Here we go rolling into a New Year and here we go with WBD’s constant tweaking, fiddling, and purging of content to make its mark as the premium destination. Well, it was already a premium destination when it was just HBO. But let’s not focus on that, let’s just look at the content being offered for January 2025. Here is a What’s On, yet again. It’s my pleasure!
A few quick points:
- We have a surprise visit from C.B.
- A Double Dose of Maher
- Fare from Brazil, Poland & Colombia
- A DIFFERENT MAN
- Plus, THE PITT
- And one more season of SESAME STREET
HBO Original Series: Well, we’re glad to have an Original Series for January, even if it is just a Limited Series. Plus, we are equally glad and admittedly surprised that it is another run of the C.B. Strike tales. Debuting
THURSDAY, JANUARY 23 (9:00-10:00 pm ET/PT) is the four-part title C.B. STRIKE: THE INK BLACK HEART. It is a British crime drama based on the book series Cormoran Strike by J. K. Rowling under the pseudonym Robert Galbraith. This title is an adaptation of the sixth novel of the same name.
Since there is not much marketing yet stateside, we gather information from the BBC, which aired the series this past December. When frantic, desperate Edie Ledwell appears in the office begging to speak to her, private detective Robin Ellacott doesn’t know quite what to make of the situation. The co-creator of a popular cartoon, The Ink Black Heart, Edie is being persecuted by a mysterious online figure who goes by the pseudonym of Anomie. Edie is desperate to uncover Anomie’s true identity. Robin informs Edie that the agency is too busy to take on her case and thinks nothing more of it until a few weeks later when she reads the shocking news that Edie has been tasered and then murdered in Highgate Cemetery, the location of The Ink Black Heart. Robin and her business partner Cormoran Strike become drawn into the quest to uncover Anomie’s true identity. But with a complex web of online aliases, business interests, and family conflicts to navigate, Strike and Robin find themselves embroiled in a case that stretches them to their limit. Here is the BBC Trailer –
Plus, in January, there is the return of REAL TIME WITH BILL MAHER. On FRIDAY, JANUARY 17 (10:00-11:00 pm ET/PT), the panel show begins its twenty-third (23rd) season which will run for 35 installments. Allowing Maher to offer his unique perspective on contemporary issues, the show continues with its opening monologue, one-on-one interviews with notable guests, roundtable discussions with panelists, and its signature “New Rules.” We’ll take it considering he joked about quitting his gig. More about Maher in a bit.
Original Series Exclusive to Max: Probably the biggest title we can tout this month is THE PITT. Yes, we know it is yet another medical drama that has been a TV staple for decades but this one has us excited because it gets executive producer John Wells, showrunner R. Scott Gemmill, and actor Noah Wylie all back together again since NBC’s ER. This drama series is a realistic examination of the challenges facing healthcare workers in today’s America as seen through the lens of the frontline heroes working in a modern-day hospital in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Each episode follows an hour of Dr. Robby’s (Noah Wyle) 15-hour shift as the chief attendant in Pittsburgh Trauma Medical Hospital’s emergency room. That means a total of 15 installments, a large order for Max, beginning with two episodes on THURSDAY, JANUARY 09, and the rest debuting on a weekly basis until April 10. We’ll look at the show in a bit more detail in a stand-alone posting coming soon.
The fresh content also includes a title called REFRAMED: NEXT GEN NARRATIVES. During its run, six filmmakers adapt classic movies through a contemporary lens, tackling modern-day issues surrounding identity. The six classics reframed are A Star Is Born, Jack and the Beanstalk, Calamity Jane, The Adventures of Robin Hood, The Prince and the Pauper, and Rebel Without A Cause. It all unspools when these concepts unspool beginning WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 01 on Max.
