Slowly but surely Apple TV+ is finding its feet. The streaming service, which at launch we called “weird, edgy, and scary as hell,” has evolved into a library of diverse games, documentaries, and comics. It’s cheap compared to services like Netflix—and Apple often throws in three free months when you buy a new iPhone, iPad, Mac, or Apple TV.
Interested but don’t know where to start? Below are our picks for the best shows on the service. When you’re done, head over to our guide to the best Netflix shows, Amazon Prime series, and Disney+ movies, because you can’t have too many.
Ted Lasso
On paper, Ted Lasso it sounds bad. The unlikely story of an American soccer coach who has never seen a game of soccer somehow finds himself a job as coach of (fictional) Premier League club AFC Richmond and tries to make up for his lack of qualifications by being a good guy. Sounds invisible, right? And yet Ted Lasso it has captured the hearts and minds of viewers across the pond with its eye-popping visuals and undeniable positive messages, raising the stakes for the sport. With season 3 coming this spring, now is the perfect time to catch up.
A minister
In movies, M. Night Shyamalan can be hit or miss, but A minister, in which the film director produces, and sometimes directs, and stars. Focusing on a Philadelphia couple – a chef and a journalist – who lose a child only to be miraculously revived (maybe) by the arrival of their new nanny. (You just have to watch the show for any of this to make sense.) The silly, the silly, and sometimes even the funny, will suck you in. And now that it’s in its fourth season, there’s plenty to enjoy.
The Essex snake
Claire Danes is doing her best jaw-dropping performance in a while; Tom Hiddleston as the town attorney; rumors of a mysterious mythical snake—is there anything there? no love the show? No, there is none. The Essex snake, based on Sarah Perry’s novel, follows a recent widow (of Danes) as she travels to rural Essex to search for a “sea dragon.” There, he meets a priest, Will (Hiddleston), who is very skeptical about the existence of snakes. Beautiful and breathtaking, this is a wonderful time.
To quit
Of all the shows on this list, To quit may be the one that established Apple TV + as a player with a well-known reputation. Adam Scott plays Mark, a man devastated by the death of his wife who decides to go to Severance, a process that divides his memories of work and his life at home. He is very happy with the setup until a former colleague of Lumon Industries follows him out of the office, setting off a series of events that lead him to question not only Severance but the mission of his company. From there, it just gets weirder and more unsettling with each passing moment. Challenging and disturbing, this show, much of which was directed by Ben Stiller, will make you think, and question, all the way.
Little America
Originally released while Donald Trump was still President of the United States, Little America it was and still is a timely reminder of what makes America great. Each episode of the anthology series focuses on a different issue of immigration in America. From an undocumented high school student who discovers squash talent to a “bra whisperer” in Brooklyn, each of these 30-minute vignettes — all based on real people — is inspiring and worth watching.
Mythic Quest
A rare example of a television program in action, Mythic Quest is one of the best workplace dramas of the last few years. Shown in half-hour episodes, the show follows a fictional game studio known for World of Warcraft-like MMO, Mythic Quest, as the people who cause them to mess up their many unhappy relationships. The writing is excellent, always funny and touching when you least expect it, and the show manages to tackle real issues in the industry without laughing.
Foundation
We called Foundation “artfully flawed” in our review, which is still high praise considering the challenges of adapting a sci-fi genre for TV. Based on Isaac Asimov’s novel of the same name, The Ambitious Foundation stars Jared Harris as Hari Seldon, a math professor who, along with his loyal followers, is exiled for predicting the coming end of the galactic empire that rules them. It looks amazing, and although the show may suffer from its heavy weight, this Game of Thrones-in-space wannabe is still one to explore.
The Morning Show
Every advertising project needs a popular drama with Hollywood heavyweights to attract viewers. Apple TV+ has The Morning Show. Stars Jennifer Aniston, Reese Witherpoon, and Steve Carell are all part of the cast The Morning Showa popular morning news program. The Morning Show it doesn’t waste any time, immediately showing you co-anchor Mitch Kessler (Carell) being fired amid sex allegations. Since then, the show has looked at the challenges of #MeToo, and even if it doesn’t always work, it’s often fun, and you can’t say that everyone involved doesn’t give everything to the rich head.
Dickinson
Hailee Steinfeld is a troubled young Emily Dickinson in the half-hour show from creator Alena Smith. It was part of the original Apple TV+ series and quickly distinguished itself for its vision of 19th century Amherst, Massachusetts. The first season is a series of sharp vignettes, inspired by Dickinson’s work and follows the imaginary life of the young poet, who is rebelling against his father, the law of the town, and everything else. The second and third seasons go deeper—examining not only the poet’s life, but also the roles of race, gender, sexuality, and class that played out in America’s early days. If you’re a Dickinson stan, love a clever little comedy, or just love modern music in a Civil War-era show, you’ll dig this.
For All People
A permanent part of history, For All People it starts with a very clever idea: What if the US settled on putting a man on the moon? How would a land conflict between the Americans and the Soviets end? For the most part it’s a pretty, colorful, rich NASA drama, but, as this is from the brain of Ronald D. Moore, there are a few stand-out moments and episodes that are interesting to share with the larger group. The best sci-fi show you haven’t seen yet.
