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CNET has published a guide to 35 series to watch on HBO Max, alongside a list of the service’s October 2026 premieres. The guide highlights recent and returning dramas and comedies, while the October slate includes War, Rage season 2 and The Pet Cemetery Murders: A Ghost Story.
CNET has published a guide to 35 TV shows to watch on HBO Max, pairing its selection of current and recent series with details of three October 2026 premieres. According to CNET’s release calendar, the listed arrivals include the legal drama War, the second season of Spanish anthology series Rage, and the true-crime documentary series The Pet Cemetery Murders: A Ghost Story.
CNET’s guide spans drama and comedy-drama, from established HBO titles such as Succession and The White Lotus to newer releases including The Pitt, Heated Rivalry and DTF St. Louis. The outlet says its selections focus on shows that have premiered a season since 2023 or are renewed for further seasons. That framing makes the list a guide to relatively current viewing, rather than a complete ranking of everything available on the service.
In its descriptions of the featured series, CNET says The Pitt follows a hospital emergency department over a 15-hour shift, with Noah Wyle playing attending physician Michael Robinavitch. CNET describes Heated Rivalry as a six-episode Canadian series about two professional hockey players in a secret relationship while they play for opposing teams. The guide also highlights DTF St. Louis, whose central trio is played by David Harbour, Jason Bateman and Linda Cardellini, and reports that the series won seven awards at this year’s Emmy ceremony.
CNET’s October release notes list War as a new drama premiering Oct. 1, with weekly episodes. The series stars Dominic West and Sienna Miller as a wealthy tech entrepreneur and an international film star whose divorce pits rival law firms against one another. The schedule says Rage returns Oct. 9 for an eight-episode second season, while the three-part The Pet Cemetery Murders: A Ghost Story begins Oct. 11, with episodes scheduled weekly on Sundays.
STREAMING GUIDE · OCTOBER 2026
HBO Max: The 35 Absolute Best TV Shows To Watch
CNET’s viewing guide spotlights current and returning dramas and comedies, alongside three scheduled October premieres. Here’s what the supplied coverage says—and where its details stop.
The recommendations favor series with a season since 2023 or a renewal ahead. The October calendar is presented separately.
What the guide highlights
A selection, not a full rankingCNET describes a mix of established HBO favorites and newer releases. The supplied material discusses selected titles, but does not include all 35 entries or a numbered order.
The Pitt
Follows activity in a hospital emergency department through a 15-hour shift. Noah Wyle plays attending physician Michael Robinavitch.
One shift · High intensityHeated Rivalry
A six-episode story about two professional hockey players in a secret relationship while competing for opposing teams.
Six episodes · Compact watchDTF St. Louis
Stars David Harbour, Jason Bateman and Linda Cardellini. CNET reports that the series won seven awards at this year’s Emmy ceremony.
Seven awards reportedHow to read the picks
CNET’s stated framingThe guide focuses on series that have premiered a season since 2023 or have been renewed for more seasons. That points readers toward relatively current viewing across the platform’s catalogue.
Recent season
A season has premiered since 2023, according to the selection criteria described by CNET.
Or renewed
Some picks qualify because they have been renewed for additional seasons.
Choose your watch
Match the selection to your time: a short season, a long-form drama, or an established favorite.
October 2026 premieres
Dates and episode plans from the supplied schedule| Date | Series | What to expect | Release plan |
|---|---|---|---|
| OCT 01 | War | Legal drama starring Dominic West and Sienna Miller as a tech entrepreneur and international film star whose divorce draws rival law firms into conflict. | Premiere; weekly episodes |
| OCT 09 | Rage (Furia) | Spanish anthology series returns. CNET says Félix Sabroso created the series for HBO; the season’s cast includes Maribel Verdú, Carmen Maura and María León. | Season 2 · Eight episodes |
| OCT 11 | The Pet Cemetery Murders: A Ghost Story | Three-part true-crime documentary revisiting a decades-old murder case. | Three parts; weekly Sunday episodes |
Release dates may vary by region. Check HBO Max’s local listings as the dates approach.
Established names, new arrivals
The broader catalogue references familiar titles such as Game of Thrones, Succession and The White Lotus. Newer selections widen the mix, from hospital drama to hockey romance and ensemble stories.
