HBO Top Shows, a list by Idyllwilde

91

/17730/

86

/2529/

95

/149/

96

91

/95/

age 18+

Told from the points of view of both the Baltimore homicide and narcotics detectives and their targets, the series captures a universe in which the national war on drugs has become a permanent, self-sustaining bureaucracy, and distinctions between good and evil are routinely obliterated.

91

9.4

/583988/

91

/18794/

85

/3970/

4.7

/204891/

94

/34/

97

87

/28/

age 16+

Drawn from interviews with survivors of Easy Company, as well as their journals and letters, Band of Brothers chronicles the experiences of these men from paratrooper training in Georgia through the end of the war. As an elite rifle company parachuting into Normandy early on D-Day morning, participants in the Battle of the Bulge, and witness to the horrors of war, the men of Easy knew extraordinary bravery and extraordinary fear - and became the stuff of legend. Based on Stephen E. Ambrose's acclaimed book of the same name.

91

IMDb 36

9.2

/561224/

91

/18465/

86

/3234/

92

/176/

96

94

/93/

age 17+

The story of New Jersey-based Italian-American mobster Tony Soprano and the difficulties he faces as he tries to balance the conflicting requirements of his home life and the criminal organization he heads. Those difficulties are often highlighted through his ongoing professional relationship with psychiatrist Jennifer Melfi. The show features Tony's family members and Mafia associates in prominent roles and story arcs, most notably his wife Carmela and his cousin and protégé Christopher Moltisanti.

90

IMDb 90

9.3

/1004695/

90

/34377/

86

/7422/

4.6

/632783/

95

/102/

97

82

/27/

3.5

age 16+

The true story of one of the worst man-made catastrophes in history: the catastrophic nuclear accident at Chernobyl. A tale of the brave men and women who sacrificed to save Europe from unimaginable disaster.

89

8.6

/33943/

86

/2236/

85

/350/

4.5

/41520/

100

/22/

96

84

/6/

age 16+

When a deep space freighter is damaged by a solar flare its surviving crew are stranded on a beautiful and unforgiving planet. They begin to learn the true nature of this planet as they try to survive long enough to escape or be rescued.

88

8.7

/16665/

84

/965/

81

/124/

100

/46/

91

90

/20/

age 16+

In a uniquely hilarious odyssey of self-discovery and cultural observation, documentary filmmaker and self-described "anxious New Yorker" John Wilson covertly and obsessively films the lives of his fellow New Yorkers while attempting to give everyday advice on relatable topics. The awkward contradictions of modern life are eased by Wilson’s candid, unpolished commentary. Building upon Wilson’s previously released "how to" short films, each episode takes wildly unexpected turns but is grounded in John's refreshing honesty.

88

8.4

/190848/

81

/7618/

79

/1231/

4.2

/48803/

94

/87/

93

90

/40/

4.0

age 16+

After a night of partying with a female stranger, a man wakes up to find her stabbed to death and is charged with her murder.

87

IMDb 4

8.9

/96874/

87

/4559/

87

/370/

97

/116/

83

84

/56/

age 15+

The staff of Pittsburgh's Trauma Medical Center work around the clock to save lives in an overcrowded and underfunded emergency department.

87

8.5

/17780/

83

/1242/

84

/229/

100

/28/

91

80

/6/

age 14+

Former high school lab partners Marshall and Frances begin to unravel a conspiracy involving big pharma and the federal government to suppress knowledge of a rare mushroom that may hold the key to curing all the world’s diseases.

87

IMDb 12

9.2

/2525474/

88

/143666/

84

/26049/

89

/337/

85

86

/171/

age 18+

Seven noble families fight for control of the mythical land of Westeros. Friction between the houses leads to full-scale war. All while a very ancient evil awakens in the farthest north. Amidst the war, a neglected military order of misfits, the Night's Watch, is all that stands between the realms of men and icy horrors beyond.

87

IMDb 69

8.8

/343457/

86

/12001/

83

/1488/

95

/343/

88

86

/111/

age 16+

Follow the lives of the Roy family as they contemplate their future once their aging father begins to step back from the media and entertainment conglomerate they control.

