Get excited about 17 HBO Max and HBO Max Original Series in 2023
In 2023, HBO isn’t scheduled to release any “Game of Thrones”-related TV series. “House of the Dragon” Season 2 isn’t expected until the following year (and no solid release timing has been announced). The other spinoffs are still in development and script writing. HBO will not be able to continue its most profitable franchise for a full year, unless there is a swift turnaround or a stealth production.
Pfft big deal. The one-time Home Box Office network thrived long before Westeros was realized, and a year of discovery is just what’s needed for the premium cabler turned premium streamer to maintain its sterling reputation. New series like “The Last of Us,” “White House Plumbers,” and “The Idol” are set for intriguing debut seasons, while veteran favorites in “Succession,” “Barry,” and “Curb Your Enthusiasm” all ready for much-anticipated returns. Over on HBO Max, Steven Soderbergh’s “Full Circle” and Lesli Linka Glatter’s “Love and Death” lead an impressive pack of new shows, while “Tokyo Vice” Season 2 and “Warrior” Season 3 aim to expand on their existing fandoms.
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Oh, and a little show called “True Detective” is coming back for a limited run in “Night Country.”
Still, what hovers over HBO and HBO Max in 2023 isn’t just an absent dragon’s shadow; it’s Discovery. David Zaslov, President and CEO of Warner Bros. Discovery immediately made its presence felt by cancelling seasons, movies and series and moving other programs towards third-party, ad-supported streaming platforms. All these changes may have been good for the bottom line, but they’ve shaken the public’s confidence in what’s been the best streaming service on the market for the past few years (at least). What will HBO Max be like when it is combined with Discovery+ Will HBO still be Hollywood’s No. 1 destination for prestige programming? Are companies with different ideas about what audiences want possible to coexist and create a platform that has enough exciting titles for everyone?
I may not be able to answer those questions just yet, but how HBO and HBO Max’s new and returning series fare in 2023 will tell us plenty about what the service will look like going forward — and if it needs dragons to keep subscriptions rolling in.
This article will be revised as new series and release dates are announced.
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