HBO has been the home of prestige TV for decades, and in that time, it’s delivered some of the greatest episodes of television ever produced. Not all of the network’s programming is a must-see masterpiece (looking at you, Arliss), but there are some HBO shows that everyone should watch. The Sopranos, The Wire, and Game of Thrones all rank among the best TV shows of all time.
Over the years, HBO’s shows have delivered some unforgettable episodes. Succession killed off Logan Roy in a brilliantly intense portrayal of sudden loss. Curb Your Enthusiasm distilled the Israeli–Palestinian conflict into a chicken restaurant in Los Angeles. These are the best TV episodes ever to hit HBO’s airwaves.
20
Election Night
Veep Season 4, Episode 10
Before Armando Iannucci stepped down as showrunner and it became a more standard sitcom, Veep played like a fly-on-the-wall documentary authentically portraying the inner workings of Washington. That style came to a head in the season 4 finale, “Election Night,” which perfectly captures the chaos of a presidential election. The episode keeps you on the edge of your seat, laughing hysterically, as it builds to a terrific final twist.
19
Sold Under Sin
Deadwood Season 1, Episode 12
Deadwood is a gritty revisionist western, an engrossing ensemble drama, and a historical chronicle of the Dakota Territory. The series as a whole is one of HBO’s most underrated efforts, but the season 1 finale, “Sold Under Sin,” is Deadwood’s finest hour. It sees the U.S. Army — led by “Custer’s Avengers” — rolling into Deadwood for a climactic showdown.
18
You Get What You Need
Big Little Lies Season 1, Episode 7
All throughout its first season, Big Little Lies used nonlinear storytelling to build an intriguing mystery around the characters’ backstories and personal lives, and a fateful night in which an unidentified victim was killed at a school fundraiser. The finale, “You Get What You Need,” had the tall order of sticking the landing, and the show nailed it. It’s a satisfying conclusion to the mystery, but more importantly, it’s a satisfying emotional resolution to all the characters’ arcs.
17
Perestroika: Heaven, I’m In Heaven
Angels in America Episode 6
Mike Nichols turned Angels in America, Tony Kushner’s Pulitzer Prize-winning play about Reagen-era politics and the AIDS crisis, into a TV masterpiece that swept the Emmys. HBO split the play’s two parts into three-hour sections, then split those sections into three one-hour chapters. The final episode, “Perestroika: Heaven, I’m in Heaven,” acts as a sort of postscript, providing closure and dramatic resolution to all the storylines.
16
Ronny/Lily
Barry Season 2, Episode 5
Bill Hader’s pitch-black hitman comedy Barry was a curious delight from start to finish, but one episode stands head and shoulders above the rest. Season 2’s “ronny/lily” starts with Barry trying to leave his violent ways behind and show mercy to his latest target. That inevitably goes horribly awry as he contends with a master martial artist, a near-fatal wound, and a feral child. “ronny/lily” is a masterclass in both action filmmaking and devilishly dark humor.
15
College
The Sopranos Season 1, Episode 5
The Sopranos is the show that solidified HBO as the home of prestige TV and kicked off the Golden Age of Television. It was a great show from the outset, but the first masterpiece of its run came in episode 5, “College.” This episode perfects the show’s unique perspective of Tony’s double life. It brings his mundane, relatable family life and violent, high-stakes criminal life crashing together as he spots an old informant while touring colleges with his daughter Meadow. This episode confirmed that The Sopranos would be one of the greatest TV shows of all time.
14
The Rains Of Castamere
Game of Thrones Season 3, Episode 9
Game of Thrones adapted the infamous “Red Wedding” sequence from the books in the season 3 episode “The Rains of Castamere.” This marked the moment that Game of Thrones went from one of the best shows on TV to an all-time classic destined for a spot in television’s hall of fame. It demonstrated that there was no line the show wouldn’t cross, and it made for an unforgettable episode.
13
Vichnaya Pamyat
Chernobyl Episode 5
Chernobyl is one of the most masterfully crafted miniseries in HBO’s history. There isn’t a single bad episode; they’re all stellar. But arguably the finest installment is the finale, “Vichnaya Pamyat.” This high-stakes episode brings the drama to a head as Valery, Boris, and Ulana all risk their reputations — and their lives — to expose the truth about what really happened in Chernobyl.
12
Palestinian Chicken
Curb Your Enthusiasm Season 8, Episode 3
From “The Doll” to “The Grand Opening,” Larry David delivered some truly great episodes of Curb Your Enthusiasm over the years. But arguably the highlight of the series is season 8’s “Palestinian Chicken.” In true Curb fashion, it takes a silly satirical approach to really serious subject matter, reducing the conflict between Israel and Palestine to a chicken restaurant in Los Angeles.
Watchmen Episode 6
Damon Lindelof’s televised sequel to Watchmen delivered a mind-blowing mix of comic-book spectacle and harrowing historical commentary in its sixth episode, “This Extraordinary Being.” Under the influence of Nostalgia, Angela slips into a lucid dream that allows her to experience her grandfather Will Reeves’ memories. This flashback episode fills in the origin story of Hooded Justice, a minor character from the original graphic novel, through a deeply disturbing, deeply cinematic depiction of the 1921 Tulsa race massacre.
This story originally appeared on Screenrant
