The recent merger between Warner Bros. and Discovery may have sparked uncertainty surrounding HBO Max’s future, but fear not! The streaming service continues to shine with an impressive selection of top-tier content.
Renowned for its high-quality television, HBO has solidified itself as a powerhouse in the crime drama genre. Their crime dramas have left a lasting impact, demonstrating an innate ability to master restricted and long-form storytelling.
From the enthralling original series “Tokyo Vice” to the critically acclaimed “True Detective,” HBO Max proudly presents a star-studded lineup of television programming that leaves audiences captivated.
Today, we present the perfect list for those looking to immerse themselves in the best shows about police brutality on HBO Max. Prepare for thrilling and impactful storytelling that will keep you on the edge of your seat!
True Detective (2014-2019)
Even though the quality of season 2 of the anthology crime-drama True Detective dropped, the show still stands as one of HBO’s most compelling original offerings.
It’s been bookended by two excellent episodes, but the chemistry between Matthew McConaughey and Woody Harrelson in the first season is still the gold standard. Darkly psychological, True Detective immerses viewers in riveting detective stories that successfully pull at the mind.
The third season, featuring Mahershala Ali and Stephen Dorff, was a worthy effort in its own right. Their journey becomes a fascinating parallel of a haunted past and illuminating present, with commentary on real-world concerns. Production on True Detective Season 4 has begun, and it will feature a new cast, including Jodie Foster and Kali Reis in the title role.
| Director | Nic Pizzolatto |
|---|---|
| Release Date | January 12, 2014 |
| Genre | Crime, Drama, Mystery, Thriller |
| Cast | Vince Vaughn, Colin Farrell, Rachel McAdams, Taylor Kitsch, Matthew McConaughey |
| Characters | Frank Semyon, Detective Ray Velcoro, Detective Ani Bezzerides, Officer Paul Woodrugh, Detective Rust Cohle |
| Famous Dialogue | “It’s all one ghetto, man. A giant gutter in outer space.” |
| IMDb Rating | 8.9/10 |
| Shooting Location | Arkansas, USA |
The Wire (2002-2008)
The first edition in the list of Best Shows about Police Brutality on HBO Max is The Wire. One of HBO’s earliest displays of its acclaimed originals was an intensely gripping police procedural unrelenting in its real-world depictions.
After flying under the radar during its first run, the series has been hailed for its realistic portrayal of police corruption, bureaucratic red tape, local politics, and the grim struggle of existence in urban blight.
Season one of The Wire focuses on the city’s illegal drug trade; season two on the transportation system; season three on municipal administration; season four on the education system; and season five on print news media.
It was ahead of its time in handling representation and social themes, which makes it more relevant and interesting now.
| Director | David Simon |
|---|---|
| Release Date | June 2, 2002 |
| Genre | Crime, Drama, Thriller |
| Cast | Dominic West, John Doman, Deirdre Lovejoy, Wendell Pierce, Lance Reddick |
| Characters | Detective James ‘Jimmy’ McNulty, Deputy Commissioner for Operations William A. Rawls, A.S.A. Rhonda Pearlman, Detective William ‘Bunk’ Moreland, Lieutenant Cedric Daniels |
| Famous Dialogue | “We’re Building Something, Here, Detective, We’re Building It From Scratch. All The Pieces Matter.” |
| IMDb Rating | 9.3/10 |
| Shooting Location | Baltimore, Maryland, USA |
Mare of Easttown (2021)
The limited series Mare of Easttown, for which an Emmy was awarded, included great acting from its cast members. Even in such a well-rounded program, Kate Winslet stands out for her portrayal of a disturbed investigator in a sleepy village.
The protagonist of Mare of Easttown is a police investigator whose life unravels as she deals with a murder investigation, a missing person case that has been going on for a year, and problems at home.
The series’ use of a tiny town where everyone knows one other helps sell the series’ intimate intimacy, amplifying the impact of the show’s emotional moments and biting social satire across its seven episodes.
| Director | Brad Ingelsby |
|---|---|
| Release Date | April 18, 2021 |
| Genre | Crime, Drama, Mystery |
| Cast | Kate Winslet, Julianne Nicholson, Jean Smart, Angourie Rice |
| Characters | Detective Mare Sheehan, Lori Ross, Helen Fahey, Siobhan Sheehan |
| Famous Dialogue | “Wherever you go after this, I hope they treat you better than we did.” |
| IMDb Rating | 8.4/10 |
| Shooting Location | Mont Clare, Pennsylvania, USA |
Tokyo Vice (2022)
Tokyo Vice is one of the fascinating first-run shows on any streaming provider. The show is based on the book of the same name by writer Jake Adelstein, who became the first foreign-born reporter in Japan and investigated the dark criminal underbelly of Tokyo.
Tokyo Vice is one of the best shows about police brutality on HBO Max, it is compelling crime thriller directed by Hirokazu Kore-Eda and starring Ansel Elgort and Ken Watanabe, with a cast of characters whose individual goals and desires entangle them in the larger fight between the Yakuza.
The Japanese side of the ensemble, especially Watanabe and Shô Kasamatsu’s characters, is the show’s best asset since they bring such nuance and feeling to their roles. The second season of Tokyo Vice is well on its way to becoming a long-running hit, and production has already begun.
| Director | J.T. Rogers |
|---|---|
| Release Date | April 7, 2022 |
| Genre | Crime, Drama, Thriller |
| Cast | Ansel Elgort, Ella Rumpf, Hideaki Ito, Ken Watanabe, Rachel Keller |
| Characters | Jake Adelstein, Polina, Hiroto Katagiri, Samantha, Jin Miyamoto |
| Famous Dialogue | “We Get To Increase The World’s Knowledge Every Day.” |
| IMDb Rating | 8/10 |
| Shooting Location | Tokyo, Japan |
We Own This City (2022)
The series We Own This City, based on the book of the same name by reporter Justin Fenton, is the latest in a string of excellent criminal drama limited series produced by the network in the past year or so.
