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Game of Thrones, The Last of Us, and the 15 best HBO shows ever, ranked

By Natalie Zamora

Season 8, episode 5 (debut 5/12/19): Lena Headey.photo: Helen Sloan/HBO
Season 8, episode 5 (debut 5/12/19): Lena Headey.photo: Helen Sloan/HBO /
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The Wire
NEW YORK – SEPTEMBER 14: Dominic West, Creator and Executive Producer David Simon, Guest, Wendell Pierce and Sonja Sohn arrive at Chelsea West Theaters on West 23rd St. for the premiere of “The Wire” on September 14, 2004 in New York City. (Photo by Scott Wintrow/Getty Images) /

13. The Wire

Created by David Simon in 2002, The Wire is widely regarded as one of the best shows ever created. The crime drama follows the law enforcement and drug trade in Baltimore, Maryland, featuring an ensemble cast portraying all different types of people. The series aims to depict the complex relationship between the police and criminals, shedding light on systematic problems in America.

The series features some of the best performances in TV history, including Michael K. Williams as Omar Little, Idris Elba as Stringer Bell, Dominic West as Jimmy McNulty, and the late Lance Reddick as Cedric Daniels.

The Wire received critical acclaim for its nuanced portrayal of complex characters, along with the show’s attention to detail in the writing. It might not be my favorite HBO show, but it’s essential viewing for any TV lover. It’s shocking the series only saw two Emmy Award nominations in its five-season run and no wins.

True Blood
True Blood. Photograph by Courtesy of HBO /

12. True Blood

Based on The Southern Vampire Mysteries novels by Charlaine Harris, True Blood was created by Alan Ball and premiered on HBO in 2008. As someone who grew up loving the supernatural genre, this show was everything to me when it was on air.

Protagonist Sookie Stackhouse is a waitress living in Louisiana with special powers — somehow, she can read other people’s thoughts. The series takes place in a world where vampires walk among humans with the creation of a synthetic blood drink called True Blood.

When a vampire named Bill Compton walks into her restaurant and she forms a connection with him, Sookie begins to explore her abilities and her true identity, as her romance with Bill becomes entangled with supernatural conflicts. The series is incredibly entertaining, blending genres and combining elements of the supernatural with social commentary.

Not every season of True Blood is perfect, but when the show is good, it’s so good. In its run, it was nominated for several Emmy awards but only won once in 2009 with the award for Outstanding Casting for a Drama Series.

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