It’s the holiday season, and many of us have more time on our hands than usual for TV watching. Apple TV+ started out with a small catalog, but it’s grown significantly over the years and now offers strong options for everyone. Here are the best reviewed shows available on Apple TV+, sorted by Rotten Tomatoes scores.
Best of the best: 95-100%
Drops of God (100%)
- Genre: Drama
- Seasons: 1
- Trailer
Drops of God is set in the world of gastronomy and fine wines. Frenchman Alexandre Léger, creator of the famous Léger Wine Guide and emblematic figure in oenology, has just passed away at his home in Tokyo at the age of 60. He leaves behind a daughter, Camille (Fleur Geffrier), who lives in Paris and hasn’t seen her father since her parents separated when she was nine years old. When Camille flies to Tokyo and Léger’s will is read, she discovers that her father has left her an extraordinary wine collection — the greatest collection in the world according to the experts. But, to claim the inheritance, Camille must compete with a brilliant young oenologist, Issei Tomine (Tomohisa Yamashita). Biological daughter versus spiritual son: the duel is about to begin.
Black Bird (98%)
- Genre: Drama
- Seasons: 1
- Trailer
Inspired by actual events, Blackbird spotlights high school football hero and decorated policeman’s son Jimmy Keene (Taron Egerton), who is sentenced to 10 years in a minimum security prison and given the choice of a lifetime — enter a maximum-security prison for the criminally insane and befriend suspected serial killer Larry Hall (Paul Walter Hauser), or stay where he is and serve his full sentence with no possibility of parole. Keene quickly realizes his only way out is to elicit a confession and find out where the bodies of several young girls are buried before Hall’s appeal goes through.
Pachinko (98%)
- Genre: Drama
- Seasons: 2
- Trailer
Epic in scope and intimate in tone, the story of Pachinko begins with a forbidden love and crescendos into a sweeping saga that journeys between Korea, Japan and America to tell an unforgettable story of war and peace, love and loss, triumph and reckoning.
Slow Horses (98%)
- Genre: Espionage Thriller
- Seasons: 4
- Trailer
Slow Horses, a darkly funny espionage drama, follows a team of British intelligence agents who serve in a dumping ground department of MI5 due to their career-ending mistakes. Led by their brilliant but irascible leader, the notorious Jackson Lamb (Academy Award winner Gary Oldman), they navigate the espionage world’s smoke and mirrors to defend England from sinister forces.
Central Park (97%)
- Genre: Musical Comedy
- Seasons: 3
- Trailer
Central Park is an animated musical comedy about the Tillermans, a family that lives in Central Park. Owen, the park manager, and Paige, his journalist wife, raise their kids Molly and Cole in the world’s most famous park, while fending off hotel heiress Bitsy Brandenham and her long suffering assistant Helen, who would love nothing more than to turn the park into condos.
Little America (97%)
- Genre: Anthology Drama
- Seasons: 2
- Trailer
Inspired by the true stories featured in Epic Magazine, Little America will go beyond the headlines to look at the funny, romantic, heartfelt, inspiring and surprising stories of immigrants in America, when they’re more relevant now than ever.
Mythic Quest (97%)
- Genre: Workplace Comedy
- Seasons: 3
- Trailer
Mythic Quest follows a group of video game developers tasked with building worlds, molding heroes and creating legends, but the most hard-fought battles don’t occur in the game — they happen in the office.
Severance (97%)
- Genre: Comedy
- Seasons: 1, with season 2 arriving soon
- Trailer
In Severance, Mark Scout (Adam Scott) leads a team at Lumon Industries, whose employees have undergone a severance procedure that surgically divides their memories between their work and personal lives. This daring experiment in “work-life balance” is called into question as Mark finds himself at the center of an unraveling mystery that will force him to confront the true nature of his work … and of himself. In season two, Mark and his friends learn the dire consequences of trifling with the severance barrier, leading them further down a path of woe.
Trying (95%)
- Genre: Dramedy
- Seasons: 4
- Trailer
In Trying, all Nikki and Jason want is a baby—the one thing they can’t have. So they decide to adopt. With their dysfunctional friends, dramatic relatives, and chaotic lives, will the couple succeed in building the family of their dreams?
