TV crime dramas streaming on HBO Max at launch

Here are the TV crime dramas on HBO Max in May 2020.

This week’s HBO Max launch includes a variety of TV crime dramas, from classic hits to thrillers from around the world. So if you’re one of the millions who have signed up for WarnerMedia’s new streaming service, these are the crime dramas you can watch right now.

Simply pull up the menu on the HBO Max app or website, then scroll down and select the “Crime” genre to stream any of these series. You can also choose from a variety of crime-themed movies.

And if you don’t have HBO Max yet, WarnerMedia is offering a 7-day trial absolutely free—more than enough time for your next binge-watch.

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Current crime dramas on HBO Max

The Alienist stars Dakota Fanning, Luke Evans and Daniel Bruhl as they search for a serial killer based on the Caleb Carr novel of the same name. The first season is available on HBO Max ahead of the sequel, The Alienist: Angel of Darkness, premiering on TNT this summer.

Barry is HBO’s critically acclaimed hit starring Saturday Night Live alum Bill Hader as the world’s most likeable hit man. Two seasons are available now.

The Outsider won rave reviews when it premiered earlier this year. Based on Stephen King’s novel of the same name, the miniseries mixes crime drama with a heavy dose of horror after a young boy is found dead in the Georgia woods.

Sharp Objects was critically acclaimed in bringing Gillian Flynn’s (Gone Girl) novel to the screen. Amy Adams, Patricia Clarkson and Chris Messina (The Sinner) starred in the mystery of two young girls murdered in a Missouri town. When crime reporter Camille (Adams) returns to the town after growing up there—and being in a psychiatric hospital—she’s determined to find the killer.

Classic crime dramas on HBO Max

Boardwalk Empire won 20 Emmy Awards and was nominated for 57 Emmys over its five seasons. Created by Terence Winter and produced by Martin Scorsese (who also directed the pilot), it was a critical darling on HBO for its depiction of crime in 1920’s and 1930’s New Jersey.

The Closer starred Kyra Sedgwick as hard-nosed LAPD deputy chief Brenda Leigh Johnson. The procedural was one of TNT’s most popular original series, running for seven seasons and over 100 episodes. The complete series can be streamed on HBO Max, but note that the show’s spin-off Major Crimes is not included.

Five Days had an excellent cast including David Oyelowo (Selma), Hugh Bonneville (Downton Abbey) and the late Edward Woodward. The BBC drama was split into two seasons, each with a different cast and telling a different story over the span of five non-consecutive days. Both stories dealt with young children mixed up in a world of crime and death.

Luther features Idris Elba (The Wire) in an award-winning role as the intense and haunted Detective Chief Inspector John Luther. This incredibly dark, and incredibly graphic, crime drama also includes standout performances by Ruth Wilson (The Affair) and Warren Brown (Strike Back) as Luther hunts the worst of the worst.

The Night Of was broadcast on HBO in 2016 and based upon the first season of the British crime series Criminal Justice. John Turturro and Riz Ahmed are brilliant playing lawyer John Stone and his client Naz Khan, who faces murder charges. As late as this January, the idea of a second season was still being brought up.

Oz was HBO’s first original scripted series and remains one of its best-known properties. With its unflinching look inside the walls of Emerald City, the show included breakout performances by the likes of Christopher Meloni (just prior to his casting on Law & Order: SVU), Edie Falco (in a recurring role), Harold Perrineau (Lost) and Kirk Acevedo (12 Monkeys), to name just a few.

The Sopranos has to be one of the biggest pieces of the HBO Max launch. After all, it’s one of the most well-known TV series of all time. This was Falco’s next role after her performance on Oz, and together with the late James Gandolfini, she created a larger than life mafia marriage. So many great actors, writers and directors moved through the series, which can be enjoyed in its entirety on the new service.

True Detective has been critically lauded over its three seasons, even as fans have wavered on which one is the best. Starring the likes of Matthew McConaughey (season 1), Colin Farrell (season 2), and Mahershala Ali (season 3), Nic Pizzolatto’s anthology series has always inspired strong opinions in genre fans. You can watch all three seasons.

The Wire remains the best crime drama ever created, and the complete series is also available on the new platform. Start from the beginning and re-watch all five seasons of this incredible drama that includes Dominic West (The Affair), Sonja Sohn, Idris Elba (Luther) and more.

HBO Max is now available for $14.99/month online, through the App Store, or through Hulu. Start with a 7-day free trial.