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3 new HBO Max documentaries to stream this weekend (April 17-19)


I write about documentaries on streaming services a lot, and it’s no surprise that the lion’s share of them are on Netflix these days. But consider this a stern reminder that HBO was the king of compelling, premium documentaries since before Netflix was stuffing DVDs in the mail. From 1996’s Paradise Lost: The Child Murders at Robin Hood Hills to the more recent surfing stunner, 100 Foot Wave series (both Emmy winners), you can still find a truckload of excellent docs on HBO Max.

But before delving into the deep back catalog, if you’re looking for a few new titles this weekend, how about a quick look behind the scenes of the new Harry Potter series, a haunting reminder of the tragic Fukushima disaster, and a portrait of a controversial climber.

3

Finding Harry: The Craft Behind the Magic (2026)

A sneak-peek behind-the-scenes of the next generation of Potter

Christmas is a long time to wait for HBO Max’s upcoming new Harry Potter series, which is set to see all seven of J.K. Rowling’s beloved books re-imagined for a new generation as a seven-season series. With casting complete—including fresh new faces as Harry, Ron, and Hermione, as well as John Lithgow (Dumbledore), Nick Frost (Hagrid), and Slow Horses‘ Janet McTeer (Minerva McGonagall) among those on board—and the production well underway, HBO has thrown fans a snack-sized bone with the 25-minute doc, Finding Harry: The Craft Behind the Magic.

The behind-the-scenes special (released on April 5) details everything from the production’s exhaustive search for its cast of the wizarding world’s kids (they stopped counting at 40,000 submissions for Harry), professors, villains, and muggles, to the mind-blowing practical and digital design involved in bringing Hogwarts back to life for another kick at the cauldron. Narrated by Nick Frost (Hot Fuzz, Shaun of the Dead), Finding Harry features interviews with key cast members like Lithgow, McTeer, and Paapa Essiedu, who plays Severus Snape, as well as casting directors, production designers, creature effects artists, costume designers, and more.

Potter fans will pour over all the glimpses of iconic set pieces like the Great Hall at Hogwarts, Platform 9 3/4 at King’s Cross Station, and its famous train, the Quidditch pitch, and many more. It’s a quick watch, but if you can’t wait for December, it might just tide you over till then.

Apple TV 4K TAG

Operating System

tvOS

Resolution

4K

Audio codecs

Dolby Atmos

RAM/storage

64GB or 128GB

Immerse yourself in stunning 4K HDR with Apple TV 4K. Stream your favorite content with exceptional clarity and color, powered by the A15 Bionic chip. Enjoy seamless access to apps, games, and Apple Originals, all with the convenience of Siri voice control and personalized recommendations.


2

Fukushima: A Nuclear Nightmare (2026)

The horror and the heroes of the 2011 disaster

On March 11, 2011, a 9.0-magnitude earthquake, the strongest ever recorded in Japan, triggered a massive tsunami that laid waste to more than 1,200 miles of the country’s Pacific coastline, cities, and towns, killing nearly 20,000 people. The natural disaster itself was devastating enough, but it didn’t end there. At the nearby coastal-situated Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant, the 14-meter tsunami waves breached the facility’s protective seawalls, flooding the power generators, leading to a total station blackout. Without power, the water necessary to cool the nuclear fuel in Fukushima’s reactors could not be pumped in, leading to several core meltdowns, massive explosions, and potential country-wide devastation.

That’s a lot to take in, I know, but Director James Jones’ (Chernobyl: The Lost Tapes) new documentary on HBO Max, Fukushima: A Nuclear Nightmare, the filmmaker reconstructs the harrowing disaster in stunning and stark detail. Using some jaw-dropping and chilling footage, the opening sequences detail the power and destruction of the quake and massive water surge inland. The doc then shifts focus to the situation at Fukushima and, most importantly, the emergency crews, engineers, and government officials working to prevent a total nuclear meltdown.

