Apple TV+’s catalog of TV shows continues to grow, and the streaming service has established itself as one of the best around. Many of its originals have returned for second, third, and even fourth seasons by now, and some have even concluded their runs. Meanwhile, new shows, movies, documentaries, and more continue to be released steadily.
Sure, Apple might not release dozens of titles every month like some of the other streaming services. But the quality of the programming is top-notch, even award-winning. If you haven’t yet checked out shows like Ted Lasso, Severance, Shrinking, Platonic, Silo, and The Morning Show, they’re all worth a watch. The selection is diverse, so we have highlighted the best shows on Apple TV+ right now to help you narrow down your choices.
Looking for more TV shows? We’ve got all the guides for you, including the best shows on Netflix, the best shows on Disney+, the best shows on Hulu, and the best shows on Amazon Prime Video.
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The Morning Show2019
The Morning Show (2019) new
This drama has received a lot of attention, thanks to a star-studded cast that includes Jennifer Aniston, Reese Witherspoon, and Billy Crudup, who earned an Emmy win for his supporting role. The story kicks off when Mitch Kessler (Steve Carell), a popular morning news show co-host, is abruptly fired due to sexual misconduct allegations against him. As his longtime co-host and friend Alex Levy (Aniston) tries to deal with the aftermath of the events, along with the fear that she might be replaced, she meets a bright, young, and ambitious local news reporter named Bradley Jackson (Witherspoon) who could be a friend or foe.
As the show progresses each season, adding new cast members each time, it provides a fresh take on topical issues, mirroring real-world events and social and political discord. The Morning Show touches deeply on a culture of silence and inequality surrounding women in the workplace and is a superb choice to watch if you’re looking for something that’s different from your usual TV drama.
Physical (2021)
Strange Planet (2023)
No, this isn’t yet another mesmerizing nature docuseries. Strange Planet is actually an animated sci-fi comedy. Based on the webcomic of the same name by Nathan W. Pyle, it’s about blue creatures who travel to an odd planet that is strangely very similar to our society. Filled with cotton candy pinks and purples, they explore the way people live, work, and play, and try to understand our human traditions.
Described as a “hilarious and perceptive look at a distant world not unlike our own,” Strange Planet counts Danny Pudi (Community) and Hannah Einbinder (Hacks) among its voice cast, and its creator team includes a list of award-winning writers, directors, and producers who have worked on shows like Rick and Morty, Community, BoJack Horseman, and Saturday Night Live.
Invasion (2021)
Despite mixed response to its first season along with an almost two-year wait, Invasion is back for its second season. The sci-fi series chronicles what happens after an alien invasion hits Earth. The story, however, is told from the perspective of different people from around the world.
With criticism suggesting that the first season was “10 episodes of setup,” fans are hopeful that season 2 will provide the big payoff for which they have been waiting. If you’re into the sci-fi genre and looking for something new to check out, Invasion might be worth your time, particularly since you have to binge all 10 episodes of season 1 in anticipation of season 2. Notable is the standout performance by Sam Neill (Jurassic Park franchise) as the gruff sheriff investigating strange crop formations.
Foundation (2021)
Isaac Asimov penned the book series Foundation on which the sci-fi drama is based. Bringing the story to life, The Foundation is a band of exiles who realize that they must defy the Galactic Empire if they want to save all of humanity. So begins the battle for power and existence as a small group works to try and save everyone before it’s too late.
It’s yet another series from Apple TV+ that has managed to secure a star-studded cast. Combine this with the high production value and fabulous performances, and it’s a sight to see for anyone who’s a fan of the sci-fi genre. With a second season now out, a third is already in production.
The Afterparty (2022)
Up for a good murder mystery? When old friends and classmates gather for a high school reunion in the first season, things get downright criminal. Delivering a unique visual style, the investigation proceeds as Detective Danner (Tiffany Haddish) attempts to get the story of what happened that night from the perspectives of each attendee. A classic whodunnit with a comedic twist, the star-studded cast for season 1 also includes Sam Richardson, Zoe Chao, Ben Schwartz, Ike Barinholtz, Ilana Glazer, and Dave Franco.
Season 2 has some returning characters, including Haddish’s Dinner, Richardson’s Aniq, and Chao’s Zoe. But it focuses on an entirely new story, with a new murder mystery to solve. Like season 1, every episode is told from the perspective of a different person, and in the style of a specific genre, from classic romance to an old-timey Western.