Returning to the streamer in January are the further animated antics of that DC standout and Arkham alum HARLEY QUINN. The fifth season of the show finds Harley (Kaley Cuoco) and Ivy (Lake Bell) in a new location: Metropolis! – the home of all things Superman, Lois Lane, and the Daily Planet. Harley and Ivy 
discover that something sinister is at play and all is not what it seems. Looming threats include Lex Luthor and his sister, Lena Luthor, plus fan-favorite Brainiac. But of course, Harley’s crew of misfits and allies will join her on this irreverent journey that takes no prisoners in having fun in the DC sandbox. The voice talents of Kaley Cuoco, Lake Bell, James Adomian, Diedrich Bader, Ron Funches, Stephen Fry, Natalie Morales, JB Smoove, Alan Tudyk, and Aisha Tyler have a ten-episode stint ready to stream beginning THURSDAY, JANUARY 16. 
Speaking of DC content, Max has three more episodes of CREATURE COMMANDOS to present. They resume on THURSDAY, JANUARY 02. The series tracks a secret team of incarcerated monsters recruited for missions deemed too dangerous for humans. Also continuing with new episodes on THURSDAY, JANUARY 02 is the sophomore season of BOOKIE with Sebastian Maniscalco and Omar J. Dorsey. Hmmm, maybe we should get around to checking it out?
HBO International Titles: As the bullet points state our International fare takes us out and about to start the new year. They come late in the month beginning with SCARS OF BEAUTY (Beleza Fatal) appearing on FRIDAY, JANUARY 27. Coming from Brazil, the series unpacks forty (40) episodes with five debuting at a time weekly. There must be a lot of story to unpack – Two families, two devastating injustices, and one shared plan for revenge. A daughter who loses her mother is unjustly imprisoned and murdered in jail; a mother who loses her daughter is the victim of medical malpractice. Both join forces to take revenge on those who destroyed their families. Can they be truly ruthless for 40 episodes? Wow. Camila Pitanga, Camila Queiroz, Giovanna Antonelli, Caio Blat, Murilo Rosa, Augusto Madeira, Marcelo Cerrado, Herson Capri, and Vanessa Giácomo star. It was created and written by Raphael Montes; and directed by Maria de Médicis. The Portuguese subtitles can be translated to English if you are up for an epic revenge tale Brazilian-style.
Travel north of there to Central America to find the locale for the next title. We’re in Colombia for THE OTHER SIDE (Del Otro Lado Del Jardin). This is a movie that clocks in just shy of two hours long. In it, a forty-year-old poet wakes up handcuffed to a hospital bed. Accused of his mother’s murder, he claims it was 
an act of love: a plan to aid his mother’s death and end his own life at the same time. He didn’t die so, now it is seen as a crime, complete with an intense trial, something our dear poet didn’t bargain for. It arrives on Max on THURSDAY, JANUARY 30. For European espionage head to Poland for THE EASTERN GATE (Przesmyk). It will play out over a more manageable six (6) episodes as of FRIDAY, JANUARY 31. After losing her pregnancy while in action, Ewa, a Polish spy, wants to withdraw from the secret service to start a normal life. But when her lover is exposed by Russian intelligence and disappears without a trace, she goes on a rescue mission. The suspense thriller series explores the high-stakes battle between intelligence agencies on the global stage during an emerging conflict and international unrest.Cast: Lena Góra, Karol Pocheć, Andrzej Konopka, Leszek Lichota, Bartek Topa, Piotr Pacek, Eliza Rycembel, Tomasz Ziętek, Kamila Urzędowska, Jan Englert, Ewelina Starejki, and Antek Sztaba. Credits: Directed by Jan P. Matuszyński; cinematography by Kacper Fertacz.
I know, I know. It is Polish so, go to the video’s Settings, then Auto-generate, then choose English, and, viola, the subtitles are in English. If you are going to stick with me on International titles in 2025 that tip is going to be very useful. You will need it if you are continuing the multi-national series THE HEAD, which just started up its third and final season. New episodes resume on THURSDAY, JANUARY 02.
HBO & Max Theatrical Movies: Okay, so no big recent releases to kick off the new year. That’s okay as the contract with A24 has been churning out some really interesting titles and will continue to do so in 2025. A trio of flicks leads off: The Front Room, Look Into My Eyes, and A Different Man.
