Max is primarily known for its movie lineup rather than its selection of shows. Regardless, Max does have a very good library of TV series even beyond the HBO and Max originals that get all of the attention. A lot of series tend to fly under the radar because Max gives most of its promotional campaigns to the big new shows.
That’s why we’re throwing the spotlight on three underrated shows on Max that you should watch in May. As it turns out, our first two picks are HBO originals, but they’re not shows you’re going to be readily familiar with. Once you’re ready to check them out below, you’ll find a police thriller, a comedy series, and a British drama.
The Thaw (2022)
You may notice some similarities between True Detective: Night Country and The Thaw, even beyond the fact that both shows use Billie Eilish songs for their opening themes. This show is a Polish crime drama that’s better watched in its native language with subtitles than screening the dubbed version.
Katarzyna Wajda stars as Detective Katarzyna Zawieja, a woman who has become emotionally detached from her daughter following the apparent suicide of her husband. Before Katarzyna can sort out her own life, a young pregnant woman’s body is discovered without any sign of the child that she was carrying. And when the dead woman turns out to be the daughter of the district prosecutor, it suggests that her murder was more than just foul play.
Watch The Thaw on Max.
Garfunkel and Oates (2012)
Because there’s been some confusion in the past, we need to make it clear that HBO’s Garfunkel and Oates series is not the same Garfunkel and Oates show that ran on IFC in 2014. Instead, HBO’s version predates that version by two years, and it’s more of a series of shorts rather than full-length episodes.
Comedians, actresses, and musicians Riki “Garfunkel” Lindhome and Kate “Oates” Micucci play loosely fictional versions of themselves as they navigate their occasionally messy personal lives and attempt to break out as performers by crashing an open mic night. These two women are hilarious together, even in short doses.
Watch Garfunkel and Oates on Max.
Adult Material (2020)
Hayley Squires stars in Adult Material as Hayley Burrows, a married mother of three who just so happens to be a legend in the British porn scene as her alter ego, Jolene Dollar. Hayley has largely accepted her place in the industry until she meets Amy (Siena Kelly), a 19-year-old young woman who is about to get her start in porn.
Hayley’s attempt to protect Amy from the darker side of porn upends her life and sends her on a collision course with porno producer Rupert Everett (Carroll Quinn). But even if Hayley wins in court against Rupert, she could irreparably damage her relationships with her husband, Rich (Joe Dempsie), and their children.
Watch Adult Material on Max.
