(Photo courtesy of The Direct. “Max’s latest removal of content is a bad sign for the future of the streaming platform.”)
Abigayle Rettman
Connector Staff
Shows have been leaving Max left and right. On Feb. 28, 2025, Max pulled over 80 shows and movies from the streaming service. The platform no longer lets its viewers know which shows they are removing ahead of time. Many people have been blindsided, searching for their favorite programs on Max, and cannot seem to find them. Lately, the main victims have been cartoons and animated films/shows such as “Alvin and The Chipmunks: The Road Chip,” “The Grim Adventures of Billy & Mandy,” and “The Looney Tunes Show” which are watched by many children. A large range of Cartoon Network shows have also disappeared from Max, a channel historically known for its young teenage audience.
There might be a cause for concern with networks like Max trimming their budgets due to low ratings. Not enough people are watching these shows, but this seems to bring up the question: is Max not a child-friendly service anymore? From “Tom and Jerry” to “Teen Titans Go!,” this might start sparking parental concern, and some might need to switch streaming services.
Not only are they pulling shows, but they canceled a few fan favorites as well. These might affect adult audiences more than the others. A popular show, loved by many mature audiences, “The Sex Lives of College Girls” ended after three seasons on March 18, 2025. It can still be watched on Max, but there will be no further seasons there. There are rumors of other streaming services picking up the show and developing the storyline in future seasons. On a less positive note, another canceled show is a comedy series, “Bookie,” after only two seasons. There will definitely be many more cancelations to come with these budget cuts. Many more shows will be removed from this streaming service, and again, it might be time to consider your options, possibly switching services.
On the brighter side of things, there are some upcoming releases. The highly anticipated second season of “The Last of Us,” the hit show adapted from the PlayStation video game, returns on April 13, 2025. Less well-known shows/movies recently added that you might want to give a shot are “Celtics City” a documentary about the Celtics basketball team, “The Righteous Gemstones” season four, and the thriller “Battle of Culiacán: Heirs of the Cartel” are all good options.
While the future does not look bright for children using Max, there is a possibility for success for the more mature audiences. There are many original shows still being created for HBO and Max, but everyone will still miss their old favorites. Only time will tell how these changes will do for the company, and if they will be forced to revert to their old slogan, “We’ve got the cartoons”.
