Everyone's a bit confused by Netflix suddenly adding an HBO original

Ballers
(Image credit: Netflix)

Another HBO Original series has popped up on Netflix – and subscribers are (understandably) confused.

Ballers, a comedy-drama that stars Dwayne Johnson as a retired NFL player turned football manager, hit the streamer this week. Created by Stephen Levinson, the Miami-based show ran for five seasons, from 2015 to 2019. The cast also included John David Washington, Rob Corddry, Omar Miller, and Arielle Kebbel.

Last month, viewers were just as confused when HBO's Insecure (written, directed by, and starring Issa Rae) also appeared. Per Variety, a slew of HBO Original series will steadily hit Netflix as the streaming app has a licensing agreement with Warner Bros. Discovery.

The popular southern vampire drama True Blood, war dramas Band of Brothers and The Pacific, and even Alan Ball's Six Feet Under (one of the most underrated series of all time that absolutely deserves its own streaming renaissance) will soon be added to Netflix.

All canceled or ended TV shows deserve a second chance at life, but we're not sure why Warner Bros. Discovery would choose to remove certain original shows from its streaming app MAX but allow other original shows to live on an entirely different streaming app. Last year, MAX made headlines when it decided to pull 36 movies and shows off the streamer, which included mostly animated shows and children's programming.

Ballers and Insecure are now streaming on both MAX and Netflix – so take your pick, I guess. For more, check out our list of the best Netflix shows to stream right now, or, the best Netflix movies to add to your queue.

Lauren Milici
Senior Writer, Tv & Film

Lauren Milici is a Senior Entertainment Writer for GamesRadar+ currently based in the Midwest. She previously reported on breaking news for The Independent's Indy100 and created TV and film listicles for Ranker. Her work has been published in Fandom, Nerdist, Paste Magazine, Vulture, PopSugar, Fangoria, and more.