilou Asbæk coordinate prosecutors, coast-guard units, and forensic specialists across jurisdictions. The limited series emphasizes evidence chains, search-grid planning, and collaboration with scientific institutions.

‘Quarry’ (2016)

‘Quarry’ adapts Max Allan Collins’ novels about a Marine sniper drawn into a contract-killing network after returning to Memphis. Created by Graham Gordy and Michael D. Fuller, it follows operations brokered by a handler known as the Broker. Logan Marshall-Green leads a cast that tracks cash drops, surveillance, and fallout from covert assignments. One season tells a tightly linked eight-episode story.

‘Jett’ (2019)

‘Jett’ centers on a master thief compelled back into heists after prison by volatile clients. Created by Sebastian Gutierrez, it emphasizes crew assembly, logistics, and double-crosses across multiple cities. Carla Gugino headlines alongside Giancarlo Esposito, Elena Anaya, and Gaite Jansen. The single season runs nine episodes focused on intersecting capers.

‘Betty’ (2020–2021)

‘Betty’ follows a group of skateboarders building community across New York parks and streets. Created by Crystal Moselle and inspired by ‘Skate Kitchen’, it features Dede Lovelace, Kabrina Adams, Nina Moran, Ajani Russell, and Rachelle Vinberg. Episodes cover sponsorships, contests, and everyday logistics like filming parts and securing safe spaces to skate. Two seasons total twelve episodes.

‘We Are Who We Are’ (2020)

‘We Are Who We Are’ takes place on a U.S. Army base in Italy, exploring friendship, family rules, and life inside a military community. Created by Luca Guadagnino with Paolo Giordano and Francesca Manieri, it stars Jack Dylan Grazer and Jordan Kristine Seamón with Chloë Sevigny. The series maps base routines, schooling, and command-structure pressures on teens and parents. Eight episodes deliver a complete limited story.

‘It’s a Sin’ (2021)

‘It’s a Sin’ follows friends in London as the HIV/AIDS crisis reshapes housing, work, and social networks. Created by Russell T Davies, it stars Olly Alexander, Lydia West, Omari Douglas, and Callum Scott Howells. The series documents grassroots support, hospital protocols, and media coverage alongside everyday milestones. Five episodes tell a cohesive arc.

‘My Brilliant Friend’ (2018–2024)

‘My Brilliant Friend’ adapts Elena Ferrante’s Neapolitan novels about two girls whose lives diverge and converge over decades. Developed by Saverio Costanzo, it stars Elisa Del Genio, Ludovica Nasti, Margherita Mazzucco, and Gaia Girace across life stages. Production tracks schooling, labor politics, and publishing within meticulously recreated neighborhoods. Multiple seasons follow the books’ long-arc structure through adulthood.

‘The Deuce’ (2017–2019)

‘The Deuce’ traces the rise of New York’s regulated and underground adult-entertainment economy alongside police, unions, and city ordinances. Created by David Simon and George Pelecanos, it stars Maggie Gyllenhaal and James Franco with a broad ensemble. Storylines track storefront leases, distribution, and policy shifts shaping surrounding streetscapes. Three seasons use time jumps to chart industry and neighborhood change.

‘Show Me a Hero’ (2015)

‘Show Me a Hero’ dramatizes a federal desegregation order in Yonkers and the city’s response through hearings, council votes, and housing development. Created by David Simon and William F. Zorzi from Lisa Belkin’s book, it stars Oscar Isaac, Catherine Keener, and Alfred Molina. The miniseries details consent decrees, site selection, and community organizing. Six episodes complete the real-events narrative.

‘The Night Of’ (2016)

‘The Night Of’ follows a homicide case through arrest, arraignment, jail procedures, and courtroom strategy. Developed by Richard Price and Steven Zaillian, it stars Riz Ahmed, John Turturro, and Bill Camp. The series focuses on chain-of-custody evidence, defense preparation, and plea negotiations. Eight episodes tell a self-contained legal saga.

‘Mildred Pierce’ (2011)

‘Mildred Pierce’ adapts James M. Cain’s novel about a single mother building a restaurant business amid contracts, staffing, and finances. Directed by Todd Haynes, it stars Kate Winslet, Guy Pearce, and Evan Rachel Wood. Episodes foreground period kitchens, bookkeeping, and real-estate decisions alongside family dynamics. Five parts present the full story.

’30 Coins’ (2020– )

’30 Coins’ is a Spanish horror thriller about a priest confronting conspiracies tied to a set of cursed relics. Created by Álex de la Iglesia with Jorge Guerricaechevarría, it stars Eduard Fernández, Megan Montaner, and Miguel Ángel Silvestre. The series blends local politics, church hierarchies, and investigative threads with creature effects. Seasons follow connected cases across Spain and abroad.

‘Q: Into the Storm’ (2021)

‘Q: Into the Storm’ investigates the origins and spread of an online conspiracy movement through platform owners, moderators, and influencers. Directed by Cullen Hoback, it tracks administrators linked to image boards and the infrastructure that sustained them. The docuseries includes interviews, travel logs, and technical explanations of hosting and migration. Six episodes assemble a timeline from disparate sources.

‘Telemarketers’ (2023)

‘Telemarketers’ uncovers how call centers raised money using deceptive pitches tied to law-enforcement-adjacent charities. Created by Sam Lipman-Stern and Adam Bhala Lough, with executive producers including the Safdie brothers, it follows insiders who turn investigators. The series documents scripts, call data, and regulatory actions while tracing corporate ownership. Three episodes map tactics, oversight, and reform efforts.

‘100 Foot Wave’ (2021– )

‘100 Foot Wave’ chronicles big-wave surfers mapping reefs, studying swell models, and building rescue teams to pursue record rides. Led by Garrett McNamara’s campaigns in Nazaré, it follows training, equipment design, and safety planning. Seasons track competitions and travel across multiple coastlines. The show pairs athlete diaries with oceanography and logistics.

‘Random Acts of Flyness’ (2018–2022)

‘Random Acts of Flyness’ is a late-night anthology that blends sketches, music, animation, and documentary-style segments. Created by Terence Nance, it examines media, technology, and everyday rituals through recurring motifs and experimental structure. Episodes mix studio staging with field pieces and a rotating ensemble. Two seasons present loosely connected chapters rather than a single serialized plot.

If we missed your favorite hidden gem on Max, drop its name in the comments and tell everyone why it deserves a spot on the list.