The best Apple TV+ shows are an overwhelmingly impressive selection of original content. Simply put, if you’re not on Apple TV+, you’re not going to be able to stream these. It may have taken Apple some time to establish itself as one of the best streaming services, but it has most certainly secured its position now with a platform boasting an impressive back catalog of high-budget and high-quality originals.
With new Apple Originals content added to the platform every single month – check out everything new on Apple TV+ in April 2025 – there's plenty to sink your teeth into. But if you need further convincing, then find out out why TechRadar named Apple TV+ the Streaming Service of the Year in 2024.
What do Apple Originals have to offer, you may ask? Well, stellar cast lists, compelling storylines, and some seriously unique formats are just some of the reasons you’ll want to head below and line up your next streaming session. Don't forget to check out our round up of the best Apple TV+ movies too.
Best comedy shows on Apple TV+
Bad Monkey
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Seasons: 1
Main cast: Vince Vaughn, L. Scott Caldwell, Rob Delaney, Meredith Hagner, Natalie Martinez
Age rating: TV-MA (US); 15 (UK); M (Aus)
RT score: 93% (critics)
Vince Vaughan can do no wrong, in my opinion. I loved him in the body swap horror Freaky, which I ranked in my favorite comedy horrors list. He's at the helm of this great Apple TV+ series too, where he plays a detective turned restaurant inspector in Southern Florida. He ends up pulled into a wild world of greed and corruption after a tourist finds a severed arm while fishing, and honestly, nothing can prepare you for the wild ride this one goes on. This show is darkly funny and massively entertaining!
Bad Sisters
Seasons: 2
Main cast: Sharon Horgan, Eve Hewson, Sarah Greene, Anne-Marie Duff, and Eva Birthistle
Age rating: TV-MA (US); 15 (UK); M (Aus)
RT score: 100% (critics)
Sharon Horgan (Catastrophe) is the co-creator and star of this pitch-black comedy-drama. Inspired by the Flemish series Clan, it tells the story of four Irish sisters (played by Horgan, Eva Birthistle, Normal People's Sarah Greene and Behind Her Eyes' Eve Hewson) who despise their brother-in-law John-Paul (Dracula's Claes Bang) so much that they come up with a succession of schemes to kill him, in order to protect their sister, Grace (Anne-Marie Duff). The plot unfolds in two parallel timelines: one leading up to John-Paul's demise, the other following a pair of insurance agents (played by Peaky Blinders' Brian Gleeson and Good Luck to You, Leo Grande's Daryl McCormack) who suspect foul play. The results are compelling, darkly funny, and packed with unexpected twists and turns. You can read our full Bad Sisters review here.
Mythic Quest
Seasons: 6 (3 on Apple TV+)
Main cast: Rob McElhenney, Charlotte Nicdao, Ashly Burch, Jessie Ennis, and David Hornsby
Age rating: TV-MA (US); 15 (UK); M (Aus)
RT score: 97% (critics)
Between racking up the umpteenth season of It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia and randomly buying a (then) non-league Welsh football team with Ryan Reynolds, Rob McElhenney has also found the time to co-create and star in another smartly-written comedy. Set at a video game studio responsible for a World of Warcraft-esque MMORPG, Mythic Quest is more sincere and less nihilistic than The Gang’s exploits in Philly. But it’s equally hilarious and – as proven by the episode filmed using 40 iPhones, and the standalone tale charting the life-cycle of an indie game – just as willing to think outside the box.
Physical
Seasons: 3
Main cast: Rose Byrne, Rory Scovel, Dierdre Friel, and Paul Sparks
Age rating: TV-MA (US); 15 (UK); M (Aus)
RT score: 83% (critics)
Fully leaning into the era when Jane Fonda’s aerobics videos were all the rage, ‘80s-set pitch-black dramedy Physical again proves Rose Byrne is one of her generation’s most unsung comic talents. The Australian star fully commands attention in and out of spandex as a deeply insecure mother who reinvents herself as an exercise guru – albeit one who loathes her clients almost as much as she does herself. Indeed, Byrne’s Sheila Rubin isn’t the most likeable of protagonists – her internal monologues are astonishingly caustic – but it’s refreshing to see a woman allowed to play the antihero in a novel spin on the bored suburban housewife narrative.
Schmigadoon!
