The 10 Best HBO Shows Released Since 1990, Ranked

While many associate the birth of the 21st century with the origin of television’s reign as a prestige form of entertainment drama, the medium really began to showcase its appetite for more daring and boundary-pushing stories as far back as the early 1990s. It should come as a surprise to absolutely no one who loves TV to learn that HBO has been a major source of A-grade small-screen drama in the 36 years since the start of the ‘90s.

To select just 10 shows that stand as the premium cable network’s best in that time is no simple task, and it has seen some defining productions miss out, like the pioneering prison drama Oz and the infectious comedy favorite Curb Your Enthusiasm. The titles that have made the cut truly epitomize HBO at its absolute best.

10

‘Veep’ (2012–2019)

As far as outright comedy goes, HBO has never reached greater heights than it has with Veep. Created by ingenious political satirist Armando Iannucci—the man behind The Death of Stalin and I’m Alan Partridge—the series delivers an acidic and barbed look at the inner workings of the White House as it follows Selina Meyer (Julia Louis-Dreyfus), the newly appointed Vice President of the United States, as she uses her new station to try to cement her political legacy while handling the litany of issues that arise in her professional and personal life.

A marvelous procession of rapid-fire, profanity-laden poetry and illusion-shattering cynicism that cuts to the fragile egotism and reckless amorality that resides behind the all-American charm many politicians present, Veep is a masterclass in cutthroat comedy. Also buoyed by Louis-Dreyfus’ incredible lead performance that saw her win six consecutive Primetime Emmy Awards, Veep is seven seasons of scorching satire that, despite its many accolades, still stands as one of HBO’s more underrated triumphs.

9

‘Six Feet Under’ (2001–2006)

While HBO has enjoyed an abundance of success over the past 36 years, the 2000s mark a defining decade for the network, one that produced plenty of revered classics as well as a handful of underappreciated gems. Six Feet Under falls into the latter of the two categories, with the five-season series never truly finding the widespread acclaim it deserved despite its masterful balance of black comedy, family drama, and spiritual surrealism garnering more attention retrospectively.

Following the highly dysfunctional Fisher family as they manage a funeral home while dealing with their own individual life issues, Six Feet Under explores everything from sexuality to depression with the profound depth granted to it by the story always being within touching distance of death, mortality, and grief. Complimented by its exceptional cast and a finale that still stands tall among the best the medium has ever seen, Six Feet Under is a hidden gem of HBO dramedy.

8

‘Game of Thrones’ (2011–2019)

HBO has always been at the forefront of new evolutions in television, especially throughout the 21st century. However, the network may have outdone even itself with Game of Thrones, with the epic medieval fantasy series shining as the grandest, most awe-inspiring production the medium has ever seen, and is ever likely to see. Based on George R. R. Martin’s “A Song of Ice and Fire” novel series, it unfolds in Westeros as several powerful houses enter into a brutal and treacherous war for power while a long-forgotten evil threatens to return from the North.

Much has been said about the pitfalls of its later seasons, but it remains true that when Game of Thrones was operating at its best, it was the best drama television has ever seen. Its violent and fiercely unpredictable plotting made every episode a nauseating yet addictively unmissable spectacle, while the sheer magnitude of its ambition was impressively matched by the brilliance of its ensemble cast and the stunning, immersive capabilities of its production team.

7

‘Deadwood’ (2004–2006)

Of all the strengths that have served as essential pillars of HBO brilliance throughout its domination of television excellence, few are as remarkable as the network’s commitment to production value. A litany of period pieces are perhaps the greatest testaments to this, with few being as enrapturing as Deadwood. Even with the series being abruptly canceled after Season 3, the Western drama remains one of 21st-century television’s defining feats, an immersive descent into the mud-soaked depravity of 1870s America as a mining boom sees masses of people swarm to the South Dakotan town of Deadwood.

