Audiences in the early 2000s knew if they heard the familiar sound of static, an amazing HBO show was about to start. Whether it was documentaries, comedy specials, or must-see originals, HBO quickly established a brand of excellence that was unparalleled. While the network had success in many genres, it was HBO’s dramas that initially lured viewers in.
By allowing creators to break long-established rules held by network programming, HBO gave talented veterans and ambitious newcomers a chance to make shows no one had ever seen before. HBO’s dramas were exciting, challenging, and loaded with adult content not available elsewhere. The following dramas are the best in HBO’s storied library, ranked by their significance to the network and the overall quality of the show’s complete run.
10
‘True Detective’ (2014–)
HBO shows have featured talented, accomplished actors, but they made waves when announcing that Matthew McConaughey and Woody Harrelson would be co-starring in the first season of the mystery series True Detective. Following an anthology format, True Detective would introduce new detectives and an accompanying central mystery for each season to tell a self-contained story. While the unsolved crime would be the driving narrative, each season also examined the detectives’ lives and the impact the case had on their careers.
The anthology format, paired with the production values HBO is known for, resulted in seasons that bear all the markings of a compelling mystery novel. Audience reception to True Detective has been mixed since the first season, but the show remains an attractive destination for A-list actors such as Jodie Foster and Mahershala Ali to dabble in television. With four seasons completed and a fifth planned to release in 2027, audiences can expect more nuanced crime drama in the future.
9
‘Oz’ (1997–2003)
Before HBO became the home of prestige television, the cable network put its faith into an eclectic group of prisoners in the hit series Oz. Taking place in the fictional Oswald State Correctional Facility, Oz focused on the cellmates of the new experimental cell block known as “Emerald City.” Each week, the inmates would jockey for power and respect in dangerous displays of force, because even though Emerald City was designed for rehabilitation, the only thing the prisoners cared about was making it to the next day.
Oz was a groundbreaking television series; it was the first original drama produced by HBO, opening the floodgates for new shows that would alter the course of network programming and cable dominance. It’s a series worth revisiting for the cast alone, with Oz boasting an expansive cast of future stars like J.K. Simmons as the cold-blooded Vernon Schillinger and Christopher Meloni as the manipulative Chris Keller. Oz may not look as polished as later HBO shows, but the fast-paced conflict in each episode will likely lead to an unintended binge session.
8
‘Boardwalk Empire’ (2010–2014)
The drama and dangers of the Prohibition Era were lavishly brought to life when director Martin Scorsese directed the pilot episode of Boardwalk Empire. Nucky Thompson (Steve Buscemi) is living the comfortable life of a corrupt politician in 1920s Atlantic City, but his problems will mount as he becomes more involved with the smuggling of banned liquor. Between ardent government agents and real-life gangsters like Lucky Luciano (Vincent Piazza), Nucky will need to move carefully to survive in a world where power is taken with bullets.
Boardwalk Empire may not have enjoyed the same high ratings as other dramas on HBO, but those who tuned in each week were treated to an astounding recreation of the glitz and grime of the 1920s. The performances were as nuanced as the writing, where no character could resist the corruptive lure of wealth that bootlegging promised during prohibition. Boardwalk Empire remained critically praised throughout its run, winning a total of 20 Emmys over the course of five seasons.
7
‘Game of Thrones’ (2011–2019)
Gritty depictions of modern life were HBO’s specialty, but they found one of their biggest hits in the fantasy realm of feudal kingdoms and dragons with the series Game of Thrones. Based on the A Song of Ice and Fire book series by George R. R. Martin, Game of Thrones follows the prolonged battle to rule the Seven Kingdoms of Westeros by claiming the Iron Throne. This was fantasy strictly for adults, depicting a way of life where violence and cunning were required to keep your head attached to your body.
After the rise of cable fractured the television audience into different directions, there are few instances of shows that captured the collective attention of multiple countries. Game of Thrones was that show; it was a pop-culture sensation that drew viewers who didn’t typically watch fantasy with plot twists that left jaws on the floor. Unfortunately, the finale was largely a source of infuriation for fans, tarnishing the legacy of a series that found new life in the spinoff prequel, House of the Dragon.
6
‘Succession’ (2018-2023)
Family dysfunction was taken to new heights in the satirical drama Succession. Kendall Roy (Jeremy Strong) is expecting his father, Logan (Brian Cox), to announce him as the new CEO of the family’s media conglomerate, Waystar RoyCo, but when Logan decides to delay his retirement, war breaks out in the boardroom. Before long, the dispute for control draws Kendall’s siblings into the mix, and loyalties are tested as each member of the family sees a path to unimaginable power.
