Apple TV+ hasn't quite got its place in the streaming wars yet, but if you're tired of the shows on Netflix, Hulu, and Amazon Prime, or just want to use your Apple TV+ subscription, there are some worthwhile shows. The premium, the ad-free streaming platform includes a host of original series from famous talents, but not all of them are worth your time. We found out which shows are really worth watching. Here are our picks for the best shows on Apple TV+.
Remastered for a second season before it even premiered, this anthology series is perfect if you want to learn more about the stories of immigrants in America. Each episode tells a different stand-alone story of people from all cultures who came to America with big dreams. They see obstacles as opportunities and must strive to be American without forgetting their roots. Clever yet understandable episode titles include “The Manager,” “The Cowboy,” and “The Baker.” The first season boasts an impressive 94% reviewer rating and 87% viewer rating on review aggregator site Rotten Tomatoes, with the critics' consensus being 'joyful, heartfelt, and very human…a thoughtful collection of immigrant stories and inspiring.'
After their baby son Jericho dies, Sean (Toby Kebbell) and Dorothy Turner (Lauren Ambrose) are devastated, Dorothy goes through such a breakdown. To help Dorothy heal, the couple receives a lifelike therapy doll that Dorothy pretends to be real. Sean and Dorothy's brother, Julian (Harry Potter's Rupert Grint), both put up with it for her own good, but things get even weirder when a young woman named Leanne (Nell Tiger Free), the couple's nanny, arrives and that baby is real. behaves like a child. As Sean tries to understand what's going on with the new nanny, he begins to question his own stance on reality. Servant is a spooky thriller that moves at a brisk pace and does not exaggerate its welcome, executive produced by M. Night Shyamalan.
Avengers star Chris Evans stars Michelle Dockery, Cherry Jones, and J.K. Simmons accompanies him in this crime drama about a 14-year-old boy accused of murder. While his parents firmly believe he is innocent, the growing evidence against the young boy is enough for them to question whether they really know their son, as they grapple with the moral dilemma of defending him despite their suspicions. Based on William Landay's novel of the same name, the series is a detective drama worth watching if you're looking for something new in this genre.
If you grew up in the '90s, you're familiar with this mystery kids drama about a team of young detectives who team up to solve crimes. But they can't do it alone: Their mysterious ghost friend leans on Ghostwriter. Apple TV+ has rebooted the series to tell the story of a new group of kids who must solve a mystery about a ghost haunting a local bookstore and releasing fictional characters into the world. Aimed at kids ages 8 and up, it's a great show to watch with the whole family.
Sara Bareilles co-produces and provides original music for this series about a young woman named Bess King (Brittany O'Grady) who is trying to fulfill her dreams of becoming a singer. But she has to balance this personal desire with being drawn to the other side of her troubled family life. Apple calls the series a 'love letter' to the New York music scene. Series producer J.J. Abrams, the series received good reviews, with the catchy tunes and engaging cast praised for making it a good binge-watch. The first season has nine 30-minute episodes.
One of Apple TV+'s first real hit series is also its first non-English series. Espionage series tells the story of an undercover Mossad agent who goes on a dangerous mission in Tehran, Iran. It looks familiar as a spy drama, but Tehran has a completely unique perspective that focuses on an Israeli woman in an extraordinarily dangerous situation in the heart of the Middle East.
Ronald D. Moore, who worked on various Star Trek franchises throughout the '90s and created the stunning 2004 remake of Battlestar Galactica. Moore's For All Mankind once again goes beyond the Earth's atmosphere, telling an alternate history story where the Soviet Union tracked America to the moon, forcing NASA to heal its wounds and take more trips into space. For All Mankind takes a playful approach to imagining how different history works, rather than exploring familiar stories made by astronaut biographers. Eager to attract female voters, for example, Richard Nixon orders NASA to take women into space. It's not a revolutionary series, but an entertaining one, especially for fans of Cold War history.
Saturday Night Live alum Jason Sudeikis returns to television in this out-of-water fishing comedy about an American football coach named Ted Lasso who moves to England to coach an English football team. Except for one problem: He has no experience with the 'soccer' version for the USA, which is actually football as any sports fan knows. Sudeikis is also credited with being the co-creator and executive producer of the series based on a character of the same name played by NBC Sports in the premieres for the Premier League broadcast.
This comedy delves into the inner world of video game creation and tells the story from the perspective of those working at a development studio. The show, with Rob McElhenney (It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia) as creative director Ian, has nine episodes in the first season so far, and a second season is planned. With solid ratings all over Rotten Tomatoes, critical consensus calls it hilarious and praises his ability to explore the gaming industry with 'intelligence, thoughtfulness, and candor.' However, he is asked to rely too heavily on the 'workplace comedy formula'. That said, it's worth checking out if you enjoy the genre as well as video games.
The Rotten Tomatoes critical consensus of this mystery drama describes it as 'interesting' and praises the young Brooklynn Prince for his dedicated performance. The series is about a young girl named Hilde (The Prince) who moves to a small lakeside town and faces a cold murder case that everyone believes she is trying to bury, including her own father. In fact, it was based on the true story of 9-year-old Hilde Lysiak (now 13), who ran her own local newspaper and once covered a murder case before another media outlet.
The money Apple spends on these shows makes itself feel just right. They are truly gorgeous and have top-notch talent, many of them need more cohesion and content in the posts. On the purely positive side though, women are at the forefront of almost all of these productions.