We’re officially overloaded with streaming services by 2025, with each costing a pretty penny of your pay packet to keep. Whether you decide to shell out for a service typically comes down to the shows and movies on offer, whether you’re looking for buzzy Netflix series or HBO prestige TV. But there’s an underrated competitor in the mix, especially for TV shows.
Apple TV+, Apple’s own streaming service, has become better and better over the years, hitting it out of the park with sci-fi smashes like Severance, Silo, and Foundation, along with comedy wins like Shrinking, Bad Sisters, and Ted Lasso — plus a few curveballs mixed in here and there.
One important thing to know? Apple TV+ is not the same thing as Apple TV. As Mashable’s Stan Schroeder explains it, “Apple TV is both the name for the set-top-box hardware device that you buy and connect to your TV, as well as the app that’s available on Apple TV (the set-top-box), as well as Macs, iPhones, and other TV operating systems. And then there’s Apple TV+, which is Apple’s streaming service and a competitor to Netflix, HBO Max, and others.”
Got it? So, what are the best TV shows on Apple TV+? Here are our picks of the streaming service’s original series, ranked.
33. The Shrink Next Door
Paul Rudd and Will Ferrell in “The Shrink Next Door.”
Credit: Apple TV+
Inspired by true events, The Shrink Next Door sends Paul Rudd and Will Ferrell into a complicated web of manipulation, power plays, and mic-drop moments. The series hinges on unethical psychiatrist Dr. Ike Herschkopf (Paul Rudd) and his patient, Marty Markowitz (Will Ferrell), who have a dysfunctional relationship that becomes more and more imbalanced and twisted as Ike weasels his way into Marty’s life. Kathryn Hahn stars as Marty’s younger sister Phyllis, and Casey Wilson plays Bonnie, Ike’s wife. — Shannon Connellan, UK Editor
Starring: Will Ferrell, Paul Rudd, Kathryn Hahn, Casey Wilson, Cornell Womack, Sarayu Blue, Robin Bartlett, and Gable Swanlund
How to watch: The Shrink Next Door is streaming on Apple TV+.
32. Defending Jacob
Chris Evans, Jaeden Martell, and Michelle Dockery in “Defending Jacob.”
Credit: Apple TV+
Given its grim subject matter, Mark Bomback’s crime drama won’t be for everyone. Defending Jacob follows Assistant DA Andy Barber (Chris Evans), whose life is thrown into turmoil after his son Jacob (a haunted Jaeden Martell) is charged with the murder of a classmate. The show immediately chucks us in at the deep end, with the question of Jacob’s innocence hanging over the Barber family like a storm cloud that threatens to badly damage or even break them altogether. It’s tense, well-written, and the acting — including a disturbingly memorable turn from Michelle Dockery as Jacob’s struggling mother, Laurie — is excellent across the board.
Some have argued that the show doesn’t do enough to justify its dark storyline, but I found it to be a horribly suspenseful exploration of how far familial bonds will stretch before they snap altogether. Can you ever fully know anyone? Can you trust your closest family members no matter what? Love them no matter what? These are the questions Defending Jacob asks, and, as the Barber family wrestle with each new piece of evidence that comes to light, the answers don’t come easy. — Sam Haysom, Deputy UK Editor
How to watch: Defending Jacob is streaming now on Apple TV+.
31. Palm Royale
Carol Burnett and Kristen Wiig in “Palm Royale”
Credit: Apple TV+
Kristen Wiig infiltrates the world’s most exclusive country club in Emmy–nominated comedy Palm Royale. The year is 1969, and underdog Maxine Dellacorte-Simmons (Wiig) wants nothing more to be a part of high society in Palm Beach, Florida. That means crashing the lavish Palm Royale club, where she’ll be met with snobbery and disdain at every turn. While Palm Royale is far from Apple TV+’s best comedy offering, it does boast an all-star cast of comedy greats, including a fabulous Carol Burnett. And you just can’t beat those costumes. — Belen Edwards, Entertainment Reporter
Starring: Kristen Wiig, Ricky Martin, Laura Dern, Carol Burnett, Allison Janney, Leslie Bibb, Amber Chardae, and Josh Lucas
How to watch: Palm Royale is now streaming on Apple TV+.
30. The Completely Made-Up Adventures of Dick Turpin
Hugh Bonneville and Noel Fielding in “The Completely Made-Up Adventures of Dick Turpin.”
Credit: Apple TV+
If you don’t mind your history a little revisionist and plenty ridiculous, The Completely Made-Up Adventures of Dick Turpin is for you.
