10 New HBO Original Series That You Just Cannot Miss

Ditch your old streaming service for these newly made original HBO series that will just maybe change your life.
10 HBO Original series to watch now

We all know HBO is the streaming service of so many fantastic series that has brought us to television shows such as Game of Thrones, Sex and the City, The Sopranos, and The Wire. In the past few years, the franchise has only grown, teaming up with the most current writers and directors, the best actors, the funniest comedians, and finding stories to tell that are both fiction and the truth but will touch you either way. 

Amongst this list, HBO showcases new and diverse, talented writers. They feature documentaries that will provoke you to think in ways you haven't before. Legendary actors and actresses grace our screens to bring us chilling plot lines. So, get that free trial or go all in and subscribe because now you've got a list of new shows to binge-watch. 

Here are the 10  best HBO originals that you need to watch.

1. The Undoing (2020)

HBO's The Undoing stars Nicole Kidman and Hugh Grant in this murder mystery, who dun it series. Kidman plays a well-known psychologist married to Grant, a pediatric oncologist. There seemingly perfect world in New York City is turned upside down when a mother at their child's school is found dead. Each episode the storyline unfolds and more is revealed, twists and turns will keep you guessing, but in reality, you will never know who is behind the murder until the very end. 

2. Industry (2020)

HBO's Industry follows a group of young graduates who are competing against RIF (reduction in force) to stay at a prestigious London investment bank. Friends become lovers, and strangers become predators, nothing comes easy at this bank. From sleepless nights to 12-hour days to hosting client dinners, this show will exhaust you and inspire you at the same time. 

3. Big Little Lies (2017)

Okay, so this one might be a bit of old news. I pushed the year back solely for this show, but new seasons are still coming out, so it's current, right? Big Little Lies has an A-list star cast list from Meryl Streep and Nicole Kidman to Reese Witherspoon and Zoë Kravitz (may I also add: Shailene Woodley, Laura Dern, Alex Skårsgard, and Adam Scott). The group of women became acquainted with each other from their children being together at a fancy elementary school in California. These women are holding secrets, and it's only a matter time of before they come out. 

Yeah, you're welcome. 

4. I May Destroy You (2020)

I May Destroy You was created by Michaela Cole for HBO and BBC, she also wrote, co-directed, and produced the series. Cole plays Arabella, who rethinks and reconsiders every aspect of her life from her friends to work after being sexually assaulted in a nightclub. 

You may have heard about this show because of its recent snub for the Golden Globe Awards. The series was not nominated for the big awards while other shows believed by the public to be less worthy took their place. Watch it to see why it should've beat out some of those Netflix ones that were nominated... cough, cough, Emily in Paris, cough. 

5. Euphoria (2019)

Zendaya portrays an actual real-life take on teenagers in the 21st century. Euphoria follows the storylines of multiple teens in high school together as they battle drug addictions, relationships, personal identity, and much more. Zendaya won an Emmy for her leading role as Rue, a drug addict back from rehab who has lived her whole life receiving mental diagnoses and therapy. Rue becomes intrigued with the new girl Jules. 

6. Chernobyl (2019)

Based on a true story, Chernobyl is a fictionalized retelling of what happened at this Ukraine power plant. This drama miniseries won multiple Golden Globe and Emmy Awards. The series follows the brave people who acted following the accident of one of the biggest nuclear explosions in history. It recalls how the explosion occurred, who may have been responsible, and how it will be marked in history forever. The Soviet Union claims they will be making their own telling of what happened at Chernobyl in response to HBO's miniseries. We'll have to wait and see. 

7. The Outsider (2019)

The Outsider is a horror/paranormal series about boys who go missing adapted from the famous horror novel written by Stephen King. The plot follows the investigation of a murder in a nearby park where the young victim appears to have been eaten. They find the suspect early on but as the episodes continue, it is nothing that it seemed at first. 

8. I Love You, Now Die: The Commonwealth V. Michelle Carter (2019)

To put it straight forward, this two-part docuseries, will F you up. I Love You, Now Die is about the case of Michelle Carter and freedom of speech. When does freedom of speech have to limited? When it could harm someone, or in this case, kill someone? Michelle Carter told her boyfriend to kill himself, and he did. Should she go to jail for that? Watch the two opposing arguments, a court case with an immense amount of detail and evidence from thousands of texts between the two, and the outcome of the ruling. 

9. The Flight Attendant (2020)

On a lighter note, the HBO add on, HBO Max, has come out with a dark comedy starring Kaley Cuoco about a flight attendant who has a bit too much fun, and ends up in a situation she must get out of, or she will end up in prison, or possibly much worse. WARNING: You may feel the need to binge this right away because you'll want to find out what happens. Try to resist the urge, fasten your seatbelt, and get ready for a pretty bumpy ride. 

10. Lovecraft Country (2020)

The Golden Globe nominee, Lovecraft Country, is a horror drama A young black man has to travel across America in 1950 to find his missing father. He learns of a town where HP. Lovecraft's weird fiction novels took place where secrets reveal themselves. Now not only do they have to face Jim Crowe America, but the dangers that live in Lovecraft's stories. This show has received a high rating of an average of 88% on rotten tomatoes. 

