10 Greatest HBO Shows of the Last 5 Years, Ranked

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Published May 2, 2026, 10:04 PM EDT

Jessica is a young writer from Brisbane, Australia. An avid consumer and lover of all things Film and TV, you will never tear her away from a screen. A tendency rooted from childhood, she once had dreams of becoming a member of the famed kids-band 'Hi-5'. Perhaps that's what pushed her to secure an education with a theater background. But now, as dreams evolved, her passions have turned to admiring performances from afar. Frankly, she's just grateful that she can put her binging skills to good use. Outside of work, Jessica recently completed her undergraduate double degree in Arts/Communications at the University of Queensland. Other than that, she spends most of her free time with family and friends, probably never forgetting to talk about the new movie or show she watched the day prior.

HBO is no stranger to producing great television. In fact, they've spent the last five years doing what they've done best: dominating the landscape with shows that feel distinct, purposeful, and (more often than not) worth the emotional investment. Indeed, from sprawling fantasy epics and prestige dramas to offbeat comedies and genre-bending experiments, the network's output hasn't just been strong—it's been varied in a way that keeps audiences constantly on their toes.

No wonder they've prevailed throughout awards season. In the past half-decade, HBO has delivered a handful of shows that redefined what their genres could look like—whether through bold storytelling choices, clever IP selections, unforgettable performances, or a willingness to take creative risks. Either way, these are the most recent shows, starting from 2021 (sorry Succession fans), that prove to be a cut above the rest.

10 'The Last of Us' (2023–Present)

Joel and Ellie standing overlooking a garden in The Last of Us.

Set in a post-apocalyptic America, ravaged by a fungal outbreak, hardened smuggler Joel (Pedro Pascal) is tasked with escorting young Ellie (Bella Ramsey) across the country as she may hold the key to creating a cure. But what starts as a transactional mission quickly evolves as the pair navigate hostile survivors, militant factions, and the lingering ghosts of their pasts—all while forging an unexpected bond.

As an adaptation of a beloved video game, The Last of Us shines in how it shapes survival as both a physical feat and an emotional cost. This is because, unlike others in its genre, this show is not a mere tale about zombies: it's a careful analysis of human nature. Joel's growing attachment to Ellie isn't just framed as heroic—it's messy, selfish, and by the finale, morally devastating. It's a show that constantly asks whether love is a saving grace or a destructive force. Add in the career-best performances, and you've got an adaptation that's genuinely haunting and incredibly moving. Fingers-crossed, Season 3 doesn't fall into a slump.

9 'House of the Dragon' (2022–Present)

Daenerys Targaryen (Emilia Clarke) stands regally before two fierce dragons and a castle.

Nearly 200 years before Game of Thrones, King Viserys (Paddy Considine) of House Targaryen breaks centuries of tradition by naming his daughter, Princess Rhaenyra (Milly Alcock, later Emma D'Arcy), as his successor. However, when Viserys later remarries and produces a son, the realm (and his family) engage in a bitter dispute over who has the rightful claim to the Iron Throne.

Rather than chasing the obvious spectacle of the legendary Targaryen dynasty, House of the Dragon leans into the psychology of power: how it warps relationships, distorts truth, and erodes trust over time. Most of the characters aren't painted as simple rivals but as products of a system that pits them against each other, making every confrontation feel tragically inevitable. It strangely feels like a more intimate, deliberate kind of storytelling, but one that pays off in its devastating portrayal of a family tearing itself apart. Let's hope Season 3 can up the ante.

8 'Somebody Somewhere' (2022–2024)

Bridget Everett and Jeff Hiller stand together at a ballpark in Somebody Somewhere Season 3

After the death of her sister, Sam (Bridget Everett) returns to her hometown in Kansas, but struggles to find her footing in a place she once knew. Thankfully, just before she fully disconnects from those around her, Sam forms an unexpected bond with Joel (Jeff Hiller), a former classmate and now colleague who introduces her to a community of outsiders who embrace self-expression and vulnerability.

While simple in its premise, its radical sincerity is exactly what makes Somebody Somewhere resonate so deeply. There's no rush in "fixing" Sam or neatly resolving her grief. Instead, the show finds meaning in the slow, often uncomfortable process of healing. Better still, the humor is less punchline-driven, allowing the comedy to come out by simply letting its characters exist. And in doing so, the show captures something incredibly universal about the loneliness and courage of seeking out connection.

