While HBO Max revels in the success of hits like The Pitt, Industry, and newcomer DTF St. Louis (all of which we’ve written about and that you should totally get into), the streamer has a deep, award-winning catalog we still love to mine.
This week’s list brings a range of wildly different shows to hopefully hit the nail on the head for some or, hopefully, all of you.
3
Born to Bowl
Who do you think you are? I am!
In the opening moments of Born to Bowl, narrator Liev Schreiber’s smooth voice delivers a fascinating history of the sport of bowling, from the ancient Egyptians to British lords, before making its way to America, where, through heroes like Fred Flintstone, Al Bundy, Roseanne, and The Dude, it became the national pastime of the everyman (and woman). This new five-part HBO Max docuseries, however, is not about those posers. Born to Bowl is an intense and in-depth look inside the cutthroat and quirky world of the Professional Bowlers Association.
Focusing on five of the sport’s current biggest names, including Kyle “The Pro with the Fro” Troup and the intense Anthony Simonsen, Born to Bowl hits the road with the bowlers as they compete in the PBA tour. But as we learn, it’s no walk in the park—they’re broke, away from their families, sharing hotel rooms, and scrounging for prize money in hopes of being the next “Who do you think you are? I Am!” guy. Season one of this bowling alley-ballet is still underway, but so far has wowed critics and fans, and has a 100% rating on Rotten Tomatoes.
2
The Chair Company
Tim Robinson’s gloriously awkward dark comedy
Another 100% rated series on our list, Tim Robinson’s The Chair Company is, on the surface, a seemingly mundane workplace dark comedy that morphs into something different altogether. For fans of the I Think You Should Leave star’s anxiety-laden cringe comedy, this will be required viewing. Robinson plays Ron Topser, a suburban family man in Ohio with a company job working his way up the corporate ladder.
Ron’s life is turned upside down when (and this is going to sound bonkers), while giving a company presentation, the office chair he’s sitting on collapses, making a fool of him. Determined to take the chair company to task for this egregious incompetence, Ron’s obsession with the company uncovers conspiracy, danger, and mystery that threaten his work and family lives. Is it really a mystery, or is it just the story of a man caving under the weight of his own inadequacies, going insane? You’ll have to watch all nine episodes to find out.
The Chair Company
- Release Date
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October 12, 2025
- Network
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HBO
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Tim Robinson
William Ronald Trosper
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Sophia Lillis
Natalie Trosper
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1
Pee-wee as Himself
The revealing and emotional story of the life of Paul Reubens
Actor, comedian, and writer Paul Reubens was widely known for his beloved and iconic character, Pee-wee Herman. But as the Emmy-winning two-part HBO Original miniseries Pee-wee as Himself explores, Reubens was an enigmatic performance artist, avant-garde comedian, and fiercely private person who struggled with his success and personal demons throughout his career and life, which came to an end after a long battle with cancer in 2023.
As told by Reubens himself through the 40-hours of revealing to-camera interviews conducted by director Matt Wolf, Pee-wee As Himself is an intimate and definitive account of the highs and lows of Reubens’ multi-faceted life. With some rare and fascinating archival footage from Reubens’ own collection, it tracks everything from his early life as a struggling performer to the creation of his alter-ego as part of the L.A. improv group The Groundlings and its rise to a pop-culture phenomenon on stage, television, motion pictures, and beyond. It also tells the story of the toll it took on Reubens’ personal life, the scandals that plagued him, and the life he kept secret for decades.
Provocative, emotional, and deeply personal, Pee-wee as Himself was executive produced by Benny and Josh Safdie (Uncut Gems, Marty Supreme), was a hit at the Sundance Film Festival, and holds a perfect 100% critics’ score (and 92% fan score) on Rotten Tomatoes. I know you are, but what am I?
From Deadwood and The Sopranos to The Wire, Game of Thrones, and beyond, HBO has one of the longest track records for must-watch, award-winning television shows. Its well runs so deep, the hardest part can be deciding what to watch. Hopefully, one of these picks will hit home for your weekend viewing.
- Subscription with ads
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Yes, $10.99/month
- Simultaneous streams
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2 or 4
HBO Max is a subscription-based streaming service offering content from HBO, Warner Bros., DC, and more. In 2025, the service re-branded itself as HBO Max after having previously cut “HBO” from its name.
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