Entertainment
7 Forgotten HBO Shows That Have Aged Like Fine Wine
Some shows deserve far more attention than they get. HBO has long built its reputation on a stacked lineup of award-winning hits, from the epic fantasy that is Game of Thrones to the gold standard of crime dramas, The Sopranos. But HBO has got a lot more right up its sleeves. Over the years, the network has quietly released several hidden gems that often slip through the cracks.
They may not have the same level of hype or marketing power to dominate the charts, but these shows more than make up for it with substance, storytelling, and staying power. With that in mind, here are the forgotten HBO shows that have aged like fine wine.
‘Years and Years’ (2019)
Some apocalypses don’t happen overnight — they can also take years. Set between 2019 and 2034, Years and Years follows the Lyons family, a group of ordinary Britons who live life under the creeping political and economic collapse, as well as the rapid advancement of technology. As each crisis stacks on top of the others, it seems hapless to do anything about it.
The Lyons are neither heroes nor revolutionaries. They’re just working-class individuals trying to get by whatever comes their way. As society frays, technology becomes both escape and crutch. Meanwhile, those who actually possess power and influence take advantage of it to weaponize fear. The scariest part of the show is that these phenomena feel very true to real life.
‘The Night Of’ (2016)
Wild, spontaneous nights take a murderous turn in The Night Of. Pakistani-American college student Nasir “Naz” Khan (Riz Ahmed) is about to attend a Manhattan party after taking his father’s cab without permission. However, things become a little blurry when he encounters a mysterious woman named Andrea. After a night of sex and bad decisions, Nasir wakes up to find Andrea brutally murdered.
The next few episodes are a bit of a doozy. Nasir has absolutely no idea what happened. However, when his intoxicated self becomes involved with the police, he quickly becomes the prime suspect in the case. It’s a sticky situation where, despite the debauchery of the night before, Nasir isn’t necessarily responsible for the murder — yet the system continues to wrong him due to a lack of clear evidence. The Night Of proves that the legal system doesn’t guarantee anyone justice despite the truth being out in the open, and no matter how “objective” it claims to be, perception takes greater precedence.
‘Vice Principals’ (2016)
It’s the battle of VPs in this dark comedy — not Vice Presidents, but Vice Principals. At North Jackson High School, Neal Gamby (Danny McBride), the no-nonsense vice principal in charge of discipline, is sure that he’ll succeed as principal. However, his arrogance is taken down a notch when Lee Russell (Walton Goggins), the manipulative vice principal of curriculum, also has his sights set on the post. To the two’s surprise, the principal trusts neither of them.
What the two vice principals don’t realize is that the school hires an outsider to take over instead. Gamby and Russell aren’t having any of it, and the two team up to veto the decision, which seems nearly impossible since the incoming principal has been making a good impression. But Vice Principals‘ charm is simple: the insane chemistry between McBride and Goggins as two nitpicking, insult-trading, overgrown adults is comedy gold. Think of it as Abbott Elementary, but without the wholeheartedness and packed with inappropriate vulgarity in the hallways.
‘I May Destroy You’ (2020)
Recognized as one of television’s greatest masterpieces, I May Destroy You is an essential watch during a time when sexual consent has become a bigger, more open discourse. Arabella (Michaela Coel) is a London-based writer with a huge social media following, currently under pressure to finish the follow-up to her successful second book. To let off some steam, Arabella spends the night with her friends at a local bar, only to wake up disoriented and sexually assaulted.
I May Destroy You doesn’t center solely on the assault itself, but rather on Arabella’s attempt to process the trauma. As is often the case with such experiences, her memories are fragmented, and she struggles to piece together what really happened that night. At the same time, the world keeps moving, forcing her to expedite her recovery in an environment that doesn’t pause for her pain. Arabella’s healing is anything but linear. She becomes a walking contradiction, trying to make sense of something she sometimes doubts was even real. At the same time, she channels her trauma into various outlets, some more successful than others.
‘Perry Mason’ (2020–2023)
Decades before the likes of Mickey Haller from The Lincoln Lawyer, there was defense attorney Perry Mason (Matthew Rhys). Set in 1932 Los Angeles, Perry Mason follows the flawed attorney-slash-private investigator as he works in the aftermath of the Great Depression and the rise of Hollywood. The combination of the two makes the perfect setting for corruption to slip through, whether it’s by criminals or the political system.
However, Mason isn’t perfect either. Still grappling with the trauma of World War I, he lacks any sense of stability in his personal life. A struggling alcoholic, his marriage is on the rocks, and he’s barely getting by with what little he has. Though he becomes the face of the courtroom, Mason isn’t above taking shady deals or bending the rules to crack a case. Don’t expect clear-cut victories. He’s often choosing the lesser evil, all while trying to keep himself from falling apart.
‘Animals.’ (2016–2018)
New York City is home to 8.48 million people, but they’re not the only inhabitants of the Big Apple. As the title suggests, Animals. features a special group of characters: living, breathing, talking animals. It’s not just house cats in apartments or puppies playing in dog parks — the series also follows moths intoxicated by midnight neon lights and the horses often used in tourist carriages. Through separate episodes, these animals question life’s conundrums, but from an anthropomorphic point of view.
These animals go through distinctly human experiences, ranging from the ordinary — like dating — to the experimental, such as drug use, and even the philosophical, like existential dread. However, don’t expect any major revelations. Much of the show’s commentary leans toward observation, with Animals. focusing more on capturing the senseless absurdity of everyday life — an absurdity that mirrors the city itself. The use of animals is simply an added quirk, allowing viewers to see human behavior from a non-human perspective.
‘The Leftovers’ (2014–2017)
The Leftovers imagines an apocalypse where people give up on finding the truth. The series begins in the aftermath of the “Sudden Departure,” when 2% of the world’s population vanishes without warning or explanation. Instead of searching for answers, many of those left behind remain confused, fractured, and in denial. The cast includes Justin Theroux, Carrie Coon, Margaret Qualley, and Liv Tyler.
It isn’t the easiest show to watch, but it lingers with you. In a world stripped of meaning, the survivors struggle to create new purpose for themselves. The show follows ordinary people as they confront the impossible yet undeniable truth that their loved ones can vanish instantly without explanation. On top of that, they try to figure out what’s left to hold on to when everything else feels gone.
The Leftovers
- Release Date
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2014 – 2017-00-00
- Showrunner
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Damon Lindelof
- Writers
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Damon Lindelof, Tom Perrotta
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