Bereft of the starry-eyed romanticism that so often permeates Hollywood productions exploring the Old West, Deadwood prides itself on its callous morality and confronting realism. David Milch’s writing is a feature as well, with his striking dialogue of poetic profanity mixing beautifully with his assembly of layered, morally ambiguous characters whose complex journeys serve as a sociological exploration of how civilization is born from ruthless ambition and lawless chaos.

6

‘Succession’ (2018–2023)

Marking what is easy to regard as HBO’s marquee title of the past decade, Succession delivers a slicing look at elitism, corporate culture, and inherited wealth that strikes an invigorating balance between ferocious satire and Shakespearean tragedy. Loosely inspired by “King Lear,” it unfolds as the aging founder and CEO of Waystar RoyCo.—a multimedia conglomerate with global influence that is worth billions—signals his intent to step down, leading to a volatile and barbed rivalry between his children as they each strive to prove themselves as the best candidate to succeed him.

The series’ ability to juggle profound and complex human drama with outrageous hysterics that lampoon the rich and powerful is astonishing, with the tonal shifts never once feeling jarring. Everything from Jesse Armstrong’s resolute command of the series to the ensemble of engrossing performances, the visceral, handheld intensity of the camerawork, and even the pervasive sense of ambition and self-destruction contributes, making Succession both hilarious and heart-stopping, as well as one of the most addictive series television has ever seen.

Collider Exclusive · Villain Personality Quiz
Which Criminal Mastermind Would Be Your Nemesis?
Lecter · Joker · Moriarty · Chigurh

Four of the finest criminal minds ever put on screen. One of them would look at you and see something worth their time. Eight questions decide which one comes for you, why they picked you, and what they would want when they arrived.

Lecter

Joker

Moriarty

Chigurh

MEET YOUR NEMESIS →

01

What would a criminal mastermind notice about you first?
Great villains choose their opponents carefully. Something about you got their attention.

AMy manners, and everything I am careful not to say.
BThat I still believe people are basically decent.
CThat I am clever, and quietly enjoy proving it.
DThat I handle things myself, and always have.

NEXT QUESTION →

02

How do they make first contact?
The introduction tells you everything about what is coming next.

AA polite letter. Beautiful handwriting. Quietly wrong.
BSomething on fire, with a message left beside it.
CA puzzle, left where only I would look.
DNo contact. Just the aftermath, and a coin.

NEXT QUESTION →

03

What do you actually believe about right and wrong?
Every nemesis is really an argument about the thing you believe most.

AThere are lines. Mine are private and absolute.
BRules are the only thing keeping us from being animals.
CMorality is a system, and systems can be solved.
DThings happen. Most of it was never up to me.

NEXT QUESTION →

04

What finally gets under your skin?
Everybody has a pressure point. Finding yours is the whole plan.

ABeing seen clearly by somebody I cannot read.
BWatching good people do something ugly.
CLosing to someone who was simply better prepared.
DHaving no move left that changes anything.

NEXT QUESTION →

05

They have made their move. How do you fight back?
This is the part of the film where the audience finds out who you are.

ACarefully, and never where they expect to be touched.
BLoudly. I would rather lose than play their game.
CWith a better plan. I can out-think this.
DDirectly, once, with whatever is closest to hand.

NEXT QUESTION →

06

What would they use against you?
A good villain never brings a weapon you have not already handed them.

AMy privacy. I have kept far too much to myself.
BMy conscience. I will not cross the line they want.
CMy ego. I cannot resist a worthy opponent.
DMy certainty that I can handle it alone.

NEXT QUESTION →

07

What do they actually want from you?
The money is never the point. Something else always is.

ATo understand me better than anyone ever has.
BTo prove I am no better than they are.
CTo finally be beaten by someone worth the trouble.
DNothing at all. I stepped into the wrong path.

NEXT QUESTION →

08

How does it end between the two of you?
Eight questions in, this is the one that decides who comes for you.

AA conversation I will be replaying for years.
BA choice forced on me that has no clean answer.
COne final move, and the better mind wins.
DA coin in the air, and nothing I can say.

REVEAL MY NEMESIS →

The Case File Is Complete
Your Nemesis Is…

Four criminal masterminds. One of them was always going to be yours.
Here is who comes for you, why they picked you out of everyone available, and what they want from
the encounter.