Feel free to watch any of these shows in a day, a week, or all at the same time. We are not here to judge. You can find them on HBO and HBO Max.

225
Save

Opinions and Perspectives

The Outsider slow burn really worked for me. Loved the pacing.

1

Lovecraft Country had me jumping out of my seat multiple times!

8

Chernobyl's attention to detail is amazing. Even the clothes look authentic.

7

I Love You Now Die raises such important questions about technology and responsibility.

4

The way Euphoria portrays mental health issues is groundbreaking.

4

Big Little Lies season 1 was practically perfect television.

8

Each episode of The Undoing felt like a movie. Such high production value.

7

Industry feels almost too real sometimes. The stress is palpable.

2

The Flight Attendant proved Kaley Cuoco has serious acting chops.

8

I see why everyone's talking about I May Destroy You. Such important themes.

4

Lovecraft Country's special effects are movie quality. Really impressed.

7

Chernobyl had me researching the real event for hours afterward.

1

The Outsider's mood and atmosphere are perfectly unsettling throughout.

6

Euphoria is this generation's My So-Called Life, but more intense.

1

Just finished I Love You Now Die and I'm still processing. What a complex case.

3

The Undoing proves that limited series can be more impactful than multiple seasons.

7

Industry makes me grateful for my boring office job.

8

Big Little Lies captures wealthy parent culture so perfectly it hurts.

0

The Flight Attendant kept me guessing until the very end. Such a fun ride!

3

Anyone else catch all the literary references in Lovecraft Country? So well researched.

8

I May Destroy You challenged me in ways I wasn't expecting. Such powerful storytelling.

7

The way Euphoria handles addiction feels so real and raw. Not glamorized at all.

8

Absolutely agree about Chernobyl in schools. It shows how government denial can lead to catastrophe.

3

Does anyone else think Chernobyl should be required viewing in history classes?

2

I watch Industry with my daughter who wants to go into banking. We have great discussions after each episode.

0

Just started The Undoing. No spoilers please but these first two episodes are intense!

0

Lovecraft Country's blend of genres is unlike anything else on TV right now.

3

Cannot believe how gripping I Love You Now Die was. The text messages were chilling.

8

The Outsider proves Stephen King adaptations can work beautifully when done right.

3

Halfway through Euphoria and I can see why parents might be concerned, but its honesty is refreshing.

6

The Flight Attendant perfectly balanced comedy with genuine suspense. Not an easy thing to pull off.

0

I May Destroy You was uncomfortable but necessary viewing. Really made me think about consent in new ways.

4

Watching Big Little Lies made me realize how complex female friendships can be. The writing is so nuanced.

1

The production design in Chernobyl was phenomenal. Every detail felt authentic to the time period.

3

I actually found Industry quite educational despite its intensity. Learned a lot about finance world dynamics.

5

The chemistry between Nicole Kidman and Hugh Grant in The Undoing was incredible. Made the whole thing even more shocking.

8

Lovecraft Country deserves more recognition for how it handles both supernatural and real-world horror.

3

Go with The Flight Attendant first if you want something easier to digest. Industry requires more emotional investment.

5

Looking for something new to watch and torn between The Flight Attendant and Industry. Any suggestions?

1

Anyone watching Euphoria with their teenagers? I'm wondering if it might be too intense.

4

Big Little Lies is proof that female-led ensemble shows can be absolutely riveting. Every single performance was outstanding.

6

I watched I Love You Now Die in one sitting. Such a disturbing case but so well documented.

0

Watching Chernobyl gave me nightmares but I couldn't stop. The scene with the firefighters really stuck with me.

4

Just binged Industry in two days and now I'm questioning my career choices. Those graduates went through hell!

0

Not at all! I thought The Outsider maintained its creepy atmosphere perfectly throughout. The ending was satisfying too.

8

The Outsider started strong but lost me halfway through. Anyone else feel the same way?

8

I May Destroy You not getting a Golden Globe nom was absolutely criminal. Michaela Coel created something revolutionary.

5

I started The Flight Attendant expecting a light comedy but got hooked on the thriller aspects. Kaley Cuoco really surprised me.

5

Completely agree about The Undoing's ending! I was convinced I knew who did it right up until the last episode. The writers really got me.

8

Lovecraft Country blew me away with how it combined supernatural horror with real historical horrors. Such a unique concept.

2

I actually had to take breaks while watching Chernobyl. The attention to historical detail was amazing but the human tragedy was overwhelming.

1

The portrayal of teenage life in Euphoria is raw and uncomfortable, but that's exactly why it's so important. Zendaya deserved that Emmy.

1

Anyone else feel like Big Little Lies season 2 wasn't as strong as the first? I loved Meryl Streep's addition but something felt different.

2

Industry really opened my eyes to the cutthroat world of investment banking. Some scenes were actually hard to watch because of how intense the pressure was.

3

I just finished The Undoing and I'm still in shock from that ending. Nicole Kidman's performance was absolutely brilliant!

7

Get Free Access To Our Publishing Resources

Independent creators, thought-leaders, experts and individuals with unique perspectives use our free publishing tools to express themselves and create new ideas.

Start Writing