HBO Max weekends hit different — and this one’s stacked. These three must-binge shows combine big performances, gripping writing, and seriously high rewatch value. Best of all, you can start watching any of these series tonight and finish them before Sunday night, making them perfect for the weekend.
HBO Max has been relatively light on new horror releases this month, although it does have a wide array of true crime docuseries and mystery thrillers in its premium vault. Fortunately, this specific genre drought is about to end, as one of the biggest HBO Max releases of 2025 – It: Welcome to Derry – is about to debut on the streamer this weekend.
HBO Max had some new TV releases this week, including several installments of its Japanese Collection, featuring acclaimed foreign shows like Vivant and Ignite. While classics like The Sopranos and Game of Thrones are always at the disposal of HBO subscribers, Screen Rant’s TV expert has specifically selected the three HBO Max shows that should pique your interest this weekend, October 24–26, 2025.
I Know This Much Is True
If you’ve just finished HBO’s celebrated crime drama Task and are looking for another gripping series to dive into, then give I Know This Much Is True a shot. The series also stars Mark Rufallo and features him playing dual roles of twin brothers, Dominick and Thomas Birdsey. If you ever had the thought, “I need more Mark Ruffalo in my life,” this show is perfect for you.
Jokes aside, I Know This Much Is True can be a pretty heavy show, just like Task. Far from a feel-good watch, the 6-part psychological drama tackles some deep and dark material, which is bound to evoke a variety of emotions, but ultimately a moving and potentially cathartic viewing experience. Based on a novel, the series was co-written and directed by Derek Cianfrance, known for films like Blue Valentine and The Place Beyond the Pines.
The series earned an 88% Rotten Tomatoes audience score and an 8.1 rating on IMDb. It also landed Ruffalo his second Emmy Award after 2014’s The Normal Heart. The Globe and Mail sums up the series perfectly, “It’s less a tragedy than it’s a series of tragic actions. It takes you by the throat and it’s a long time before catharsis happens, but on the way there, you are watching some stunning performances.”
Years and Years
Like Netflix’s Black Mirror, HBO’s Years and Years is one of those dystopian sci-fi series that eerily starts to feel more and more like an impending reality as time goes on. The 2019 miniseries was a co-production between the BBC and HBO and takes place between the years 2019 and 2034.
If you just finished watching The Diplomat season 3 on Netflix, then Years and Years may be the perfect follow-up for you. A political thriller with a bit of a Succession-esque elitist family dynamic, the series is led by 2-time Oscar winner Emma Thompson, Rory Kinnear, and T’Nia Miller, the latter two of whom were also in The Diplomat.
Years and Years earned an 8.3 IMDb score, a Rotten Tomatoes critic score of 89%, and an RT audience score of 88%. The series was surprisingly not acknowledged for any Emmy Awards. The Ringer’s review noted, “Years and Years combines the grand sweep of a near-future dystopia with the warm intimacy of a family drama.” With only 6 episodes, you’ll likely wish there were more and more of this celebrated HBO limited series.
Jett
In the same vein as the Dustin Hoffman drama series Luck, Jett is one of those HBO series that got away, canceled after one amazing season. The series, starring Carla Gugino (The Fall of the House of Usher, Gerald’s Game), originally aired on Warner Bros. Discovery’s premium network Cinemax in 2019.
Jett’s official logline reads: “World-class thief Daisy “Jett” Kowalski is just out of prison and already being forced back into what got her there, by a group of eccentric and dangerous criminals.” If you’re a fan of Taylor Sheridan’s gritty yet fast-paced crime dramas like Tulsa King and Mayor of Kingstown on Paramount+, then you should find something to like about this forgotten hidden gem thriller series.
Jett received a 94% Certified Fresh Rotten Tomatoes score along with an equally impressive 92% audience score. Decider called Jett “fun to watch,” adding “Gugino takes the cake; she’s fun, charming and sexy while showing the weariness Jett has.”
The series is very noticeably inspired by Quentin Tarantino’s timeless classic Pulp Fiction and other stylized crime thrillers. If you’ve ever wondered what a Pulp Fiction TV show might look like, you can find out by binge-watching all nine episodes of Jett this weekend, only on HBO Max.
Looking for more great streaming options this weekend? Check out Screen Rant’s updated weekend binge-watching guides for Netflix, Prime Video, Paramount+, and Apple TV.
