These are some of the best HBO original shows to binge-watch onHBO Maxthis week, August 18–22, 2025. HBO has several top contenders heading into the upcoming2025 Emmysin September, such asThe Penguin,The White Louts, andThe Pitt, all of which are great streaming selections for the remainder of August.
Between an idyllic ensemble psychological drama, an intriguing sci-fi franchise expansion, a hilarious show from a comedy savant, a superhero action adventure saga, and a chilling whodunnit crime mystery,Screen Ranthas got you covered with some of the best and most relevantseries to watch right now on HBO Max.
Big Little Lies
If you’re just getting back from your summer vacation, what better way to enjoy the scenic California coast in idyllic Monterey than from the comfort of your home?Big Little Liesoffers just that, as well as a phenomenal ensemble cast that includes Nicole Kidman, Meryl Streep, Reese Witherspoon, Shailene Woodley, Laura Dern, Zoë Kravitz, Adam Scott, and Alexander Skarsgård.
Although the series was released in 2017, followed by a second season in 2019,Big Little Lieshas been on hiatus for quite some time. HBO officially announced that a third and final season is on the way and will be released next year.The series won eight Emmys, including Outstanding Limited Seriesfor its first season, and earned a Certfied FreshRotten Tomatoesscore of 89%.
Created by David E. Kelley, known for his many great TV shows such asAlly McBealandPresumed Innocent,Big Little Lieswas also tastefully directed by Jean-Marc Vallée, who directed the Oscar-winning filmDallas Buyers Club, before his death in 2021. Andrea Arnold ofAmerican Honeyacclaim directed the second season.
Big Little Liesis, at its core, a suspenseful mystery series wrapped around a murder. It does, however, achieve plenty of comedic and dramatic moments to go along with it. Even though there’s still a wait for the highly anticipated third season, it’s an all-time classic HBO series that is incredibly easy to revisit again and again because of its immersive filmmaking and quality storytelling.
Dune: Prophecy
Dune: Prophecydives into the origins of the Bene Gesserit, a secret women-only group who are essentially responsible for arranging ideal marriages between royal families, among other things. Set 10,000 years before the events of the firstDunemovie, Prophecy is very much a prequel that introduces some of the very first Harkonnen, Atreides, and Corrino ancestors.
If none of this makes any sense to you, then it might be worth checking outDuneandDune: Part Twobefore diving into the six-partDuneprequel series, although it isn’t chronologically necessary. Most people will likely have seenDune: Prophecyafter watching the movies, so those who are completely new to the franchise may actually benefit from watchingDune: Prophecyfirst.
Dune: Prophecystars 2-time Oscar nominee Emily Watson, Olivia Williams ofRushmoreandThe Sixth Sense, and Travis Fimmel, best known for playing Ragnar Lothbrok inVikings. The series was developed for TV by Diane Ademu-John, whose credits includeThe OriginalsandEmpire.
Despite a mostly positiveRotten Tomatoesscore of 70%, which is relatively low compared to some of HBO’s greatest works,Dune: Prophecywas renewed for a second season, which is expected to be released sometime next year (along withDune: Part Three).
The Righteous Gemstones
The Righteous Gemstonescame to an end this year after four hilarious seasons, making now the perfect time to binge-watch the entire series, especially if you haven’t already. The series premiered back in 2019 and earned 10 Emmy nominations, several of which are in contention at this year’s ceremony.
The Righteous Gemstonesfollows a world-famous family of televangelists led by John Goodman’s Eli Gemstone.It’s the third original HBO comedy series created by Danny McBride, who also penned classics likeEastbound & DownandVice Principalswith co-star Walton Goggins.
McBride also stars inThe Righteous Gemstonesas the eldest son of Eli, Jesse Gemstone. Adam Devine of Workaholics fame and Edi Patterson, known forResident AlienandKnives Out, play Jesse’s brother and sister, Kelvin and Judy. The adult siblings are frequently at odds with each other, like teenagers, but are absolutely hilarious together.
The Righteous Gemstonesalso features a great supporting cast, including Cassidy Freeman, who plays Jesse’s wife Amber, Tim Baltz, who plays Judy’s husband, BJ, Tony Cavalero, who plays Kelvin’s best friend Keefe, Skyler Gisondo, who plays Jesse’s eldest son, Gideon, and Walton Goggins, who plays the incomparable Uncle Baby Billy.
The Righteous Gemstonesis one of the highest-rated and most consistent new comedy series on HBO Max, earning aRotten Tomatoesscore of 91%. If you’re looking fora great comedy show with endless laughs, fantastic characters, and a compelling story, it’s hard to topThe Righteous Gemstones.
Peacemaker
John Cena’s superhero action comedyPeacemakeris back this week with its highly anticipated second season, which premieres on HBO Max on Thursday. Now is the absolute perfect time to binge the 8-episode first season if you haven’t already or to re-watch it, sinceit’s been three and a half years since it was released in January 2022.
Set after the events of 2021’sThe Suicide Squaddirected by James Gunn, the head of DC Studios,Peacemakerfollows John Cena’s titular protagonist, who also goes by his given name, Christopher Smith. Peacemaker returns home after recovering from his encounter with Bloodsport, but faces an unexpected dilemma upon his arrival.
To fully appreciatePeacemakerseasons 1 and 2, a fresh understanding ofThe Suicide Squadis likely for the best. Out of all the DCEU content,Peacemakerremains one of the best TV shows of the modern slate, making it worth the time to watch its precursors before Thursday’s season 2 premiere.
Cena is wildly charismatic as Peacemaker, just like he is in every other film or TV show he’s in. He’s joined by a strong group of supporting actors, including Danielle Brooks (Orange is the New Black), Freddie Stroma (Pitch Perfect), Jennifer Holland (Brightburn), Frank Grillo (Billions), Annie Chang (Barry), and Robert Patrick (Terminator 2: Judgment Day).
Mare of Easttown
If you haven’t seenMare of Easttown, one of HBO’s all-time greatest miniseries, by now, then it’s a great time to finally cross it off your ever-growing watchlist.A new series fromMare of Easttowncreator Brad Ingelby calledTaskis coming out on HBO on July 18, 2025.
Viewers who are eagerly awaitingTask, starring Mark Ruffalo, Tom Pelphrey, Owen Teague, and Jamie McShane, should considerMare of Easttownas their latest bingethis week on HBO.Mare of Easttownwon four Emmys in 2021, including Best Actress in a Limited Series for Kate Winslet, and earned aRotten Tomatoesscore of 95%.
Mare of Easttownfeatures an exceptional cast around Winslet, including 6-time Emmy winner Jean Smart (Hacks), Oscar nominee Guy Pearce (The Brualist), and Emmy winner Julianne Nicholson (Paradise). It follows Winslet’s Mare Sheehan, a small-town detective who investigates the death of a teenage mother.
As far as HBO crime/murder mystery drama series go,Mare of Easttownis right up there withTrue Detectiveseason 1. Everything about it, from the direction, writing, acting, story, and more, is all top-notch.Taskmay have a hard time surpassingMare of Easttown,but is poised to be a great addition to the massive vault of exclusiveHBO Maxcontent.