Strong ‘A’ grade: 90-94% score
Shrinking (94%)
- Genre: Comedy
- Seasons: 2
- Trailer
Shrinking follows a grieving therapist who starts to break the rules and tell his clients exactly what he thinks. Ignoring his training and ethics, he finds himself making huge, tumultuous changes to people’s lives…including his own.
Platonic (93%)
- Genre: Buddy Comedy
- Seasons: 1
- Trailer
Platonic follows a platonic pair of former best friends approaching midlife (Seth Rogen and Rose Byrne) who reconnect after a long rift. The duo’s friendship becomes all consuming—and destabilizes their lives in a hilarious way.
Schmigadoon (93%)
- Genre: Musical Comedy
- Seasons: 2
- Trailer
Schmigadoon!, a parody of iconic musicals, stars Cecily Strong and Keegan-Michael Key as a couple on a backpacking trip designed to reinvigorate their relationship when they discover a magical town in which everyone is living in a studio musical from the 1940s. They then discover that they can’t leave until they find “true love.”
Swagger (93%)
- Genre: Sports Drama
- Seasons: 2
- Trailer
Inspired by NBA superstar Kevin Durant’s experiences, Swagger explores the world of youth basketball, and the players, their families and coaches who walk the fine line between dreams and ambition, and opportunism and corruption. Off the court, the show reveals what it’s like to grow up in America.
The Afterparty (92%)
- Genre: Mystery Comedy
- Seasons: 2
- Trailer
From Academy Award winners Chris Miller and Phil Lord, each episode of The Afterparty explores a different character’s account of one fateful evening, all told through the lens of popular film genres and unique visuals to match the storyteller’s perspective.
Dickinson (92%)
- Genre: Dramedy
- Seasons: 3
- Trailer
Dickinson is a half-hour comedy series that audaciously explores the constraints of society, gender and family from the perspective of rebellious young poet Emily Dickinson. Set in the 19th century, the series is a coming-of-age story that finds Emily to be the unexpected hero for our millennial generation.
For All Mankind (92%)
- Genre: Space Drama
- Seasons: 4
- Trailer
For All Mankind, a series from Ronald D. Moore, imagines what would have happened if the global space race never ended and the space program remained the cultural centerpiece of America’s hopes and dreams.
Silo (92%)
- Genre: Dystopian Drama
- Seasons: 2
- Trailer
Silo is the story of the last ten thousand people on earth, their mile-deep home protecting them from the toxic and deadly world outside. However, no one knows when or why the silo was built and any who try to find out face fatal consequences. Rebecca Ferguson stars as Juliette, an engineer, who seeks answers about a loved one’s murder and tumbles onto a mystery that goes far deeper than she could have ever imagined, leading her to discover that if the lies don’t kill you, the truth will.
Bad Monkey (91%)
- Genre: Comedy
- Seasons: 1
- Trailer
Bad Monkey tells the story of Andrew Yancy (Vince Vaughn), who has been bounced from the Miami Police Department and is now a health inspector in the Keys. But after stumbling upon a case that begins with a human arm fished up by tourists, he realizes that if he can prove murder, he’ll be back in. He just needs to get past a trove of Floridian oddballs and one bad monkey.
Bad Sisters (91%)
- Genre: Dark Comedy
- Seasons: 2
- Trailer
A delicious blend of both dark comedy and thriller, Bad Sisters follows the lives of the Garvey sisters, who are bound together by the premature death of their parents and a promise to always protect one another.
La Maison (91%)
- Genre: Drama
- Seasons: 1
- Trailer
High fashion meets high stakes in La Maison, a realistic behind-the-scenes look at how an iconic fashion house is thrown into scandal and reinvention by a viral video featuring star designer Vincent Ledu (Lambert Wilson), leaving his family’s iconic and legendary haute couture house, LEDU, hanging by a thread. Perle Foster (Amira Casar), Vincent’s former muse who is still in his shadow, teams up with visionary next-generation designer Paloma Castel (Zita Hanrot) to save, evolve and renew the century-old Maison LEDU. Taking advantage of Vincent’s demise, Diane Rovel (Carole Bouquet), the ruthless CEO of the powerful Rovel luxury group, launches an offensive to acquire what she sees as her most important prize: Maison LEDU. To achieve her goal, anything is fair game, as this is more than acquiring just another brand — it’s about revenge.
