What are the best shows on HBO?

[bring back the jets]

Yeah if you haven't watched the wire, watch the wire. I can't remember the name of the guy he played on The Night Of but the black guy that takes the main dude under is wing is known best for his role on the wire. He's just one of many insanely awesome characters on that show.

 

[The Crypto Guy]

Season 3 was ridiculously good. First couple seasons were as well but the final season was phenomenal.

I loved all 3 seasons but i thought the 2nd season was one of the best seasons of TV i ever saw.

 

[Daisy Jane]

Im on season 4/5 of the wire. God damn what was I doing with my life before this ?

not watching the Wire
i'm taking it's v. good.

 

[Blender]

Controversial opinion: The Wire is overrated. It's a great show, but not as good as the hype suggests.

 

[Shareefruck]

I feel that most critically acclaimed TV dramas these days are overrated, with The Wire being one of the few exceptions, personally.

It just feels like most of them function in the same shallow and repetitive way. Pick a vaguely heady premise that seems fresh and informs the setting but doesn't ACTUALLY drive the appeal of the show, which is just the same as every other show... introduce likeable characters that have some goal that constantly puts them in danger.... watch them repeatedly figure out bad-*ss ways to dig themselves out of that danger by the skin of their teeth.... expect audiences to root for the characters and wonder who's going to survive/die..... and with the main draw being the ability to pay-off carefully built up unexpected plot twists, hinted at reveals, and shocking deaths that happen toward the end of the season. It ends up feeling like all the ideas and substance are just a giant excuse used to generate cheap thrills.

Westworld... Game of Thrones... Breaking Bad... Mr. Robot... They all seem more interested in addicting viewers by efficiently executing that rollercoaster rather than exploring their themes organically. Now it seems like Marvel's learning to cash in on the same formula and critics all seem to go for it.

The formula is compulsively watchable, but it's so... stale, uninteresting, and neutered. I think that shows like The Wire and Deadwood are better at avoiding those trappings and actually being purely about what they're supposed to be about, without all the gimmicks and teasers thrown in to keep you superficially engaged.

 

[CBJx614]

Pretty much what everyone else has said.

GoT
Westworld
Silicon valley
The wire
Ballers-if you like football, the show usually hits on whatever topics are hot in football. Concussions, drug abuse, getting a bunch of money, blowing a bunch of money on shitty investments, strained friendships, life after football, Vegas getting a team, cannabis and how it gets an unnecessary bad rep in the NFL

Band of Brothers and The pacific are musts if you like ww2 movies or history

It's probably harder to find a bad show then it is a good one on HBO.

 

[RayP]

How can you leave Six Feet Under off your list?!

I'm so disappointed in you, Blender

I have this weird thing where I want to get into that show and love it, but every time I sit down and actually try and watch it.... I'm just bored to tears. It's an annoying cycle I go through constantly trying to get into it.

 

[Soliloquy of a Dogge]

I have this weird thing where I want to get into that show and love it, but every time I sit down and actually try and watch it.... I'm just bored to tears. It's an annoying cycle I go through constantly trying to get into it.

Yeah, that's understandable. The two shows I've had the toughest time getting buddies to slog through are SFU's first couple seasons and Season 2 of The Wire.

In terms of dramas, it's pretty unconventional and stands alone in its quirkiness (sometimes too quirky for its own good)... combine that with the morose subject matter it takes on and I can see how it's not for everyone. In hindsight, I can look back and say the first season was one of the show's best but it wasn't until the first couple episodes of the 2nd season the show, and its characters, clicked with me and started to resonate.

 

[Shareefruck]

I have this weird thing where I want to get into that show and love it, but every time I sit down and actually try and watch it.... I'm just bored to tears. It's an annoying cycle I go through constantly trying to get into it.

I'm the same way with TV dramas and the more serious movies. It's because we've all got conditioned ADD. Feels like virtually everything worth a damn challenges that ADD, and virtually everything that isn't worth a damn is designed to feed that ADD and be easily consumable/addictive. As a result, I end up procrastinating with the stuff that I actually want to get into and see value in, and trying ****y things like Superhero movies and instantly regretting it.