As the above trailer shows, A24 movies are bold and unique. Brandy Norwood, Andrew Burnap, Neal Huff, and Kathryn Hunter star in THE FRONT ROOM, coming to HBO on SATURDAY, JANUARY 04 (8:00-9:38 pm ET/PT), and to Max a day earlier. Everything goes to hell for newly pregnant Belinda (Norwood) after her mother-in-law (Hunter) moves in. Belinda must draw the line somewhere as the diabolical guest tries to get her claws on the child. Directed by Max Eggers and Sam Eggers. Screenplay by Max Eggers and Sam Eggers. Based on the Short Story by Susan Hill. First is LOOK INTO MY EYES, debuting on SATURDAY, JANUARY 11 (10:05-11:53 pm ET/PT), and on Max the day prior. A group of New York City psychics conducts deeply intimate readings for their clients, revealing a kaleidoscope of loneliness, connection, and healing. Credits: Directed by Lana Wilson.
The last title is indeed different, but right up A24’s alley. Aspiring actor Edward undergoes a radical medical procedure to drastically transform his appearance. But his new dream face quickly turns into a nightmare, as he loses out on the role he was born to play and becomes obsessed with reclaiming what was lost. Cast: Starring Sebastian Stan, Renate Reinsve, Adam Pearson. Credits: Written and directed by Aaron Schimberg. Look for the title A DIFFERENT MAN. Find it on SATURDAY, JANUARY 18 (8:0-9:52 pm ET/PT), and on Max the day prior.
HBO Documentary Films: Usually January is a dormant month on the documentary front, but we have one this year. It is called AN UPDATE ON OUR FAMILY and it debuts on HBO on WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 15, and is a three-parter. It is about vlogging. It explores the complex and symbiotic world of family vlogging – a phenomenon in which parents post a steady stream of lifestyle videos on their social 
media channels to be consumed by loyal subscribers whose views in turn generate money for the vloggers themselves. After controversy around former family vloggers Myka and James Stauffer went public, new scrutiny arose around the industry. The documentary raises questions about what motivates vloggers to expose their lives to the world and examines the issues surrounding making their children’s lives public. The three-part series exposes the hidden-in-plain-sight, unregulated family vlogging industry.
MAX Documentary Films: Max has a documentary as well. The main focus is on the Ecstasy drug trade in a work imported over from Investigation Discovery. At the epicenter of the 1990s ecstasy drug trade in Arizona sits an unusual rivalry. English stockbroker, Shaun Attwood, faces off against Gerard Gravano, the son of notorious New York mobster-hitman Salvatore “Sammy the Bull” Gravano. For the first time, the Gravanos tell their side of the story. Through riveting first-hand accounts from inside both factions, the film unravels the unexpected showdown between the British business guru and the mafia heir apparent in the Arizona desert. Guns, gangsters and underground raves set the stage in a deadly battle for control of an Ecstasy Empire in SONS OF ECSTASY, debuting THURSDAY, JANUARY 09.
HBO Original Specials: Host of the award-winning series REAL TIME WITH BILL MAHER, acclaimed comedian and satirist Bill Maher serves up another dose of reality in his 13th HBO stand-up special.The HBO Original comedy special BILL MAHER: IS ANYONE ELSE SEEING THIS? debuts FRIDAY, JANUARY 10 at 10:00 p.m. ET/PT on HBO and will be available to stream on Max. With his signature sardonic wit and unfiltered approach to discussing controversial issues, the comedian offers up his scathing commentary on the hypocrisies of both conservative and liberal politics, as well as trends in modern parenting, sex and dating, and religion. Taped at the CIBC Theater in Chicago, the HBO Special is an unflinching and honest showcase by a comedian unafraid to call out extremes… No matter where they come from.