It’s the interviews with the people who risked their lives to remain inside the plant that make this documentary worth watching. Known as the Fukushima 50 (there were actually more than that), they believed they were on a suicide mission. Their emotional testimony and detail of just how dire the situation was cranks the intensity of this film to the limit. I couldn’t stop watching.

1

The Dark Wizard (2026)

A portrait of one of climbing’s most enigmatic figures

Fans of extreme-sport documentaries and series such as Free Solo, 100 Foot Wave, and Meru will undoubtedly be interested in this nail-biting new extreme-sport docuseries, currently streaming weekly on HBO Max. The Dark Wizard is an intense four-part portrait of Dean Potter, who was one of the climbing world’s most enigmatic and controversial figures.

A pioneer of free-solo climbing (and massive influence on its current posterboy, Alex Honnold), highlining, and wingsuit BASE jumping, over his 20-plus-year career Potter built a reputation as both a master of his sport and a badboy, often clashing with authorities and causing trouble in Yosemite, where he was a local fixture. The first episode of the series introduces Potter, with his winning smile and playful demeanor adding to his charm. But he also had a dark, intense streak, which earned him the titular “Dark Wizard” nickname, and some of his climbing peers viewed him as reckless.

Using some breathtaking and intense climbing footage and interviews from members of Potter’s tight-knit crew known as the Stone Monkeys, The Dark Wizard is similar to Free Solo in that it’s a character study of Potter and is as much an exploration of psychology, relationships, and obsession as it is about climbing. I can’t wait to see where this story goes.


the-dark-wizard-poster.jpg

The Dark Wizard


Release Date

April 14, 2026

Network

HBO Max

Directors

Peter Mortimer, Nick Rosen




Don’t sleep on HBO Max as a destination for documentaries—Netflix may have the quantity, but it still can’t compete with the premium-level storytelling and production value of many of the docs and series of this stalwart entertainment provider.

hbomax_logo.jpg

Subscription with ads

Yes, $10.99/month

Simultaneous streams

2 or 4

HBO Max is a subscription-based streaming service offering content from HBO, Warner Bros., DC, and more. In 2025, the service re-branded itself as HBO Max after having previously cut “HBO” from its name.




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Recent Reviews

Your single router is why Wi-Fi dies in your bedroom—why a mesh network is the only real fix


The first time I encountered mesh Wi-Fi was when I went to university. One Wi-Fi password, but no matter where you roamed on campus you’ll stay connected. I’ve always thought of mesh networks as enterprise technology that you need an IT department to handle, but then router makers figured out how to make mesh easy enough for mere mortals.

Now I consider a mesh network the default for everyone, and if you’re still using a single non-mesh router you might want to know why. So let me explain.



















Quiz
8 Questions · Test Your Knowledge

Home Networking & Wi-Fi

Think you know your routers from your repeaters — put your home networking know-how to the ultimate test.

Wi-FiRoutersSecurityHardwareProtocols

What does the ‘5 GHz’ band in Wi-Fi offer compared to the ‘2.4 GHz’ band?

That’s right! The 5 GHz band delivers faster data rates but loses signal strength more quickly over distance and through walls. It’s ideal for devices close to the router that need maximum throughput, like streaming 4K video.

Not quite — the 5 GHz band actually offers faster speeds at the cost of range. The 2.4 GHz band travels farther and penetrates obstacles better, which is why smart home devices and older gadgets often prefer it.

Which Wi-Fi standard, introduced in 2021, is also known as Wi-Fi 6E and extends into a new frequency band?

Correct! 802.11ax is the technical name for Wi-Fi 6 and Wi-Fi 6E. The ‘E’ variant extends the standard into the 6 GHz band, offering a massive swath of new, less-congested spectrum for faster and more reliable connections.

The answer is 802.11ax — that’s Wi-Fi 6 and Wi-Fi 6E. Wi-Fi 6E adds support for the 6 GHz band, giving it far less congestion than the crowded 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz bands. 802.11be is actually the upcoming Wi-Fi 7 standard.