Criminal Record (90%)
- Genre: Crime Thriller
- Seasons: 1
- Trailer
Criminal Record is a powerful London crime thriller starring Academy Award winner Peter Capaldi and Cush Jumbo. An anonymous phone call draws two brilliant detectives into a confrontation over an old murder case — one a young woman in the early stages of her career, the other a well-connected man determined to protect his legacy. The series touches on issues of race, institutional failure and the quest to find common ground in a polarized Britain.
The Last Days of Ptolemy Grey (90%)
- Genre: Drama
- Seasons: 1
- Trailer
The Last Days of Ptolemy Grey stars Samuel L. Jackson as Ptolemy Grey, an ailing man forgotten by his family, by his friends, and by even himself. Suddenly left without his trusted caretaker and on the brink of sinking even deeper into a lonely dementia, Ptolemy is assigned to the care of orphaned teenager Robyn, played by Dominique Fishback. When they learn about a treatment that can restore Ptolemy’s dementia-addled memories, it begins a journey toward shocking truths about the past, present and future.
Servant (90%)
- Genre: Psychological Thriller
- Seasons: 4
- Trailer
From M. Night Shyamalan, Servant follows a Philadelphia couple in mourning after an unspeakable tragedy creates a rift in their marriage and opens the door for a mysterious force to enter their home.
Ted Lasso (90%)
- Genre: Comedy
- Seasons: 3
- Trailer
Jason Sudeikis plays Ted Lasso, a small-time college football coach from Kansas hired to coach a professional soccer team in England, despite having no experience coaching soccer.
Nearly top-tier: 85-89% score
Land of Women (89%)
- Genre: Dramedy
- Seasons: 1
- Trailer
Land of Women is a dramedy starring Eva Longoria as Gala, a well-to-do New Yorker, who has her life turned upside down when her husband fails to repay a debt to the wrong people. With dangerous criminals searching for her family and now vanished husband, Gala is forced to leave the city with her aging mother Julia (Carmen Maura) and teenage daughter Kate (Victoria Bazúa) to her mother’s hometown in northern Spain — a place that Julia fled 50 years ago — to start life anew and hope their identities remain hidden. But gossip in the charming wine town quickly spreads, unraveling their deepest family secrets and truths.
Hijack (88%)
- Genre: Action Thriller
- Seasons: 1
- Trailer
Told in real time, Hijack is a tense thriller that follows the journey of a hijacked plane as it makes its way to London over a seven-hour flight, and authorities on the ground scramble for answers.
Manhunt (88%)
- Genre: Crime Thriller
- Seasons: 1
- Trailer
Based on the New York Times bestselling and Edgar Award-winning nonfiction book from author James L. Swanson, Manhunt is a conspiracy thriller about one of the best known but least understood crimes in history, the astonishing story of the hunt for John Wilkes Booth in the aftermath of Abraham Lincoln’s assassination.
Monarch: Legacy of Monsters (88%)
- Genre: Action Drama
- Seasons: 1
- Trailer
Following the thunderous battle between Godzilla and the Titans that leveled San Francisco and the shocking revelation that monsters are real, Monarch: Legacy of Monsters tracks two siblings following in their father’s footsteps to uncover their family’s connection to the secretive organization known as Monarch. Clues lead them into the world of monsters and ultimately down the rabbit hole to Army officer Lee Shaw (played by Kurt Russell and Wyatt Russell), taking place in the 1950s and half a century later where Monarch is threatened by what Shaw knows. The dramatic saga — spanning three generations — reveals buried secrets and the ways that epic, earth-shattering events can reverberate through our lives.
Sunny (88%)
- Genre: Mystery
- Seasons: 1
- Trailer
Sunny stars Rashida Jones as Suzie, an American woman living in Kyoto, Japan, whose life is upended when her husband and son disappear in a mysterious plane crash. As “consolation” she’s given Sunny, one of a new class of domestic robots made by her husband’s electronics company. Though at first, Suzie resents Sunny’s attempts to fill the void in her life, gradually they develop an unexpected friendship. Together they uncover the dark truth of what really happened to Suzie’s family and become dangerously enmeshed in a world Suzie never knew existed.
Tehran (88%)
- Genre: Espionage Thriller
- Seasons: 2
- Trailer
Tehran tells the thrilling story of a Mossad agent who goes deep undercover on a dangerous mission in Tehran that places her and everyone around her in dire jeopardy.