Based on the exploits of Essex brigand Dick Turpin (Noel Fielding in full Vince Noir mode), the series seizes on the fact that Turpin’s life was wildly romanticised after his death at 33 (by hanging, for horse theft) — then amps it up to 11. Rolling about the woods with his Essex Gang of misfits, Turpin takes on a peril of the week in Monty Python meets Our Flag Means Death meets The Mighty Boosh–fashion. Throw in some cameos from Britain’s biggest comedians, with standout appearances by Tamsin Greig, Greg Davies, and Sex Education‘s Connor Swindells, and you’ve got a surreal, satisfying, history-adjacent adventure on your hands.* — S.C.
Starring: Noel Fielding, Tamsin Greig, Greg Davies, Connor Swindells, Michael Fielding, Mark Heap, Ellie White, Duayne Boachie, Marc Wootton, Dolly Wells, Asim Chaudhry, Sindhu Vee, and Simon Farnaby
How to watch: The Completely Made-Up Adventures of Dick Turpin is now streaming on Apple TV+.
29. Sunny
Rashida Jones in “Sunny.”
Credit: Apple TV+
A robot and a grieving woman make for an unlikely crime-solving duo in soft sci-fi mystery Sunny. Rashida Jones stars as Suzie, an American expat living in Kyoto, whose husband Masa (Hidetoshi Nishijima) and son Zen (Fares Belkheir) go missing in a plane crash. Following their disappearance, she receives Sunny, a companion robot Masa developed for her at work. Despite hating robots, Suzie decides to work with the ever-cheerful Sunny to uncover the truth about Masa’s work and his and Zen’s accident. The ensuing journey takes this odd couple pairing deep into a criminal underworld of gang showdowns and robot fighting rings. While occasionally bloated, Sunny‘s central duo and sci-fi world-building make it well worth the watch. — B.E.
Starring: Rashida Jones, Joanna Sotomura, annie the clumsy, Hidetoshi Nishijima, Jun Kunimura, Judy Ongg, and You
How to watch: Sunny is now streaming on Apple TV+.
28. Shining Girls
Elisabeth Moss in “Shining Girls.”
Credit: Apple TV+
Imagine the ghoulish love child of Sliding Doors and Zodiac, and you’ll get the gist of this mini-series adaptation of Lauren Beukes’ 2013 crime novel. Created by Silka Luisa, Shining Girls centers on Kirby Mazrachi (Elisabeth Moss), an archivist whose reality has been shifting without warning ever since she was viciously attacked and left for dead in 1980s Chicago. One moment she’s living with her mom, and the next she’s married to a co-worker she barely knows. She doesn’t understand why this is happening but is certain it connects to a stalking serial killer (Jamie Bell), who’s been targeting fantastic women across decades.
Featuring graphic violence, time-travel twists, and harrowing revelations, Shining Girls can be a tough watch. But its finale episode makes it all worthwhile. Luisa smartly buttons up the mysteries of these murders, their un-aging perpetrator, and what it means to become disentangled on a molecular level. More than answers, however, this finale gives poetic justice to its villain and a hard-won empowerment to its harried heroine. Which, considering how Kirby’s quest to be believed plays like the most extreme version of a domestic violence survivor’s experiences coming forward, is darkly and deeply satisfying. — Kristy Puchko, Entertainment Editor
Starring: Elisabeth Moss, Phillipa Soo, Wagner Moura, Jamie Bell, Erika Alexander, Amy Brenneman, Chris Chalk, and Madeline Brewer
How to watch: Shining Girls is now streaming on Apple TV+.
26. Masters of the Air
Austin Butler in “Masters of the Air.”
Credit: Apple TV+
If you loved Band of Brothers and The Pacific, you need to watch Masters of the Air. Based on Donald L. Miller’s book, John Shiban and John Orloff’s Emmy–winning World War II series follows the 100th Bomb Group (known as “The Bloody Hundredth” due to heavy losses), the U.S. Army Air Force bomber and fighter battalion deployed to England in 1943 as part of the Allied war effort against Germany. Austin Butler and Callum Turner lead the charge as the real Major Gale “Buck” Cleven and Major John “Bucky” Egan, and the series moves through the missions, downtime, tragedies, and sense of camaraderie within the unit. Yes, the series takes some creative liberties, but producers Tom Hanks, Steven Spielberg, and Gary Goetzman threw 10 years and $250 million at the show — so when you’re experiencing a live-or-die tactical manoeuvre, you’re in the pilot’s seat. — S.C.
Starring: Austin Butler, Callum Turner, Barry Keoghan, and Anthony Boyle
How to watch: Masters of the Air is now streaming on Apple TV+.
27. Hijack
Idris Elba in “Hijack.”
Credit: Apple TV+
Set over seven real-time hours, Hijack is something you could finish on a flight but should absolutely not watch on one. With Jim Field Smith and Mo Ali directing, and Idris Elba in the lead, this Apple TV+ series is about a plane hijacked on its way to London. Elba plays Sam Nelson, a corporate negotiator who tries to bargain with flight KA29’s villains all the way to the final humdinger of an episode. As Mashable’s Belen Edwards writes in her review, “Hijack is the perfect show to watch if you want to get sucked into a mildly ridiculous, yet totally engrossing scenario. You’ll squeal as our heroes brave danger, swoon at Elba’s charisma, and even chuckle at some choice one-liners.”* — S.C.
