Apple TV It may have rebranded by removing Plus from its streaming service's name, but there are still shows on the platform—and so many of them that you should probably check it out.
Apple TV has remained under the radar for years, which is a shame considering the streamer's solid lineup of content. That's changing, however, as more and more original Apple games are receiving praise and appearing on must-watch lists.
If I asked you about Apple programs, you'd probably mention hits like Severance pay And Ted Lassoand that's right. There's also Seth Rogen's freshman comedy The Studio, which took the Emmys by storm this year, winning 13 awards and getting some well-deserved attention.
Besides these examples, there are a lot of good things that you've probably never heard of that I think you should check out. Did you know Schitt's Creek star Eugene Levy has his own Emmy-nominated travel show? It's here. So is Jason Momoa's groundbreaking Polynesian drama about the unification of the Hawaiian Islands. And why not throw in a limited series about the hunt for Abraham Lincoln's assassin while we're at it?
I should note that this list does not include the platform's genre offerings. I've compiled a separate Apple TV list best sci-fi series. If you are looking for genre suggestions, you should read this article.
The 20 shows below are hosted by top-notch talent. These dramas, comedies and thrillers are well written and break the mold in some ways. Want something thought-provoking, heartbreaking, or exciting? You've come to the right place.
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Seth Rogen co-wrote and starred in this dysfunctional comedy series about a movie studio's attempts to remain relevant in Hollywood. Ike Barinholtz, Kathryn Hahn, Catherine O'Hara, Chase Sui Wonders and Bryan Cranston round out the cast. However, it's the colossal list of celebrity cameos that really sets this series apart from other comedies. Martin Scorsese, Ron Howard, Anthony Mackie and many others appear in unexpected and hilarious ways. There's nothing like “The Studio” on television.
Loot follows Molly Wells (played by Maya Rudolph), who, after divorcing her tech billionaire husband (played by Adam Scott), finds herself $87 billion richer. Instead of living a life of luxury enjoying her newfound status, she decides to run a charity organization with the goal of giving it all away. Also starring Michaela Hae Rodriguez, Nat Faxon, Ron Funches and Joel Kim Booster.
The Reluctant Traveler with Eugene Levy
Anthony Bourdain's lack of presence on television left me searching for a worthy host who could fill the void. I didn't expect Eugene Levy to be this guy. It's all in the show's title. He's not much of a traveler, but he steps out of his comfort zone and the result is an informative, heartfelt and entertaining series.
We all know about the assassination of Abraham Lincoln. Apple has turned this historical event into a conspiracy thriller that's worth your time. The Hunt, based on the book The Hunt: The 12-Day Pursuit of Lincoln's Assassin, takes us on the hunt for John Wilkes Booth. Anthony Boyle, Tobias Menzies, Hamish Linklater, Betty Gabriel, Matt Walsh and Patton Oswalt star.
“Trying” follows Nikki (Esther Smith) and Jason (Rafe Spall), a couple who are unable to have a child. So they move on to adoption. But the process is not that simple, especially when you add in their unusual families and daily chaos. You can try a lot: romance, comedy, drama. Whatever you call it, the Apple TV Plus series is a very enjoyable watch.
Jason Momoa stars as writer and executive producer of the historical drama Warlord. The series tells the story of the unification of the Hawaiian Islands against the threat of colonization at the turn of the 18th century. The show features a predominantly Polynesian cast and explores this period of history from an indigenous perspective.
In Acapulco, Eugenio Derbez plays Maximo, a man reminiscing about his younger years working in a hotel in 1980s Acapulco. It's light-hearted, nostalgic and full of heart, and feels like an anomaly in our current television era. Want a bright and fun show with low emotional stakes? This is the series for you.
Slow Horses is the first television series starring Gary Oldman, and that detail alone should be enough to get you to tune in. The program is inspired by Mick Herron's House of Slough book series and follows Jackson Lamb (Oldman) and his team of low-level spies as they face espionage challenges and criminal conspiracies each season. Three of the show's five seasons have a 100% Rotten Tomatoes score, which it absolutely deserves.
Taron Egerton plays Dave, an arson investigator, and Jurnee Smollett plays Michelle, a police detective, who team up to track down an arsonist duo wreaking havoc on their community. Smoke is a brooding drama series inspired by true events. The program is filled with a twisting mystery and boasts a strong cast that also includes Greg Kinnear, Anna Chlumsky, John Leguizamo, Rafe Spall and Ntare Guma Mbaho Mwine.
