HBO has consistently put out most of the greatest television of the last 20 years. There's no denying the quality of shows such as The Wire, The Sopranos, Six Feet Under, Veep, Carnivàle, Deadwood, The Jinx and Boardwalk Empire. Whether it's drama, documentaries or comedies, they've been blowing minds on a very consistent basis. Of course the network has green-lit some absolute duds in its time too - Lucky Louie, Little Britain USA and Arli$$, just to name a few - but its hit-rate is genuinely impressive. But what about those shows that proved ridiculously popular, that were (or are) either commercially successful or critically adored, despite their lack of substance and their generic style? There are so many series that were celebrated more because of their creators, or simply because of their presence on such a revered network, rather than the content produced. A few of these shows had exceptional early seasons, and courted huge excitement and admiration in their weaker later episodes simply by coasting on past successes. These are HBO's 10 most overrated shows to date. Some of these shows should have been the great groundbreaking series that many people have deluded themselves into thinking they are. It's time they were taken down a peg or two.