Starring: Idris Elba, Neil Maskell, Archie Panjabi, Max Beesley, Christine Adams, Jude Cudjoe, and Eve Myles
How to watch: Hijack is now streaming on Apple TV+.
25. Central Park
Meet the Tillermans.
Credit: Apple TV+
It’s a show central in our hearts. Loren Bouchard, Josh Gad, and Nora Smith’s sharply scripted animated musical comedy Central Park hinges on New York family the Tillermans: park manager Owen (Leslie Odom Jr.) and journalist Paige (Kathryn Hahn), their son Cole (Tituss Burgess), and daughter Molly (Kristen Bell in Season 1, Emmy Raver-Lampman in Season 2). They’re the custodians of Manhattan’s beloved green space, which comes under threat by bespectacled wealthy villain Bitsy Brandenham (Stanley Tucci), accompanied by her assistant Helen (Daveed Diggs). It’s a plight all hilariously narrated by Gad as park busker Birdie — the show’s absolutely brimming with songs.
“Whether it’s throwaway jokes or spotlight solos, the cast both elevate and benefit from Central Park‘s tight, confident writing,” writes Proma Khosla in her review for Mashable. “Central Park is a show that easily wears all hats. The storylines are simple, but it’s [their] style and sensibility that make them so enjoyable. It’s a show that can soothe you by being on in the background but offers nonstop punchlines and Easter eggs if you give it your full (deserved) attention.” — S.C.
Starring: Leslie Odom Jr., Kathryn Hahn, Tituss Burgess, Kristen Bell, Emmy Raver-Lampman, Stanley Tucci, Daveed Diggs, and Josh Gad
How to watch: Central Park is now streaming on Apple TV+.
24. The Buccaneers
Alisha Boe, Josie Totah, Kristine Frøseth, Aubri Ibrag, and Imogen Waterhouse in “The Buccaneers.”
Credit: Apple TV+
If you’re yearning for the next season of Bridgerton, The Buccaneers will satiate your Regency thirst. Based on Edith Wharton’s final novel and created by Katherine Jakeways, The Buccaneers is a 19th-century romantic drama with diabolical narrative twists and long-simmering romantic leads, as well as that requisite anachronistic modern soundtrack and the lavish design of our society ball dreams.
The story sees a group of young American ladies — Nan St. George (Kristine Frøseth), Jinny St. George (Imogen Waterhouse), Lizzy Elmsworth (Aubri Ibrag), Mabel Elmsworth (Josie Totah) — who are drawn to England after their friend Conchita Closson’s (Alisha Boe) high-society wedding to an English lord. Arriving in London, the newcomers face deep social scorn while channelling their own. But there’s also a rugged array of suitors taking a turn about the landscape, including a forlorn duke who enjoys standing on clifftops — and who must be in want of a wife. — S.C.
Starring: Alisha Boe, Josie Totah, Kristine Frøseth, Aubri Ibrag, and Imogen Waterhouse
How to watch: The Buccaneers is now streaming on Apple TV+.
23. Mythic Quest
Charlotte Nicdao, Rob McElhenney. and Danny Pudi in “Mythic Quest.”
Credit: Apple TV+
Whether you’re into gaming or not, you should check out Mythic Quest. From the crew behind It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia comes four seasons (and a spinoff show Side Quest) of ups and downs inside the video game industry, specifically within the offices of a game studio responsible for the show’s titular MMORPG. The cast — including Rob McElhenney, Charlotte Nicdao, Jessie Ennis, Ashly Burch, Danny Pudi, and more — are superb, the commentary on gaming is bang on, and the show’s standalone episode, “Dark Quiet Death,” has to be one of the best of all time. — S.C.
Starring: Rob McElhenney, Charlotte Nicdao, Jessie Ennis, Ashly Burch, and Danny Pudi
How to watch: Mythic Quest is now streaming on Apple TV+.
22. The Morning Show
Nicole Beharie, Jennifer Aniston, and Reese Witherspoon in “The Morning Show.”
Credit: Apple TV+
With Jennifer Aniston, Reese Witherspoon, and Steve Carell leading the first season, The Morning Show starts the day right — in the most unsettling way. Created by Jay Carson and inspired by Brian Stelter’s 2013 book, the series is set in the world of morning news broadcasting, examining the power dynamics within it — especially amid the #MeToo movement and the COVID-19 pandemic. Over three increasingly high-drama seasons, with a fourth on the way, The Morning Show examines the ethics of news and the people who report it, all dealing with personal and professional hurdles under an extremely bright, incessant daily spotlight. — S.C.
