HBO changed television forever. There was a time not too long ago when the television airwaves were ruled by network programming. HBO was the cable channel that broke out of this mold in a big way and introduced a whole new era of television. The current "golden age" of television we see with complex, challenging and provocative shows is all thanks to the risks HBO took with its content.
Since then, HBO has stayed at the forefront of the television landscape, continuing to introduce some of the biggest shows of all time. They have also given us some of the best, most shocking moments in television history with their classic shows. Here are the biggest twists in television history.
They Both Survived - True Detective
The first season of True Detective was a show that perfectly exemplified the golden age of television. It was a dark and moody show starring a couple of big-name movie stars and had audiences guessing week-to-week how it would turn out.
Considering how dark and nihilistic the show had been up to this point, to give a somewhat happy ending was probably the most shocking thing the show could do. Rusty and Marty solve the mystery, kill the killer and both men make it out alive with a better outlook on the world.
Barry Kills The Detective - Barry
A show that stars Bill Hader as a hitman who wants to become an actor sounds like a lot of goofy fun. While the series does have plenty of hilarious moments, it also often shocks viewers with how dark things get as Barry tries to juggle his two lives.
At the end of Season 1, we got a sense of what Barry is truly capable of and it was actually scary. After getting discovered by the detective who is dating his acting teacher, Barry murders her, hides her body and returns to bed with his girlfriend.
Evie Is Alive - The Leftovers
The Leftovers is an engrossing and underrated drama that is filled with mystery. The main story revolves around the sudden disappearance of most of the world's population and how those who are left behind cope with the new world they live in. The second season is set mostly in a town that was seemingly unaffected by the mass disappearance.
While the town -- renamed Miracle -- is seen as a haven by many, the idyllic community is shaken by the disappearance of two young girls who live there. Throughout the season the community comes apart as they wonder what happened. Was there another event? Were they murdered? In the end, it is revealed the girls staged their disappearance to insight chaos.
The Truth About Perry - Big Little Lies
Big Little Lies is a star-studded mystery drama set in a wealthy yet dysfunctional California community. As the series begins, we know someone in the community has been murdered and all the main characters are suspected to be involved.
In the finale of the first season, we discover that it is Perry (Alexander Skarsgaard) who was killed. But even more shocking, Perry is also revealed to be the man who raped Jane (Shailene Woodley) years ago, fathering her child.
Daenerys Goes Mad - Game Of Thrones
Game of Thrones was a show filled with twists. Some fans would argue that the show's disappointing final season was because it was more focused on shocks than the story. One of the main examples of this that fans point to was the ittedly shocking turn by one of the show's main heroes.
Daenerys Targaryen was always seen as the honorable, but deadly potential queen of Westeros. But the final season sees her slowly unraveling to the point that she slaughters the innocent civilians of King's Landing before taking the throne. It was a surprise that did not sit well with everyone.
Omar's Death - The Wire
Though The Wire didn't get the love it deserved during its five seasons on the air, it has since been heralded as one of the greatest television shows of all time. The depiction of the various aspects of Baltimore and its crime culture also featured one of the most memorable television characters, Omar Little.
Omar was a legendary outlaw in the streets of Baltimore. He robbed drug dealers, avoided killing civilians and, somehow, stayed alive despite having some very dangerous enemies. But in the end, Omar was unceremoniously killed by a young boy trying to make a name for himself.
Bernard Is A Host - Westworld
Westworld is set in a futuristic theme park designed to resemble the Old West. The expansive world is populated by androids, known as hosts who act out the various roles inside the Western society. However, things begin to grow unstable when several of the hosts begin realizing they are not human.
Bernard (Jeffrey Wright) is one of the park's main programmers who begins investigating the sudden change in the park's hosts. However, near the end of Season 1, Bernard himself is revealed to be a host under the control of founder Robert Ford (Anthony Hopkins).
Cut To Black - The Sopranos
The Sopranos could very well be considered the show that made HBO what it is. The epic look at a New Jersey mafia family showed what kind of bold and interesting stories could be told outside the constraints of network television.
After the six seasons, the show came to an end in one of the most memorable television moments. As Tony sits in a dinner with his family, watching people come and go, the viewer becomes more and more tense, wondering what will happen. Will he be killed? Will he be arrested? Then suddenly, the show cuts to black and it's over without an answer.
The Reveal - The Jinx
Along with the game-changing shows that HBO makes, it is also known for its powerful and often provocative documentaries. One of the most memorable is the miniseries, The Jinx, which featured interviews with real estate figure and accused murderer, Robert Durst.
After hours of interviews and explorations of the unsolved murders Durst was connected to, it ends in an unbelievable way. As the interview ends, Durst goes to the washroom, unaware his microphone is still recording. As he talks to himself, he says, "What the hell did I do? Killed them all, of course."
The Red Wedding - Game Of Thrones
By the time this Season 3 episode came along, fans had already known Game of Thrones was willing to kill off anyone. But fans of the book series knew what devastating momentS were still ahead.
The infamous "Red Wedding" found Robb Stark and his army brought in as wedding guests by Lord Walder Frey. As the festivities are underway, these suddenly turn deadly as the entire Northern army begins being brutally slaughtered by their hosts and Robb is executed along with his mother, wife and unborn child.