HBO, the premium cable channel known for its bold storytelling, recently concluded its journey with the show “Euphoria.” Debuting in 2019, the series experienced notable creative highs and lows throughout its run. Yet, “Euphoria” exemplified the kind of daring programming few networks, even among other premium channels, would risk producing. This willingness to push boundaries is part of HBO’s legacy, built over decades of original content that has often been hailed as some of the finest television. From “Curb Your Enthusiasm” to “Sharp Objects” and “Big Little Lies,” HBO has consistently redefined the storytelling landscape.
With such a vast array of shows under its belt, it’s pertinent to consider this: Which HBO programs have been the most pivotal in the network’s history? Which shows have shaped the HBO brand and public perception? The following five programs, ranked from least to most significant, showcase the diversity of art and narrative that HBO embraces. They represent a collection of works that have each redefined the types of projects HBO has championed.
These groundbreaking series have left an indelible mark not only on HBO but on the television industry as a whole. Each of these five shows transformed HBO as a network and, more broadly, revolutionized television as an artistic medium.
Released in collaboration with Sky Atlantic, “Chernobyl” premiered in May 2019 without much initial hype. Nevertheless, this exceptional miniseries quickly captured significant attention. The five-episode series developed a dedicated following, captivated by its exploration of governmental deceit, its haunting ambiance, and its powerful performances. These elements propelled “Chernobyl” into a must-watch phenomenon.
The intense, unsettling scenes in “Chernobyl” cemented its status as a bold project, destined to dominate the awards scene. Its triumph arrived at a pivotal moment for HBO, as “Game of Thrones” was concluding just as “Chernobyl” began. This critically acclaimed miniseries proved that HBO could still produce major hits beyond the world of Westeros. Furthermore, Craig Mazin, the head writer and creator of “Chernobyl,” would become an integral figure for HBO in the years to come.
5. Chernobyl
A collaboration with the Sky Atlantic network, “Chernobyl” was released in May 2019 with minimal fanfare. It didn’t take long, though, for this outstanding project to pick up major steam. Very quickly, this five-episode miniseries garnered a notable fanbase that was profoundly invested in this program. The timely relevance of this project’s central storylines (which concerned what happens when governments prioritize lies over all else), its evocative atmosphere, and compelling performances all ensured that the show became a steady viewership juggernaut. People just had to see what was going on with this buzzy endeavor.
Elements like the most disturbing scenes in “Chernobyl” solidified this project as a gutsy enterprise whose eventual domination on the award season circuit was inevitable. This tremendous success came at just the right time in HBO’s history. “Game of Thrones” was wrapping up as “Chernobyl” premiered, and this must-see miniseries ensured that HBO could still deliver new hit shows beyond Westeros. More importantly, “Chernobyl” head writer and series creator Craig Mazin would become crucial to this network in the years that followed.
Not only was Mazin the creative mastermind behind “The Last of Us,” but HBO has also hired him to create a “Baldur’s Gate” program for the network. Mazin has become a vital genre storytelling voice for the platform, and his essential relationship with HBO can be traced back to his unforgettable work realizing the sleeper hit “Chernobyl.”
4. True Detective
HBO was no stranger to acclaimed limited series before “True Detective” premiered in 2014. “Mildred Pierce,” “Band of Brothers,” and “John Adams” were just a few examples of the revered miniseries programs that this network delivered prior to “Detective” hitting the airwaves. However, the immense popularity and cultural impact of “True Detective” forever altered HBO’s programming strategy. For the next decade, the miniseries would be an inescapable fixture of HBO’s exploits. Previously, HBO had only done one or two miniseries a year, but by 2019, it would house several different limited-run shows that ranged from “Chernobyl” to “Watchmen.”
Meanwhile, “True Detective” leading men Matthew McConaughey and Woody Harrelson scoring such rich roles on television helped upend long-standing norms that movie stars should avoid the small screen at all costs. The road to “I Know This Much Is True” being led by Mark Ruffalo or Kate Winslet anchoring “Mare of Easttown” was paved by “True Detective.” Meanwhile, the entire rural dark mystery aesthetic of the series has remained influential on subsequent HBO productions. The Missouri backdrop of “Sharp Objects,” for instance, echoes the “True Detective” tableaus.
