Three of the very best HBO Max series worth binge-watching this weekend, August 28–30, 2026, include Emmy-nominated shows and global streaming hits. ScreenRant’s TV experts have handpicked these three series on HBO Max for this weekend specifically, offering something for all subscribers. Whether you’re looking for a relaxing and lighthearted dramedy series with big-name actors, an immersive sports series to get ready for the upcoming 2026 NFL season, or the #1 most popular new show right now, this list covers it all.
2026 has been a remarkable year for HBO Max, featuring new seasons of some of its most celebrated series of all time, such as The Pitt, House of the Dragon, and Hacks, while also dropping a handful of exciting new originals like A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms, DTF St. Louis, and Half Man. While these outstanding series are always at your disposal as an HBO Max subscriber, as well as all-time greats like The Sopranos, Six Feet Under, and The Leftovers, these three new HBO Max series will keep you entertained from Friday until Sunday.
Key Takeaways
– Best Series: The top HBO Max series to binge this weekend include Emmy-nominated shows.
– New Originals: Exciting new originals like A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms are available.
– Sports Ready: Hard Knocks is perfect for NFL fans gearing up for the season.
– High Ratings: Lanterns has received a near-perfect Rotten Tomatoes score.
Rooster
Rooster became an instant streaming hit when it premiered on HBO Max back in March 2026 and even earned Steve Carell his 11th Emmy nomination for Lead Actor in A Comedy Series, an award he was nominated for 10 times as Michael Scott in The Office but has yet to take home. Rooster is co-created by Bill Lawrence, the mastermind behind Apple TV dramedy hits like Ted Lasso and Shrinking, and features 10 easy-to-binge episodes set in an idyllic New England college campus. Rooster season 2 is already in development at HBO.
Rooster features Carell in what just might be his best comedic role since The Office. He plays Greg Russo, a successful novelist who specializes in page-turning beach reads as part of his bestselling Rooster franchise. That said, Rooster has much more to do with Greg’s personal life as a devoted father and a reluctant professor at the prestigious liberal arts school Ludlow College. Carell is surrounded by an outstanding ensemble cast that includes Danielle Deadwyler, Phil Dunster, Charly Clive, and John C. McGinley, and it is an ideal watch as back-to-school season officially starts.
Hard Knocks
With the 2026 NFL season just days away, there’s no better time to binge-watch HBO’s flagship sports reality series Hard Knocks: Training Camp than this weekend. Now in its 21st season, this long-running HBO series peels back the curtain each year to reveal some of the behind-the-scenes operations of various NFL teams. This year, Hard Knocks narrows in on the defending Super Bowl champion Seattle Seahawks as they prepare for what could very well be another title season under the leadership of QB Sam Darnold and head coach Mike Macdonald.
Four of Hard Knocks’ five episodes have already been released and are available to stream right now on HBO Max, which makes this weekend the ultimate time to binge the series. The season finale is set to arrive on Tuesday, September 1, roughly a week before the NFL Kickoff game, which will be a Super Bowl LX rematch between the Seahawks and the New England Patriots. Given that this NFL preseason has already been quite chaotic with various injuries and contract disputes, this is one season of Hard Knocks you don’t want to miss.
Lanterns
Above all else this weekend, make Lanterns a top streaming priority on HBO Max as it drops its third of eight episodes this Sunday, August 30. Only two episodes in at the time of writing, Lanterns has already been called one of the greatest projects that the modern DCU has ever released, sporting a near-perfect 94% Rotten Tomatoes score and firmly holding HBO Max’s #1 worldwide spot since its August 16 premiere. With its grounded True Detective-like tone, viewers can easily press play without knowing much of the Green Lantern’s lore.
The series follows the iconic DC superheroes Hal Jordan (Kyle Chandler) and John Stewart (Aaron Pierre), two members of the Green Lantern interstellar police force, as they investigate a series of deaths in the small town of Rushville, Nebraska. Hal tries to show John the ropes as the newest recruit of the Green Lantern Corps while also dealing with an extraterrestrial threat that is shocking members of the local community. Even though only three episodes will be available by the end of the weekend, Lanterns is the #1 show to watch right now on HBO Max.
