There are currently two kinds of parents in Australia right now: those already paying for HBO Max and pretending it’s “for the family”, and those hovering over the subscription button trying to justify adding yet another streaming service to the monthly budget.
Because honestly? HBO Max has arrived swinging.
Suddenly there are all the prestige dramas we’ve heard about for years, buzzy teen shows everyone is talking about online, nostalgic comfort watches, cult favourites and enough addictive TV to destroy family productivity for the foreseeable future. Here are 10 shows we’re signing up to watch:
- The White Lotus
- The Last of Us
- Succession
- Hacks
- The Pitt
- And Just Like That…
- House of the Dragon
- The Sopranos
- Mare of Easttown
- Big Little Lies
There’s actually quite a bit on there for older teens too. And not just the kind of “teen content” that makes kids roll their eyes so hard they see stars.
We’re talking genuinely good shows with sharp writing, compelling characters and enough emotional chaos, humour, romance and tension to keep even the hardest-to-please teen interested.
Read this too: 17+ Netflix series for tweens and teens you can binge-watch together
Here are 10 HBO Max shows we think are great for older teens (think 15+), plus why they made the cut.
1. Euphoria
Let’s start with the obvious one. But note, this is definitely one to approach with caution.
Euphoria follows a group of high school students navigating friendship, addiction, identity, relationships and mental health, all wrapped up in some of the most visually stunning television ever made.
Why teens love it: It feels emotionally intense and incredibly current. The performances, especially from Zendaya, are phenomenal and the soundtrack alone has basically become part of youth culture.
Why we picked it: While it’s very mature and not suitable for younger teens, it does open up important conversations around drugs, consent, anxiety and social pressure. Definitely one for older teens and ideally not a totally unsupervised watch.
2. The Last of Us
On paper, a post-apocalyptic fungus-zombie show doesn’t exactly scream “family bonding”.
And yet The Last of Us is actually one of the most emotionally rich series on streaming.
The story follows Joel and Ellie as they travel across a devastated America, forming a reluctant but deeply moving father-daughter bond along the way.
Why teens love it: It’s tense, cinematic and based on one of the most beloved video games ever made.
Why we picked it: Underneath the scary bits, this show is really about grief, love, survival and human connection. Older teens who like thoughtful storytelling alongside action will absolutely inhale it. Bonus: this is one you’ll probably want to watch together.
3. Gossip Girl
The original, not the reboot. And yes, it’s ridiculous. Completely ridiculous.
But it’s also iconic television.
Set among privileged Manhattan teens with unlimited drama and deeply questionable decision-making skills, Gossip Girl remains weirdly watchable nearly two decades later.
Why teens love it: Fashion, scandal, romance, betrayal and the fantasy of living independently in New York at 16 (ha! they wish!).
Why we picked it: It’s glossy fun with enough humour and chaos to make it a perfect binge-watch. Also, watching it with your teen can be genuinely hilarious because some of the plotlines are absolutely unhinged.
4. Pretty Little Liars
If your teen enjoys mystery, drama and teenagers making catastrophically bad decisions, Pretty Little Liars is the show.
A group of friends becomes haunted by anonymous messages after the disappearance of their friend Alison, and things spiral wildly from there. And “spiral wildly” is an apt description for this show…
Why teens love it: Every episode ends with a cliffhanger so dramatic you physically cannot stop watching.
Why we picked it: It’s suspenseful without being too heavy, and there’s enough friendship drama and romance woven through the mystery to keep things addictive.
5. The Sex Lives of College Girls
Created by Mindy Kaling, this comedy-drama follows four college roommates navigating independence, identity, relationships and spectacular levels of chaos. It’s way less risqué than the title suggests.
Why teens love it: It feels funny, modern and relatable, especially for older teens thinking about life after school.
Why we picked it: Despite the outrageous moments, it actually handles friendship, insecurity and growing up surprisingly well. Best suited to older teens given the sexual content and language.
6. Adventure Time
Don’t let the cartoon fool you. Adventure Time starts off looking silly and chaotic, then gradually reveals itself to be clever, philosophical and emotionally layered.
Why teens love it: The humour is weird in exactly the right way.
Why we picked it: This show quietly explores friendship, identity, loyalty and growing up, all while featuring talking dogs and candy kingdoms. It’s one of those rare animated series that genuinely works across age groups.
7. Young Sheldon
Not every teen show has to involve murder, heartbreak or emotional collapse. Young Sheldon follows the childhood of Sheldon Cooper from The Big Bang Theory and is surprisingly sweet.
Why teens love it: The family dynamics are funny and relatable, especially sibling tensions.
Why we picked it: It’s easy viewing with a lot of heart underneath the comedy. Great for quieter nights when nobody wants anything too intense.
8. Buffy the Vampire Slayer
Watch it again with your teens! Yes, the special effects are hilariously dated. Yes, it still absolutely holds up.
Buffy balances supernatural drama with classic teen problems like friendship, identity, loneliness and trying to survive high school without literally fighting demons.
Why teens love it: Buffy herself remains one of the best female characters on television. We bow, Sarah Michelle Gellar.
Why we picked it: Nostalgia, mostly. Plus it’s smart, witty and still feels surprisingly relevant. Plus, there’s something very satisfying about introducing teens to the shows we were obsessed with ourselves.
9. Friends
While we’re on the subject of oldies that are still teen-drama gold… somehow, against all odds, Friends continues to attract every new generation of teenagers.
Despite being set in a pre-smartphone New York where people somehow just turned up at each other’s apartments unannounced, teens still absolutely binge this show.
Why teens love it: All the reasons we loved it back in the nineties: the friendships, dating disasters and chaotic humour still land surprisingly well. Plus it’s endlessly quotable and weirdly comforting.
Why we picked it: For older teens, Friends offers a softer, funny look at navigating adulthood, relationships, career confusion and finding your people. Some jokes and storylines definitely feel dated now, but it can actually be fun watching teens react to them in real time.
10. The O.C.
If your teen has somehow discovered “coastal grandma” aesthetics before understanding where half of it came from, welcome to The O.C.
This iconic series follows outsider Ryan Atwood as he’s taken in by the wealthy Cohen family in Orange County, California.
Why teens love it: It’s got beautiful people, messy relationships, iconic music and enough drama to keep everyone emotionally invested for weeks.
Why we picked it: A young Adam Brody before we all rediscovered him in Nobody Wants This. Plus underneath all the glossy teen chaos, this is actually a thoughtful show about belonging, loneliness, family and growing up.
So… can we justify the HBO Max subscription?
You bet. Because while HBO Max absolutely has prestige grown-up television covered, it also has enough quality teen-friendly content to make family streaming nights genuinely possible.
Will your teen still spend most of their time watching TikToks in bed instead? Probably.
But at least now you can occasionally lure them into the lounge room with snacks and a shared binge-watch.
And really, at this stage of parenting, we’ll take the win however we can get it.
Feature image still from episode 1 The OC – Fox/HBO Max – fair use
