HBO Max is letting you try one of its best shows for free — watch it here

HBO Max
(Image credit: Shutterstock)

Most streaming services currently offer some form of free trial, but HBO Max is trying something a little bit different to entice new subscribers to give the platform a chance. 

The streamer just made the first episode of its animated Harley Quinn show free to watch. And you don’t even need to create an HBO Max account to give the show a try, the full episode has been uploaded to YouTube and can be watched via the embedded video below. 

While it’s only a single episode, this is still a pretty novel way to promote a series. After watching you should have a reasonable idea if the show appeals to you. And if it does, then the entire first two seasons of Harley Quinn are available to stream now on HBO Max. 

This promotion is well-timed as Harley Quinn season 3 is set to debut on July 28, and based on the quality of the comic book show to date we expect it’ll be another excellent addition to HBO Max’s impressive content library. In fact, we rate HBO Max as our pick for the best streaming service currently available. 

Should you stream Harley Quinn on YouTube?  

The short answer to the above question is: absolutely you should. Harley Quinn is one of the best shows on HBO Max right now, which is no mean feat considering the streaming service boasts awards-winning hits such as Succession, Euphoria and Barry

Harley Quinn in HBO Max's Harley Quinn

(Image credit: DC Universe)

This animated series follows the misadventures of Harley Quinn (voiced by Kaley Cuoco) after she leaves the Joker, and sets out to prove herself worthy enough to join the Legion of Doom. Fellow fan-favorite Batman villain Poison Ivy (Lake Bell), also plays a prominent role in the series as Quinn’s best friend and regular sidekick. 

Plenty of additional Batman villains have appeared in the show’s first two seasons including Clayface, Scarecrow, Catwoman, Penguin, Mr. Freeze and Riddler. There’s even been a few sightings of the Dark Knight himself, voiced by Diedrich Bader in this version of Gotham City. 

The show has earned rave reviews across its run with the first season scoring a very strong 89% on Rotten Tomatoes. The show got even better in its sophomore outing earning a perfect 100% score from critics. Harley Quinn has been praised for its strong voice cast, clear understanding of its lead character and surprisingly insightful tone. Not to mention it’s gleefully violent in places! 

Now that the first episode is available to watch in full on YouTube, there’s absolutely no excuse not to give Harley Quinn a shot. Just don’t be shocked when you find yourself signing up for HBO Max straight after, this is definitely a show that you’ll want more of straight away. 

Next: Amazon Prime Video just got a big upgrade to its Watch Party feature and a Netflix show just came back and climbed up the top 10 list

Rory Mellon
Entertainment Editor (UK)

Rory is an Entertainment Editor at Tom’s Guide based in the UK. He covers a wide range of topics but with a particular focus on gaming and streaming. When he’s not reviewing the latest games, searching for hidden gems on Netflix, or writing hot takes on new gaming hardware, TV shows and movies, he can be found attending music festivals and getting far too emotionally invested in his favorite football team.