Hijack (2023)
Stylized as H/jack, Hijack stars Idris Elba (Luther: The Fallen Sun) as a talented business negotiator who finds himself in the midst of the biggest negotiation of his life: trying to reason with a group of individuals who have hijacked a plane flying from Dubai to London. Though his skills are in dealing with the less intense corporate world, Sam (Elba) manages to keep his cool and takes on the leadership role, doing his best to ensure the safety of all passengers aboard the fight.
Dubbed a tense, high-octane thriller, the story flips back and forth between what’s happening on the plane and with authorities on the ground struggling to figure out if there even is an issue and if so, what, who’s responsible, and what can they do about it. Hijack is told 24-style in real-time through the six-hour flight (though it’s seven episodes long). It’s a gripping series that starts off slow but builds to a massive climax. The series also stars Emmy winner Archie Panjabi (The Good Wife).
The Crowded Room (2023)
Tom Holland takes an emotional, dramatic turn in this psychological thriller he also executive produced. Inspired by The Minds of Billy Milligan by Daniel Keyes, the story of the first person to ever be acquitted of a major crime in the U.S. due to dissociative identity disorder, fans who go into The Crowded Room knowing the background will immediately recognize what’s going on. Nonetheless, Holland delivers a gripping performance as the lead character Danny, the young man being interrogated by Rya (Amanda Seyfried) following a shooting in New York City.
Set in 1979, the series flip back and forth between the past and present as Danny recalls the complicated web of events that led up to the shooting, and the other individuals who he alleges were involved. Fans of both Holland and the genre will appreciate this period piece.
Platonic (2023)
The Snoopy Show (2021)
A follow-up to Snoopy in Space (also streaming on Apple TV+), The Snoopy Show brings back the beloved Peanuts character and his sidekick Woodstock, voiced by Terry McGurrin and Robert Tinkler, respectively. In the animated series, the duo partake in a variety of adventures.
Based on the Peanuts comic strip, Snoopy returns as the Masked Marvel and a flying ace that fights the Red Baron. Of course, we can’t forget about his other friends, Charlie Brown, Patty, Sally Brown, Violet, Linus, Peppermint Patty, Pig-Pen, and others, all of whom make appearances throughout.
Swagger (2021)
Silo (2023)
Even though it’s yet another postapocalyptic, dystopian series, Silo draws you in with its unique and compelling story and A-list cast. Earth has supposedly become nothing more than a vast wasteland, and the only survivors reside in a massive silo built more than 100 floors high. No one knows why the silo was built or even by whom. But they are told it’s dangerous and deadly to step outside. The protective community abides by strict rules and the same kind of corrupted politics and socioeconomic classes that existed in the outside world. Any signs of the world before, called relics, are strictly prohibited.
The story, based on the sci-fi books by Hugh Howey, centers around Juliette (Rebecca Ferguson, Dune), a young engineer who decides to investigate the truth when her boyfriend, who was looking into various theories, mysteriously falls to his death. Silo touches on themes of power, control, perception, and manipulation. Is the silo really protecting people from dangerous conditions outside its doors, or is this all just an elaborate demonstration of smoke and mirrors?
Prehistoric Planet (2022)
Harriet the Spy (2021)
Harriet the Spy follows the curious and outspoken 11-year-old Harriet as she investigates everything and everyone, soaking in as much knowledge as she can. Harriet wants to be a writer one day, but to achieve her dream, she needs to learn, learn, learn — and to do that, she needs to be a spy.
From the Jim Henson Company, this marks the first animated adaptation of the popular children’s novel. Interestingly, it remains set in the 1960s, staying true to the original publication date of the novel and book series.
Stillwater (2020)
With three seasons under its belt, Stillwater remains one of the most thoughtful and heartwarming animated series within Apple TV+’s slate of originals. Based on the Zen Shorts by Jon J. Muth, the title character is a panda named Stillwater who teaches important life lessons to the kids who live next door, Karl, Addy, and Michael. From educating the kids on how to live a more Earth-friendly lifestyle to dealing with typical kid challenges like broken toys and fights with friends, Stillwater always knows just the right things to say.
It’s a cute animated series for kids that has smarts behind it, along with wonderful voice actors who make you feel like you’re part of the story, too.
Jane (2023)
A take on the early life of primatologist and anthropologist Dr. Jane Goodall, the title character in Jane is a 9-year-old girl with a mission to save endangered animals. Together with her best friend David and a chimpanzee named Greybeard, the imaginative trio embarks on various adventures around the world, with the goal of protecting animals of all kinds. She idolized her namesake, Dr. Goodall, and lives by the mantra that understanding is necessary to care, and to care means helping.