Starring: Jennifer Aniston, Reese Witherspoon, Steve Carell, Billy Crudup, Mark Duplass, Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Néstor Carbonell, Karen Pittman, Bel Powley, Desean Terry, Greta Lee, Julianna Margulies, and Jon Hamm
How to watch: The Morning Show is now streaming on Apple TV+.
21. Dark Matter
Joel Edgerton in “Dark Matter.”
Credit: Apple TV+
Sometimes the idea behind a story is so good it’s practically begging to be watched. Taking his own novel of the same name and adapting it for the screen, Blake Crouch’s Dark Matter follows physicist Jason (Joel Edgerton) as he’s kidnapped by an alternative version of himself and trapped in a parallel universe. The way these worlds are linked? A box that gives you access to all the infinite lives you could have led. Jennifer Connelly, Alice Braga, Jimmi Simpson, Dayo Okeniyi, and Oakes Fegley also star in this sci-fi thriller that’s popular with viewers and critics. — S.H.
Starring: Joel Edgerton, Jennifer Connelly, Alice Braga, Amanda Brugel, Dayo Okeniyi, Jimmi Simpson, and Oakes Fegley
How to watch: Dark Matter is now streaming on Apple TV+.
Mashable Top Stories
20. Platonic
Rose Byrne and Seth Rogen in “Platonic.”
Credit: Apple TV+
Answering the age-old When Harry Met Sally question of whether heterosexual men and women can be just friends, Francesca Delbanco and Nicholas Stoller’s Platonic is a brilliantly written, authentically performed, and genuinely compelling examination of modern friendship. “This isn’t a prolonged remake retreading a tale of opposites-attract romance,” writes Mashable’s Kristy Puchko in her review. “Instead, this show takes that kinetic dynamic and the odd-couple concept and spins it into a series of misadventures that are thrillingly outrageous and freshly entertaining. This isn’t just a story about friendship; it’s the hang-out series you may well be aching for.”
Rose Byrne and Seth Rogen are hilariously relatable as full-time mum Sylvia and brewery owner Will, former best mates out of touch until their mid-40s when Will goes through a divorce. Awkwardly reconnecting means facing a few things about their relationship and getting older, but it also means dynamite banter between Byrne and Rogen. — S.C.
Starring: Rose Byrne, Seth Rogen, Tre Hale, Luke Macfarlane, Andrew Lopez, and Carla Gallo
How to watch: Platonic is now streaming on Apple TV+.
19. Monarch: Legacy of Monsters
Anna Sawai in “Monarch: Legacy of Monsters.”
Credit: Apple TV+
Legendary’s MonsterVerse movies (Godzilla, Kong: Skull Island, Godzilla vs. Kong) make their first stomp into live-action TV with Monarch: Legacy of Monsters, a series with its reptilian eye fixed on the establishment of Monarch, the secret monster-studying organisation. The show bounces around time periods, between the 1950s and 2010s, and has more than its fair share of monstrous creatures to behold. As Mashable’s Belen Edwards writes, “The richness of Monarch‘s world — and its glorious, glorious monsters — keeps the show intriguing even when it gets bogged down in the MonsterVerse’s oft-maligned human affairs.” — S.C.
Starring: Anna Sawai, Kurt Russell, Mari Yamamoto, Anders Holm, Wyatt Russell, Kiersey Clemons, Ren Watabe, Elisa Lasowski, and Joe Tippett
How to watch: Monarch: Legacy of Monsters is now streaming on Apple TV+.
18. Loot
Maya Rudolph and Joel Kim Booster in “Loot.”
Credit: Apple TV+
Apple TV+ comedies are strong stuff, and Maya Rudolph’s Loot is one of the best. The comedy star leads as billionaire Molly Novak, who’s recently received a hefty settlement in her divorce but is at loose ends as to what’s next. Picked up off the glossy floor of her sprawling home by her assistant Nicholas (Joel Kim Booster), she realises she has a charity foundation run by Sofia Salinas (Michaela Jaé Rodriguez) and so she starts on a fresh new journey, with accountant Arthur (Nat Faxon) and cousin Howard (Ron Funches) in tow. But there’ll be more than a few life lessons and perspective shifts in store. Season 2 meets up with Molly in a new chapter, and adds an ample dash of Benjamin Bratt. — S.C.
Starring: Maya Rudolph, Joel Kim Booster, Michaela Jaé Rodriguez, Adam Scott, Nat Faxon, Ron Funches, Meagen Fay, Stephanie Styles, and Benjamin Bratt
How to watch: Loot is now streaming on Apple TV+.
17. Presumed Innocent
Jake Gyllenhaal and Bill Camp in “Presumed Innocent.”
Credit: Apple TV+
If you’re in the market for a tense and well-made legal thriller with strong performances, you could do a lot worse than Presumed Innocent. Based on Scott Turow’s 1987 novel, Big Little Lies creator David E. Kelley’s adaptation follows a prosecutor (Jake Gyllenhaal) under suspicion for the murder of his colleague.