The Silence of the Lambs · Hannibal · 1991–2002

Hannibal Lecter

Your nemesis does not want to beat you. He wants to know you
completely, and he is patient enough to wait for it. The frightening part is how good the
conversation is.

• Lecter is the most dangerous kind of opponent: the one who finds you interesting. He
  never raises his voice, because he has never needed to.
• You keep a great deal to yourself and you are careful about what you show. That reserve
  is exactly the door he would knock on.
• The films understood something other thrillers missed. The horror is not the violence.
  It is being perfectly understood by the wrong person.
• He would be unfailingly polite about all of it. That is the worst part.

Batman · The Dark Knight · 1989–2019

The Joker

Your nemesis is not after money, territory or revenge. He is
after a demonstration, and you are the person he has chosen to prove his point on.

• The Joker only picks opponents who believe in something. Your decency is not a defence
  against him. It is the entire reason he showed up.
• He has no plan you can predict and nothing you can take away, which removes every tool
  you would normally reach for.
• His whole argument is that you are one bad day away from being him, and you would spend
  the rest of your life proving him wrong.
• He would call it a magic trick. You would call it the worst night of your life.

Sherlock Holmes · The Final Problem · Since 1893

Moriarty

Your nemesis respects you, which sounds flattering until you work
out what it means. He chose you because nobody else was worth his time.

• Moriarty is the original criminal mastermind, the template every later one borrows from:
  a mind the equal of the hero’s, pointed the wrong way.
• You enjoy being the cleverest person in the room. He is counting on exactly that, and he
  has already built the room.
• This is the rare nemesis who would be genuinely disappointed if you lost badly. He needs
  the game to be worth playing.
• It ends the way these things always end. Two people, one problem, and only one way down.

No Country for Old Men · 2007

Anton Chigurh

Your nemesis has no personal interest in you whatsoever, and that
is precisely what makes him unsurvivable. You are not a rival. You are a stop on the way.

• Chigurh does not negotiate, gloat or explain. He arrives, he asks one question, and the
  answer was decided long before you opened your mouth.
• You trust yourself to handle things. He is the one problem in the world that has no
  interest in how capable you are.
• No Country for Old Men rewrote the screen villain by removing the thing audiences
  quietly rely on: the sense that talking might work.
• Call it. He will wait.

↻ RETAKE THE QUIZ

5

‘The Leftovers’ (2014–2017)

Amid a catalog laced with medium-defining classics, HBO has also released plenty of underrated shows. None are as overlooked as The Leftovers. It transpires in a world devastated by the “Sudden Departure,” an inexplicable event in which two percent of humanity vanished without a trace. Years later, those who remain still struggle to adjust, especially as frictions begin to emerge between those who want to live normal lives and extremist cult groups that believe the Sudden Departure must be remembered.

While its premise smacks of post-apocalyptic angst and high-octane mystery suspense, The Leftovers thrives more as a meditative drama, one that explores how deeply flawed characters navigate grief, loss, and turmoil with incisive nuance and total empathy. With profound delicacy, the series excels as a masterclass in immersive character study, one beautifully bolstered by Max Richter’s gentle yet piercing score, a litany of outstanding performances, and co-creators Damon Lindelof and Tom Perrotta’s patient, commanding control over the tone and tempo of the story.

4

‘Chernobyl’ (2019)

In addition to producing a plethora of iconic, long-running series that have reshaped the medium, HBO has also been behind some of the greatest miniseries of all time. Chief among them, in recent years particularly, is 2019’s grueling historical drama Chernobyl, with the five-part release dissecting the aftermath of the 1986 Chernobyl nuclear power plant disaster, from the horrific experiences of the first responders to the extensive efforts to contain the radioactive fallout, political efforts to conceal the gravitas of the situation, and the ensuing court proceedings that exposed the shocking truth to the world.

