Beartown HBO: How can you watch it in the US tonight?

Tonight from 9:00-10:00 p.m. ET/PT, you can watch the first episode of HBO Europe’s new Swedish-language limited drama series Beartown on HBO or stream it on HBO Max. Beartown is based on the #1 New York Times bestselling novel of the same name by Fredrik Backman, who also serves as an executive producer on the series.

Beartown centers on a struggling Sweden community that places its hopes for revitalization on a junior ice hockey team’s success. Throughout the five episodes, the characters will grapple with the consequences of how they raise their children, family trauma, teenage romance, and the courage it takes to stand up for justice.

In the first episode, airing tonight, new professional-athlete-turned-coach Peter (Ulf Stenberg) relocates to Beartown in hopes of finding a fresh start. But he soon discovers that the “elite squad” he was promised is hardly up to the task.

Instead, he switches his focus to the junior team, consisting of teenagers, specifically rising star Kevin (Oliver Dufåker). Peter and Kevin’s combined talents make the town believe they might finally have a shot at securing a national title until a violent act threatens to destroy everything.

The series also stars Aliette Opheim, Tobias Zilliacus and Miriam Ingrid.

What are critics saying about Beartown?

Beartown has been praised by top critics like the Boston Globe and Wall Street Journal. Commended for its “unsparing” and “wrenching” story, the Swedish drama has been favorably compared to the “honesty” of Friday Night Lights, albeit much darker. The Wall Street Journal noted that while the plot is familiar, “there are reasons films like this keep showing up.”

What time will Beartown be available to watch on HBO Max?

HBO shows typically become available to stream on HBO Max at the time of airing. Since Beartown‘s first episode premieres at 9:00 p.m. ET/PT tonight, you should anticipate seeing it become available on HBO Max at 9:00 p.m., too. Beartown will be available on the streaming service’s International Genre page alongside series like Gomorrah, Valley of Tears, and HBO Europe’s 30 Coins and Patria.

Read the official episode synopsis & watch the promo

"On a mission to rejuvenate the struggling community’s ice hockey program, recently retired pro player Peter Andersson (Ulf Stenberg) relocates his family to Beartown for a fresh start. But when the elite squad he was promised proves to be anything but, Peter switches his focus to the junior team, aggravating local tensions and reigniting his troubled past with star player Kevin Erdahl’s (Oliver Dufåker) father, Mats (Tobias Zilliacus)."

Beartown Season 1, Episode 1 premieres tonight at 9:00 p.m. ET/PT on HBO and will also be available to stream on HBO Max.