Genre: Comedy Starring: Sultan Salahuddin, Kareme Young, Quincy Young Created By: Diallo Riddle, Bashir Salahuddin, Sultan Salahuddin TV Rating: TV-MA Number of Seasons: 1 Created by people who grew up in Chicago, the show is a love letter to the city’s working-class neighborhoods. South Side does a good job of showcasing the urban landscape, so if you’ve been to Chicago, you’ll likely notice many of the locations. South Side originally aired on Comedy Central, but future seasons will be exclusive to HBO Max. Genre: Comedy, Romance Starring: Issa Rae, Yvonne Orji, Jay Ellis Created By: Issa Rae, Larry Wilmore TV Rating: TV-MA Number of Seasons: 5 The popular sitcom follows two millennials, Issa (Issa Rae) and her best friend Molly (Yvonne Orji), as they adapt to post-college life in L.A. Each episode features original music from up-and-coming artists of color. Genre: Drama, Mystery, Sci-Fi Starring: Joe Pingue, Mackenzie Davis, Himesh Patel Created By: Patrick Somerville TV Rating: TV-MA Number of Seasons: 1 Although it’s based on a novel written in 2014, Station Eleven feels like it was written for today’s world, and it delivers a much-needed positive message about the endurance of the human spirit. Genre: Drama, Mystery, Sci-Fi Starring: Evan Rachel Wood, Jeffrey Wright, Ed Harris Created By: Lisa Joy, Jonathan Nolan TV Rating: TV-MA Number of Seasons: 3 Inspired by Michael Crichton’s 1973 movie of the same title, Westworld is as thought-provoking as it is beautiful. Judging by the cast alone, it should be no surprise that the show has won nine Emmys and counting. That said, Westworld is also extremely violent, so stay away if you have an aversion to gore. Genre: Comedy Starring: Dede Lovelace, Kabrina Adams, Nina Moran Created By: Crystal Moselle TV Rating: TV-14 Number of Seasons: 2 Betty is inspired by the movie Skate Kitchen directed by Crystal Moselle, who also works on the show. Most of the characters and cast from the film make appearances in addition to many new faces. Genre: Action, Adventure, Comedy Starring: Brenton Thwaites, Anna Diop, Ryan Potter Created By: Greg Berlanti, Akiva Goldsman, Geoff Johns TV Rating: TV-MA Number of Seasons: 3 The episodic format makes Titans much easier to digest than the four-hour director’s cut of Justice League. If you like this series, be sure to check out Doom Patrol on HBO Max, which takes place in the same universe and features many of the same actors. Genre: Drama Starring: Brian Cox, Kieran Culkin, Sarah Snook Created By: Jesse Armstrong TV Rating: TV-MA Number of Seasons: 3 While this family drama may sound similar in premise to the Starz series Empire, the series has enough refreshingly humorous moments sprinkled throughout to keep things from getting too tense. A massive hit with critics, Succession has won numerous accolades, including Golden Globe Awards for Best Television Series and Best Actor (for Cox). Genre: Comedy Starring: Robin Thede, Ashley Nicole Black, Gabrielle Dennis Created By: Robin Thede TV Rating: TV-MA Number of Seasons: 2 In just its first season, the show received multiple Emmy nominations and won a Television Critics Association award for Outstanding Achievement in Sketch/Variety Shows. Keep an eye out for guest stars like Kelly Rowland, Laverne Cox, and Angela Bassett. Genre: Comedy Starring: Jamie Demetriou, Al Roberts, Natasia Demetriou Created By: Jamie Demetriou TV Rating: TV-MA Number of Seasons: 3 Stath Lets Flats stars show creator Jamie Demetriou and his real-life sister. The duo’s awesome comedic chemistry won the series a BAFTA award for Best Scripted Comedy in 2020. Genre: Comedy, Drama, Sci-Fi Starring: Cristin Milioti, Billy Magnussen, Ray Romano Created By: Alissa Nutting, Patrick Somerville TV Rating: TV-MA Number of Seasons: 1 The premise sounds kind of horrifying, but the show’s tone is surprisingly comedic, which prevents Made for Love from feeling like a knock-off of other dystopian sci-fi series like Westworld. Ray Romano of Everybody Loves Raymond fame shines as a believable father figure in this unique story. Genre: Comedy, Drama Starring: Jean Smart, Hannah Einbinder, Carl Clemons-Hopkins Created By: Lucia Aniello, Paul W. Downs, Jen Statsky TV Rating: TV-MA Number of Seasons: 1 Hacks debuted to unanimous praise from critics for its strong performances and quick wit, all but guaranteeing a second season. Genre: Comedy Starring: Bilal Baig, Gray Powell, Kaya Kanashiro Created By: Bilal Baig, Fab Filippo TV Rating: TV-MA Number of Seasons: 1 Sort Of is more heartfelt than your average half-hour comedy show. It tackles hot button topics without being preachy or sensationalistic. Most importantly, Sort Of is funny, thanks to Baig’s charming screen presence. Genre: Comedy, Drama