87

8.6

/29991/

85

/1697/

78

/228/

92

/55/

95

age 16+

Hank and Dean Venture, with their father Doctor Venture and faithful bodyguard Brock Samson, go on wild adventures facing megalomaniacs, zombies, and suspicious ninjas, all for the glory of adventure. Or something like that.

87

8.6

/127045/

86

/5606/

81

/894/

92

/103/

95

85

/61/

age 18+

The story of the early days of Deadwood, South Dakota; woven around actual historic events with most of the main characters based on real people. Deadwood starts as a gold mining camp and gradually turns from a lawless wild-west community into an organized wild-west civilized town. The story focuses on the real-life characters Seth Bullock and Al Swearengen.

86

8.5

/35819/

82

/1954/

80

/237/

96

/103/

89

87

/45/

age 13+

With a construction crew, a legion of actors, and seemingly unlimited resources, Nathan Fielder allows ordinary people to prepare for life’s biggest moments by “rehearsing” them in carefully crafted simulations of his own design. When a single misstep could shatter your entire world, why leave life to chance?

86

8.3

/17914/

79

/648/

71

/72/

100

/76/

94

89

/26/

age 14+

Sam is a true Kansan on the surface but beneath it all struggles to fit the hometown mold. As she grapples with loss and acceptance, singing is Sam’s saving grace and leads her on a journey to discover herself and a community of outsiders that don’t fit in but don’t give up, showing that finding your people, and finding your voice, is possible. Anywhere. Somewhere.

86

8.4

/216579/

82

/7475/

82

/1576/

4.2

/129177/

95

/132/

94

81

/42/

age 16+

A detective in a small Pennsylvania town investigates a local murder while trying to keep her life from falling apart.

86

8.3

/29032/

80

/970/

76

/291/

4.2

/15656/

94

/62/

95

89

/34/

age 14+

A look at a seemingly placid New England town that is actually wrought with illicit affairs, crime and tragedy, all told through the lens of Olive, whose wicked wit and harsh demeanor mask a warm but troubled heart and staunch moral center. The story spans 25 years and focuses on Olive's relationships with her husband, Henry, the good-hearted and kindly town pharmacist; their son, Christopher, who resents his mother's approach to parenting; and other members of their community.

86

IMDb 61

9.0

/681963/

86

/36352/

86

/10592/

90

/247/

82

age 14+

Follows a sociopathic genius scientist who drags his inherently timid grandson on adventures across the universe.

86

8.3

/139365/

81

/7572/

79

/1070/

98

/241/

89

88

/86/

age 17+

A listless hitman is enthralled by theatre acting and becomes eager to leave his old life behind in pursuit of a new career.

86

8.5

/179508/

83

/17105/

81

/1830/

94

/186/

93

84

/79/

age 15+

In the high-tech gold rush of modern Silicon Valley, the people most qualified to succeed are the least capable of handling success. Partially inspired by Mike Judge’s own experiences as a Silicon Valley engineer in the late ‘80s, Silicon Valley is an American sitcom that centers around six programmers who are living together and trying to make it big in the Silicon Valley.

86

8.8

/164498/

85

/5827/

81

/876/

92

/258/

90

84

/130/

age 15+

The off-kilter, unscripted comic vision of Larry David, who plays himself in a parallel universe in which he can't seem to do anything right, and, by his standards, neither can anyone else.

86

8.6

/215962/

83

/9522/

80

/1196/

92

/227/

95

83

/85/

age 18+

Atlantic City at the dawn of Prohibition is a place where the rules don't apply. And the man who runs things -- legally and otherwise -- is the town's treasurer, Enoch "Nucky" Thompson, who is equal parts politician and gangster.

85

8.5

/69330/

82

/2386/

79

/377/

94

/55/

98

73

/25/

age 15+

The trials and tribulations of a two man, digi-folk band who have moved from New Zealand to New York City in the hope of forging a successful music career. So far they've managed to find a manager (whose "other" job is at the New Zealand Consulate), one fan (a married obsessive) and one friend (who owns the local pawn shop) -- but not much else.