“This new mini-series is a fairly stock legal drama that’s not necessarily all that new in terms of what it offers,” I wrote in my Mashable review. “But the story itself feels contemporary, with its themes of sexual power dynamics and legal corruption. What it does, it does very well, with a fast-paced story, well-written script, and excellent performances across the board.” — S.H.
Starring: Jake Gyllenhaal, Ruth Negga, Peter Sarsgaard, O-T Fagbenle, Bill Camp, Lily Rabe, Nana Mensah, Chase Infiniti, Kingston Rumi Southwick, and Rosanna Arquette
How to watch: Presumed Innocent is now streaming on Apple TV+.
16. The Afterparty
Zoë Chao in “The Afterparty.”
Credit: Apple TV+
If you’re a fiend for a whodunnit, consider yourself a bit of a Miss Marple, and regularly declare “J’accuse!” at your unsuspecting pals, follow the clues to The Afterparty. A star-studded comedy that twists and turns through various genres in one perplexing mystery, the series hinges around the untimely death of a rich pop star after a high school reunion. After Season 1’s deeply rewarding finale, jump right into the second season, where another murder lurks the morning after a big wedding — and no genre is safe. — S.C.
Starring: Sam Richardson, Zoë Chao, Ben Schwartz, Ilana Glazer, Tiffany Haddish, John Early, Ike Barinholtz, Jamie Demetriou, Dave Franco, John Cho, Ken Jeong, Anna Konkle, Zach Woods, Poppy Liu, Jack Whitehall, Vivian Wu, Elizabeth Perkins, and Paul Walter Hauser
How to watch: The Afterparty is now streaming on Apple TV+.
15. Disclaimer
Cate Blanchett in “Disclaimer.”
Credit: Apple TV+
Five-time Academy Award–winning filmmaker Alfonso Cuarón teams with two-time Academy Award–winning actress Cate Blanchett for a seven-part thriller sure to get your blood pumping. Written and directed by Cuarón, Disclaimer stars Blanchett as Catherine Ravenscroft, a revered journalist who has built her career on unearthing the sordid secrets of others. However, her life is thrown into turmoil when an unsolicited novel shows up on her doorstep, its pages spilling out the skeletons within her own closet.
In her review for Mashable, Entertainment Reporter Belen Edwards writes, “The overall effect of Disclaimer is one of intrigue and of questioning the layers of narrative you see before you. With its commitment to formal changeups and a brutal knockout of a finale, Disclaimer is a puzzle that gets under your skin and refuses to leave.”* — K.P.
Starring: Cate Blanchett, Kevin Kline, Sacha Baron Cohen, Kodi Smit-McPhee, Lesley Manville, Louis Partridge, Leila George, and Hoyeon
How to watch: Disclaimer is now streaming on Apple TV+.
14. Schmigadoon!
Keegan-Michael Key and Cecily Strong will whisk you away.
Credit: Apple TV+
A show for musical lovers, by musical lovers, Season 1 of Schmigadoon! is a loving tribute to Golden Age musicals. Think Oklahoma!, The Music Man, and The Sound of Music. In a Brigadoon-esque plot, a couple (played by Cecily Strong and Keegan-Michael Key) whose relationship is going through a rough patch stumbles upon a magical village where life is a musical. From there, it’s a nonstop parade of joyful musical numbers, delivered by a cast of Broadway mainstays like Kristin Chenoweth, Aaron Tveit, Alan Cumming, and Ariana DeBose. Theaters kids, eat your heart out. Schmigadoon! is a treat. And Season 2 brings more fun, but with a darker edge.* — B.E.
How to watch: Schmigadoon! is now streaming on Apple TV.
13. For All Mankind
Joel Kinnaman and Sonya Walger in “For All Mankind.”
Credit: Apple TV+
It’s Apple’s big “what-if” series, which hypothesizes an alternate timeline of the global space race. Created by Ronald D. Moore, Matt Wolpert, and Ben Nedivi, For All Mankind kicks off Season 1 with the Soviet Union landing the first human on the moon in June 1969, leaving NASA scrambling to catch up. Season 2 picks up in the Cold War, Season 3 jumps into the ’90s with the race to land on Mars, and Season 4 is all about the establishment of a self-sustaining colony on the red planet.
“If you’re here because you’re a fan of For All Mankind creator Ronald D. Moore’s earlier work, check your expectations,” writes Adam Rosenberg in his review for Mashable. “This isn’t science fiction. There’s science in the NASA stuff and a layer of grounded fantasy in the alternate timeline premise, but there’s no secret alien invasion twist here or anything. For All Mankind plays it straight instead.” And for what it’s worth, Stephen King bloody loves it. — S.C.
How to watch: For All Mankind is now streaming on Apple TV+.
