Since the world went into lockdown in March last year, Hollywood has been trying to reinvent the movie-going experience. With cinemas closed across the world, the big studio’s looked to streaming giants to play host when it came to distributing their new film and television shows to the world. One streaming service that has made quite a splash in that time is HBO Max.
Created by the television network HBO, HBO Max is their newest American streaming service that is home to some of their most iconic shows including Big Little Lies, Game of Thrones and Sex in the City.
Aside from their cornucopia of premium TV content, HBO Max is also the chosen mechanism for Hollywood to launch some of their biggest blockbusters in a post COVID-19 world. It started late last year when they made Wonder Woman 1984 available to HBO Max subscribers for no additional charge at the same time it was released at the cinemas. (This is huge! Especially considering that services like Disney+ charge their subscribers an additional fee to watch movies released on their site the same day as in movie theatres.)
They did the same with the highly anticipated Zack Snyder’s Justice League and are set to continue with the release of Matrix 4, Space Jam: A New Legacy, Dune and The Suicide Squad - just to name a few.
HBO Max sounds amazing! How do I sign up?
Like in the first act of all great television, here comes the plot twist. Unfortunately, HBO Max is not available in Australia and for the immediate future it’s unlikely that it ever will. Why!? We hear you scream into your screen. Well, allow us to explain.
Prior to HBO Max launching in America, Foxtel owned the rights to stream the latest HBO content direct from the US. However, once the new streaming service was launched HBO started a bidding war between Foxtel and their main Aussie streaming competitor Stan. Foxtel came out of the battle as top dog and just before HBO Max launched in the States, Foxtel launched the hero of our story - BINGE.
BINGE - the hero we all need.
If you’re looking to stream HBO content in Australia, BINGE is the best way to do just that. While it is a completely different platform to the American HBO Max, it does share similar content.
BINGE gives you access to HBO’s legacy content, a treasure trove of classics including Silicon Valley, Veep, Big Little Lies, Game of Thrones and more. You’ll also get the best of Foxtel’s content including the whole Harry Potter series and the Fast and Furious franchise. BINGE is also the best place for brand new HBO shows like The Undoing, Mare of Easttown and Friends: The Reunion which we get to stream at the same time as the US.
HBO shows you need to BINGE ASAP
There are hours of incredible television streaming on BINGE right now. Here are some of the latest classics that have got the whole Internet talking.
Mare of Easttown
If you love crime-dramas, this is your next series. Set in a small town on the east coast of America, Kate Winslet gives an epic performance as a detective named Mare Sheehan. Investigating the recent murder of a teenage mother while also trying to keep her own life from falling apart, the show follows her as she fights her past and a local community that doubts her ability to do her job. If you’re a True Detective fan you’ll love this series plus Rotten Tomatoes gave the seven episode limited series 94%.
Big Little Lies
In a town built on doting mothers, private school fundraisers, successful husbands, beautiful children and stunning homes, is a community of rumours, gossip, infidelity and unfortunately, murder. A darkly comic tale of the tranquil beachfront town of Monterey California, Big Little Lies explores societies myths regarding perfection and its romaticisation of marriage, sex, parenting and the perfect family.
Based on the novel written by Australian author Liane Moiraty, Big Little Lies features an exceptional cast including Reese Witherspoon, Nicole Kidman, Shaliene Woodly and the goddess herself - Meryl Streep. Both seasons are streaming now on BINGE.
Friends: The Reunion
Also known as the “The One Where They Get Back Together”, this movie length reunion special brought Joey, Chandler, Monica, Rachel, Phoebe and Ross back together one last time. Hosted by James Corden, the special remineses on the incredible history of the sitcom and even re-enact some of the show's most iconic scenes. PIVOT!
Featuring a huge list of guest stars including David Beckham, Justin Bieber, Cindy Crawford, Cara Delegingne and Lady Gaga. If you’re a Friends fan, you won’t want to miss it!
Coming soon to BINGE
Not only is there loads of great TV to catch up on BINGE, but there is also heaps to look forward to. Here are some of the shows we can’t wait to see!
The Gossip Girl Reboot
It’s been almost ten years since the season finale of the original Gossip Girl series and now it seems there is a new class in session. The latest series doesn’t follow on from the last iteration of the show but rather is set in the same world where previous characters existed and can be freely referenced and potentially reappear. But from what we can see in the trailer, it seems this new series is taking the sexy intrigue and mystery the show was known for, and turning it up a notch.
You’ll be able to watch the first episode at the same time it’s released in America on July 8th, only on BINGE.
Dave (Season 2)
Lil Dicky is kind of a comedian and kind of a rapper. The series chronicles (somewhat autobiographically) a fictionalised version of himself - Dave, an awkward jewish man-child who dreams of being a great rapper. The first season followed him as he made his way through Hollywood, trying to find his big break. The second series sees Dave struggling with success as he tries to navigate changing relationships with his closest friends and newest fans. This show is for those that like Donald Glover’s show Atlanta or Silicon Valley.
Episodes drop weekly on BINGE, you can watch the first two episodes now.
BINGE with Cashrewards
If you’re finding that you’ve run out of things to watch on your other streaming services, BINGE might be that breath of fresh air you’ve been searching for. Some of the world's most critically acclaimed television shows and movies are right at your fingertips.
Don’t believe us? Try it for yourself! Get a 14-day free subscription today and if you start your subscription with Cashrewards you’ll receive $7 cashback on your first month. Grab the popcorn and become a member of Cashrewards today!