The Completely Made-up Adventures of Dick Turpin (87%)
- Genre: Comedy
- Seasons: 1
- Trailer
In The Completely Made-Up Adventures of Dick Turpin, Dick Turpin (Noel Fielding) sets out on a journey of wildly absurd escapades when he’s made the reluctant leader of a band of outlaws — and tasked with outwitting corrupt lawman and self-appointed thief-taker Jonathan Wilde (Hugh Bonneville). In this irreverent retelling set in the 18th century, Turpin is the most famous but least likely of highway robbers, whose success is defined mostly by his charm, showmanship and great hair. Together with his gang of lovable rogues, Turpin rides the highs and lows of his new endeavors, including a brush with celebrity, all whilst trying to escape the clutches of the thief-taker.
The Big Door Prize (86%)
- Genre: Dramedy
- Seasons: 2
- Trailer
A small town is forever changed when a mysterious machine appears, promising to reveal everyone’s true potential in The Big Door Prize. Soon residents start changing jobs, rethinking relationships, and questioning long-held beliefs — all in pursuit of a better future.
Five Days at Memorial (86%)
- Genre: Historical Drama
- Seasons: 1
- Trailer
Based on actual events and adapted from the book by Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Sheri Fink, Five Days at Memorial chronicles the impact of Hurricane Katrina and its aftermath on a local hospital. When the floodwaters rose, power failed and heat soared, exhausted caregivers at a New Orleans hospital were forced to make decisions that would follow them for years to come.
Foundation (86%)
- Genre: Sci-Fi
- Seasons: 2
- Trailer
Based on the award-winning novels by Isaac Asimov, Foundation chronicles a band of exiles on their monumental journey to save humanity and rebuild civilization amid the fall of the Galactic Empire.
Lessons in Chemistry (86%)
- Genre: Drama
- Seasons: 1
- Trailer
Set in the early 1950s, Lessons in Chemistry follows Elizabeth Zott (played by Larson), whose dream of being a scientist is put on hold in a patriarchal society. When Elizabeth finds herself fired from her lab, she accepts a job as a host on a TV cooking show, and sets out to teach a nation of overlooked housewives — and the men who are suddenly listening — a lot more than recipes.
Masters of the Air (85%)
- Genre: Military Drama
- Seasons: 1
- Trailer
Based on Donald L. Miller’s book of the same name, and scripted by John Orloff, Masters of the Air follows the men of the 100th Bomb Group (the “Bloody Hundredth”) as they conduct perilous bombing raids over Nazi Germany and grapple with the frigid conditions, lack of oxygen and sheer terror of combat conducted at 25,000 feet in the air. Portraying the psychological and emotional price paid by these young men as they helped destroy the horror of Hitler’s Third Reich, is at the heart of “Masters of the Air.” Some were shot down and captured; some were wounded or killed. And some were lucky enough to make it home. Regardless of individual fate, a toll was exacted on them all.
Solid viewing: 80-84% score
Shining Girls (84%)
- Genre: Psychological Thriller
- Seasons: 1
- Trailer
Years after a brutal attack left her in a constantly shifting reality, Kirby Mazrachi learns that a recent murder is linked to her assault in Shining Girls. She teams with veteran reporter Dan Velazquez to understand her ever-changing present and confront her past.
Physical (83%)
- Genre: Dark Comedy
- Seasons: 3
- Trailer
Set in the idyllic but fragile beach paradise of sunny 1980s San Diego, Physical is a half-hour dark comedy following Sheila Rubin (Rose Byrne), a quietly tortured, seemingly dutiful housewife supporting her smart but controversial husband’s bid for state assembly. But behind closed doors, Sheila has her own darkly funny take on life she rarely lets the world see. She’s also battling a complex set of personal demons relating to her self-image… that is, until she finds release through the unlikeliest source: the world of aerobics.
Dark Matter (82%)
- Genre: Sci-Fi
- Seasons: 1
- Trailer
Hailed as one of the best sci-fi novels of the decade, Dark Matter is a story about the road not taken. The series will follow Jason Dessen (played by Joel Edgerton), a physicist, professor and family man who — one night while walking home on the streets of Chicago — is abducted into an alternate version of his life. Wonder quickly turns to nightmare when he tries to return to his reality amid the mind-bending landscape of lives he could have lived. In this labyrinth of realities, he embarks on a harrowing journey to get back to his true family and save them from the most terrifying, unbeatable foe imaginable: himself.