Virtually every instance where I've been blown away by the rewards of something have involved pushing through that barrier, though (w/ only a few exceptions).

 

[Devilsfan92]

Agreed with a lot of the posted above, can’t really go wrong with much of HBO.

Highly recommend The Leftovers, it’s serverly underrated, incredible show on all levels.

I’d also recommend their new show The Deuce, same people that made The Wire.

 

[Oiffub]

not watching the Wire
i'm taking it's v. good.

I started late on both of the latest mega shows (Game of Thrones/Breaking Bad). And really only watched them due to to the ridiculous amount of acclaim and friend recommendations. Both lie atop my favorite tv shows of all time, but neither of them delivered to the unreasonable scale of hype they led me on to believe.

The Wire, on the other hand, blew any expectations I had out of the water. After finishing the 1st Story Arc/Season I knew this show was something special. Shareefruck put it best when he says the writers break the mould of traditional TV dramas we've come accustomed to, and it's delivered in a ridiculously well crafted and enjoyable fashion. And I hope I'm not to spoilery mentioning this, but the 2nd season throws a big curve ball story-wise, and half way through that season I wondered if once again I found a show that was a little too hyped. But, yet again, come the end of the season/arc I had my socks thoroughly knocked off; and I'm currently at the final stages of my series binge, watching episodes at a snail pace to savour whats left

 

[Blender]

I’d also recommend their new show The Deuce, same people that made The Wire.

I really didn't care for The Deuce and didn't even make it through season 1. It had high production values, but I didn't find it compelling or engaging at all.

 

[Dolemite]

Ever?

In no order.

Larry Sanders Show
The Wire
Vice News Tonight (best evening news show on TV. Period.)
The Sopranos
Game of Thrones
Six Feet Under
Westworld

 

[sobrien]

As mentioned, you can't really go wrong on HBO. The best TV of the last 20 years has come mostly from HBO and AMC.

Personally, I think Band of Brothers is the greatest thing to ever grace a TV screen. It's a must experience.

 

[Voight]

Oz is old but still great.

 

[ArGarBarGar]

I feel that most critically acclaimed TV dramas these days are overrated, with The Wire being one of the few exceptions, personally.

It just feels like most of them function in the same shallow and repetitive way. Pick a vaguely heady premise that seems fresh and informs the setting but doesn't ACTUALLY drive the appeal of the show, which is just the same as every other show... introduce likeable characters that have some goal that constantly puts them in danger.... watch them repeatedly figure out bad-*ss ways to dig themselves out of that danger by the skin of their teeth.... expect audiences to root for the characters and wonder who's going to survive/die..... and with the main draw being the ability to pay-off carefully built up unexpected plot twists, hinted at reveals, and shocking deaths that happen toward the end of the season. It ends up feeling like all the ideas and substance are just a giant excuse used to generate cheap thrills.

Westworld... Game of Thrones... Breaking Bad... Mr. Robot... They all seem more interested in addicting viewers by efficiently executing that rollercoaster rather than exploring their themes organically. Now it seems like Marvel's learning to cash in on the same formula and critics all seem to go for it.

The formula is compulsively watchable, but it's so... stale, uninteresting, and neutered. I think that shows like The Wire and Deadwood are better at avoiding those trappings and actually being purely about what they're supposed to be about, without all the gimmicks and teasers thrown in to keep you superficially engaged.

I don't think Westworld applies to what you are talking about at all. Maeve is probably the only one who utilizes "badass" ways to dig herself out of problems, but it is also demonstrated the game has been rigged in her favor the whole time, and the majority of her arc is predetermined until the final moment.

Hell, most people predicted the majority of "twists" in the first season, but those twists still hit because of the lead up to the eventual reveal. The twists didn't drive the story. In fact the twists gave me another appreciation for the events that led up to them.

 

[McGhostbuster]

As mentioned, you can't really go wrong on HBO. The best TV of the last 20 years has come mostly from HBO and AMC.

FX has been better than AMC and even comparable to HBO in the last few years.

 

[TheAngryHank]

If you need a laugh ,Eastbound and down.

