Time is a valuable thing. As much as I would love to watch and finish a show in one sitting, it’s unattainable to do every weekend. If you’re like me, you’re always on the go. Thanks to streaming, you can take your favorite shows on the road and watch them on a phone.
If you can only afford three streaming services, HBO Max should be one of your selections due to the quality and quantity of shows. HBO Max also has a functional mobile app. Since time is such a precious commodity, I have five shows with 25-minute episodes that you can stream on your phone through the HBO Max app or download for offline viewing on certain plans. The shows range from sitcoms and docu-comedies to animated and mockumentaries.
Stuart Fails to Save the Universe
Big Bang Theory spin-off with a twist
I often forget just how popular Big Bang Theory was during its peak. The show averaged more than 20 million viewers per episode in season 7. With a dedicated fanbase, it was only a matter of time before Big Bang Theory co-creator Chuck Lorre and his team created another spin-off, Stuart Fails to Save the Universe, which is currently in the midst of its first season on HBO Max.
Kevin Sussman reprises his Big Bang Theory role of Stuart Bloom, but in this spin-off, it’s all about the multiverse. Stuart accidentally breaks a quantum device that triggers Armageddon throughout the universe. It’s now up to Stuart and his crew—Bert (Brian Posehn), Denise (Lauren Lapkus), and Kripke (John Ross Bowie)—to hop between the different universes and restore their realities. Stuart Fails to Save the Universe still has the scientific element of Big Bang Theory, but it leans more into sci-fi adventure than sitcom.
P.S. One of the episodes runs for 26 minutes. Everything else runs under 25 minutes, including one 16-minute episode.
Friends
Peak 1990s sitcom
If you asked me to pick the sitcoms that best captured the 1990s, I would pick Seinfeld and Friends, the latter of which is streaming on HBO Max. The iconic comedy from David Crane and Marta Kauffman was an NBC staple that reached a stupendous level of popularity that few shows will ever attain.
Friends has a simple concept: six friends—Rachel (Jennifer Aniston), Monica (Courteney Cox), Phoebe (Lisa Kudrow), Joey (Matt LeBlanc), Chandler (Matthew Perry), and Ross (David Schwimmer)—navigate challenges of work, love, and everything in between in New York City. The majority of episodes on HBO Max are 23 minutes long, so expect many laughs from Joey’s foolishness and Phoebe’s unpredictability. And remember, they were on a break.
Nathan for You
Enter the world of Nathan Fielder
I’m at a loss for words when it comes to Nathan Fielder. I mean that as a compliment, by the way. He is truly 1-of-1 when it comes to comedy. His brain needs to be studied by scientists. His commitment to the bit is inspiring, and his ability to stay in character is the best in the business. Before watching The Rehearsal, first check out Nathan for You, an absurd comedy, with the majority of the episodes running under 25 minutes.
Fielder stars as a fictionalized version of himself, though again, he blurs the line between reality and fiction so much that I don’t know when the joke stops. Anyway, Fielder plays a socially anxious business advisor brought in to help small businesses. The more ridiculous the idea, the funnier it is. Personally, A Hot Dog Stand and The Claw of Shame make me cringe in the best ways possible. Plus, I’m trying to watch as much of Fielder’s content as I can before his new documentary, You Can See Everything, arrives.
Rick and Morty
The adventures of an odd couple
Rick and Morty is a wacky show. If you’ve never seen it, the Adult Swim animated comedy follows the adventures of the mad scientist, Rick Sanchez, and his restless grandson, Morty Smith. Each episode is essentially two shows packed into one. There is the family comedy, as Rick moves in with his daughter Beth’s family. Then, there is the sci-fi side, where Rick and Morty embark on entertaining adventures.
Rick and Morty is an absurd comedy at its core. This is a show where Rick once turned himself into a pickle to avoid therapy. That being said, it’s very well-made and a show adult animation fans will love. Plus, the episodes are roughly 22 minutes.
Abbott Elementary
ABC’s terrific sitcom
Abbott Elementary is The Office in a school setting. It’s not a 1-to-1 comparison, but Abbott Elementary shares the same mockumentary style and humor of The Office. After five seasons, Quinta Brunson’s ABC comedy has moved past the comparisons to The Office and entered the conversation for best sitcom of the decade.
The series documents the lives of the teachers at the Philadelphia-based Abbott Elementary School. The eclectic staff includes the hopeful Janine Teagues (Brunson), the stoic Gregory Eddie (Tyler James Williams), the old-school Barbara Howard (Sheryl Lee Ralph), and the cocky Ava Coleman (Janelle James). Abbott Elementary’s deadpan humor and breaking of the fourth wall continue to be its biggest and most hilarious strengths. Plus, it’s a broadcast TV sitcom, so the episodes are 22 minutes.
Abbott Elementary
- Release Date
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2021 – 2026-00-00
- Network
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ABC
- Showrunner
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Quinta Brunson, Justin Halpern, Patrick Schumacker
More shows to consider watching
Again, time is of the essence. We all have things to do. When you have the time to binge an entire series, take advantage. Netflix’s Baby Reindeer and The Queen’s Gambit can be finished in one sitting. If you need the entire weekend to finish a miniseries, try We Own This City on HBO Max and Bodyguard on Netflix.
- Subscription with ads
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Yes, $10.99/month
- Simultaneous streams
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2 or 4