What is the default IP address most commonly used to access a home router’s admin interface?

Spot on! The vast majority of consumer routers use either 192.168.0.1 or 192.168.1.1 as the default gateway address. Typing either into your browser’s address bar will bring up the router’s login page — just make sure you’ve changed the default password!

The correct answer is 192.168.0.1 or 192.168.1.1. These are the most common default gateway addresses for home routers. The 255.x.x.x addresses are subnet masks, and 127.0.0.1 is your own machine’s loopback address, not a router.

Which Wi-Fi security protocol is considered most secure for home networks as of 2024?

Excellent! WPA3 is the latest and most robust Wi-Fi security protocol, introduced in 2018. It uses Simultaneous Authentication of Equals (SAE) to replace the older Pre-Shared Key handshake, making it far more resistant to brute-force attacks.

The answer is WPA3. WEP is completely broken and should never be used, WPA is outdated, and WPA2 with TKIP has known vulnerabilities. WPA3 offers the strongest protection, and if your router supports it, you should enable it right away.

What is the primary difference between a mesh Wi-Fi system and a traditional Wi-Fi range extender?

Exactly right! Mesh systems use multiple nodes that talk to each other intelligently, handing off your device seamlessly as you move around your home under one SSID. Traditional range extenders typically broadcast a separate network and can cut bandwidth in half as they relay the signal.

The correct answer is that mesh nodes form one intelligent, seamless network. Range extenders are actually the ones that often create separate SSIDs (like ‘MyNetwork_EXT’) and can significantly reduce speeds. Mesh systems are far superior for large homes with many devices.

What does DHCP stand for, and what is its main function on a home network?

Perfect! DHCP (Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol) is the unsung hero of home networking. Every time a device joins your network, your router’s DHCP server automatically hands it a unique IP address, subnet mask, and gateway info so it can communicate without manual configuration.

DHCP stands for Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol, and its job is to automatically assign IP addresses to devices on your network. Without it, you’d have to manually configure a unique IP address on every single phone, laptop, and smart device — a tedious nightmare!

What is ‘QoS’ (Quality of Service) used for in a home router?

That’s correct! QoS lets you tell your router which traffic gets priority. For example, you can prioritize video calls or gaming over a family member’s file download, ensuring your Zoom meeting doesn’t freeze just because someone is downloading a large update.

QoS — Quality of Service — is actually about traffic prioritization. By tagging certain data types (like VoIP calls or gaming packets) as high priority, your router ensures latency-sensitive applications get bandwidth first, even when the network is congested.

What does the ‘WAN’ port on a home router connect to?

Correct! WAN stands for Wide Area Network, and the WAN port is where your router connects to the outside world — typically to your cable modem, DSL modem, or ISP gateway. The LAN ports on the other side connect to devices inside your home network.

The WAN (Wide Area Network) port connects your router to your ISP’s modem or gateway — essentially your entry point to the internet. The LAN (Local Area Network) ports are for connecting devices inside your home. Mixing them up can cause your network to not function at all!

Challenge Complete

Your Score

/ 8

Thanks for playing!

Mesh Wi-Fi solves a problem most homes already have

The internet is no longer confined to one spot in your home

In the early days of home internet, there was no real reason to have Wi-Fi coverage all over your home. You installed the router in your home office, or near the living room, and that was enough. People didn’t have smartphones, tablets, or smart home devices that all needed access to the LAN.

As Wi-Fi devices proliferated, that central router became a problem. There’s only so much power you can push into the antennas, and the inverse square law drains that signal of power in very short order.

It was a problem that had many suboptimal solutions. Wi-Fi repeaters destroy performance, access points need long Ethernet runs, and Powerline Ethernet only works well in ideal conditions. Most older homes can’t provide that with their aging wiring. In short, trying to expand a central router’s reach has usually involved some janky mishmash of solutions.

A modern mesh router kit just solved that problem without any fuss. The biggest problem you’ll have is how to position them. Everything else is usually just handled automatically.

