Now it is finally available in Cyprus, what to enjoy

And just like that, it was there. Right there. I opened my App Store and, right at the very top, there was the HBO Max app and a prompt asking whether I would like to download it. HBO Max has continued its expansion across the Middle East and North Asia, and thankfully, Cyprus is finally included. Now we can all bask in the glory that is HBO original programming.

But where to start?

How about some comedy? I need a laugh.

One slice of comedy coming right up! Classic comedy gold from Seinfeld co-creator Larry David, who plays a fictionalised version of himself navigating the minor and major inconveniences of everyday life in Los Angeles. Curb Your Enthusiasm has 12 seasons and it is worth watching every second of it. Based largely on improvisation and celebrity guest appearances, this comedy series will have you pointing at the screen saying, “Oh man, yeah, that annoys me too!” as David desperately tries to bring the chaotic world around him into order.

Looking for something more scripted? Then how about the dark comedy series about a dysfunctional family of ultra-wealthy televangelists, The Righteous Gemstones? Starring John Goodman as the patriarch who must decide which of his three children will take his place, Gemstones is a sharply written satire and biting criticism of televangelist culture in the United States.

And, if everything else fails, you can always count on the canned laughter of Friends.

Always love a laugh. But do you have something scary?

Oh say no more! You have to check out Michael B Jordan’s most recent film, Sinners, where he plays the dual role of identical twins during the Prohibition era in the American South. The story follows them as they open a nightclub in their hometown and, as night falls, come face to face with vampires.

If you are into vampires but want a more seductive, soap-opera-style version with a slice of LGBTQ empowerment, then look no further than all seven seasons of True Blood.

Maybe post-apocalyptic horror is more your style. The eternal question: what happens after the world inevitably burns? The Emmy-nominated The Last of Us is an ongoing series starring everyone’s favourite daddy Pedro Pascal as Joel, a traumatised man trying to survive in a world overtaken by mushroom zombies. Joel teams up with Ellie, a feisty 14-year-old girl who just might be the key to curing the world-ending virus.

That’s great but I’m more into the superhero stuff. Got any of those?

Boy, do we. With James Gunn successfully re-launching the DC Universe with the critically and commercially acclaimed Superman, HBO Max will be the home of this new cinematic era. The Peacemaker, played by John Cena, is officially canon in this universe and even had an extended cameo in the Superman film. The first season of The Peacemaker, written and directed by Gunn, is available to stream, with season two premiering at the end of August. The show follows a highly skilled and socially awkward superhero who will stop at nothing to achieve peace – even if that means killing every man, woman, and child to do so. The Peacemaker is hilarious and unexpectedly heartwarming at times, the perfect popcorn series to binge over the weekend.

If you are looking for more from Gunn, check out The Suicide Squad, the 2021 soft reboot and sequel.

The DC Snyderverse is also available, with Man of Steel, Aquaman, Wonder Woman, and Justice League, along with Matt Reeves’ fresh take on the caped crusader in The Batman, starring Robert Pattinson. If you like that, then may I suggest diving into the Emmy-nominated series The Penguin, starring Colin Farrell as the titular villain?

Yeah, no. Do you have something more grounded?

How about a ton of gangster series and movies? You can start with the one that kicked off the Golden Age of television, The Sopranos, about a mob family dealing with personal and professional challenges. It stars James Gandolfini as mobster (excuse me, waste management company owner) Tony Soprano. If you want something more historical, then Steve Buscemi’s ruthless bootlegger-turned-politician Nucky Thompson is your man, and Boardwalk Empire is your jam.

How about something with more fantasy?

Does seven seasons (yes, seven) of Game of Thrones sound good? Maybe add the ongoing hit series House of the Dragon to that? That should get the blood pumping.

So there you have it. A jumping-off point into the new and exciting world of HBO Max. Hope you have a great time exploring!