12. Trying
Esther Smith and Rafe Spall in “Trying.”
Credit: Apple TV+
In Andy Wolton’s charming, heartfelt series, London couple Nikki (Esther Smith) and Jason (Rafe Spall) want to start a family of their own. As the series’ title suggests, they go up and down a few roads, and ultimately pursue adoption — with all the complications and trials that come with it. Over three seasons, Nikki and Jason’s friends and family help them through it all, and you’ll chuckle as much as tear up through each moment. Smith and Spall are superb rom-com leads, navigating the highs and lows that come with becoming parents with delightful insights and poignant realism. — S.C.
Starring: Esther Smith, Rafe Spall, Siân Brooke, Darren Boyd, Imelda Staunton, Paula Wilcox, Phil Davis, Jim Broadbent, Oliver Chris, Robyn Cara, Scarlett Rayner, Navin Chowdhry, Roderick Smith, and Marian McLoughlin
How to watch: Trying is now streaming on Apple TV+.
11. Dope Thief
Brian Tyree Henry and Wagner Moura in “Dope Thief.”
Credit: Apple TV+
Ready for a crime drama full of twists, heralded actors, and character-driven humor? Based on the Dennis Tafoya novel, Dope Thief has all that and more.
Created by Peter Craig (The Town), the series stars Brian Tyree Henry as Ray Driscoll, a Philly entrepreneur with a unique business plan. Alongside his simple-minded bestie Manny (Wagner Moura), Ray impersonates a DEA agent to ambush low-level drug dealers, stealing their ill-gotten gains and illegal substances for profit. The money, they’ll split. The drugs will go to a bigger dealer, who’s a sort of father-figure to Ray. But when one of these raids goes sideways, there’s fire, death, and a wounded survivor hellbent on revenge. Can Ray and Manny survive once they’ve got a vicious kingpin and the actual DEA on his trail? You’ll have to tune in to find out!* — K.P.
Starring: Brian Tyree Henry, Wagner Moura, Marin Ireland, and Kate Mulgrew
How to watch: Dope Thief is now streaming on Apple TV+.
10. Foundation
Alfred Enoch and Lou Llobell in “Foundation.”
Credit: Apple TV+
It’s one of Apple’s most lavish productions and worth every penny. Based on Isaac Asimov’s iconic sci-fi novels, Foundation follows a group exiled from the doomed Galactic Empire and on a mission to save it. Jared Harris is superb as mathematician and psychohistorian Hari Seldon, whose predictions of future probability lead to his exile by Brother Day (played to perfection by Lee Pace), one of a series of clones who rule the Galactic Empire as Emperor. Seldon is joined by his protégée, Gaal Dornick (Lou Llobell) from the planet Synnax. And folks, it’s a truly opulent series, with stunning visuals, world-building, and action sequences over two seasons. “If you’ve ever wondered where all that iPhone money went, just watch Foundation,” writes Mashable’s Adam Rosenberg in his review. — S.C.
Starring: Jared Harris, Lee Pace, Lou Llobell, Leah Harvey, Laura Birn, Terrence Mann, Alfred Enoch, Alexander Siddig, Troy Kotsur, and Daniel MacPherson
How to watch: Foundation is now streaming on Apple TV+.
9. Ted Lasso
Jason Sudeikis and Brett Goldstein in “Ted Lasso.”
Credit: Apple TV+
You’d better believe Ted Lasso is one of the best shows on this list. Created by Jason Sudeikis, Bill Lawrence, Brendan Hunt, and Joe Kelly, the comedy follows the titular American football coach (Sudeikis) who is recruited with his 2IC Coach Beard (Hunt) to coach English Premier League team AFC Richmond by the club’s owner, Rebecca Welton (Hannah Waddingham). But that’s just the set-up, forming the foundation for three seasons of wholesome, hilarious, and moving fish-out-of-water comedy. The show brims with optimism, Easter eggs, and Roy Kent’s perfect swearing. Ted Lasso, like football, is life. — S.C.
Starring: Jason Sudeikis, Hannah Waddingham, Brett Goldstein, Nick Mohammed, Juno Temple, Brendan Hunt, Jeremy Swift, Phil Dunster, Toheeb Jimoh, Cristo Fernández, Kola Bokinni, Anthony Head, Billy Harris, and James Lance
How to watch: Ted Lasso is now streaming on Apple TV+.
8. Bad Sisters
Anne-Marie Duff, Saise Quinn, Sharon Horgan, Eva Birthistle, Sarah Greene, and Eve Hewson in “Bad Sisters.”