Brand

eero

Range

1,500 sq. ft.

Mesh Network Compatible

Yes

The eero 6 mesh Wi-Fi router allows you to upgrade your home network without breaking the bank. Compatible with the wider eero ecosystem, you’ll find that this node can either start or expand your wireless network with ease.


Mesh systems prioritize consistency over peak speed

Good enough internet everywhere

Top view of the contents of the Netgear Nighthawk MK93S mesh system. Credit: Jordan Gloor / How-To Geek

I think it’s important to point out that with Wi-Fi it’s much more important to get consistent and reliable performance wherever you are in your home than to hit crazy peak speeds. Sure, if you buy an expensive router, you can blast data when you’ve got line of sight and are a few feet away, but then you might as well just connect to it with an Ethernet cable.

For the price of one very fast centralized router, you can buy an entry-level mesh router kit and have fast enough internet everywhere, and never have to think about it again. I’m still running a Wi-Fi 5 mesh system in my two-storey rental home and I get 200+ Mbps minimum anywhere. If I need more speed than that on a single device, it’s going on Ethernet.

As prices come down on Wi-Fi 6 and 7 mesh systems, we’ll all eventually get access to that gigabit or better wireless tier, but I’d rather have a few hundred Mbps everywhere rather than a few Gbps in just one place and zero internet elsewhere.

Setup and management are finally user-friendly

Your dog could do it if it had thumbs

TP-Link Deco Mesh Wi-Fi Puck sitting on a desk beside two stacked books Credit: TP-Link

It’s hard to overstate just how easy modern mesh routers are to set up. After you’ve got the first unit up, usually by using a mobile app, adding more is generally just a matter of turning them on close to any previously activated router and waiting a few seconds.

As for the actual management of the network, on my TP-Link system you can see the topology of your network, how the pods are doing in terms of bandwidth, and you can automatically optimize for network interference and signal strength. The days of cryptic and largely manual router configuration are over. Even port forwarding, which has always tripped me up on old routers, now just works with a few taps on my phone screen.

The price argument doesn’t hold up anymore

There’s something for every budget

The biggest reason I think people have avoided mesh systems is cost. That’s perfectly fair, because mesh systems are more expensive than a single router. The thing is, prices have come down significantly, especially for mesh on older Wi-Fi standards.

But, even if you want newer Wi-Fi like 6E or 7, you don’t have to start your mesh journey with a full kit. You can buy a single mesh router, use that as your primary, and then add more as you can afford it. Even better, if you’ve bought a new router recently, there’s a chance it already supports mesh technology. It doesn’t even have to be that recent, since some older routers have gained mesh capability thanks to firmware updates.

If you already have a router that’s mesh-capable, then extending your home network any other way would be silly. Also, keep in mind that all the routers in your mesh network don’t have to be identical. That’s a common misconception, but the only thing they need to have in common is support for the same mesh technology. Just keep in mind that your performance will only be as good as the slowest device in the chain.

Mesh is for everyone

The bottom line is that mesh network technology is now cheap enough, mature enough, and easy enough that I honestly think everyone should have a good reason not to use it rather than looking for reason to use it. Wi-Fi should be like water or electricity. You want everyone in your home to have easy access to it no matter where they are. Mesh will do that for you.

The Unifi Dream Router 7.

9/10

Brand

Unifi

Range

1,750 square feet

The Unifi Dream Router 7 is a full-fledged network appliance offering NVR capabilities, fully managed switching,a built-in firewall, VLANs, and more. With four 2.5G Ethernet ports (one with PoE+) and a 10G SFP+ port, the Unifi Dream Router 7 also features dual WAN capabilities should you have two ISP connections. It includes a 64GB microSD card for IP camera storage, but can be upgraded for more storage if needed. With Wi-Fi 7, you’ll be able to reach up to a theoretical 5.7 Gbps network speed when using the 10G SFP+ port, or 2.5 Gbps when using Ethernet. 




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