The HBO Max original series you should watch on launch day

Another day, another streaming service.

Today, HBO Max greets the masses with an offering of over 10,000 hours of streaming content that includes iconic films, beloved HBO series, the entirety of Friends, and more for $14.99 per month. Viewers who currently have access to HBO Go and/or HBO Now may need to sort out whether they’ve already got HBO Max at their disposal. But for folks with the service cued up and raring to go, it’s time to take the plunge and see what’s being offered. 

For launch day, HBO Max has released six original titles. Its got family-friendly programming in The Not-Too-Late Show with Elmo, Looney Tunes Cartoons, and kids’ reality show Craftopia; plus romantic comedy Love Life, reality competition show Legendary, and documentary On the Record. 

There’s plenty more on the way, but to get you started, we’ve taken a look at each of these launch day offerings and assessed just how soon you’ll need to binge them — if ever. Listed in no particular order, here’s everything coming to HBO Max May 27. 

Happy streaming, Maxers! (We’re uh…workshopping the nickname.) 

A faithful return to classic Warner Bros. animation, Looney Tunes Cartoons may very well be HBO Max’s crowning glory. Bugs, Daffy, Sylvester, Tweety, Elmer Fudd, Porky Pig, Marvin the Martian, and more return in a series of delightful animated shorts that feel transported directly from the characters’ 20th-century heyday. While a few slight changes (namely, the improved image resolution and performances by 2020 voice actors) may ruffle some viewers’ feathers, folks longing for a dose of nostalgia will get their money’s worth and then some.

Why to watch: You’ve got an inner child and/or bowl of cereal that needs some toons.
How to watch: Looney Tunes Cartoons is now streaming on HBO Max.

Craftopia, hosted by YouTube’s LaurDIY, comes at a perfect time to inspire kids, parents, and any human looking for a distraction to take their at-home crafting to the next level. The contestants themselves are an inspiration. These pint-sized craft masters prove wildly resourceful even with an emporium of goodies at their disposal, often creating projects that blow away the panel of adult judges. Watching the kids flex their crafting prowess is fun, but we could spend 30 minutes just touring the studio and watching Lauren toss around different colored glitter. — Proma Khosla, Entertainment Reporter

Why to watch: You need more inspiration for your stay-at-home crafting.
How to watch: Craftopia is now streaming on HBO Max.

Here at Mashable, we stan Muppets of every fabric and falsetto — but who doesn’t have a soft spot for Elmo? In the Sesame Street star’s first-ever talk show, Muppets and celebrity guests come together to tell jokes, sing songs, and honor the importance of bedtime. Supremely adorable, laugh-out-loud funny, and just 15 minutes an episode, The Not-Too-Late Show is an essential addition to your nightly ritual no matter how long you’ve been out of the series’ target demographic.

Why to watch: You need to wind down before getting the perfect night’s sleep.
How to watch: The Not Too Late Show with Elmo is now streaming on HBO Max.

Subscribers who want to be instantaneously wowed by HBO Max should look no further than Legendary. Hosted by Master of Ceremonies Dashaun Wesley, this reality competition show pits eight gag-worthy houses against each other for the biggest ballroom showdown in streaming. Hyper-talented competitors pose and dance the house down for a panel of celebrity guest judges — and the chance at $100,000. We only caught the first two episodes, but if there’s only one reality show to keep track of this summer, then it’s absolutely this.

Why to watch: You want to be completely, totally, and utterly blown away.
How to watch: Legendary is now streaming on HBO Max.

On the Record centers on the sexual abuse allegations against Russell Simmons, using the story of A&R exec Drew Dixon and other victims to examine not only his specific crimes, but the larger context of misogyny in the music industry, the pressure placed on black women to protect black men with their silence, and the lasting damage created by such horrific violations. It’s not an easy watch, but it’s a riveting and insightful one. — Angie Han, Deputy Entertainment Editor

Why to watch: You’re seeking a more intersectional approach to the #MeToo movement.
How to watch: On The Record is now streaming on HBO Max.

Love Life is not the first romantic comedy show centered around a straight, white, privileged protagonist who isn’t criticized for even obvious wrongdoings, and it probably won’t be the last. Still, HBO Max’s aggressively mediocre entry into the genre brings nothing new to the table in the episodes screened for critics. Luckily, it’s an anthology, so future seasons could be entirely different. Unfortunately, this one doesn’t make much of a case for sticking it out long-term. — P.K.

Why to watch: You, for whatever reason, want to watch this instead of Netflix’s Lovesick.
How to watch: Love Life is now streaming on HBO Max.