There’s a running comedic undertone to Succession, but each character invariably hits low moments of darkness that are unquestionably dramatic. In many ways, Succession is the suit-and-tie version of Game of Thrones, trading unexpected murders for character assassinations, and the Iron Throne for a corner office with a view. Fast-paced, witty, and verbally ruthless, Succession kept viewers guessing who would sit at Logan’s desk until the unexpected answer came in the fourth season’s series finale.
5
‘The Leftovers’ (2014–2017)
A massive, worldwide disappearance of people leaves those who remain with questions and grief in The Leftovers. There is no warning when 2% of the Earth’s population vanishes without a trace, and three years later, the family and loved ones of those who disappeared search for meaning and comfort. In this new world, faith takes on new forms that will drive fractured families apart, and also forge kinship through shared grief.
Based on the novel of the same name by Tom Perrotta, The Leftovers used a high-concept premise to tell an intimate story of life after loss. The focus was not on solving the mystery of why everyone vanished; rather, it was about the journey of accepting sudden change, however painful and unimaginable it may be. Although the series didn’t reach the heights of other HBO originals, The Leftovers delivered consistent and masterful storytelling over three seasons.
4
‘Deadwood’ (2004-2006)
Westerns were once a dominant genre on television, but none of the classic TV Western shows looked or sounded anything like Deadwood. Set in the lawless Dakota Territory before it was to be annexed into the U.S., the series followed the residents of Deadwood, South Dakota, as they tried to make their fortune on nearby gold claims. Murder and deceit are common trades, especially when working for saloon owner Al Swearengen (Ian McShane). However, the arrival of ex-sheriff Seth Bullock (Timothy Olyphant) will shift the dynamics of the town.
Deadwood was a wholly unique Western, often evoking the spirit of a Shakespearean tragedy crossed with the savage violence of a Sam Peckinpah film. Historical moments were intertwined into the fiction of the series, allowing Western idols like Wild Bill Hickok (Keith Carradine) to have their stories told alongside original figures from the mind of Deadwood creator David Milch. Fans were gutted when the third season was announced to be its last, but closure eventually came in a 2019 HBO movie that provided some measure of closure for the beloved characters.
3
‘Six Feet Under’ (2001–2005)
Six Feet Under followed the Fisher family as they owned and operated a small funeral home in Los Angeles. When the family patriarch, Nathaniel Fisher (Richard Jenkins), dies in a tragic accident, grief is compounded by stress regarding the future of the business. With the oldest child, Nate (Peter Krause), returning home after a long absence, the family will begin to heal wounds new and old.
Of all the great dramedies on HBO, no better series walked the line of comedy and drama than Six Feet Under. It was a series that promoted the importance of celebrating life as much as it found solace in mourning those who were lost. This allowed for a tone that could be funny and tragic at the same time, and performances from Michael C. Hall as the closeted gay son David, and Frances Conroy as the newly widowed Ruth were instrumental in finding the beats for both. Six Feet Under developed a strong following during its five-season run, ending its contemplative look at the meaning of existence with the greatest series finale ever made.
2
‘The Wire’ (2002–2008)
An underrated masterpiece that eventually found its audience, The Wire is one of the finest dramas to air on HBO. The series initially follows a police task force created to investigate a mysterious drug kingpin who was responsible for the death of a witness in a murder case. Each subsequent season would explore a different aspect of Baltimore through the eyes of the criminals and law enforcement who called it home.
The Wire is the type of show that could only exist on a network like HBO. It was never a ratings powerhouse, but on HBO, The Wire had the freedom to grow and experiment while telling a story that is epic in scope. Rarely did a character feel false; sometimes, even worse, they felt altogether too real, and their struggles with addiction or poverty weren’t solved by happy endings that primarily exist on the page. The Wire never talked down to its audience, and that faith in the viewer was rewarded by a legion of fans who now recognize it as one of the most important dramas of the 21st century.
1
‘The Sopranos’ (1999–2007)
The Sopranos was not only the greatest drama HBO ever produced, but it was also a game-changing series that revolutionized the future of scripted television. The series followed James Gandolfini in a mesmerizing performance as Tony Soprano, a high-ranking boss in the New Jersey mafia. When the stress of his responsibilities as a family man and hardened criminal becomes overwhelming, Tony reluctantly attends therapy to find the root of his unhappiness.
A modern American tragedy with an organized crime twist, The Sopranos was the hit HBO needed to establish itself as more than a movie channel. While The Sopranos is most remembered as a mafia crime drama, it’s the other strand of the show’s DNA, the family drama, that humanizes Tony with relatable struggles the viewer can connect to. Some shows coast on nostalgia, unable to withstand scrutiny from the audience decades later, but the complexity of the writing and the brilliant acting in The Sopranos are timeless efforts, and will remain so long into the future.
