3 Best New HBO Max Series To Binge-Watch This Weekend (October 23–25, 2026)

Published Oct 22, 2026, 9:37 PM EDT

Greg is a Lead TV Writer & Critic at Screen Rant with expertise in new streaming releases. He's published over 3000 articles at SR, including weekly recommendation guides and dozens of reviews on Rotten Tomatoes. He previously worked in Development at ABC Television & Lawrence Bender Productions.

Greg majored in Film Production at Chapman University's Dodge College. Greg also has years of broadcast TV production experience at major networks such as NBC, TNT, and ESPN. He currently lives in Greater Boston.

HBO Max has three acclaimed dramas and comedies worth binge-watching this weekend, October 23–25, 2026, including new hits and a returning favorite. Although HBO Max has not been releasing too many new series this Fall 2026, it has produced some of its biggest streaming hits of the year recently, such as Lanterns, which remains one of the best HBO Max series to binge-watch weeks after its finale.

This weekend, ScreenRant has assembled the best new and upcoming series on HBO Max that are truly worth your time right now. Whether you're looking for a relatable dramedy series, an immersive historical drama, or a tense legal thriller, the following three shows represent the very best HBO Max series to binge-watch this weekend, especially if you're looking for the cutting edge of streaming.

Youth

Youth is one of the few HBO Max series currently releasing new episodes and is one of the best new shows on the platform to watch right now. With a near-perfect Rotten Tomatoes score of 97%, Youth is one of the most popular and acclaimed HBO Max series of the year, and it will release its penultimate Season 1 episode this Sunday, October 25, ahead of its finale episode on November 1. Youth is currently the #3 most-watched HBO Max series in the world and ranks #6 in the United States at the time of writing.

Youth follows a middle-aged woman named Alex, played by Sharon Hogan, who navigates modern dating after getting divorced while also supporting her parents and adult son. Youth is celebrated for its laugh-out-loud witty humor and credits Hogan for starring in and creating the new HBO Max series. TIME Magazine writes, "This is a perceptive, spit-takingly funny show about clinging to the most desirable aspects of youth while also craving comforts that can only come with age and experience." That said, some viewers found the characters to be more or less unlikable and hard to care about. With most of its episodes out, it's a good time to see if HBO's Youth is right for you.

The Gilded Age

The Gilded Age is one of the most anticipated HBO Max releases of Fall 2026 and is set to release its season 4 premiere on November 1, right after Halloween. The celebrated historical drama series takes place during the 1880s in New York City, examining the cultural clashes between the haves and the have-nots of the era. Released in 2022, The Gilded Age has received 15 Emmy nominations and one win, serving as one of the most acclaimed yet under-the-radar HBO Max original series of the 2020s.

The Gilded Age features a strong ensemble cast led by Carrie Coon, who received an Emmy nomination for her lead role as Bertha Russell. The Gilded Age earned a Rotten Tomatoes score of 89% for its first three seasons and is mostly celebrated for its spectacular production and costume design. If you still haven't gotten into The Gilded Age yet, now is the perfect time ahead of season 4's premiere.

War

War is the best show to watch on HBO Max this weekend following the release of its fifth of eight episodes on Thursday, October 22. The legal thriller remains one of the most-watched series on the platform since its 2-part premiere on October 1, currently ranking #5 on HBO Max's worldwide viewership chart. War earned an 86% Rotten Tomatoes score and has already been renewed for a second season.

War has drawn comparisons to HBO's masterpiece Succession in that it's a high-stakes corporate drama series with strong performances across the board. The story follows a high-profile divorce between a billionaire, played by Dominic West, and a movie star, played by Sienna Miller. War is expected to be an anthology series with a new legal case each season. Now that we're halfway through its debut season, it's a great time to get into the first four episodes of War this weekend on HBO Max.

War