Best HBO Shows With Less Than 20 Episodes, Ranked

HBO’s catalog includes acclaimed limited runs and shorter series—sometimes canceled—where stories were told in no more than 20 episodes, according to a ranking that highlights 10 shows. One example is Raised by Wolves (2020–2022), which aired 18 episodes across two seasons before being abruptly canceled after the WarnerMedia–Discovery merger; the piece notes Ridley Scott’s involvement and its themes around AI and religion. Perry Mason (2020–2023) is ranked next, running 16 episodes over two seasons before cancellation in 2023, starring Matthew Rhys as the defense attorney’s origin story. The list aims to show HBO’s range from war-zone dramas and period crime thrillers to dystopian futures and romance—without requiring long episode counts.