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April showers bring May flowers, or more accurately, a bunch of great TV shows and movies to watch on HBO Max. Like most streaming services, Max often has a refreshed rotation to not only make sure there’s some great stuff to watch but also new material altogether like new shows, new seasons, new movies and beyond. They keep that subscription relevant for sure.
Of course, you have the well-known options like “Rooster” or “Euphoria,” the latter of which is likely coming up on the conclusion of its final season. You also have newcomers on the way, like “Lanterns” scheduled to drop in August. There are more than a few addictive HBO Max miniseries you can finish in one day or during a binge session, as well.
If you’re not privy to the difference between HBO versus HBO max, you might want to check out a simple guide that breaks it all down. Basically, HBO Max is the streaming service housing HBO, with lots of additional original shows and content. Seeing as it’s now May, and time for some new entertainment, here are some of the best shows coming to HBO Max over the next month.
1. Euphoria season 3
Season 3 of “Euphoria” actually premiered on April 12, so technically, it doesn’t belong on this list. However, it’s still worth noting, as a majority of the season will be airing every Sunday in May until the end of the month.
The whole cast is back, but this season takes place five years after the previous one, and everyone has grown a little. Rue is in trouble with some bad people, Jules is living luxuriously, Cassie is engaged to Nate, and Maddy is doing her own thing. If you have no idea who any of those characters are, it’s time to go back and start watching from the beginning.
The reviews of season 3 thus far seem to be hit or miss. Some people love the direction and others don’t, but that doesn’t change the fact that it’s nice to see things through, and if you’ve already invested yourself into the first two seasons, you’re going to want to catch the rest. If you haven’t been watching, now might be the perfect time to catch up. Seasons one and two are peak TV. Well, peak streaming TV, anyway.
2. On the Roam season 2
Premiering May 14, “On the Roam” brings Jason Momoa back as he travels the world exploring, adventuring, and interacting with “the people.” Think tinkerers, artists, engineers, musicians, and everyone who Momoa defines as “people doing the impossible.”
In season one, for example, Momoa went to visit all his top creative inspirations, including a renowned photographer. Each episode took us through his influential experiences, highlighted a mutual bond of love for art, and showed off some truly beautiful scenery. If nothing else, it’s an excellent look at the lives of others seen through the eyes of someone curious and ever-growing.
Admittedly, it’s a lot like the celebrities-do-incredible-things-on-camera takes we’ve seen become more commonplace, such as “Limitless” with Chris Hemsworth, or “Ride” with Norman Reedus. Although, “On the Roam” is a much more colorful and inventive take on the genre, and with season two shortly on the way, now’s a good time as any to catch up. That may well be the tagline for this piece, given that there’s plenty of time to catch up on the various shows HBO Max has streaming. Hop in and get started, get caught up, and get ready for the new stuff.
3. Song of the Samurai
Premiering on May 9, “Song of the Samurai” will portray Hijikata Toshizo and the Shinsengumi police force as they attempt to maintain law and order in Kyoto. It’s actually a live-action adaptation of the popular manga series, “Chiruran: Shinsengumi Requiem.” The storyline takes place during the Bakumatsu period in Japan’s history, known to be the the final years of the Japanese shogunate.
The show looks interesting, and if it follows the manga, it’ll definitely be filled with action, swordplay, and plenty of intrigue. The first season will be eight episodes, that all look to be dropping onto the streaming platform in parts or chapters — part one has a two-episode premiere. If you like these kinds of shows, or enjoyed “Alice in Borderlands,” made by the same studio, you should at the very least check out “Song of the Samurai.”
The manga it’s based on has quite as lot of content, so if the engagement numbers are good, there’s a fair chance we’ll see more seasons. Warner Bros. Discovery thinks it’s going to be a good one, saying: “With THE SEVEN’s production quality, TBS’s creative strength, and a world-renowned manga at its core, we are confident the series will captivate international viewers.”
4. Hacks season 5
“Hacks” returned officially on April 9, and will continue premiering new episodes up until the series finale on May 28. The final season has ten episodes. I’m going to say it again, if you haven’t had the opportunity to catch up on “Hacks,” go ahead and get started. All seasons are available on HBO Max. It’s phenomenal, and actually really funny. We could all use more laughter these days.
“Hacks” is a stellar dark-comedy series that follows the tumultuous career of one professional Las Vegas stand-up comedian and her entourage. Jean Smart plays Deborah Vance to perfection as a quippy, independent comedian who doesn’t take grief from anyone and gives it back tenfold. As if that description wasn’t impressive enough, this season she’s coming back from the dead, sort of.
Currently sporting incredible ratings on Rotten Tomatoes, “Hacks” features a 99% from critics and an 81% from users. You know it’s going to be pretty good by those numbers. At any rate, May will see the last episodes ever from the hit HBO Max show, and we’ll see if its quality holds steady.
5. Half Man
Another show that originally premiered in April, “Half Man” kicked off on April 24 on HBO Max. New episodes will release weekly every Thursday, including from May 7 to May 28, right up until the end of the month. So, once again, “Half Man” is another excellent new show most of which you can catch through the month of May. What’s it about, though?
Starring Jamie Bell and Richard Gadd — the latter from “Baby Reindeer” fame, if you caught that show on Netflix — “Half Man” follows two men from polar opposite lifestyles and personalities who become brothers. Spanning a lengthy period of about forty years, the show follows the extended relationship of the brothers ” with all the good, bad, terrible, funny, angry, and challenging moments along the way.” It sounds positively enthralling, though the description does make it sound suspiciously like a dark-themed Mario Brothers. It’s yet another show to add to your watch list if you have any interest. The reviews so far seem to be good, with a 76% from critics and 77% from users. It’ll be interesting to see where it lands after the full season is available.
If you don’t see anything on the list you’re interested in, you might want to browse for some additional movies and content, or simply learn how to cancel your HBO Max subscription. There are plenty of other streaming services out there.
