Band of Brothers is back in HBO Max's top ten at 25, and the making-of is climbing faster

There are some TV series you can just put on at any time and lose hours — Band of Brothers is absolutely one of those. Now, two and a half decades after its original run, the World War II juggernaut is striding back onto streaming and, judging by the stats, shows no sign of letting up. For anyone who only knows Tom Hardy for playing supervillains and unhinged antiheroes, here's a reminder: this was his big break, and yes, it really is that good. Plus, there's actually a brand new documentary out for the series' 25th birthday. Not often you see an old show hustle its way up the charts all over again — but this one always was a bit special.

Band of Brothers is the fourth highest-rated TV series on IMDb, sitting just behind Breaking Bad, Chernobyl, and The Wire.

The Series, the Cast, and the Legacy

First released in 2001, Band of Brothers might be the best World War II drama ever made for television (yes, we can debate that, but the numbers are hard to argue with). It's based on the book by Stephen E. Ambrose and tracks 'Easy Company', the American Parachute Infantry unit that some would argue was crucial to the Allied win. Over ten episodes, you get the lot: brutal training, airdrops deep into enemy territory, and the gruelling slog to the end of the war.

The series came together with Steven Spielberg and Tom Hanks as the creative muscle behind it — which might explain why the standard is so high. The cast back in 2001 looked like a who's-who of up-and-comers (and a few already-famous faces): Damian Lewis, Ron Livingston, Scott Grimes, Shane Taylor, David Schwimmer, Simon Pegg, James McAvoy, Jimmy Fallon (yes, that Jimmy Fallon), and of course, Tom Hardy making his proper screen debut. There are several others worth mentioning, but we'll be here all day.

The 25th Anniversary Return

Despite the passage of time — and the endless parade of modern war dramas since — Band of Brothers is still cleaning up when it comes to critical praise. The show boasts a 97% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes, with critics giving it a 94%. Over at IMDb, it's averaging an eye-watering 9.4 rating — which outpaces The Shawshank Redemption’s 9.3, if you can believe it. Global fans aren't just rewatching it quietly in their living rooms either; right now, Band of Brothers is the seventh most popular series on HBO Max around the world, beaten out only by a handful of other massive titles.

Band of Brothers has climbed back into HBO Max's worldwide top ten most-watched TV series, sitting currently in seventh place.

Not satisfied with mere nostalgia-binging, HBO have also released something fresh: Band of Brothers: Legacy, a full-length documentary crammed with new chats with the original cast and the big creative names behind the show. If hearing old war stories and behind-the-scenes trivia from pros like Damian Lewis and Steven Spielberg sounds appealing, it's already waiting for you. Viewers seem to agree: at this moment, it's the third most-watched movie on HBO Max, which isn't bad going for a 25-year-old show with a new lease on life.