85

8.7

/115442/

85

/3541/

80

/802/

93

/49/

94

73

/19/

The daily lives of prisoners in Emerald City, an experimental unit of the Oswald Maximum Security Prison where ingroups - Muslims, Latinos, Italians, Aryans - stick close to their mutual friends and terrorize their mutual enemies.

84

8.6

/226551/

84

/8177/

83

/1191/

4.5

/233852/

95

/115/

85

72

/41/

age 15+

With the city in peril following the seawall's collapse, Oswald "Oz" Cobb seeks to fill the power vacuum left by the death of Carmine Falcone and finally give his mother Francis the life he's always promised. But first, Oz must confront his enemies and his own demoralizing reputation as "the Penguin."

84

8.5

/27066/

83

/1640/

85

/354/

4.4

/77909/

age 15+

Smiling Friends Inc. is a small company whose main purpose is to bring happiness and make people smile. The series follows the day-to-day lives and misadventures of its representatives, the lazy, cynical Charlie, and the cheerful, optimistic Pim, as they try to cheer up and comfort the troubled people who call their company's hotline. They receive seemingly simple requests but the jobs turn out to be more complicated than they seem, making it difficult to bring happiness to the world.

84

8.4

/63686/

83

/2707/

79

/480/

4.3

/15828/

86

/42/

93

80

/27/

The first 40 days of the war in Iraq as seen through the eyes of an elite group of U.S. Marines who spearheaded the invasion along with an embedded Rolling Stone reporter. A vivid account of the soldiers and of the forces that guided them in an often-improvised initiative.

84

8.3

/16792/

82

/936/

76

/146/

97

/97/

86

85

/63/

age 16+

Tremé takes its name from a neighborhood of New Orleans and portrays life in the aftermath of the 2005 hurricane. Beginning three months after Hurricane Katrina, the residents of New Orleans, including musicians, chefs, Mardi Gras Indians, and other New Orleanians struggle to rebuild their lives, their homes and their unique culture.

84

8.4

/70545/

82

/5334/

74

/496/

93

/251/

90

82

/115/

age 16+

A look into American politics, revolving around former Senator Selina Meyer who finds being Vice President of the United States is nothing like she expected and everything everyone ever warned her about.

84

8.3

/63120/

79

/1877/

78

/399/

88

/86/

94

83

/50/

age 15+

Andy Millman gave up his day job five years ago in the hope of achieving the big time, but he’s yet to land a speaking part, let alone saunter down the red carpet to pick up an Oscar. He remains optimistic however, as rubbing shoulders with the A-list on-set only serves to reinforce his belief that the big time is just a job or two away.

86

84

8.5

/5898/

80

/311/

77

/73/

4.2

/1356/

100

/14/

88

90

/21/

The Corner presents the world of Fayette Street using real names and real events. The miniseries tells the true story of men, women and children living amid the open-air drug markets of West Baltimore. It chronicles a year in the lives of 15-year-old DeAndre McCullough, his mother Fran Boyd, and his father Gary McCullough, as well as other addicts and low-level drug dealers caught up in the twin-engine economy of heroin and cocaine.

84

8.3

/142036/

83

/6579/

77

/2457/

4.2

/47055/

89

/46/

91

86

/32/

Track the intertwined real-life stories of three U.S. Marines – Robert Leckie, John Basilone, and Eugene Sledge – across the vast canvas of the Pacific Theater during World War II. A companion piece to the 2001 miniseries Band of Brothers.

84

8.7

/201249/

85

/7514/

82

/1418/

86

/64/

96

70

/43/

age 18+

A down-to-earth account of the lives of both illustrious and ordinary Romans set in the last days of the Roman Republic.

83

IMDb 26

8.0

/311572/

78

/10442/

76

/1268/

90

/309/

77

80

/125/

4.0

age 16+

Follow the exploits of various guests and employees at an exclusive tropical resort over the span of a week as with each passing day, a darker complexity emerges in these picture-perfect travelers, the hotel’s cheerful employees and the idyllic locale itself.

84

83

8.4

/11602/

81

/413/

74

/92/

100

/27/

83

/7/

age 15+

The Kids in the Hall is a Canadian sketch comedy group formed in 1984, consisting of comedians Dave Foley, Kevin McDonald, Bruce McCulloch, Mark McKinney, and Scott Thompson.

