Every HBO Series Of 2016 - Ranked Worst To Best
Hey, not even HBO can make a winner every single time.
HBO are considered the gold standard when it comes to producing groundbreaking, quality television. It’s a network that attracts the very best directors, writers and actors, and has provided classic shows like The Wire, The Sopranos, Curb Your Enthusiasm, Sex And The City, Oz and True Detective: Season One. They also made Entourage, but you can’t win them all.
In 2016 they produced something of a mixed bag of shows; some of their landmark series are going strong as ever, while a few of their new series failed to hit the mark with critics or viewers. It was a year of intense highs and lows, combining well deserved critical acclaim with a few pricey duds.
Listed here are the best of their output to air in 2016, ranked from worst to best. While there were a few misses, HBO continues to be a network that pushes the boundaries, and even the failures usually have some redeeming qualities.
13. Animals
An animated sketch show revolving around various animals (Cats, dogs, horses, snakes etc) might sound like fertile creative ground, but Animals is a bit too smug to enjoy. The show is basically a bunch of comedians improvising comic scenes based on an outline, which are then animated for the show.
It’s too scattershot and messy to really work, and while it might raise a couple of chuckles it’s easy to get the sense the people who made it are having a better time than those watching it. Occasionally a recognisable voice will join in (Danny McBride, Adam Scott, Marc Maron etc) but even they fail to add much to it.
It’s basically a silly idea someone had for an animated sketch, but instead of doing a couple for YouTube they managed to get HBO to pay for it. Good for them, really.