HBO Max’s November line-up has been unveiled, and more than 25 TV shows are set to join the streaming library throughout the month. That’s a lot of new content, and probably more shows than the average HBO Max subscriber watches in an entire year. Needless to say, trying to get through all of them in 30 days is a tall order.
So, to help narrow down your watchlist, I’ve turned to Rotten Tomatoes to find the November arrivals with the highest critics’ scores. A strong RT rating doesn’t necessarily mean a show will be everyone’s cup of tea, but it’s a handy starting point for separating the must-watch additions from the ones you can probably skip.
Before we get to the top picks for November, a quick point of order: HBO Max originals that haven’t premiered at the time of writing are excluded, since they don’t have a score on Rotten Tomatoes yet.
‘The Gilded Age’ Season 4
Few things beat settling in with a juicy period drama, and “The Gilded Age” never fails to deliver all the extravagant costumes, forbidden romances, and social squabbles that’ll have you hooked. Set in New York City during the 1880s, it follows New York’s upper crust trying desperately to climb the ranks of the rich and famous.
The latest season sees wealthy socialite Bertha Russell (Carrie Coon) navigate a rough patch with her husband George (Morgan Spector) while her neighbor and rival Agnes van Rhijn (Christine Baranski) plots her return to the spotlight among New York’s elite by hosting a dinner for President Grover Cleveland (guest star Jim Gaffigan).
Meanwhile, Agnes’ niece Marian (Louisa Jacobson) and Larry (Harry Richardson) rebuild their relationship and her employee Peggy (Denée Benton) gets ready to marry Dr. Kirkland. There’s just one problem: His mother (Phylicia Rashad), who has no shortage of opinions and isn’t afraid to share them.
Rotten Tomatoes score:89%
Watch“The Gilded Age” on HBO Maxnow (new episodes every Sunday)
‘City Of God: The Fight Rages On’ Season 2
Cenoura is heading home. Matheus Nachtergaele reprises his role as the drug dealer from Fernando Meirelles’ “City of God” in the second season of “City of God: The Fight Rages On,” HBO Max’s Brazilian crime drama. Director Aly Muritiba digs further into the violent power struggles between police, drug dealers, and militias in the crime-riddled favelas of Rio de Janeiro, exploring the devastating impact these conflicts have on the local community.
It’s a heavy watch for sure, but strong writing and solid translations help make this gripping crime drama immensely bingeable television. Set two decades after the movie, the second season focuses on the power vacuum left after the death of drug lord Curió. Cenoura, fresh out of prison, finds two men fighting over what he left behind, while Wilson “Rocket” Rodrigues (Alexandre Rodrigues) returns to the favela to shed light on a bloody turf war erupting that other photojournalists wouldn’t touch with a 10-foot pole.
Rotten Tomatoes score:80%
Watch “City of God: The Fight Rages On” on HBO Max now (new episodes every Sunday)
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