83

8.6

/57872/

82

/2280/

79

/494/

4.3

/35167/

90

/80/

91

73

/44/

Robert Durst, scion of NY's billionaire real-estate family, has been accused of three murders but has evaded justice for over 30 years. Durst speaks in this true crime series, revealing secrets of a case that has baffled authorities.

83

8.7

/165030/

85

/6305/

81

/1054/

81

/119/

95

74

/31/

age 15+

When death is your business, what is your life? For the Fisher family, the world outside of their family-owned funeral home continues to be at least as challenging as—and far less predictable than—the one inside.

83

8.1

/34793/

78

/1851/

76

/393/

93

/144/

86

85

/54/

age 18+

The story of the legalization and subsequent rise of the porn industry in New York’s Times Square from the early ’70s through the mid ’80s, exploring the rough-and-tumble world that existed there until the rise of HIV, the violence of the cocaine epidemic and the renewed real estate market ended the bawdy turbulence of the area.

83

8.2

/17376/

80

/811/

77

/201/

4.1

/6947/

92

/73/

93

78

/24/

age 15+

Halifax, West Yorkshire, England, 1832. Anne Lister attempts to revitalize her inherited home, Shibden Hall. Most notably for the time period, a part of her plan is to help the fate of her own family - by taking a wife.

83

8.5

/16019/

80

/574/

77

/98/

4.0

/6286/

100

/25/

91

76

/12/

3.0

A four-part documentary series that tells the stories of Jimmy Iovine and Dr. Dre -- one the son of a Brooklyn longshoreman, the other straight out of Compton - -- and their improbable partnership and surprising leading roles in a series of transformative events in contemporary culture.

83

8.4

/241867/

81

/8359/

79

/1629/

4.3

/171085/

89

/230/

89

78

/78/

3.5

age 16+

The tale of three mothers of first graders whose apparently perfect lives unravel to the point of murder.

84

83

8.5

/10031/

77

/412/

77

/86/

100

/58/

72

95

/69/

age 15+

Comic Garry Shandling draws upon his own talk show experiences to create the character of Larry Sanders, a paranoid, insecure host of a late night talk show. Larry, along with his obsequious TV sidekick Hank Kingsley and his fiercely protective producer Artie, allows Garry Shandling and his talented writers to look behind the scenes and to show us a convincing slice of behind the camera life.

82

8.1

/31435/

77

/561/

75

/243/

4.3

/21903/

91

/32/

90

Follow six New Yorkers whose lives intersect amidst the AIDS crisis and the rapidly changing socio-political climate of 1985.

82

8.3

/127513/

81

/8983/

76

/1133/

91

/153/

90

76

/81/

age 17+

When 2% of the world's population abruptly disappears without explanation, the world struggles to understand just what they're supposed to do about it. This is the story of the people who didn't make the cut.

82

8.1

/24444/

80

/1328/

72

/213/

97

/187/

82

84

/69/

age 16+

Follows the awkward experiences and racy tribulations of a modern-day African-American woman.

82

8.0

/134803/

79

/5590/

77

/1000/

4.3

/160495/

92

/128/

83

78

/41/

3.5

age 16+

Reporter Camille Preaker confronts the psychological demons from her past when she returns to her hometown to investigate the murders of two young girls.

85

82

8.1

/5260/

76

/303/

76

/56/

100

/5/

93

age 15+

Black Dynamite is an American animated television series based on the 2009 film of the same name, although the series follows a separate continuity, with some back-references to the film. The series was announced shortly after the release of the film, the 10-minute pilot episode was released on Adult Swim Video on August 8, 2011, and the full series premiered on Cartoon Network's late night programming block, Adult Swim, on July 15, 2012. Michael Jai White, Byron Minns, Tommy Davidson and Kym Whitley reprise their film roles as Black Dynamite, Bullhorn, Cream Corn and Honeybee, respectively.

86

81

8.3

/4417/

78

/208/

80

/41/

4.0

/8121/

100

/21/

92

85

/7/