7 'A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms' (2026–Present)

Dexter Sol Ansell as Egg walking outside with Peter Claffey as Dunk in A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms

Deep within Westeros, humble (but naive) hedge knight, Ser Duncan the Tall (Peter Claffey), travels across the land, with his young squire Egg (Dexter Sol Ansell) in search of purpose and opportunity. Their journey takes them through tournaments, political tensions, and crazed chance encounters, all of which gradually reveal that Egg is more important than he seems.

Despite this being yet another Game of Thrones spin-off, its smaller scope is what gives A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms its special charm. Dunk's earnest sensibility and Egg's hidden complexity create a dynamic that feels refreshingly grounded in a world of mythology and cynicism. Instead of constant betrayal, the show explores what it means when characters consistently try to do the right thing. Yes, it's perhaps a gentler entry into the world of the Iron Throne, but one that still carries the weight of its history.

6 'The Rehearsal' (2022–Present)

Nathan Fielder helps ordinary people prepare for major life moments by constructing meticulously detailed simulations of real-world scenarios. From confessing a long-held lie to navigating parenthood, each "rehearsal" involves increasingly elaborate layers of planning. But as the experiments grow more complex, Nathan inserts himself deeper into the process, blurring the lines between facilitator and participant.

The brilliance of The Rehearsal lies in how it weaponizes discomfort. Beneath the absurdity is a sharp exploration of control, anxiety, and the impossibility of training for life's messiest moments. As Nathan inserts himself deeper into his own experiments, the show begins to question its own ethics, turning the camera inward in ways that are both hilarious and deeply unsettling. Think of it as a twisted (and much darker) Jury Duty.

Collider Exclusive · TV Medicine Quiz Which Fictional Hospital Would You Work Best In? The Pitt · ER · Grey's Anatomy · House · Scrubs

Five hospitals. Five completely different ways medicine goes sideways on television — brutal, chaotic, romantic, brilliant, and ridiculous. Only one of them is the ward your instincts were built for. Eight questions will figure out exactly where you belong.

🚨The Pitt

🏥ER

💉Grey's

🔬House

🩺Scrubs

FIND YOUR HOSPITAL →

A critical patient comes through the door. What's your first instinct? Medicine under pressure reveals who you actually are.

AStay completely present — block everything else out and work through it step by step, right now. BTriage fast and delegate — get the right people on the right problems immediately. CTrust my gut and move — I work best when I stop overthinking and just act. DAsk the question everyone else is ignoring — what's the thing that doesn't fit? ETake a breath, make a joke to cut the tension, and then get to work — panic helps no one.

NEXT QUESTION →

Why did you go into medicine in the first place? The honest answer says more about you than the one you'd give in an interview.

ABecause I wanted to be where it matters most — right at the edge, when someone's life is actually on the line. BBecause I wanted to help people — genuinely, one patient at a time, in a system that makes it hard. CBecause I was drawn to the intensity of it — the stakes, the drama, the feeling of being fully alive. DBecause medicine is the most interesting puzzle there is — and I needed a problem worth solving. EBecause I wanted to make a difference — and also, honestly, I didn't know what else to do with my life.

NEXT QUESTION →

What do you actually want from the people you work with? Who you want beside you under pressure is who you are.

ACompetence and calm — I need people who don't fall apart when things get bad. BTrust and reliability — I want to know that when I pass something off, it's handled. CConnection — I want colleagues who become family, even if that gets complicated. DIntelligence and the willingness to be challenged — I have no interest in people who just agree with me. EFriendship — people I actually like spending twelve hours a day with, because those hours are going to happen either way.

NEXT QUESTION →

You lose a patient you fought hard to save. How do you carry it? Every doctor who's worked a long shift has had to answer this question.

AI carry it. All of it. I don't look for ways to put it down — that weight is part of doing this work honestly. BI process it and move — you have to, or the next patient suffers for the one you just lost. CI feel it deeply and lean on the people around me — I don't think you're supposed to handle that alone. DI go back over every decision — not to punish myself, but because I need to understand what I missed. EI grieve it genuinely, find some way to laugh about something unrelated, and try to be kind to myself — imperfectly.

NEXT QUESTION →

How would your colleagues describe the way you work? Your reputation on the floor is usually more accurate than your self-image.

