The Ultimate HBO Max Binge-Watch Guide for Your 2025 Holiday Break

What will you be watching this holiday season? For the past 25 years, HBO has been the home of television's most acclaimed shows, from <The Sopranos> to <Game of Thrones>. As 2025 comes to a close, PRISM has curated a list of the essential series on HBO Max that you simply can't miss.

Timeless Classics and New Obsessions

Nearly 20 years after its premiere, <Mad Men> is making headlines again. All seven seasons of the 1960s-set drama have been remastered in 4K for the first time, offering a fresh look at Matthew Weiner's Emmy-winning ode to the advertising world.

The Canadian sports drama <Heated Rivalry> has become a viral sensation, widely known as the "Gay Hockey Show." It follows two rival star players who have secretly been in a passionate romance for years. The series has earned praise for its superb performances and nuanced treatment of its subject matter.

From <Downton Abbey> creator Julian Fellowes, <The Gilded Age> documents the decadent social battles between old and new money in New York City. Its third season concluded to strong reviews in August, and a fourth season is already confirmed.

For Fans of Thrills and True Crime

Oscar winner Mark Ruffalo stars in the new crime-drama miniseries <Task>. He plays a Catholic priest-turned-FBI agent whose life collides with a trash collector who robs a local drug gang in the Philly suburbs. It's a tense, character-driven story from the creator of <Mare of Easttown>.

Stephen King fans can return to Derry in <It: Welcome to Derry>, a prequel series from 'It' director Andy Muschietti. Set in the 1960s, the show explores the origins of Pennywise the clown, with Bill Skarsgård reprising his terrifying role.

The enthralling four-part docuseries <The Yogurt Shop Murders> dives into a gruesome crime that has haunted Austin, Texas, since December 6, 1991. It revisits the unsolved murders of four teenage girls, a case that remained cold for over 30 years until a suspect was recently named through DNA evidence.

Unconventional Comedy

Good luck trying to explain <The Rehearsal>. In this bizarre social experiment, comedian Nathan Fielder attempts to help people prepare for big life moments by rehearsing them endlessly. The show quickly spirals into a fascinating, uncomfortable, and hilarious examination of human behavior where Fielder himself becomes a key subject.