Ready for a new streaming service with a monthly fee?
HBO Max is here, bringing with it the entire catalog of HBO shows, but also the wealth of AT&T and Warner Bros. products from “Friends” to “Big Bang Theory” to “Wonder Woman” “The Wizard of Oz,” “The Matrix” and “Batman.”
There seems fewer original new programming that usually comes with these kind of launches. So far the new originals announced could generally be classified as Not Good Enough for Real HBO. A much-ballyhooed “Friends” reunion that was to have accompanied the launch was delayed due to the pandemic.
But the best of the originals on hand today, the rom-com “Love Life” (HBO Max, streaming) stars Anna Kendrick as a woman who looks back at all of her relationships, one per episode, but also comes with the built-in bummer of their having to break up each time.
From there, “The Not Too Late Show with Elmo” (HBO Max, streaming) a talk show starring the “Sesame Street” star in a suit behind a desk, is designed to attract the small fry with human stars (Jimmy Fallon and Kacey Musgraves in the first one) and a comic sensibility out of the old “Muppets Show.” A 15 minute length is about right.
“Looney Tunes” (HBO Max, streaming) brings new work starring Bugs Bunny and company using an exaggerated, slightly jazzier modern animated style. The only other things for youth is “Craftopia” (HBO Max, streaming, a kids’ crafting competition hosted by a YouTube personality.
The Russell Simmons documentary “On the Record” (HBO Max, streaming) was picked up after having been dropped by Apple + TV; and there’s a vogue-ballroom competition a la “Pose” called “Legendary” (HBO, Max, streaming) who are judged by Law Roach, Jameela Jamil, Leiomy Maldonado and Megan Thee Stallion.
Mostly there’s a ton of catalog,10,000 hours of it not only from HBO, but TNT, TBS, TCM, Cartoon Network and Studio Ghibli. Its $14.99 monthly fee is nothing to sneeze at. And whether you can even sign up, through your own cable company, is complicated. So far, it’s not even on Roku or Fire TV.