HBO’s ‘It’s Not TV’ Tagline Makes No Sense in the Age of Prestige Television

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I remember when this network first hit the scene in the ’90s and early 2000s – it really defined quality television. It was completely in a league of its own, pioneering a style we see everywhere now, and they had this fantastic slogan that really captured that feeling. But honestly, that slogan doesn’t quite ring true anymore. Other networks have stepped up their game, and the gap between them and this one has definitely closed.

HBO’s famous slogan, “It’s not TV, it’s HBO,” feels very outdated today. It originally highlighted how HBO offered higher-quality shows than traditional television, but now many other networks and streaming services offer similarly impressive content. Plus, some viewers feel HBO hasn’t been as consistently strong lately, diminishing the reputation it once had.

HBO’s Former Slogan Separated It from Everyday Television

Many people today might not know that HBO started in the 1970s as the very first pay television service. By the late 1980s, the network was focused on growing its audience and reaching more viewers. This commitment to expansion became clear in the following decade, with a marketing strategy that shaped HBO’s image for over ten years.

The famous HBO slogan, “It’s not TV, it’s HBO,” really hit the mark. Originally, HBO – which stands for Home Box Office – aimed to bring movies to people’s TVs when renting or owning films wasn’t as easy. Over time, the slogan also came to represent the high quality of HBO’s shows, which often felt as polished and well-made as movies compared to typical television programs.

TV shows on HBO in the late 1990s were remarkably different from most other series on television, and many are still considered some of the best ever made. Take The Sopranos, for example – it remains incredibly influential, with newer HBO shows often trying to follow its lead. HBO programs pushed boundaries with their sophisticated writing, realistic portrayals of violence and sexuality, and use of strong language – things that weren’t commonly seen on other networks at the time.

Strong writing was always central to the show’s success, ensuring even its darkest moments felt authentically human. There was a clear standard of quality, reflected in their long-running “It’s not TV” slogan, which they used from 1996 to 2009. However, retiring that slogan over a decade ago now seems understandable, as other shows are starting to reach the same level of excellence as the one that made The Sopranos famous.

Prestige Television Has Become More Mainstream

Channels like HBO, Cinemax, and Starz originally popularized high-quality, sophisticated television. However, other networks quickly followed suit. AMC, in particular, became known for this type of programming in the late 2000s with shows like Mad Men, offering the same level of quality and compelling storytelling as The Sopranos to a wider audience. This trend continued and expanded in the 2010s as streaming services grew in popularity.

Let’s be honest, Netflix has put out some duds, but when they hit, they really hit. Their best shows aren’t just good, they’re right up there with the most critically acclaimed dramas on television. Take , for instance – it’s still considered a landmark achievement in the true crime genre, and for good reason.

FX, launched by Fox, was created to compete with HBO, even featuring many movies, much like HBO’s original focus as a ‘Home Box Office.’ The channel also became known for its mature dramas and thrillers, similar to HBO’s programming. Following this trend, most major studios and companies have since launched their own streaming services, each with unique original shows.

Paramount+ offers several high-quality crime dramas, including the popular series Mayor of Kingstown. While traditional police and forensic shows on networks like ABC and CBS feel somewhat outdated, the rise of critically acclaimed, sophisticated television is clearly having a major influence.

The competition is fierce, and HBO’s old slogan—suggesting it was the only place for groundbreaking television—no longer rings true. Mature themes and bold documentaries, once exclusive to HBO, are now widely available across many streaming services and channels, often with the same high quality that set HBO apart. While not every attempt is perfect, the sheer number of these shows proves this type of programming is now standard. The era of simple sitcoms and self-contained crime dramas is fading, and even HBO itself isn’t as consistently strong as it used to be, making it easier for others to compete in the world of high-quality television.

HBO Isn’t Quite What It Used to Be

HBO used to be known for consistently excellent TV shows, but its reputation has declined recently. The quality started to slip in the late 2010s, particularly with the final seasons of popular shows like Game of Thrones (especially season eight). The disappointing ending of Westworld also drew criticism, and HBO faced increasing competition from other streaming services.

The biggest problem was that HBO’s recent shows were starting to be compared to failures on other channels. This led to criticism of HBO’s long-standing reputation for quality, and fans jokingly said some of the new shows felt more like something you’d see on a streaming service like Netflix than on HBO.

HBO now seems to be following Netflix’s pattern of unexpectedly canceling shows, as seen with series like Our Flag Means Death and Westworld. These cancellations were particularly frustrating because the shows had dedicated and passionate fan bases. To make matters worse, HBO hasn’t had a breakout hit comparable to The Sopranos or Game of Thrones in recent years, which means they’re not driving as much of the current TV conversation. While the network has had some successes in the 2020s, none have reached the same level of popularity or critical acclaim as their biggest shows from the 2000s and 2010s.

Recently, there’s been a surge of popular new shows that have really captured the public’s attention. Interestingly, many of these successful series are connected to established franchises. Examples include the 2024 award-winning DC Comics show Penguin (a spin-off of The Batman) and a new series based on the additional Dune novels by Brian Herbert.

I used to think of HBO as the standard for incredible television – they really defined a golden age, you know? But honestly, lately I’ve been wondering if those days are over. It feels like they’ve slipped a bit, especially as other networks are now consistently putting out shows that are just as good, if not better. Maybe we expected too much from HBO because of their past success – a standard other networks weren’t held to. It’s like the student has surpassed the teacher, and the competition has really leveled the playing field.

The famous HBO slogan, “It’s not TV, it’s HBO,” feels outdated and doesn’t really fit today’s media landscape. While the 2020s aren’t over yet, and there’s still time for a show to emerge as a cultural phenomenon like The Sopranos, HBO has clearly lost its position as the leading source of groundbreaking television. It would take something truly exceptional to restore its dominance.

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2025-11-02 04:15