Jane’s premise is inspired by Dr. Goodall’s own life and will be an entertaining watch for animal-loving families that want to educate their kids about the importance of the environment and the animals that live within our world.
Schmigadoon! (2021)
Melissa (Cecily Strong) and Josh (Keegan-Michael Key) are a couple hoping to breathe new life into their relationship by going on a backpacking trip together. But when they somehow end up in a magical town set in a 1940s studio musical, they find themselves immersed in song, dance, and a whole new approach to finding true love so they can get back home.
Still going strong in its second season,the show is designed to be a parody of iconic musicals, chock-full of “clever inside-theater jokes,” and it actually works. While not everyone will be in on those jokes, there’s still joy in seeing the talented ensemble cast putting their musical talents on full display.
Ted Lasso (2020)
Saturday Night Live alum Jason Sudeikis returns to television in this fish-out-of-water sports comedy about an American football coach named Ted Lasso, who relocates to the U.K. to coach an English association football team. Except there’s one problem: Despite their faith in him, he actually has no experience at all with their version of “football,” which, as any sports fan knows, is soccer.
Sudeikis is also credited as a co-creator and executive producer of the series, which is based on a character of the same name that he first played in promos for coverage of the Premier League by NBC Sports. The show and its cast has taken home multiple Primetime Emmy and Golden Globe awards, solidifying Ted Lasso’s ranking among the best comedies of the decade, and potentially even beyond.
The Reluctant Traveler with Eugene Levy (2023)
Shrinking (2023)
Servant (2019)
After their infant son Jericho dies, Sean (Toby Kebbell) and Dorothy Turner (Lauren Ambrose) are distraught, Dorothy so much that she suffers a psychological breakdown. To help Dorothy recover, the couple gets a lifelike therapy doll, which Dorothy treats as if it’s real.
Sean and Dorothy’s brother, Julian (Harry Potter‘s Rupert Grint), both put up with the act for her sake, but things get even stranger when the couple’s nanny, a young woman named Leanne (Nell Tiger Free), arrives, and she too behaves as if the doll is a real child. As Sean tries to figure out what is going on with the new nanny, he begins to question his own grip on reality. Servant is an eerie thriller, executive produced by M. Night Shyamalan no less, that moves at a brisk pace and doesn’t overstay its welcome.
Slow Horses (2022)
Little America (2020)
Mythic Quest (2020)
Slumberkins (2022)
Acapulco (2021)
Ghostwriter (2019)
Hello, Jack! The Kindness Show (2021)
Central Park (2020)
See (2019)
Bad Sisters (2022)
Black Bird (2022)
Black Bird is a thrilling crime drama with a top-notch cast that follows a young man, James (Taron Egerton), the son of a decorated police officer, who is sent to jail on drug trafficking and weapons charges. But James is given an incredible opportunity: enter a maximum security prison, get a confession out of a suspected serial killer, and his entire 10-year sentence will be commuted. So begins James’ race against the clock as he tries to use his charms and likability to get oddball Larry (Paul Walter Hauser) to implicate himself without blowing his cover. James also needs to stay out of trouble himself, because if he does anything to get time tacked onto his sentence, he’s on his own.
Maximum security prison life is no joke, but James is determined to be set free in time to see his ailing father, played by Ray Liotta in one of his final roles. Greg Kinnear also stars as Brian Miller, an officer investigating the case who is determined to catch a repeated killer before he’s set free to kill again. There’s edge-of-your-seat tension through all six episodes.
Surface (2022)
Gugu Mbatha-Raw (The Morning Show) stars in this new series about a woman named Sophie who has suffered a traumatic head injury and major memory loss. It’s suspected that this occurred following a suicide attempt. In the wake of her new lease on life, Sophie must try and understand her life and ascertain what’s true and what isn’t about her situation prior to the accident.
The show’s synopsis asks, “What if you woke up one day and didn’t know your own secrets?” It’s a promising premise that will prompt viewers to re-evaluate whether they are programmed to become a certain type of person or if they have the power to choose their own identity, and if they would make the same decisions given a second chance.
Trying (2020)
For All Mankind (2019)
Tehran (2020)
Shining Girls (2022)
WeCrashed (2022)
The Last Days of Ptolemy Grey (2022)
Pachinko (2022)
Severance (2022)
Lincoln's Dilemma (2022)
Dickinson (2019)
Losing Alice (2020)
Long Way Up (2020)
Helpsters (2019)
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