All the talk in Hollywood right now is who’s going to buy HBO Max‘s parent company, Warner Bros.: Netflix or Paramount?
One of the reasons HBO itself is so highly prized is because the premium cable network has a brand for quality television that’s still unmatched.
Looking at its winter 2026 programming schedule, it doesn’t look like HBO or HBO Max are going to tarnish that reputation anytime soon.
Now, Watch With Us is sharing the five most anticipated new and returning HBO Max shows of winter 2026, ranked.
5. ‘Rooster’ (2026)
The Office‘s Steve Carell is making another TV comeback in early 2026 as the star of Rooster, a new comedy series from the creator of Scrubs, Bill Lawrence. HBO hasn’t released many details about the show yet, but Carell will be playing an author who accepts a position at the university where his daughter (Charly Clive) works. The pair is said to have a “complicated relationship.”
Till standout Danielle Deadwyler is playing the head of the English department at the college, and she’s said to have an “instant rapport with Carell’s character.” The rest of the cast includes Scrubs‘ John C. McGinley, Lauren Tsai and Phil Dunster.
Rooster will stream on HBO Max in March 2026.
4. ‘Industry’ (2020 – Present)
During its third season, Industry began to pick up steam as another breakout series for HBO and HBO Max. Details about the fourth season are still largely under wraps, but we do know that Game of Thrones‘ Kit Harington will remain on the show after debuting in season 3 as the wealthy Henry Muck. Yasmin Kara-Hanani (Marisa Abela) rejected Robert Spearing (Harry Lawtey) in the third season finale and chose to marry Henry to secure her future. Lawtey will not be returning for season 3.
Max Minghella is joining the cast this season as Whitney Halberstram, the CEO of a payment processing company that seems primed for a “growth phase.” It’s unclear how Whitney will be integrated with the characters, but the third season finale hinted at some big things for Harper Stern (Myha’la Herrold). She’s partnering with Henry’s godfather, Otto Mostyn (Roger Barclay), to short-sell corrupt companies. It’s ethically dubious at best, and potentially illegal if she’s using insider information to do it.
Industry season 4 will premiere on HBO Max on January 11, 2026.
3. ‘The Comeback’ (2005, 2014, 2026)
The Comeback has had the unique trajectory of being canceled after its first season, revived for a second season nine years later and now a third and final season 11 years after that. That seems oddly appropriate for Valerie Cherish, a faded actress portrayed by Friends star Lisa Kudrow. Unlike Kudrow herself, fame was fleeting for Valerie, and she never quite recaptured stardom as an older performer.
Each of the first two seasons was presented in a mockumentary style as Valerie tried to reestablish herself as a reality TV star by playing herself on an HBO series based on her monstrous former producer. What’s Valerie going to do for her final shot at stardom? We’ll have to wait a few months to find out.
The Comeback season 3 will premiere on HBO Max in March 2026.
HBO has had a reputation for creating the best shows on TV for decades. HBO Max may have diluted the brand, but that reputation is largely intact. Some shows like And Just Like That have proven to be more popular as hate-watches, but there have already been some great HBO Max series this year that […]
2. ‘The Pitt’ (2025 – Present)
TV audiences just love seeing Noah Wyle play doctor. After a career-defining role as Dr. John Carter on ER, Wyle returned to the medical show genre with The Pitt, which won an Emmy for Outstanding Drama for its inaugural season.
The first season of The Pitt followed Dr. Michael “Robby” Robinavitch (Wyle) and his fellow medical staff at the Pittsburgh Trauma Medical Center for a single 15-hour shift that pushed them to their physical and mental limit. Expect more of that in season 2. This show found its winning formula out of the gate, and it’s not expected to deviate much from it when season 2 arrives early next year.
The Pitt season 2 will premiere on HBO Max on January 8, 2026.
1. ‘A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms’ (2026)
Game of Thrones fans have reason to celebrate, because the next prequel spinoff is just a month away. A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms is based on George R.R. Martin‘s Tales of Dunk & Egg novellas that are set about 90 years before the events of the previous series.
HBO’s House of the Dragon will wrap for good after four seasons. Ryan Condal, showrunner for the Game of Thrones prequel, announced the news during a press conference on Monday, August 5, confirming that the show would officially end after two more seasons, Variety reported. Condal said that season 3 is currently being written and […]
Peter Claffey leads the cast as Ser Duncan the Tall, a wandering hedge knight who finds himself in deep trouble when he makes his way to King’s Landing. Dexter Sol Ansell also stars as Egg, a young boy who has taken great lengths to hide his true identity as Prince Aegon Targaryen, an heir to the Iron Throne. Egg wants to be a squire for Dunk, but there’s more than just royal red tape keeping that from happening. First, Dunk is going to have to fight for his honor and for his life, but he won’t be alone when his trials begin.
A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms will premiere on HBO Max on January 18, 2026.
