5 Great HBO Dramas That Almost Nobody Talks About Anymore

If HBO has one genre in which it is almost unbeatable, it is drama, as evidenced by the shows that helped usher in the recent Golden Age of Television. The network is famous for landmark hits such as "The Sopranos," "The Wire," "Succession," "Game of Thrones," and many more that demonstrated HBO's range, spanning crime dramas, fantasy epics, and stories of corporate power. And yet, as great as these are, the network's catalog extends far beyond these titles and offers shows that do not have the same level of fan engagement.

Whether they were released in an overcrowded television landscape, canceled too soon, or audiences simply moved on, these series faded from collective memory for many reasons. Their obscurity belies their significance and quality. These five shows in particular demonstrate that some of HBO's obscure endeavors can go pound-for-pound with the best the drama genre has to offer.

Despite receiving considerable attention and praise when it first aired, "Rome" didn't manage to fully tell its story because it fell short of its envisioned five seasons and only received two. Chronicling the fall of the Republic and the transition into the Roman Empire, the series focused on both large-scale political upheaval and the stories of two soldiers, Lucius Vorenus (Kevin McKidd) and Titus Pullo (Ray Stevenson). Its epic scale of production, attention to historical accuracy, and depiction of the city's gritty reality made it a critical success, but "Rome" was canceled because of its high production costs.

If the balance between political scope and intimate character study, together with detailed world-building, sounds familiar, that is because "Rome" was one of the precursors to "Game of Thrones." "Rome" was an ambitious and early example of a massive international period production, and it was meant for something greater. Nonetheless, its depiction of that fascinating period of time combined with a thorough reconstruction of the city's larger-than-life grandeur elevates "Rome" to a must-watch for any fan of historical dramas.

An HBO miniseries that adapts a Stephen King work and was created by one of "The Wire" writers, Richard Price, sounds like the recipe for a hit, yet it never really caught on. Following the brutal murder of a young boy, Little League coach Terry Maitland (Jason Bateman) is arrested when all evidence points to his guilt. His alibi, however, places him far from the crime scene. With the help of private investigator Holly Gibney (Cynthia Erivo), Detective Ralph Anderson (Ben Mendelsohn) attempts to solve an almost impossible case that veers ever closer to the surreal.

What makes "The Outsider" truly shine is that it operates brilliantly as both a detective procedural and a supernatural thriller. The series does have a habit of slowing the pace to a crawl, but it nonetheless remains rewarding because it is steadily building up an incredibly oppressive atmosphere. This sets the stage for the series' gradual transition into an outright horror. It might have been received well, but it unfortunately did not manage to become a cultural touchstone on the scale of other HBO detective series such as "True Detective."

Created by David Simon, the genius behind "The Wire," and Eric Overmyer and set in the historical Tremé neighborhood, the series follows the lives of residents after Hurricane Katrina as they cope with the aftermath and rebuild their homes. "Treme" remains one of HBO's more meditative drama series, and its distinctiveness is its biggest selling point. It's a compelling look into the after rather than the preceding events, paving the way for the show's gripping depiction of resilience and the indomitable human spirit.

The four-season show does not feature exciting plotlines, mysteries, or satisfying narrative build-ups. It's instead a humane and emotional story that sheds light on the plight of the local community. Rather than using post-Katrina New Orleans as a backdrop for a sensationalized drama, "Treme" hones in on the mundane lives of humans trying to get back what they lost while trying to push forward toward a more hopeful future. It might not offer the same entertainment value as other HBO dramas, but it is an important story because it displays the best of humanity after confronting the worst of nature.

HBO first experimented with the one-hour drama series format in 1997 with the gritty prison saga "Oz," making it one of the network's most important shows. Executive producer Barry Levinson told the Television Academy, "It marked a giant change in the direction of HBO. Until then, they used to show movies. Then all of a sudden, they had their own series content. And what HBO is most known for now is their series: 'Sopranos,' 'Veep,' 'Game of Thrones'.... It all began with Oz."

Despite not maintaining a long-term following, "Oz" nonetheless remains one of HBO's best offerings. Like "The Sopranos," it has a stacked ensemble that you can root for despite their dubious morality and hard-to-stomach characters. The show occasionally sacrifices logic for sensationalism, and its violence can be quite gruesome. Nonetheless, the first three seasons are especially excellent because of their relatively grounded, contained story. While it does feature some increasingly outlandish plotlines later on, such as the aging pill storyline in Season 4, "Oz" maintains enough momentum to justify finishing the show.

Diametrically opposite to political dramas that center on conspiracies and assassinations, David Simon's "Show Me a Hero" takes the relatively unassuming concept of municipal housing policy and makes it one of the network's most compelling political thrillers. The show is set in Yonkers, New York, and follows Nick Wasicsko (Oscar Isaac) as he takes office amid a court-ordered plan to create public housing in a majority-white suburb. It details Wasicsko's dilemma and the community's reactions to the court order, while connecting the political to the personal by following single mothers as they face the burdens associated with neglected neighborhoods.

Balancing dramatization with a great level of accuracy, "Show Me a Hero" uses its limited episode count efficiently by focusing on both sides of the conflict. By following different perspectives, particularly Mary Dorman's (Catherine Keener) attitude change toward the housing plan, "Show Me a Hero" refuses to relegate the policy to a simple clash of opposing sides. In a way, it serves as a thematic prequel to "The Wire" by painting a more complete picture regarding the birth of crime in urban neighborhoods.