If you thought the return of Happy Gilmore was the only golf comedy worth watching, think again. Stick stars Owen Wilson as Price Cahill, a jaded former golfer who is given a second chance at the sport in the form of a 17-year-old prodigy named Santi (Peter Dagher). If you're looking for another enjoyable sports series like Ted Lasso, you should definitely give this show a try.
Dope Thief is inspired by Dennis Tafoya's 2009 novel and follows friends Ray and Manny as they decide to pose as DEA agents to steal from drug dealers. Things go awry when their tiny crime uncovers a massive drug operation. Brian Tyree Henry and Wagner Moura lead the series, ensuring that this exciting drama will be directed by talented actors of the highest caliber.
In this dark comedy, Jon Hamm plays maligned hedge fund manager Andrew “Coop” Cooper who decides to try home invasions as a means of generating income. The turn in this turn? He robs his rich neighbors. What he doesn't expect during all this theft is the dark secrets he uncovers about the members of this high society.
“Black Bird” is inspired by the true story of Jimmy Keene (Taron Egerton), a man who made a deal with the FBI to go undercover in a maximum security prison to reduce his sentence. I forgot to mention that this is a place where the criminally insane live and his mission is to befriend Larry Hall, a suspected serial killer, so he can find out information about where the bodies are buried. That is, if he can get a confession at all. Paul Walter Hauser gives the best performance of his career as Hall.
Pachinko is a sweeping drama that follows multiple generations of a Korean family from the early 1900s to the 1980s. Seriously, it's hard to describe in a few sentences how beautiful and complex the storytelling is in this series. Let me just say that the performances, cinematography and conflicts presented here are simply stunning. To be honest, this is probably the best show on this entire list.
Jason Segel, Harrison Ford and Jessica Williams star in this drama about a broken therapist trying to piece his life and family back together after a heartbreaking loss. An intriguing balance emerges as Jimmy (Siegel) breaks professional norms to help his clients recover while simultaneously striving to do the same for himself. It's sad, funny, poignant and deep. In my opinion, this is what mental health stories on television should look like.
When you're solving a murder mystery in Florida, you should expect things to get weird. And they do just that in Bad Monkey. The quirky drama stars Vince Vaughn as Andrew Yancey, a detective-turned-restaurant inspector who becomes embroiled in a murder case after fishing a severed hand from the ocean. Bill Lawrence (of Ted Lasso, Scrubs and Downsizing) has created a dark comedy inspired by Carl Hiaasen's book.
Based on the novel by Scott Turow, Presumed Innocent is executive produced by David E. Kelley and stars Jake Gyllenhaal as smarmy lawyer Rusty Sabich. Unlike the 1987 film starring Harrison Ford, this series delves into the multi-layered scandal that landed Sabic in handcuffs. The exploration of each character, each of whom seems horrific in some way, reinforces the morally corrupt narrative, making it a compelling, if occasionally frustrating, watch.
Here we have another book adaptation to add to this list, and luckily, Chemistry Lessons delivers. Inspired by the book of the same name by Bonnie Garmus, the series follows a chemist named Elizabeth Zott (Brie Larson) who takes a job as host of a cooking show. Since the story takes place in the 50s, it's no surprise that Zott faces a lot of sexism in the workplace. However, she perseveres and brings a quirky scientific element to her Julia Childs-like role, turning this period piece into a fun show to get into.
I didn't know what to expect when I clicked the “Play on Platonic” button. Seth Rogen and Rose Byrne have starred in other projects together, but this is where their deliciously weird dynamic stands out. The story follows two longtime friends who reunite in their 40s and discover that although they live very different lives, they share the common struggles of midlife as they try to figure out where they fit in a fast-changing world. It's also nice to see a non-romantic exploration of friendship between a man and a woman. Contrary to what was said in the movie When Harry Met Sally, it is possible.
Sharon Horgan created this dark comedy series, inspired by the Belgian series The Clan, about a group of sisters dealing with the aftermath of the murder of JP, one of the woman's husbands, who is referred to as “Stab” due to his obnoxious behavior throughout the series. The series regularly changes the narrative to reveal the details of who killed the man while simultaneously showcasing the dysfunctional dynamic between these bad sisters. Horgan stars alongside Anne-Marie Duff, Eve Birthistle, Sarah Greene and Eve Hewson.
