Collider has ranked the five new HBO original series that have premiered in 2026, spanning genres from historical sketch comedy to fantasy drama, placing them from worst to best. The list comes amid what the piece describes as a strong year for HBO, buoyed by returning hits such as The Pitt and House of the Dragon, the comeback of The Comeback, and the finale of Hacks, even though the network has launched only five brand new shows so far this year.

At the bottom of the ranking sits Life, Larry and the Pursuit of Unhappiness, a largely improvised historical sketch comedy from Larry David and Jeff Schaffer, produced with Barack and Michelle Obama's Higher Ground Productions and narrated by Samuel L. Jackson, marking America's 250th anniversary through David's trademark grievances. The other four titles named are a mystery miniseries, Richard Gadd's Baby Reindeer follow-up, a Steve Carell-led comedy from the creators of Ted Lasso and Shrinking, and a long-awaited Game of Thrones spin-off, though the supplied article text cuts off before their exact rankings and titles are revealed.