More than just an accurate recreation of events, Chernobyl thrusts viewers into a frenzied, sickening panic of the catastrophe, making the invisible threat of radiation a nightmarish, ever-present dread and capturing the hostile sociopolitical paranoia of life in the Soviet Union. Every episode is a masterpiece of television tension and period drama, with every aspect from the performances to the direction, cinematography, sound design, score, and production working perfectly in tandem to conjure one of the most frightful and unforgettable achievements television has ever seen.

3

‘Band of Brothers’ (2001)

From the best miniseries of the modern era to the best miniseries ever made, Band of Brothers was years ahead of its time as both a gripping and confronting television drama and an awe-inspiring feat of production. Focusing on the soldiers of Easy Company, the 10-part limited series immerses viewers in the brutality of WWII, following the unit from their training regime, through the many battlefields they fight on in the European Theater of the war, and to their tense presence in Austria following Germany’s surrender.

With its gravitas compounded by interviews with the real-life soldiers being depicted, Band of Brothers remains the greatest war drama television has ever seen as well as the finest descent into WWII Hollywood has produced. It masterfully finds the perfect balance between showcasing the nerve-rattling horrors of combat and capturing the sense of camaraderie and humanity the soldiers found in one another. Anchored by its strong performances, brilliant production, and Tom Hanks and Steven Spielberg’s creative input, Band of Brothers defines the miniseries format at its mightiest and most memorable.

2

‘The Sopranos’ (1999–2007)

It is impossible to discuss greatness in television and the legacy of HBO without recognizing the brilliance and impact of The Sopranos. Pioneering a new age of serialized drama in the medium, the series’ bold six-season stretch revolves around the evolving life of Tony Soprano (James Gandolfini), a New Jersey mob boss torn between tradition and a dawning new world who starts seeing a therapist in secret when the turmoil of his personal life and professional anxieties lead to a series of panic attacks.

It is difficult to determine if The Sopranos should be celebrated more for its unrelenting perfection or the ways it revolutionized television drama as a whole. Buoyed by creator and showrunner David Chase’s masterful storytelling and the incredible performances of the ensemble cast, The Sopranos stands, even today, as one of the best and most consistently brilliant series television has ever seen. It was also instrumental in establishing prestige drama in the form as we know it today, not only with its continuous, evolving arc, but with its boundary-pushing appetite for graphic material and complex protagonism as well. It is nothing short of a groundbreaking triumph that will be remembered for many years to come as television’s most important series.

1

‘The Wire’ (2002–2008)

It was somewhat overlooked as it was airing, but the ensuing years and a wave of retrospective praise have seen The Wire earn its spot as one of the greatest TV shows of all time. The gripping crime epic is enshrined in HBO’s finest ever achievements as well, with its five-season stretch functioning as an all-encompassing visual novel of sorts that explores Baltimore’s organized crime and legal ecosystem, ranging from the street-level dealers to the drug kingpins, from specialized police task forces to the political responsibilities of the commissioner, and from the city-shaping decisions of city hall to the debilitating struggle of the education system.

Created by veteran crime reporter David Simon with help from retired Baltimore detective Ed Burns, the series is laced with a visceral sense of realism, one that grapples with the moral and bureaucratic obstacles of police work and the brutal code of the streets while still extending empathy and humanity to every single one of its characters. More than an ordinary crime thriller, The Wire is a dissection of how and why crime thrives in modern America, a scathing indictment of the failure of institutions that society’s most vulnerable people depend upon, and the single most important and exceptional series ever made.

The Wire

Release Date

2002 – 2008-00-00

Network

HBO

Directors

Ernest R. Dickerson, Ed Bianchi, Steve Shill, Clark Johnson, Daniel Attias, Agnieszka Holland, Tim Van Patten, Alex Zakrzewski, Anthony Hemingway, Brad Anderson, Clement Virgo, Elodie Keene, Peter Medak, Rob Bailey, Seith Mann, Christine Moore, David Platt, Dominic West, Gloria Muzio, Jim McKay, Leslie Libman, Milcho Manchevski, Robert F. Colesberry, Thomas J. Wright