Loot (82%)
- Genre: Drama
- Seasons: 2
- Trailer
In Loot, billionaire Molly Novak (Rudolph) has a dream life, complete with private jets, a sprawling mansion and a gigayacht — anything her heart desires. But when her husband of 20 years betrays her, she spirals publicly, becoming fuel for tabloid fodder. She’s reaching rock bottom when she learns, to her surprise, that she has a charity foundation run by the no-nonsense Sofia Salinas (Rodriguez), who pleads with Molly to stop generating bad press. With her devoted assistant Nicholas (Kim Booster) by her side, and with the help of Sofia and team — including mild-mannered accountant Arthur (Faxon) and her optimistic, pop-culture-loving cousin Howard (Funches) — Molly embarks on a journey of self-discovery. Giving back to others might be what she needs to get back to herself.
Strange Planet (82%)
- Genre: Animated
- Seasons: 1
- Trailer
Based on the New York Times No. 1 bestselling graphic novel and social media phenomenon of the same name, Strange Planet is a hilarious and perceptive look at a distant world not unlike our own. Set in a whimsical world of cotton candy pinks and purples, relatable blue beings explore the absurdity of everyday human traditions.
Sugar (82%)
- Genre: Noir Drama
- Seasons: 1
- Trailer
Sugar is a contemporary, unique take on one of the most popular and significant genres in literary, motion picture and television history: the private detective story. Academy Award nominee Colin Farrell stars as John Sugar, an American private investigator on the heels of the mysterious disappearance of Olivia Siegel, the beloved granddaughter of legendary Hollywood producer Jonathan Siegel. As Sugar tries to determine what happened to Olivia, he will also unearth Siegel family secrets; some very recent, others long-buried.
Home Before Dark (81%)
- Genre: Mystery
- Seasons: 2
- Trailer
Home Before Dark is a dramatic mystery series inspired by the reporting of a young investigative journalist, Hilde Lysiak. Directed and executive produced by Jon M. Chu, the series follows a young girl named Hilde (played by Brooklynn Prince) who moves from the city of Brooklyn to the small lakeside town her father left behind. While there, her dogged pursuit of the truth leads her to unearth a cold case that everyone in town, including her own father, tried hard to bury.
Dr. Brain (80%)
- Genre: Thriller
- Seasons: 1
- Trailer
Dr. Brain follows a brilliant brain scientist Sewon (LEE Sun-kyun) who suffers a horrific personal tragedy when his family falls victim to a mysterious accident. Desperate to uncover what happened, he goes to extraordinary lengths to solve the tragic mystery by conducting “brain syncs” with the dead to access their memories for clues.
Honorable mentions: the best of the rest
Need more recommendations? The following titles didn’t quite reach an 80% freshness score, but if any of them grabs your interest, I personally recommend giving them a watch.
Acapulco
- Genre: Comedy
- Seasons: 3
- Trailer
Top comment by K Snow
So many great shows on that list. The TV landscape would be rather depressing without AppleTV+.
In Acapulco, Maximo Gallardo’s dream comes true when he gets the job of a lifetime at Acapulco’s hottest resort, Las Colinas. But he soon realizes that working there will be far more complicated than he ever imagined.
The Morning Show
- Genre: Drama
- Seasons: 3
- Trailer
The Morning Show explores the cutthroat world of morning news and the lives of the people who help America wake up in the morning. In season three, the future of the network is thrown into question and loyalties are pushed to the brink when a tech titan takes an interest in UBA. Unexpected alliances form, private truths are weaponized and everyone is forced to confront their core values both in and out of the newsroom.
Presumed Innocent
- Genre: Legal Drama
- Seasons: 1
- Trailer
Presumed Innocent, hailing from David E. Kelley and executive producer J.J. Abrams, is based on the New York Times bestselling novel of the same name by Scott Turow. Starring Jake Gyllenhaal in the lead role of chief deputy prosecutor Rusty Sabich, the series takes viewers on a gripping journey through the horrific murder that upends the Chicago Prosecuting Attorney’s office when one of its own is suspected of the crime. The series explores obsession, sex, politics, and the power and limits of love, as the accused fights to hold his family and marriage together.
WeCrashed
- Genre: Drama
- Seasons: 1
- Trailer
Inspired by actual events — and the love story at the center of it all. WeWork grew from a single coworking space into a global brand worth $47 billion in under a decade. Then, in less than a year, its value plummeted. What happened?
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