‘Friends,’ ‘Love Life’ and ‘Big Bang Theory’ Are HBO Max’s Most Popular Shows

After two months of binge-watching, the top three series on HBO Max have been revealed: Friends, Love Life and The Big Bang Theory. The streaming platform comes with a healthy mix of nostalgic content and new releases, and it looks like fans are taking full advantage.

As expected, Friends is the centerpiece of HBO Max. Fans nearly rioted when the series left Netflix, with many even threatening to cancel their memberships. Fortunately, HBO Max gave them somewhere else to go for their Central Perk fix. WarnerMedia announced Friends and other top performers on HBO Max on Monday, with The Big Bang Theory taking the number three spot. Sandwiched in between them was a Max Original: Love Life starring Anna Kendrick.

Other top performers include the DC Comics adaptation Doom Patrol, which began on the DC Universe streaming app last year. Looney Tunes Cartoons are doing well too, followed by Sesame Street spin-off The Not-Too-Late Show with Elmo. HBO Max has succeeded in striking a balance between family-friendly content and more gritty offerings.

While nostalgia may be leading the pack via friends, WarnerMedia was happy to report that eight Max Originals were in the top 25 shows on the service — Love Life, Doom Patrol, Looney Tunes Cartoons, The Not-Too-Late Show, Legendary, Search Party, Close Enough and Expecting Amy. These cover a broad range of topics and genres, including some that never seemed possible in a conventional TV climate.

While HBO Max is undoubtedly a new contender in the “streaming wars,” it has the benefit of building on the success of HBO Now and HBO Go. This means it can be compared to these predecessors in addition to its competitors, and it is doing well there. Users are reportedly spending 70 percent more time watching HBO Max than they did watching HBO Now, proving that the service is much more than an enhancement to an existing brand.

WarnerMedia also noted that about 23 percent of its viewers are in the extremely young demographic of ages 18 to 24. This is a big win for longevity and loyalty, although the service does not feature advertisements, so there is no one to court there. This age breakdown could also have to do with the service’s availability — without app support on Amazon Fire TV or Roku, users must watch HBO Max on mobile devices, computers, Chromecasts or gaming consoles, in most cases.

Whether it’s nostalgia re-watches or fresh content, HBO Max has clearly found something to entice everyone to their new service. The app is available now for $14.99 per month.