Most notably, the “Lanterns” marketing campaign has evoked “True Detective” (with its grim tone, Southern setting, and emphasis on a grim mystery) far more than “Superman” in atmosphere and visuals. Even DC superhero shows are caught in the “True Detective” gravitational pull. This was far from the first HBO miniseries, but it’s the network’s most influential, considering it keeps reverberating through HBO’s shows.
3. Game of Thrones
The original “Game of Thrones” unaired pilot is infamous. Hailing from director Tom McCarthy, the whole thing backfired so poorly that HBO went back to the drawing board entirely. Series creators David Benioff and D.B. Weiss were appalled by how poorly this episode had been realized, so they had no problem with a creative overhaul. Adapting George R.R. Martin’s “A Song of Ice and Fire” books wasn’t as easy a task as it may have seemed on paper. For a moment, it looked like “Game of Thrones” would be a massive misfire for HBO. Eventually, though, a better series premiere was cobbled together, and “Game of Thrones” found its legs and then some.
In the seasons that followed, countless “Game of Thrones” moments stunned audiences and left people across the globe chattering about what an incredible program this was. Just a few years into its run, “Game of Thrones” reached unprecedented levels of popularity for an HBO show. By the time the series finale grabbed a staggering amount of eyeballs, it was apparent “Game of Thrones” had forever altered HBO’s history. To boot, this show established that the network could flourish in the genre television space. It wasn’t just grounded mobster and relationship stories where HBO’s television could excel.
Fantasy and dragon-oriented sagas also now had a place on this network. Subsequent HBO shows like “Lanterns” and “Dune: Prophecy” would’ve been unthinkable in a pre-“Game of Thrones” world, or even when that pilot first came in.
2. Sex and the City
When it comes to “Sex and the City” and its popularity, let’s take a cue from Salt-N-Pepa and “talk about sex.” This show could engage in far more candid discussions of intimacy or relationships than any broadcast network program constrained by Standards & Practices restrictions. In 1998, when “Sex and the City” first premiered, programs like “Home Improvement” and “Jesse,” with their very clean-cut visions of reality, were dominating the airwaves. Meanwhile, Carrie Bradshaw (Sarah Jessica Parker) and friends provided a dose of realism in their frank exchanges that allowed viewers to truly see themselves and their friend groups on the small screen.
The tremendous success of “Sex and the City” set a precedent for relaxed, dialogue-driven comedies to flourish on this network, including fellow New York-set shows “Curb Your Enthusiasm,” “Entourage,” “Girls,” and more. In other words, “Sex and the City” didn’t just give HBO one hit show; it opened the door for several other successes, too. On top of all that, “Sex and the City” helped solidify HBO’s dominance of Sunday nights for original programming. This day of the week would remain for decades the network’s default launchpad for new, exclusive programming, including “The Sopranos.”
If you have fond memories of watching “Barry” or “Game of Thrones” on Sunday nights, you have Carrie Bradshaw to thank. Sure, there are plenty of “Sex and the City” moments that haven’t aged well, but the show had a towering impact on HBO.
1. The Sopranos
HBO
There’s simply no other HBO show that has had such a profound effect on this network as “The Sopranos.” There were successful HBO productions before it, but none punctured the zeitgeist like “The Sopranos.” Immediately, the world of Tony Soprano (James Gandolfini), his family, and his friends captivated audiences. Weekly television inherently lets audiences grow close to characters, usually amiable friend groups like the leads of “Cheers.” In “The Sopranos,” that element was masterfully utilized to provide an intimate gaze of morally complex psychologies rarely seen on television or in any artistic medium before.
With this unprecedented level of depth and grimy storytelling, “The Sopranos” took over the world. Inevitably, countless programs, both HBO-bound or otherwise, utilized the new storytelling possibilities that this production unleashed. The best TV shows like “The Sopranos” were often amazing in their own right, but they inevitably couldn’t measure up to the endeavor that started it all. Plus, “The Sopranos” reinforced that HBO was in a league of its own when it came to television dramas. No wonder key cast members of this mobster show have appeared in subsequent HBO hits, such as Michael Imperioli’s memorable turn in the second season of “The White Lotus.”
Artistically, “The Sopranos” is considered one of the most perfect TV shows ever made. In terms of HBO’s legacy, though, it’s also a staggeringly impactful achievement. There really wouldn’t be an HBO as we know it without Tony Soprano waking up in the morning and getting himself a gun.