HBO Max has a huge selection of shows and movies from all of its partner networks, including HBO, Discovery, Food Network, and more. New shows and movies are always being added, so here are my top choices for this weekend and the week ahead, plus everything new streaming below. The middle of December brings ultra-weird standup, a classic comedy sequel, and haunting true crime.
This Week on Max: PCMag’s Picks
Sarah Squirm: Live + In the Flesh (Dec. 12)
It’s pretty amazing that Sarah Sherman has parlayed her deeply weird comedy into a cast spot on Saturday Night Live, but that storied platform doesn’t let her really fly her freak flag. That’s why we’re psyched for her new one-hour special on HBO Max, which drops us into a funhouse of body horror, intense confessions, and unexpected twists that will leave you cringing with laughter.
Spinal Tap II: The End Continues (Dec. 7)
The fact that the members of Spinal Tap are still alive 41 years after the mockumentary that launched them to fame is a miracle in itself (well, except for their drummers). Getting the band back together for Spinal Tap II: The End Continues involves a long-forgotten contract for one final show. After 15 years of inactivity, they head to New Orleans and endure a panoply of bizarre events on their way to the stage. It’s utter brainless fun, in the best possible way.
The Secrets We Bury (Dec. 16)
The disappearance of a parent can lead to decades of trauma, and since 1963, Mike Carroll had been trying to work through his feelings around his father George. His mother told him and his siblings that he’d abandoned the family, but in 2018, Mike made a terrifying discovery in the basement of the family home. New documentary The Secrets We Bury from ID digs deep into what happened and why.
HBO Max New Releases This Week
December 12
Sarah Squirm: Live + In the Flesh
Spinal Tap II: The End Continues
Stolen Children
This Is Spinal Tap
December 13
Vantara: Sanctuary Stories – Season 1
December 14
Toad and Friends – Season 1D
Very Merry Mystery
December 15
Assassination in the Valley of the Kings
The Bold Type – Seasons 1-5
Tony Shalhoub Breaking Bread
Truck U – Season 21
White House Christmas
Recommended by Our Editors
December 16
The Secrets We Bury
“MisinfoNation: White Genocide,” The Whole Story with Anderson Cooper
December 17
Obsession: The Murder of a Beauty Queen
December 18
Counting Crows: Have You Seen Me Lately?
Saving Yellowstone with Dennis Quaid – Season 1
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About Our Expert
K. Thor Jensen
Contributing Writer
Experience
K. Thor Jensen is a writer and cartoonist living in the Pacific Northwest. He has contributed to dozens of prestigious outlets, including PCMag, Tested, Clickhole, and Newsweek. His second graphic novel, Cloud Stories, was released in 2017.
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