Max Kids & Family: If WBD is phasing out children’s programming, then what is all this stuff? Just scratch your head as you read. You can do both. Debuting THURSDAY, JANUARY 02 is a work called 
ISADORA MOON. Based on the globally best-selling beloved book series by Harriet Muncaster, Isadora Moon follows the delightful adventures of a half-vampire, half-fairy girl, her friends at a human school, and her wider magical family. Kelebek Media developed and produced the 2D animated series for children ages 4 to 7. It runs for twelve episodes. And this new animation is not alone. How about TOTALLY SPIES! WOOHP WORLD TOUR. High School students by day and totally spies by night. This a reboot 
of an older series, right? Find out when they woohp it up beginning SUNDAY, JANUARY 05. And how about a title named MERMICORNO: STARFALL, which debuts at the end of the month? THURSDAY, JANUARY 30 to be precise. It invites audiences into a dazzling underwater world where a team of Mermicornos (enchanting mermaid-unicorns) embark on exciting, hilarious and stylish adventures to save the ocean from the evil Ika Inkblot. During their epic mission, our heroes unlock the magic of creative self-expression, discover new depths of friendship, and find the best bowl of ramen in the sea. It runs for thirteen episodes with the voice 
talents of Bryn McAuley, Annick Obonsawin, Jonathan Langdon, Kimberly-Ann Truong, Kaya Kanashiro, and Jeremy Harris. Sandwiched in the middle of those premieres are more installments from BUGS BUNNY BUILDERS on SATURDAY, JANUARY 25; BARNEY’S WORLD on MONDAY, JANUARY 13 and new episodes of CRAIG OF THE CREEK on SUNDAY, JANUARY 05. The big news of the category is the announcement that SESAME STREET is finally arriving though it will be its last run of new content on this platform. SESAME STREET Season 55 will debut on THURSDAY, JANUARY 16. Season 55 of Sesame Street will premiere on Max on January 16, 2025. The season’s main curricular goals are mindfulness and expressing one’s feelings. The season also introduces a new series of Mecha Builders shorts. Celebrity guests include Reneé Rapp, Noah Kahan, Michael B. Jordan, SZA, Samara Joy, Chris Stapleton, Jonathan Van Ness, and Billie Jean King. One episode titled “Happy Bert Day” centers on Ernie throwing a surprise birthday party for Bert, written by Liz Hara and directed by Shannon Flynn. One of its companion series SESAME STREET FRIENDS will also have a go with Season 15.
HBO Sports: As long as there is a team in the hunt from the AFC North there will be more installments of HARD KNOCKS: IN SEASON WITH THE AFC NORTH. Out of the teams in the pack it looks like the Pittsburgh Steelers are that team. The show starts for the month on TUESDAY, JANUARY 02 (9:00-10:00 PM ET/PT) on HBO and will be available to stream on Max.
Other Shows On HBO or Max: We single out two series imported to fill this space. Both shows arrive on WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 01. The first is SHINING VALE from Starz. Both seasons of the comedy-horror starring Courtney Cox arrive on Max. A dysfunctional family moves from the city to a small town into a house in which terrible atrocities have taken place. But no one seems to notice except for Patricia “Pat” Phelps (Cox), who’s convinced that she’s either depressed or possessed–it turns out that the symptoms are exactly the same. How shall she cope? SUPERMAN & LOIS, from the CW, adds its fourth season with Tyler Hoechlin and Elizabeth Tulloch in the title role. Here is a look at the lesser-known of the two.
Next Month’s Tease: A double whammy – one guy was the creator of HBO’s ENLIGHTENED and survived a Survivor stint and the other guy rigged a Best Bird of New Zealand contest and offered Judge Clarence Thomas a tricked-out RV this year. Who are these guys and what shows will they be involved with in February?
Last Month’s Tease: We asked you if you knew who played the characters of Flynn Carsen, Tom Mason, and himself on THE LARRY SANDERS SHOW. The answer is – NOAH WYLE! He was Flynn in The Librarian franchise, Tom in Falling Skies, and himself on the classic HBO sitcom. He will soon play Dr. Michael “Robby” Robinavitch in THE PITT.
Final Clip: The Sizzle Reel. What else would it be?
Enjoy HBO & HBOWatch!