AIntense and completely present — no small talk during a shift, but exactly who you want there. BSteady and dependable — not the flashiest in the room but never the one who drops something. CPassionate and occasionally chaotic — brilliant on the hard cases, prone to drama everywhere else. DBrilliant and difficult — right more often than anyone else, and everyone knows it, including me. EWarm and self-deprecating — not the most intimidating presence, but genuinely good at this and easy to like.

NEXT QUESTION →

How do you feel about hospital protocol and procedure? Every institution has rules. What you do with them is a choice.

AProtocol is the floor, not the ceiling — I follow it until the patient needs something it can't provide. BI respect it — the system is broken in places, but the structure is there for a reason and I work within it. CI follow it until my instincts tell me not to — and my instincts are usually right, even when they cause problems. DRules are for people who haven't thought hard enough about when to break them. EI try to follow it and mostly do — with a few memorable exceptions that still come up in meetings.

NEXT QUESTION →

What does this job cost you personally? Nobody works in medicine without paying a price. What's yours?

AEverything outside these walls — I've given this job my full attention and the rest of my life has gone around it. BMy idealism, mostly — I came in believing the system could be fixed and I've made a complicated peace with that. CStability — my personal life has been as chaotic as the OR, and that's not entirely a coincidence. DMy relationships — I am not easy to know, and the people who've tried to would probably agree. EMy sense of gravity — I use humour as a coping mechanism, which not everyone appreciates in a hospital.

NEXT QUESTION →

At the end of a long shift, what keeps you coming back? The answer to this question is the most honest thing about you.

AThe fact that it's real — that nothing else I could be doing would matter this much, right now, today. BThe patients — individual human beings who needed something and got it because I was there. CThe people I work with — I have walked through impossible things with these people and I'd do it again. DThe next unsolved case — there's always another puzzle, and I'm not done yet. EBecause despite everything — the exhaustion, the loss, the absurdity — I actually love this job.

REVEAL MY HOSPITAL →

Your Assignment Has Been Made You Belong In…

Your answers have pointed to one fictional hospital above all others. This is the ward your instincts, your temperament, and your particular brand of dysfunction were built for.

The Pitt

You are built for the most unsparing version of emergency medicine television has ever shown — one that puts you inside a single fifteen-hour shift and doesn't let you look away.

You need your work to be real, not romanticised — meaning over drama, honesty over aesthetics.
You find purpose inside the work itself, not in the chaos surrounding it.
You've made peace with the fact that this job takes from you constantly, and gives back in ways that are harder to name.
Pittsburgh Trauma Medical Center demands exactly that kind of person — and you would not want to be anywhere else.

You are the person who keeps the whole floor running — not the most brilliant in the room, but possibly the most essential.

You show up, do the work, absorb the losses, and come back the next day without needing the job to be anything other than what it is.
You care about patients as individual human beings, not as cases to solve or dramas to live through.
You believe in the system even when it fails you — and you understand that emergency medicine is about holding the line just long enough.
ER is television about endurance. You have it.

Grey's Anatomy

You came to medicine with your whole self — your ambition, your emotions, your relationships, your history — and you have never quite managed to leave any of it at the door.

You feel things fully and form deep attachments to the people you work with.
Your personal and professional lives are permanently, chaotically entangled — and that entanglement drives both your greatest disasters and your most remarkable saves.
You understand that extraordinary medicine often happens at the intersection of clinical skill and profound human connection.
It's messy at Grey Sloan. You would not have it any other way.

House

You are drawn to the problem above everything else — the symptom that doesn't fit, the diagnosis hiding underneath the obvious one.

You're not primarily motivated by the patient as a person — though you are capable of caring, even if you'd deny it.
You work best when the stakes are highest and the standard answer is wrong.
Princeton-Plainsboro exists to house one extraordinary, impossible mind — and everyone around that mind is there because they're smart enough to keep up.
The only way forward here is to think harder than everyone else in the room. That is exactly what you do.

Scrubs

You understand that medicine is tragic and absurd in almost equal measure — and that the only sane response is to hold both of those things at the same time.

You are warm, self-aware, and funnier than most people in your field.
You use humour to get through terrible moments — and at Sacred Heart, that's not a flaw, it's a survival strategy.
You lean on the people around you and let them lean back. The laughter and the grief are genuinely inseparable here.
Scrubs is a show about learning to become someone worthy of the job. You are still very much in the middle of that process — which is exactly right.

↻ RETAKE THE QUIZ

5 'The White Lotus' (2021–Present)

Carrie Coon, Leslie Bibb and Michelle Monaghan walking in market street in The White Lotus Season 3, Episode 4.

