Best TV Shows to Stream this Weekend on HBO Max, Including ‘Tom & Jerry Gokko’

From fresh docuseries and competition shows to fan-favorite food and travel staples, HBO Max’s latest weekly drop covers a lot of ground—perfect for mixing quick comfort watches with brand-new originals. Here are ten newly arriving series to line up for your weekend queue, with who’s behind them, what they cover, and why they’re useful picks if you want variety without the guesswork.

‘Alex vs ARod’ (2025)

This three-part HBO Sports docuseries charts Alex Rodriguez’s career from prodigy to Yankees superstar, weaving new interviews with extensive archival footage. Directed by Gotham Chopra, it examines pivotal moments around performance-enhancing drug suspensions, media scrutiny, and post-baseball business moves. Teammates, managers, journalists, and family provide context that frames on-field achievements alongside off-field controversy. It lands on Max this week as a compact, director-driven sports portrait.

‘Harry Potter: Wizards of Baking’ (2024– )

Set on iconic Wizarding World locations, this competition brings teams of pastry pros together to craft story-driven desserts inspired by creatures, spells, and memorable scenes. Hosts James and Oliver Phelps guide challenges that emphasize execution, flavor, and theatrical presentation. Judges evaluate large-scale showpieces that demand chocolate work, sugar sculpture, and precise patisserie techniques. New episodes arrive on Max this week for themed, high-craft bakes.

‘Tom & Jerry Gokko’ (2022– )

Produced in Japan, this run of short ‘Tom and Jerry’ cartoons keeps the classic cat-and-mouse slapstick while leaning into rapid-fire, gag-forward setups. The shorts favor minimalist staging, musical timing, and expressive, largely wordless comedy. Local creative teams deliver anime-adjacent pacing while preserving the duo’s timeless chase dynamic. The series drops additional episodes on Max this week in bite-size installments.

‘In the Eye of the Storm’ (2024– )

This eyewitness-driven docuseries reconstructs natural disasters—tornadoes, hurricanes, wildfires—using first-person mobile video, surveillance footage, and emergency-services audio. Survivors, responders, and meteorologists supply real-time decision-making context to each timeline. Episodes emphasize disaster science and preparedness, showing how conditions evolved minute by minute. It’s newly streaming on Max this week with an event-by-event format.

‘Wardens of the North’ (2023– )

Following Michigan conservation officers, the series combines patrol ride-alongs with investigations into poaching, off-road violations, and backcountry rescues. Seasonal cases span ice-fishing checks, bear-country safety, and busy holiday weekends in the Upper Peninsula. Officers walk through procedures, evidence collection, and community outreach that protect wildlife and visitors. Fresh episodes arrive on Max this week with case-based storytelling.

‘Holiday Baking Championship’ (2014– )

Twelve bakers face themed “Pre-Heat” and “Main Heat” rounds celebrating seasonal pies, cookies, and centerpiece cakes. Host Jesse Palmer steers brisk kitchen action while judges Duff Goldman, Nancy Fuller, and Kardea Brown assess technique and flavor. Mid-challenge twists force creative ingredient swaps and rethinks under time pressure. The latest installment hits Max this week for festive competition viewing.

‘Expedition Unknown’ (2015– )

Explorer-host Josh Gates leads globe-spanning investigations into lost cities, shipwrecks, and historical enigmas. Fieldwork blends archaeology, local scholarship, and adventure travel, with access to dig sites, caves, and museum collections. Episodes build cases through interviews, hands-on experiments, and newly surfaced evidence. A new batch joins Max this week to fuel long-form, mystery-driven exploration.

‘Expedition Files’ (2024– )

Josh Gates returns with a case-file format that re-examines famous mysteries—alien abductions, disappearances, unusual artifacts—using new testimony and updated analysis. The series consults specialists across forensics, aerospace, and history to test competing explanations. Episodes revisit primary sources and apply modern tools to separate lore from verifiable findings. It’s newly streaming on Max this week alongside its sister series.

‘Maine Cabin Masters’ (2017– )

Contractor Chase Morrill and his crew—designer Ashley Morrill and carpenter Ryan Eldridge—restore rustic camps and generational retreats across Maine. Projects emphasize reclaimed materials, lake-friendly design, and practical upgrades for harsh weather. Budgets, timelines, and local craftspeople shape each renovation, culminating in detailed before-and-after reveals. Additional episodes land on Max this week for renovation-focused viewing.

‘Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives’ (2007– )

Host Guy Fieri road-trips to standout mom-and-pop restaurants, spotlighting scratch-made specialties and the operators behind them. Kitchen walk-throughs and recipe breakdowns capture technique and regional flavor, with tasting-counter banter anchoring each segment. The long-running format has featured hundreds of eateries across North America. New episodes arrive on Max this week for easy, food-centric sessions.

What are you cueing up first—tell us your picks in the comments!