Credit: Apple TV+
Sharon Horgan’s dark dramedy about a group of sisters teaming up to kill their abusive brother-in-law is as much a howdunnit as it is a whodunnit. We start off Bad Sisters knowing that John Paul (Claes Bang), truly one of the most unpleasant TV characters of the year, is dead. But it’s only through a series of flashbacks that we find out what happened to him, learning the ways he wronged each of the Garvey sisters and their various misjudged attempts to take him out of the picture. The characters are well drawn and amusing, the show is incredibly tense, and Horgan seamlessly weaves together comedy and tragedy. And if you’re worried about the ending of a show that’s already revealed some of its cards, don’t be. Bad Sisters holds back some of its biggest shocks and secrets to the very end — and into a second season.* — S.H.
Starring: Anne-Marie Duff, Saise Quinn, Sharon Horgan, Eva Birthistle, Sarah Greene, Eve Hewson, and Claes Bang
How to watch: Bad Sisters is streaming now on Apple TV+.
7. Little America
Jearnest Corchado and Melinna Bobadilla in “Little America.”
Credit: Apple TV+
Kumail Nanjiani, Alan Yang, and Emily V. Gordon’s anthology series Little America is essential viewing. A masterclass in storytelling, each episode of the series is a self-contained tale in which we get to know immigrants in America on a personal level — a far cry from the dehumanised picture politicians like to paint. Each story is compelling, unique, and deeply moving, from Nigerian college student Iwegbuna (Conphidance) exploring identity through cowboy culture in Oklahoma to baker Beatrice (Kemiyondo Coutinho) embracing her Ugandan heritage in Kentucky. There’s undocumented high schooler Marisol (Jearnest Corchado) reclaiming a sense of power through squash, and Kabir (played by Suraj Sharma, Eshan Inamdar, and Ishan Gandhi at different ages), a 12-year old boy whose hotel-owner parents are deported to India. Each story examines the complexity of identity and scrutinises the American Dream, while reminding us to actually make the effort to get to know someone. — S.C.
Starring: Suraj Sharma, Jearnest Corchado, Conphidance, Kemiyondo Coutinho, Mélanie Laurent, Angela Lin, Shaun Toub, Haaz Sleiman, and Isuri Wijesundara
How to watch: Little America is now streaming on Apple TV+.
6. Shrinking
Jason Segel and Harrison Ford in “Shrinking.”
Credit: Apple TV+
Scrubs creator Bill Lawrence teams up with Ted Lasso‘s Brett Goldstein and How I Met Your Mother‘s Jason Segel for a show about breaking down and breaking through. As Mashable’s Shannon Connellan writes in her review, “Shrinking, one of TV’s best-written comedies, cuts to the deep shit among the regular shit, without judgment and with a lot of laughs. Consider us prescribed.”
Segel stars as a cognitive behavioral therapist struggling in the wake of his wife’s death. Despite this grief-stricken setup, Shrinking is a defiantly joyful comedy that finds humor in coping as this harried hero breaks rules to push him and his clients out of their comfort zones to new emotional terrain. With 30-minute episodes over two seasons, it’s an easy binge — and the cast is absolutely outstanding.* — K.P.
Starring: Jason Segel, Harrison Ford, Jessica Williams, Luke Tennie, Michael Urie, Christa Miller, and Lukita Maxwell
How to watch: Shrinking is now streaming on Apple TV+.
5. Slow Horses
Kristin Scott Thomas in “Slow Horses.”
Credit: Apple TV+
If you haven’t had every last one of your mates telling you to watch Slow Horses, consider yourself in the minority. Based on Mick Herron’s Slough House novels, the series has long provoked hands-in-the-air “you’ve got to watch Slow Horses” rants at many a London pub in my life, and they’re not wrong. Throw yourself without delay into the realm of MI5 outcasts, spies who’ve fucked up but somehow have remained employed by the UK’s domestic counter-intelligence agency. However, that doesn’t mean there’s not plenty to investigate, all under the surly, greasy, and notably farty watch of Slough House head Jackson Lamb (Gary Oldman). Over four seasons (with more on the way), showrunner Will Smith makes the most out of his terrific cast, which includes Kristin Scott Thomas, Jack Lowden, Rosalind Eleazar, Saskia Reeves, Olivia Cooke, and more, sending the MI5 misfits into many a danger across London trying valiantly to defend Britain. — S.C.
Starring: Gary Oldman, Kristin Scott Thomas, Jack Lowden, Olivia Cooke, Rosalind Eleazar, Saskia Reeves, Jonathan Pryce, Christopher Chung, Kadiff Kirwan, and Dustin Demri-Burns
How to watch: Slow Horses is now streaming on Apple TV+.
4. Silo
Rashida Jones and David Oyelowo in “Silo.”
Credit: Apple TV+
If you’re not watching Silo, we suggest you bunker down and watch both seasons. Created by Graham Yost and directed by Morten Tyldum, this a dystopian sci-fi thriller series is on based on Hugh Howey’s trilogy of novels (Wool, Shift, and Dust). Silo delivers impeccable performances, intricate set design, and satisfying narrative twists. Mashable’s Belen Edwards describes Silo in her review as “an engrossing and rewarding watch, one that devoted fans of dystopia and sci-fi will relish.”
