Sci Fi TV Network Scorecard 2022: HBO Max

Network Scorecard: Scoring the networks based on their history of airing and supporting sci fi and fantasy television shows.

Network Overview

HBO Max launched in May of 2020 as the streaming arm of premium cable channel HBO as well as Warner Bros. Studios (now Warner Bros. Discovery).  It took the place of the former HBO streaming services HBO Now and HBO Go and it carries many of the originals from the cable channel.  The streamer has also launched quite a number of its own originals and has a large selection from the Warner Bros. back catalogue as well.  The merger with Discovery occurred in April of this year and HBO Max is expected to merge with the Discovery+ streaming service at some point in 2023.  How that will impact programming remains to be seen, but several cancellations have followed from the initial merger, and quite a number of shows and movies have been dropped from the service.

What Type of Sci Fi Shows Does the Network Air?

Starting off, HBO Max went heavy on Warner Bros. properties, particularly superhero shows.  The DC Universe streaming service had been launched prior to the announcement of HBO Max, but its originals were quickly absorbed by the larger service with DCU becoming defunct.  The live-action shows Titans and Doom Patrol moved over to HBO Max as did the animated entries Harley Quinn and Young Justice.  The Suicide Squad spin-off Peacemaker joined that group and other DC properties headed to the streamer include Green Lantern, Justice League Dark, and The Penguin.  (The Batman prequel series Pennyworth will also be moving over to the streamer).  In non-DC-related shows, HBO Max has delivered the sci fi entry Raised by Wolves, the fantasy series Theodosia, the adult-animated comedy Close Enough, and the two mini-series DMZ and Station Eleven.  Currently in the development queue are several Game of Thrones spin-offs along with more DC projects, but the future may be in doubt for some of them due to shakeups from the merger.  In fact, there has been talk of less in the way of original programming at HBO Max with scripted shows shifting back to the HBO cable channel.

How Quick is the Network to Cancel Sci Fi Shows?

So far, no sci fi/fantasy shows have been cancelled by HBO Max after one season, and it seemed like this could be a pretty good streaming service for genre entries at first.  But after the merger, Raised by Wolves was cut short after two seasons, and it is looking like Young Justice may not continue to a fifth year, with the fate of even more shows currently in doubt.  The previous regime seemed supportive of its shows, often announcing renewals before the current season aired.  But with all the shakeups, it is uncertain if that sort of support will continue going forward.  Overall, HBO Max has only cancelled 12.5% of its shows after one season, and quite a number have been able to stick around for multiple seasons.  Those numbers could change once the new regime is in place, though.

HBO Max New Scripted Programming

Does the Network Have a Three-to-Four Season Wall?

So far, it is too early to tell if HBO Max will follow the lead of the other major streamers and wrap up its shows in the three-to-four season range.  The streaming services base the success of a show on the new subscriptions it brings, and those numbers tend to taper off in later seasons unless it is an event series like Netflix’s Stranger Things or Amazon’s The Boys.  For that reason, we have been seeing streaming originals typically wrap up by their third or fourth season, often with the final season announced in advance.  The non-genre sitcom Search Party went for five seasons, but the first two of those aired on TBS.  The animated comedy Close Enough wrapped up after three seasons, but that is not enough of a sample size to determine if the streamer will adhere to the three-to-four season trend. And with the shakeups coming due to the merger, it may be a while before we get a good feel for how the new regime will deal with its originals.

Network Score

I am giving HBO Max a score of 2 ½ out of 5 on a scale of 1 to 5 (5 being the highest). Prior to the merger, that score may have been as much as a point higher. But with the quick cancellation of Raised by Wolves and the fate of several more shows (as well as scripted originals in general) in doubt on the service, I am going with the lower rating. It will probably take at least a year for things to settle down, and maybe more since Discovery+ will get brought into the fold next year. For now, consider this streaming service a less-than-ideal landing spot for sci fi and fantasy shows.

List of Sci Fi/Fantasy Originals

This is a list of the scripted sci fi and fantasy shows that have debuted on HBO Max since it launched in 2019. The streamer currently has five active shows carrying into the upcoming season (or waiting word on their fates).  The list is sorted by number of seasons, and if the show has officially been renewed that is included in the season count. For shows carried over from other venues like Titans and Doom Patrol, the list includes only the new seasons that have been produced by HBO Max so far.

CancelledSciFi.com: Keep up with the status updates of all the currently airing sci fi and fantasy shows with our Cancellation Watch posts. And be sure to follow the Cancelled Sci Fi Twitter Site  for breaking news and updates.

SciFiTVSite.com: Follow our Sci Fi TV Schedule for all the currently airing and upcoming sci fi and fantasy television shows, and keep up with what is airing/streaming each week with our Weekly Listings.