The Gun Trace Task Force of the Baltimore Police Department is the focus of We Own This City, which details the unit’s rise to power, subsequent corruption, and ultimate demise.
Sergeant Wayne Jenkins (Jon Bernthal) is the film’s major focus since he is one of eight police officers who were found guilty of various counts of corruption in 2018 and 2019.
The episode was generally well-received, with praise directed at Bernthal specifically for his portrayal and to the show as a whole for its critical representation of the corruption surrounding law enforcement that took cues from The Wire in a tasteful manner.
| Director | Reinaldo Marcus Green |
|---|---|
| Release Date | April 25, 2022 |
| Genre | Biography, Crime, Drama |
| Cast | Jon Bernthal, Wunmi Mosaku, Jamie Hector, Josh Charles, McKinley Belcher |
| Characters | Wayne Jenkins, Nicole Steele, Sean Suiter, Daniel Hersl, Momodu ‘G Money’ Gondo |
| Famous Dialogue | “If We Lose The Fight, We Lose The Streets. Let That Sink In.” |
| IMDb Rating | 7.6/10 |
| Shooting Location | Baltimore, Maryland, USA |
The Sopranos (1999-2007)
The HBO classic The Sopranos is a must-see criminal thriller for fans of Martin Scorsese-style mobster films.
The show, which starred James Gandolfini before his untimely death as mob boss Tony Soprano, chronicles the activities of the Soprano family in their grim corner of the New Jersey underworld.
Cleverly, The Sopranos is organized around Tony’s psychotherapy sessions with Dr. Jennifer Melfi, where he learns about the importance of mental health.
The show’s premise is just as ingenious as its framing mechanism, serving as a critique of the glitzy, gory portrayal of mob life in the works of directors like Martin Scorsese and Francis Ford Coppola. The only sides shown are the grim and bloody ones.
| Director | David Chase |
|---|---|
| Release Date | January 10, 1999 |
| Genre | Crime, Drama |
| Cast | James Gandolfini, Lorraine Bracco, Edie Falco, Michael Imperioli, Dominic Chianese |
| Characters | Tony Soprano, Dr. Jennifer Melfi, Carmela Soprano, Christopher Moltisanti, Junior Soprano |
| Famous Dialogue | “You steer the ship the best way you know. Sometimes it’s smooth. Sometimes you hit the rocks. In the meantime, you find your pleasures where you can.” |
| IMDb Rating | 9.2/10 |
| Shooting Location | Satin Dolls – 230 State Route 17 S., Lodi, New Jersey, USA |
Barry (2018)
Barry is a fantastic example of the adaptability of crime dramas, and Bill Hader’s acting skills in a more nontraditional but no less compelling case.
Hader plays the title character, a miserable low-level hitman who takes up acting and discovers a newfound passion and drive for social contact. The former SNL star is at his comedic best in Barry, a crime drama with just the right amount of dark comedy.
It’s fresh air in crime dramas and television, with the actual writing. The show has received mostly positive reviews across all three seasons, even as the tone of its most recent outing has become more dramatic.
Season 4 is in the works, and it will have eight additional episodes that continue to follow Barry on his adventure.
| Director | Alec Berg, Bill Hader |
|---|---|
| Release Date | March 25, 2018 |
| Genre | Action, Comedy, Crime, Drama |
| Cast | Stephen Root, Sarah Goldberg, Anthony Carrigan, Henry Winkler |
| Characters | Monroe Fuches, Sally Reed, NoHo Hank, Gene Cousineau |
| Famous Dialogue | “You Should Be Able To Be The Person That You Say You Are.” |
| IMDb Rating | 8.4/10 |
| Shooting Location | Steve Allen Theater – 4773 Hollywood Blvd, Los Feliz, Los Angeles, California, USA |
Boardwalk Empire (2010-2014)
The last show in the list of Best Shows about Police Brutality on HBO Max is Boardwalk Empire (2010-2014). Crime dramas benefit from including period pieces, whether they focus on the Italian mafia or the Irish mob.
Boardwalk Empire, set in the 1920s and 1930s during Prohibition, employs the historical piece drama perspective to merge history with fiction. With an outstanding ensemble cast, the film is led by Steve Buscemi as the fictional corrupt Atlantic County treasurer Nucky Thompson.
The story, as may be guessed, centers on the illegal alcohol trade that flourished in Atlantic City during Prohibition’s peak and twilight years. Boardwalk Empire received high marks for its stunning visual flair and blended of fictitious and historical features, in addition to Buscemi’s powerful portrayal as the lead.
| Director | Terence Winter |
|---|---|
| Release Date | September 19, 2010 |
| Genre | Crime, Drama |
| Cast | Steve Buscemi, Kelly Macdonald, Michael Shannon, Shea Whigham |
| Characters | Enoch ‘Nucky’ Thompson, Margaret Thompson, Nelson Van Alden, Elias ‘Eli’ Thompson |
| Famous Dialogue | “Allowing you to simply go to jail is the last gift I’ll ever give you.” |
| IMDb Rating | 8.6/10 |
| Shooting Location | Ridgewood, Queens, New York City, New York, USA |
Conclusion
In conclusion, HBO Max offers a captivating array of true crime shows that delve into the darkest corners of human behavior.
From fraud and murder investigations to scandalous Hollywood tales and gripping unsolved mysteries, these series showcase the complexity of real-life events and the impact they have on society.
HBO’s commitment to high-quality storytelling is evident in these shows, which shed light on important issues and deliver riveting narratives.