CNET says season four is expected in November, but gives no exact premiere date in the supplied material.
What the source leaves open
Useful context before you decideNot all 35 are shown
The supplied CNET material does not provide the complete set of entries or a numbered ranking.
No scoring method
It does not explain how the shows were evaluated or compared. These are CNET’s picks, not an objective catalogue ranking.
Regional schedules may differ
The release information does not establish that October dates apply in every market.
Some details are absent
The supplied notes give no War episode runtimes, exact Gilded Age date, or further method behind the reported Emmy count.
Quick answers
From the supplied CNET coverage35 series to consider
A current-focused selection of shows with a season since 2023 or a renewal for more seasons.
Three scheduled titles
War on Oct. 1, Rage season 2 on Oct. 9, and The Pet Cemetery Murders: A Ghost Story on Oct. 11.
November, date unknown
The supplied material expects season four in November but does not give a specific day.
A Guide to Current HBO Max Viewing
CNET’s list offers subscribers a way to choose among the platform’s varied series, while its release dates give viewers specific reasons to check the service in October. The guide’s mix of award-winning titles, ongoing dramas and short binge-friendly seasons can help readers match a show to the time they have available. For example, CNET describes Heated Rivalry as a six-episode watch, while The Pitt builds its first season around a single, 15-hour hospital shift.
CNET’s October listings also show the range of programming covered by the guide: a divorce-centered legal drama, a Spanish anthology about women pushed to their limits, and a documentary revisiting a decades-old murder case. The schedule is useful as a preview, but it does not establish how the shows will be received or whether they will be available in every market on the same dates.
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How the List Defines Its Picks
CNET’s article combines viewing recommendations with a monthly release calendar. The outlet says the series list focuses on shows with a season released since 2023 or a renewal for additional seasons. It names familiar prestige titles such as Game of Thrones, Succession and The White Lotus as part of HBO Max’s broader catalogue, then discusses a selection of dramas and comedies in more detail.
CNET presents the October schedule separately from the recommendations, with dates, episode plans and brief descriptions. According to the outlet, Rage is also known as Furia and was created for HBO by Félix Sabroso. CNET describes the second season as an anthology and lists a cast that includes Maribel Verdú, Carmen Maura, María León, Cecilia Suárez, Ana Mena, Clara Sans, Claudia Salas and Ana Torrent.
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Details the Guide Does Not Settle
The supplied CNET material does not provide the full set of 35 entries or a numbered ranking, so the recommendations discussed here should not be read as a complete reproduction of the guide. It also does not state the list’s publication date, explain how the shows were evaluated, or give a method for comparing them. CNET presents them as its picks rather than an objective ranking of the platform’s entire catalogue.
Availability can vary by country, and CNET’s supplied release information does not specify whether the October dates apply to every region. The material also does not provide further production details, trailers, episode runtimes for War, or information about how the 2026 Emmy results were determined beyond CNET’s stated awards count for DTF St. Louis.
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October’s Scheduled HBO Max Arrivals
According to the schedule in CNET’s source material, War is due to premiere Oct. 1, followed by Rage season 2 on Oct. 9 and The Pet Cemetery Murders: A Ghost Story on Oct. 11. CNET lists episodes of War as weekly and the documentary’s three installments as weekly releases on Sundays.
Viewers can check HBO Max’s local listings as those dates approach for regional availability and any schedule changes. CNET also says a fourth season of The Gilded Age is expected in November, but its material gives no exact premiere date.
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Key Questions
What is the HBO Max viewing guide about?
CNET’s guide recommends 35 series, focusing on shows that have had a season since 2023 or are renewed for more seasons. The supplied material discusses selections including The Pitt, Heated Rivalry, The White Lotus and DTF St. Louis.
Which shows are listed as October 2026 premieres?
CNET’s schedule lists War for Oct. 1, Rage season 2 for Oct. 9 and The Pet Cemetery Murders: A Ghost Story for Oct. 11.
What is The Pitt about?
CNET describes the medical drama as following activity in a hospital emergency department during a 15-hour shift. Noah Wyle stars as attending physician Michael Robinavitch.
When does The Gilded Age return?
CNET says a fourth season is arriving in November but does not provide an exact premiere date.
Source: CNET
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