New series on HBO Max in June 2023

May 26, 2023 Luisa Rey

HBO may be a so-called ‘household name’ in the US, for many the channel came out of nowhere with the release of Game of Thrones all the way back in the gray past called 2011. Since then, we also know here in the Netherlands that HBO is for quality. Hopefully we won’t forget that when the three letters of the streaming platform’s name disappear and it is simply called ‘Max’.

Because HBO has been acquired by Warner Bros. Discovery, you will find more content on the platform than you might have thought at first glance. HBO Max also includes content from Warner Bros., Cartoon Network, and Adult Swim. You already have a Basic HBO Max subscription from a paltry € 5.99!

Below are three HBO Max releases for the month of June that we think are worth checking out!

Painting with John season 3

Do you ever miss Bob Ross? Me too… Musician, actor and also painter John Lurie is no Bob Ross, but he has something that is perhaps just as special. Between playing his guitar, reflecting on his life and chatting with Red Hot Chili Peppers bassist Flea, he finds time to paint watercolors.

I wouldn’t go so far as to call Lurie a Bob Ross for the 21st century, but something tells me millennials like me who have spent too much time watching Bob Ross reruns on Twitch might appreciate it. The nostalgia of sitting in front of a CRT TV on a Saturday morning while Bob tells you everything is going to be okay is of course unmatchable. Fortunately, that’s not what John is trying to achieve either.

The production quality is top notch, John’s musings are funny yet quasi profound and it’s all dripping with authenticity. John may not know why he got his own show, but I get it. Painting with John season 3 will premiere on HBO Max on June 3.

Don’t have an HBO Max subscription yet?

First Five

An HBO Max original documentary about Finnish Prime Minister Sanna Marin and four of her cabinet members: Anna-Maja Henriksson (Party for the Swedish Minority in Findland), Annika Saarikko (Finnish Centrists), Li Andersson (Left Alliance) and Maria Ohisalo (Greens). A surprising club of predominantly young women in a world dominated by old men.

Logically, the focus of the series is on how the women experience holding a position of power, but it also takes a look at their private lives. Despite the fact that Finland has a longer tradition of female participation in politics than the rest of Europe, this cabinet is a so-called ‘first’. It also resulted in Finland in addition to a lot of praise and quick criticism from the well-known corners. Add to that the Covid pandemic and the Ukraine war and you have a fascinating story.

An interesting docuseries for anyone who likes to see more representation in the political spheres. The first three episodes of First Five will air June 9 on HBO Max.

The Idol

Attention The Weeknd fans! The first series starring the Canadian rapper is coming to HBO Max next month. The series is not even out yet, but has already grabbed several headlines. For example, director Amy Seimetz left after the series was thoroughly revised. The result apparently does not lie. At its premiere at the Cannes Film Festival, the series received a 5-minute standing ovation.

We follow Jocelyn, played by Lily-Rose Depp, a pop idol with aspirations who goes through a real breakdown after her tour is cancelled. Of course there is only one possible solution if you are in danger of failing in the music world as a young woman: The sex appeal switch goes to position 11 and you pick it up with someone who hangs in the news cycle as a modern war on European territory.

In this case it concerns self-help guru (and by that we mean cult leader, of course) Tedros, played by The Weeknd. A conscious throw at media attention or is it true love after all? The trailer doesn’t reveal much, but what is clear is that Reza Fahim and Sam Levinson, who co-created the series with The Weeknd, have a stylish sense of drama. If the Weeknd can rap better than act, don’t worry, Lily-Rose has already convinced several critics.

The Idol will be available to stream on HBO Max starting June 5.