‘IT: Welcome to Derry’ Continues to Top HBO Max’s Top 10 Most-Watched Shows of the Week List

I’ve been spending a lot of time on the streaming service this week, and it’s been great! Everyone seems to be catching up on both classic holiday shows and brand new releases. They’ve got a really good mix of things – I’ve gone from watching scary horror stories to relaxing cooking competitions, which is perfect for the holidays. It’s cool to see people talking about both old favorites and the shows everyone’s buzzing about online. It really shows how the platform tries to offer something for everyone, with both serious dramas and fun reality TV.

‘Holiday Baking Championship’ (2014–)

Get ready for the return of this beloved holiday competition! Skilled bakers face off to create stunning and delicious winter treats. Jesse Palmer hosts, and a panel of judges determines who advances based on how their creations look and taste. If you’re looking for ideas to make your own holiday desserts extra special, this show is full of inspiration. It’s a consistently popular choice each winter, offering a warm, inviting atmosphere and plenty of exciting competition.

‘Hard Knocks In Season’ (2021–)

This documentary series offers a close-up look at the life of an NFL team during the season, showing the difficulties and demands of professional football. It gives viewers rare access to what happens in the locker room and the players’ lives off the field. This season, the cameras focus on the team’s fight to make the playoffs as the regular season ends. Many consider it the best sports documentary series on TV.

‘Smiling Friends’ (2020–)

Pim and Charlie are the stars of an animated series about a small charity that brightens the lives of their city’s most unusual residents. The show uses a distinctive art style and quirky humor designed for adults. Each episode throws a strange new problem at the cheerful pair, forcing them to deal with surprisingly relatable issues. It’s become popular with a dedicated fanbase thanks to its fast-moving plot and unexpected twists.

‘Baylen Out Loud’ (2025)

Baylen Levine, known for his funny and unpredictable online videos, now stars in a reality show that gives viewers a closer look at his life. The series follows Baylen and his friends as they pull off big pranks and navigate everyday challenges. It’s a chance for fans to see how his creative ideas come to life, capturing the same playful and rebellious spirit that made him popular online.

‘Tournament of Champions: All-Star Christmas’ (2025)

For this holiday edition of the cooking competition, Guy Fieri brings together a team of talented chefs. They’ll face off using surprise ingredients to create delicious, festive dishes. A randomizer machine keeps things unpredictable and challenging, and a panel of judges will taste everything without knowing who made each dish. It’s a high-stakes competition with all the fun and excitement of the Christmas season.

‘I Love LA’ (2025)

This series takes you inside the exciting and competitive world of Los Angeles, following the stories of people chasing their dreams. It blends their professional lives in the entertainment industry with their complicated love lives. With beautiful visuals of the California coast, the show offers a fresh perspective on what it takes to become famous and the sacrifices people make along the way in Los Angeles.

‘Adventure Time: Fionna & Cake’ (2023–)

This new series, based on the popular animated show, follows female versions of Finn and Jake as they travel through different universes. They’re joined by Simon Petrikov, and together they explore deeper stories from the original series while each character learns more about themselves. The show is a fun adventure that also tackles serious topics like finding your identity and letting go of the past. Reviewers have especially liked the show’s unique animation and its heartfelt storytelling.

‘Mad Men’ (2007–2015)

This popular drama, set in the advertising world of the 1960s, still attracts viewers even though it ended years ago. The show follows Don Draper as he deals with both a demanding career and a turbulent personal life, all against the backdrop of a changing America. It’s known for its realistic portrayal of the era and its well-developed characters. At its heart, it’s a story about a man trying to escape his past while simultaneously selling the idea of the American Dream.

‘Heated Rivalry’ (2025)

This series vividly portrays the powerful connection between two hockey rivals, showcasing a believable and captivating chemistry. It follows their years-long secret love affair as they compete for the championship. Viewers enjoy how the show combines intense hockey action with the characters’ heartfelt emotional journeys. The story delves into the pressures of maintaining a public persona and the personal costs of achieving professional success.

‘IT: Welcome to Derry’ (2025)

As a huge fan of Stephen King and the It films, I was completely hooked by this prequel series. It takes us back to Derry in the 1960s and shows how the terrifying evil that becomes Pennywise actually started. It’s about a group of kids who stumble onto something truly awful and have to fight to survive. What I really loved is that it builds on everything we already know from the books and movies, explaining the origins of the curse, and it delivers that same mix of shocking scares and unsettling psychological horror that made the original It such a global hit.

Tell us which of these trending series you plan to binge this weekend in the comments.

2025-12-13 21:45