 

[Powerslave]

The Sopranos
The Wire
Deadwood
OZ
Six Feet Under

In my opinion, those are head and shoulders above others. The ones you could go back to in 50 years and they will still be as great.

The Sopranos is by far my favourite. Most lovable characters even tho some of them are monsters.

Can't go wrong with any of these. GoT can't even come close when it comes to overall quality.

 

[Shareefruck]

I don't think Westworld applies to what you are talking about at all. Maeve is probably the only one who utilizes "badass" ways to dig herself out of problems, but it is also demonstrated the game has been rigged in her favor the whole time, and the majority of her arc is predetermined until the final moment.

Hell, most people predicted the majority of "twists" in the first season, but those twists still hit because of the lead up to the eventual reveal. The twists didn't drive the story. In fact the twists gave me another appreciation for the events that led up to them.

Isn't that what all twists are meant to do? To me, it seems like a major part of the appeal of Westworld is making you wonder what is happening, what the payoff is going to be, grabbing you with intrigue, making you root for characters to get out of a bad situation, and as things start to be revealed, going back to connect the dots, and going "Oooh, so THAT'S what was happening."

It may not be as big of an offender as Breaking Bad or GOT, but I would still put it in that camp, personally. It's a typical buildup->cliff-hanger->payoff addictive-drama vehicle first, and an exploration of its ideas a distant second.

 

[ArGarBarGar]

Isn't that what all twists do? To me, it seems like a major part of the appeal of Westworld is making you wonder what is happening, what the payoff is going to be, and once that's revealed, going back to connect the dots, and going "Oooh, so THAT'S what was happening."

It may not be as big of an offender as Breaking Bad or GOT, but I would still put it in that camp, personally. It's a typical buildup->cliff-hanger->payoff addictive-drama vehicle first, and an exploration of its ideas a distant second.

I don't put it in the same category because I personally knew about all the potential theories, particularly the major one about the man in black. Even knowing the twist was a possibility I did not feel like I lost out on anything while watching. Basically my contention is the show didn't seem to rely on a twist to be enjoyable. I have seen the show at least four times through and I think the acting, writing, and cinematography has been great for each watch. And I think the exploration through the general concepts of humanity and free will are well done. Nothing academic but at least surface level intriguing.

 

[Shareefruck]

I don't put it in the same category because I personally knew about all the potential theories, particularly the major one about the man in black. Even knowing the twist was a possibility I did not feel like I lost out on anything while watching. Basically my contention is the show didn't seem to rely on a twist to be enjoyable. I have seen the show at least four times through and I think the acting, writing, and cinematography has been great for each watch. And I think the exploration through the general concepts of humanity and free will are well done. Nothing academic but at least surface level intriguing.

Oh, that's actually not what I was getting at at all. I understand that shows like Game of Thrones, Breaking Bad, and Westworld have reasonably strong production values/direction/writing/acting, and that they're rewatchable even knowing what's coming. But the focus and payoff are still formulaic and built around how "fun" it is to root for characters to escape from a tough situation, that hit you get from possible deaths, and that roller-coaster feeling that comes from a well-executed reveal. For me, all of that stuff serves as a distraction that dampens any real enthusiasm and any otherwise creatively inspired/liberating feeling I can get from the way that the ideas are expressed. I find them effective at what they're going for but ultimately annoying, manipulative, and artificial (almost like an overly catchy song or pornography...... or a rollercoaster... or something).

I tend to prefer acclaimed comedies over acclaimed dramas for this reason.

 

[ArGarBarGar]

Not how I take Westworld at all, but the again how they take season two will determine if my interpretation is legitimate. I hope the expand on the themes of artificial intelligence and humanity and not make it a GoT S5-7 actionfest.

 

[Shareefruck]

Not how I take Westworld at all, but the again how they take season two will determine if my interpretation is legitimate. I hope the expand on the themes of artificial intelligence and humanity and not make it a GoT S5-7 actionfest.

To each their own. There are elements of Westworld that I like, but the stuff I mentioned gets in the way of it for me.

 

[Ollie Weeks]

Carnivale needs more love.