Best shows on HBO Max and more to watch this August
August 2026's best shows HBO Max slate is led by DC series Lanterns and travel comedy Conan O'Brien Must Go, while Ted Lasso, The Shards, Reacher and other heavy-hitters arrive on Apple TV, Hulu, Disney+, Prime Video and Netflix — a packed late-summer streaming calendar for US and UK viewers.
Key Takeaways
- Lanterns and Conan O'Brien Must Go are the standout best shows HBO Max is premiering this August.
- Ted Lasso returns on Apple TV on 5 August, with Jason Sudeikis coaching a new women's team.
- Ryan Murphy's The Shards lands on Hulu in the US on 5 August and Disney+ internationally on 6 August.
- Prime Video's Reacher season four and Netflix titles Alley Cats and My Brilliant Career also debut mid-month.
What are the best shows HBO Max is releasing this August?
According to the BBC Culture August watchlist, two of the month's most anticipated titles land on HBO Max.
Lanterns premieres on 16 August in the US and 17 August in the UK. Kyle Chandler plays Hal Jordan, training Aaron Pierre's John Stewart as his replacement among the Green Lanterns. Created by Chris Mundy, Damon Lindelof and Tom King, the series mixes a Nebraska murder mystery with dual timelines and a buddy-cop relationship at its core.
Conan O'Brien Must Go returns for a third series on 21 August in the US and 22 August in the UK, sending O'Brien to Morocco, India, the Philippines and the Netherlands for four comic travel episodes.
Which other August premieres should you prioritise?
Ted Lasso returns on 5 August on Apple TV. Three years after its last season, Ted (Jason Sudeikis) is lured back to coach a Richmond women's team created by Rebecca (Hannah Waddingham). HELLO! Magazine frames the run as a final outing, with Tanya Reynolds joining returning favourites including Juno Temple and Brett Goldstein.
The Shards, produced by Ryan Murphy and based on Bret Easton Ellis's novel, also arrives that week: 5 August on Hulu in the US and 6 August on Disney+ internationally. Set in 1981 Los Angeles, it follows aspiring writer Bret amid a serial-killer scare, with Igby Rigney, Homer Gere and Kaia Gerber among the cast.
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What else is worth adding to your August watchlist?
Sterling Point, a YA island mystery from Megan Park, premieres 5 August on Prime Video. Ricky Gervais's adult animated comedy Alley Cats arrives on Netflix on 7 August. Reacher season four, based on Lee Child's Gone Tomorrow, hits Prime Video on 12 August with Alan Ritchson shifting the action to Philadelphia.
Netflix's Australian period drama My Brilliant Career, starring Philippa Northeast, follows on 13 August. Apple TV's Dark Matter season two, with Joel Edgerton again playing multiple Jasons, closes the month on 28 August. Starz's Fightland, with Howard Charles, bows 31 July in the US and 27 August on Sky and NOW in the UK.
Together, the HBO Max launches and the wider August slate give viewers a clear queue: start with Lanterns or Conan if you want the platform's biggest new drops, then branch into comedy, YA, action or prestige drama as each premiere lands.