The TV selection on Max isn’t quite as impressive as its film lineup, largely because the HBO shows are getting drowned out by an endless supply of reality programming from Warner Bros. Discovery. Rest assured, you’ll never see a trashy reality series among our list of the three underrated shows on (HBO) Max that you need to watch.
For the month of February, we’re going with one of the last great action series from Cinemax, an underappreciated dramedy from HBO, and Adult Swim’s latest breakout animated series.
Need more recommendations? Then check out the best new shows to stream this week, as well as the best shows on Netflix, the best shows on Hulu, the best shows on Amazon Prime Video, the best shows on Max, and the best shows on Disney+.
Banshee (2013-2016)
In 2013 — well before he portrayed Homelander on The Boys — Antony Starr headlined Banshee, one of the last big Cinemax original series. The funny thing is that we never learn the real name of Starr’s character on the show. Instead, viewers quickly discover that he’s a thief who spent over a decade in jail before his release. And he took on the identity of Banshee’s new sheriff, Lucas Hood, after the real Lucas was killed on his way into town.
Lucas’ deputies are taken aback by his brutal and unconventional methods of law enforcement. The reason he came to Banshee was to reunite with his ex-lover, Anastasiya “Ana” Rabitova (Ivana Miličević), who is now living under an assumed name with her husband and child. But once Lucas catches up with Ana, it’s only a matter of time before her crime lord father, Igor “Mr. Rabbit” Rabitov (Ben Cross), finds both of them as well.
Watch Banshee on Max.
Crashing (2017-2019)
Pete Holmes doesn’t star as a fictional version of himself in Crashing, but “Pete” is close enough to his persona. The name of the show alludes to Pete’s life crashing down around him after his wife, Jessica (Lauren Lapkus), leaves him for another man and forces him to crash on some couches while getting back on his feet.
Several comedians, including Artie Lange, Bill Burr, Sarah Silverman, and T.J. Miller, appear as themselves. Lange in particular gives Pete the motivation to reinvent himself as a standup comedian. Pete does have some talent when he gets on the mic, but he also falls back into familiar patterns when he faces ongoing setbacks.
Watch Crashing on Max.
Common Side Effects (2025)
Don’t let the art style of Common Side Effects fool you into thinking this is a conventional animated series. Instead, it’s quite a strange trip that goes deep into conspiracy theories as Marshall Cuso (Dave King) discovers a blue mushroom that may lead to a cure for every disease known to man.
Marshall also becomes increasingly convinced that there’s a conspiracy in place to discredit him and destroy all trace of the blue mushroom. He shares this info with his long-time friend, Frances Applewhite (Emily Pendergast), unaware that her boss at Reutical Pharmaceuticals, Rick Kruger (Mike Judge), is the man behind the conspiracy.
Watch Common Side Effects on Max.