Starring: Murray Bartlett, Connie Britton, Jennifer Coolidge Created By: Mike White TV Rating: TV-MA Number of Seasons: 1 Watching White Lotus might be the closest most of us get to Hawaii, so it’s worth watching just for the beautiful scenery. Thanks to the success of the first season, it White Lotus will continue as an anthology series that focuses on a new group of guests at a different destination. Genre: Comedy Starring: Heléne Yorke, Drew Tarver, Case Walker Created By: Chris Kelly, Sarah Schneider TV Rating: TV-MA Number of Seasons: 2 The Other Two is a hilarious critique of celebrity culture and our social media-obsessed society. Keep an eye for D-list guest stars like Kathie Lee Gifford, Mario Lopez, and Michael Che. Genre: Drama, Romance Starring: Jordan Alexander, Whitney Peak, Tavi Gevinson Created By: Joshua Safran, Stephanie Savage, Josh Schwartz TV Rating: TV-MA Number of Seasons: 1 Kristen Bell returns as the narrator, but the rest of the cast is mostly comprised of fresh faces. Genre: Game Show, Reality TV Starring: Helen Mirren, Luke Youngblood, Tom Felton Created By: Robin Ashbrook, Yasmin Shackleton TV Rating: TV-PG Number of Seasons: 1 Dame Helen Mirren serves as Mistress of Ceremonies, bringing a distinctively British touch to the show. You’ll also see some familiar faces from the movies. Gather your fellow Harry Potter fans and play along at home. Genre: Comedy Starring: Lavinia Wilson, Jasin Challah, Nadja Becker Created By: Lutz Heineking TV Rating: TV-MA Number of Seasons: 2 Other Parents is a mockumentary-style sitcom, a format that works exceptionally well for a show like this since viewers get to see how parents interact when they’re face-to-face compared with what they say behind the scenes. Genre: Drama Starring: Zendaya, Hunter Schafer, Jacob Elordi Created By: Sam Levinson TV Rating: TV-MA Number of Seasons: 2 With all of the shows about how hard it is to be a teenager in today’s modern world, why watch this one? For starters, it stars Zendaya, who has won multiple awards for her performance. Euphoria has even received international acclaim, winning the British Academy Television Award for Best International Programme. Genre: Action, Adventure, Comedy Starring: Diane Guerrero, April Bowlby, Matt Bomer Created By: Jeremy Carver TV Rating: TV-MA Number of Seasons: 2 The first season of Doom Patrol received several award nominations, including Best Streaming Superhero Television Series at the Saturn Awards. The show originally debuted on the DC Universe streaming service, but future episodes will stream exclusively on HBO Max. Genre: Docuseries Starring: Talleah Bridges McMahon, Kristi Jacobson, Smriti Mundhra Created By: Sesame Workshop TV Rating: TV-G Number of Seasons: 1 Recommended for children ages 9 and up, Through Our Eyes does an excellent job of analyzing difficult topics in a kid-friendly manner. It’s best viewed with an adult in the room who can answer questions. Genre: Action, Drama, Fantasy Starring: Laura Donnelly, Ann Skelly, James Norton Created By: Joss Whedon TV Rating: TV-MA Number of Seasons: 1 At its core, The Nevers is another team superhero show like Doom Patrol and Umbrella Academy; however, it stands on its own thanks to the unique setting and strong female cast. Genre: Drama, Fantasy, Horror Starring: Jonathan Majors, Jurnee Smollett, Courtney B. Vance Created By: Misha Green TV Rating: TV-MA Number of Seasons: 1 Lovecraft Country is based on a book of the same name, inspired by fantasy-horror author H.P Lovecraft, the show’s namesake. Some scenes are brutally violent, and it doesn’t pull punches when addressing America’s history of racism. Genre: Drama, Fantasy, Horror Starring: Kennedy McMann, Leah Lewis, Maddison Jaizani Created By: Noga Landau, Stephanie Savage, Josh Schwartz TV Rating: TV-14 Number of Seasons: 3 Nancy Drew’s third TV outing features everything you’d expect out of the series: convoluted mysteries, outlandish situations, and supernatural twists. The show has a darker edge than the books, but fortunately, it remains appropriate for teens. Genre: Action, Adventure, Comedy Starring: John Cena, Freddie Stroma, Chukwudi Iwuji Created By: James Gunn TV Rating: TV-MA Number of Seasons: 1 John Cena is best known for his family-friendly image, but let’s be clear: Peacemaker is not for kids. It’s an adult comedy with lots of action, crude jokes, and a patriotic pet eagle named Eagly. Genre: Comedy Starring: Larry David, Cheryl Hines, Jeff Garlin Created By: Larry David TV Rating: TV-MA Number of Seasons: 11 Curb Your Enthusiasm has received dozens of Primetime Emmy nominations and a Golden Globe Award for Best Television Series. The show went on hiatus for a few years before HBO revived it in 2017.
