4 HBO and Max shows from 2024 that let us down

As someone who’s spent a lifetime navigating the labyrinth of TV shows, I can confidently say that 2024 wasn’t HBO and Max’s finest hour. It seems they were bitten by the “promising premise, disappointing execution” bug this year.

Each year brings an influx of fresh TV series, and although you may grow fond of certain ones, it’s always wise to explore the new. Sometimes, previews for a show can be enticing, but when the season finally airs, it falls flat. This year, HBO and Max had some instances of that. Here are four HBO and Max series from 2024 that didn’t meet expectations.

The Girls on the Bus

Although boasting a talented ensemble, “The Girls on the Bus” on Max unfortunately failed to capture our attention. Frankly, the series felt dull despite its promising concept: following four female journalists during a presidential campaign trail, each grappling with personal issues. Regrettably, the characters weren’t compelling enough to maintain our curiosity throughout the storyline. Consequently, it’s likely that many viewers stopped tuning in after just a few episodes. Predictably, the political drama was axed after only one season.

The Regime

Regarding Kate Winslet, I’d watch any project she’s involved in, such as “The Regime.” However, this series didn’t quite live up to her other exceptional work for me. Her performance was superb, but it wasn’t enough to carry the entire show. The political satire was challenging to grasp, and it seemed like the writers were attempting to pack too much into a short timeframe. Given that the series consisted of only six episodes, this might have been a factor. Even if they had more time, I’m not convinced it would have saved the show. As of now, Max has neither renewed nor cancelled the drama, but it appears likely that there will only be one season.

Pretty Little Liars: Summer School

I apologize for my past criticisms of “Pretty Little Liars: Summer School”. However, this second season failed to captivate me like the original series did. Frankly, I believe the spin-off shouldn’t have been made given the iconic status of the original “Pretty Little Liars”. Contrarily, I found “PLL: Original Sin”, or season 1, more tolerable. The inclusion of the liar’s mothers added an intriguing dimension to the storyline. Unfortunately, with that aspect removed in “Summer School”, the show lost a key element that held my interest. Moreover, the plot twists weren’t particularly shocking or compelling, which made the revelations underwhelming. After two seasons, the show has been cancelled by Max.

Quiet on Set: The Dark Side of Kids TV

As a devoted fan, I must say that “Quiet on Set: The Dark Side of Kids TV” was perhaps the most disheartening series I’ve encountered from this list. Not because it wasn’t well-made, quite the contrary, it was exceptionally done. However, the revelations about a cherished kids network and shows we adored as children, which turned out to have such a dark side, left us in shock. It’s hard to come to terms with this harsh truth, knowing that iconic series we grew up with were shrouded in such controversy.

2024-12-17 02:27