You’re sent deep into the subterranean society where the last 10,000 people on Earth live, sheltered from the toxic world outside. The inhabitants, ranked in class by floor, put immense trust in their overlords: Mayor Ruth Jahns (Geraldine James), head of the IT Department (Tim Robbins), and the silo’s sheriffs, including Sheriff Holston (David Oyelowo) and Deputy Sam Marnes (Will Patton). But when suspicious events occur, an engineer from the silo’s lower levels, Juliette (Rebecca Ferguson), races to figure out the truth. — S.C.
Starring: Rebecca Ferguson, David Oyelowo, Rashida Jones, Tim Robbins, Common, Harriet Walter, Iain Glen, Tanya Moodie, Geraldine James, Avi Nash, Chinaza Uche, Steve Zahn, Shane McRae, Remmie Milner, Alexandria Riley, Clare Perkins, Billy Postlethwaite, Ashley Zukerman, Olatunji Ayofe, and Ferdinand Kingsley
How to watch: Silo is now streaming on Apple TV+.
3. Pachinko
Kim Min-ha and Jung Eun-chae in “Pachinko.”
Credit: Apple TV+
Based on Min Jin Lee’s best-selling novel, Pachinko spans not only decades but also generations, following a family line from an impoverished community in 1915 Korea to a prosperous Japan in 1989. The center of this moving saga is matriarch Kim Sunja, who grows from an intrepid child (Yu-na Jeon) to a pregnant, unwed teen (Kim Min-ha), to a grandmother (Academy Award–winning star of Minari, Youn Yuh-jung) too often patronized by her doting son (Soji Arai) and hotshot banker grandson Solomon (Jin Ha).
Created by Soo Hugh, this sensational two-season drama series slides back and forth across its timeline, paralleling Sunja’s journey with Solomon’s. Though she was raised in poverty and he in prosperity, both face challenges of racism, weighty family expectations, and impossible loves. Incredibly, though Pachinko hits on many dark elements, it’s resiliently hopeful, delivering on the promise of its exhilarating opening title sequence. If you’re looking for a series to grab you heart and soul, Pachinko is a safe bet for satisfaction, a series Mashable’s Belen Edwards dubbed “one of the most stunningly crafted shows on TV.”* — K.P.
Starring: Jeon Yu-na, Kim Min-ha, Youn Yuh-jung, Soji Arai, Jin Ha, Lee Min-ho, Kwon Eun-seong, Jung Eun-chae, and Yoshio Maki
How to watch: Pachinko is now streaming on Apple TV+.
2. The Studio
Ike Barinholtz, Kathryn Hahn, Chase Sui Wonders, and Seth Rogen in “The Studio.”
Credit: Apple TV+
Seth Rogen and a jaw-dropping cast of big stars give Hollywood the takedown it so richly deserves with The Studio.
The battle of art versus commerce takes center stage as Rogen plays a newly minted studio exec, who has to make an endless series of wild decisions. If you ever wonder how the blockbuster sausage gets made, the first episode of this stellar comedy series gives you a juicy and revolting taste.
The writing on this satirical series is so sharp that Rogen practically bleeds as he plays the fool across an array of comical conflicts. And he’s bolstered by a supporting cast that is blisteringly funny, spitting barbs, allusions, and one-liners with a dizzying intensity.* — K.P.
Starring: Seth Rogen, Catherine O’Hara, Kathryn Hahn, Ike Barinholtz, Chase Sui Wonders, and Bryan Cranston
How to watch: The Studio debuts on Apple TV+ March 26.
1. Severance
Welcome to the team.
Credit: Apple TV+
It’s not only the best show on Apple TV+, it’s one of our favourite shows of all time. Dan Erickson’s “anti-capitalist fable” Severance centres around the enigmatic Lumon Industries, a company that offers employees the option of “severing” their work self from their regular lives. Primarily directed by Ben Stiller, Severance sees impeccable performances from Adam Scott, Britt Lower, Patricia Arquette, John Turturro, Zach Cherry, Tramell Tillman, Christopher Walken, and more, with the cast tasked with playing both their “Innies” and “Outies” — and all the loaded nuance that comes with it.
Exactly what Lumon does and how the severance program began are just two of the mysteries within Severance, a show that explores fascinating questions of consent, exploitation, alienation, and humanity within a highly stylistic production. What’s not in question? Over two sublime seasons, Severance doesn’t miss. — S.C.
Starring: Adam Scott, Britt Lower, Patricia Arquette, John Turturro, Zach Cherry, Tramell Tillman, Christopher Walken, Jen Tullock, Dichen Lachman, Michael Chernus, and Sarah Bock
How to watch: Severance is now streaming on Apple TV+.