A group of wealthy guests arrives at the luxurious White Lotus resort expecting a time of relaxation, only to be met with personal tensions bubbling to the surface. As staff caters to their every need, classes divide, relationships fracture, and hidden resentments begin to unravel, all of which culminate in a shocking death.

Despite the rotating cast and locations, The White Lotus has secured its addictive status for its razor-sharp social commentary that just so happens to be wrapped in dark humor. The characters are often deeply flawed—sometimes outright insufferable—but never without dimension, making their unraveling both entertaining and revealing. It helps that the performances are top-tier, especially with Mike White's iconic and extremely quotable lines from The White Lotus. Think of it as satire with teeth, one that knows exactly where to sink them.

4 'Mare of Easttown' (2021)

Evan Peters and Kate Winslet wearing coats, walking along side one another in 'Mare of Easttown'.

In a small Pennsylvanian town, detective Mare Sheehan (Kate Winslet) is tasked with investigating the murder of a young mother, while still reeling from her own personal tragedies. As the case unfolds, Mare's professional responsibilities begin to collide with her personal life, pulling her deeper into the secrets of a community so intensely connected.

Like all great crime dramas, Mare of Easttown refuses to separate the mystery from its central character. Indeed, Mare isn't just solving a murder; she's navigating grief, guilt, and the weight of expectation in a place where everyone knows her history. The performances ground the story in something deeply human, ensuring that every twist carries emotional consequences. So, if you're in for a solid single-season binge, this should be at the top of your list.

3 'The Penguin' (2024)

Colin Farrell as Oz Cobb putting his hands on either side of the face of Rhenzy Feliz as Victor in The Penguin

Following the events of The Batman, Oswald "Oz" Cobb (Colin Farrell) makes his maneuvers to rise through the ranks of Gotham's criminal underworld. And with the city in complete disarray from the floods, this becomes much easier. His plan of attack? Meddle with the deep-seated rivalry between the Falcone and the Maroni families—the city's greatest criminal overlords.

In a world of superhero fatigue, The Penguin stands out for its centralization of a deeply complex being. For many, there's an intrigue in how Oz's ruthlessness feels somewhat human. His hunger for respect, his insecurity, and his extreme adaptability are what make him both dangerous and strangely sympathetic. And the show doesn't shy away from that, nor paint him as a cartoonish villain. Instead, it paints a portrait of ambition unchecked, and where every victory comes at a cost of moral darkness.

2 'Hacks' (2021–2026)

Jean Smart's Deborah on the phone with Hannah Einbinder's Ava listening closely in Hacks Season 5

Legendary Las Vegas comedian Deborah Vance (Jean Smart) is forced to reinvent her act if she hopes to stay relevant in the modern cultural scene. This leads her to reluctantly hire Ava (Hannah Einbinder), a young writer whose career has stalled after a public controversy. But while the two women initially clash over generational differences and opposing perspectives, they learn to collaborate, which leads to their relationship evolving into something much more complicated and unexpectedly personal.

At its core, Hacks thrives on the push-and-pull between its leads. Deborah and Ava challenge each other in ways that are often uncomfortable but ultimately necessary, with their growing bond forming the backbone of the entire series. It's sharp, funny, and deeply reflective of the vulnerabilities that come with reinvention (especially within the entertainment industry). Throw in some other iconic ensemble members from Hacks, and you've got an award-winning show that captures the intersection of ambition, ego, and insecurity.

1 'The Pitt' (2025–Present)

Sepideh Moafi, Taylor Deareden, Katherine LaNasa, Gerran Howell, and Supriya Ganesh in The Pitt Season 2.

Set in the high-stakes environment of a chaotic, underfunded emergency department in a Pittsburgh trauma center, Dr. Michael "Robby" Robinavitch (Noah Wyle) leads his team during a 15-hour, real-time shift. But as time passes, and the pressure of the job mounts, personal struggles and professional responsibilities begin to blur, revealing the emotional toll of working within an overstretched system.

While there are many great dramas on television, The Pitt sets itself apart with its unflinching commitment to realism—one that also never loses sight of its humanity. The medical cases are intense, but it's their cumulative weight that truly lands, shaping every character in subtle, lasting ways. There's no easy catharsis here, just the quiet resilience required to keep going in the face of exhaustion and loss. It's gripping without being overly sensational, emotional without being manipulative. A rare perfect balance in the medical genre and one that makes it HBO's most compelling recent achievement.