Looking for the best HBO Max shows to watch this week? Screen Rant has hand-picked the top 5 shows on the platform that are perfect for a cozy Fall binge.
If you’re not sure what to watch right now, you’ve come to the right place. From #1 streaming hits to acclaimed hidden gems, discover the top 5 HBO Max shows worth binge-watching this week, October 20–24, 2025. SR’s top selection is an absolute must-watch series with a perfect Certified Fresh Rotten Tomatoes score of 100%.
Screen Rant also has updated options for what to binge-watch this week on Netflix, Prime Video, Apple TV, and Paramount+. Don’t forget to catch up on what you may have missed on HBO Max over the weekend as well. Grab your remote and get ready for Screen Rant’s top 5 picks to binge-watch on HBO Max for this week only.
Vivant
The 2023 drama series Vivant is part of a new Japanese Collection that arrived on HBO Max on October 17, 2025. Other titles such as Please Die Beloved and Ignite are among the notable new additions to the collection. Vivant consists of 10 episodes, all one hour each, making it one of the best new HBO Max shows to binge-watch this week from start to finish.
The official logline for Vivant reads: “Yusuke travels to Balka to recover a $90M overpayment but money has been spread to subcontractors. Betrayed by a taxi driver and stranded in the desert gets caught in a worldwide vortex and the adventure begins.” The series is considered a drama but combines all sorts of classic genres, including action-adventure and thriller. If you’re looking to give something new a shot, Vivant is a great option on HBO Max.
The West Wing
If you’re already done binge-watching The Diplomat season 3 on Netflix, The West Wing is an essential must-watch classic if you haven’t seen it. Next to House of Cards, The West Wing is one of the best political drama series ever made, especially among those specifically focusing on the executive branch, Congress, and the Oval Office.
The West Wing may feel incredibly romanticized nowadays, but it does feature the exceptional writing and vision of series creator Aaron Sorkin, who is often considered one of the most prolific screenwriters of all time. The Diplomat fans will recognize Emmy winners Allison Janney and Bradley Whitford as part of the incredibly talented ensemble in The West Wing, led by the incomparable Martin Sheen. The series won 26 Emmys and is ranked #58 on IMDb’s Top 250 Best TV Shows of all time.
Your Worst Nightmare
For true crime aficionados, Your Worst Nightmare is one of the best series in the genre on HBO Max. All six seasons and 58 episodes are available to stream now, making it perfect to binge-watch during the final days before Halloween arrives. The crime documentary series originally aired on ID from 2014 to 2020.
Your Worst Nightmare isn’t one of those shows that makes waves with critics, but the vast majority of viewers, especially those who love true crime stories, find themselves instantly hooked. Don’t expect any Oscar-worthy acting performances, though, in the true crime reenactment scenes. If you understand what you’re getting yourself into, you could end up really enjoying – and getting really spooked by – this classic series.
Curb Your Enthusiasm
HBO’s long-running showbiz comedy series Curb Your Enthusiasm is celebrating its 25th anniversary this year. Larry David, the creator of Seinfeld, famously plays an exaggerated version of himself in the series, which earned a solid 92% Rotten Tomatoes score across 12 seasons and 120 episodes.
What sets Curb apart from the rest of HBO’s comedy series is the very thing that makes it such a timeless show – Larry’s signature perspective. Often coated in cynical wisdom, Larry winds up getting in awkward situations and tense scenarios like clockwork because of his unique point of view, which often pokes holes in social norms, common sayings, and things of that sort. Curb truly has its own brand of comedy and will forever be one of the funniest shows ever made.
South Side
One of the best HBO Max series you may have never heard of before is South Side, which has a perfect 100% Rotten Tomatoes score across all three os its seasons. Originally premiering on Comedy Central in 2019, South Side became an HBO Max original with its second season before concluding after its third season in 2022, after 28 episodes.
South Side is a true hidden gem on HBO Max that has undeservedly flown under the radar. The show’s official logline reads: “A pair of recent community college graduates look to become entrepreneurs in Chicago’s South Side.” The show is celebrated for its authentic encapsulation of the culture of South Side Chicago, as well as being laugh-out-loud funny. If you’re already over the horror shows this October, then binge-watching South Side on HBO Max could be one of the best new things you get into this week.