Seasons: 2
Main cast: Keegan-Michael Key, Cecily Strong, Dove Cameron, and Alan Cumming
Age rating: TV-14 (US); 12 (UK); PG (Aus)
RT score: 93% (critics)
If you’re more of a Brigadoon person than a Hamilton one, then this affectionate homage to the Golden Age of musicals should be right up your street. Schmigadoon! stars Keegan-Michael Key and Cecily Strong as a quarrelsome couple who become trapped in an all-singing, all-dancing town, and can’t leave until they’ve rediscovered what it means to be in love – whether that’s with each other or with one of its numerous quirky inhabitants. Oscar winner Ariana DeBose and Broadway regulars Kristen Chenoweth and Aaron Tveit all help elevate the ambitiously-staged numbers, while Alan Cumming, Fred Armisen and Only Murders in the Building's Martin Short (in a brief cameo as a leprechaun) add to the self-knowing fun. It won't be back for a third season, so two is as good as it'll get for this one, and you can still stream it on Apple TV+.
Shrinking
Seasons: 2 (renewed for a third)
Main cast: Jason Segel, Harrison Ford, Jessica Williams, Christa Miller, and Luke Tennie
Age rating: TV-MA (US); Caution (UK); M (Aus)
RT score: 91% (critics)
Shrinking stars Jason Segel as grieving therapist Jimmy Laird, who is spiralling after the death of his wife in a car crash. Jimmy begins to shake up the advice he gives to his patients by telling them what he really thinks, breaking all the rules – and changing lives in the process. The emotionally-driven comedy (created by Segel, along with Ted Lasso's Brett Goldstein and Bill Lawrence) also stars the legendary Harrison Ford as Dr Paul Rhodes, a fellow therapist who is battling Parkinson's disease. The series was mostly well-received, with critics praising its exploration of radical honesty. Some are calling it heartwarming, others over-earnest, but either way we believe it's one of the best Apple TV+ shows, which is why it's had a strong two season run, with a third on the way.
Ted Lasso
Seasons: 3
Main cast: Jason Sudeikis, Hannah Waddingham, Brett Goldstein, Phil Dunster, and Juno Temple
Age rating: TV-MA (US); 15 (UK); M (Aus)
RT score: 90% (critics)
Sure, its impossibly optimistic view of the world takes as much suspension of disbelief as Apple TV+'s sci-fi fantasies. But at a time when the entire universe appears to be going to pot, a show as relentlessly feel good as Ted Lasso is what so many of us desperately needed. The hit series became an awards darling thanks to its heart-warming depiction of a middling soccer team in the English Premier League, and the fish-out-of-water American coach who unexpectedly finds himself in charge. Jason Sudeikis is brilliantly endearing as the moustachioed, cookie-baking lead, but every loveable character – most notably Brett Goldstein’s Roy Keane-esque hardman, Roy Kent – is perfectly cast. And, even though Ted Lasso season 2 and Ted Lasso season 3 can't quite live up to the all-round brilliance of Ted's first year in the dugout, this is undoubtedly one of the big winners among the best Apple TV+ shows.
The Afterparty
Seasons: 2
Main cast: Tiffany Haddish, Sam Richardson, Zoë Chao, John Cho, and Ken Jeong
Age rating: TV-MA (US); 15 (UK); M (Aus)
RT score: 92% (critics)
Having co-directed some of the most entertaining animated films of recent years with The Lego Movie and Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs – not to mention producing Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse and its sequel – Christopher Miller left his regular collaborator Phil Lord behind for this live-action (well, mostly) murder mystery set around a high school reunion. Dave Franco’s intensely smug Bieber-esque pop star is the victim, Tiffany Haddish plays the ballsy detective investigating his death, and suspects include Sam Richardson’s escape room designer and Jamie Demetriou’s forgotten loner. As you’d expect, The Afterparty is chock-full of inspired pop culture references (particularly the spoof Hall and Oates biopic) and zips along with more wit and verve than Kenneth Branagh’s Poirot whodunnits.
The Big Door Prize
Seasons: 2
Main cast: Chris O'Dowd, Gabrielle Dennis, Sammy Fourlas, and Djouliet Amara
Age rating: TV-MA (US); 15 (UK); M (Aus)
RT score: 92% (critics)
Based on MO Walsh’s novel of the same name, The Big Door Prize tells the story of a small town called Deerfield, which is completely transformed when a mysterious magical machine appears promising to reveal everyone's true life potential. Soon, residents start making life-changing decisions based on the orders of the fortune-telling machine. The critically acclaimed comedy is thought-provoking and amusing with a philosophical fantasy twist. It's a shame Apple TV+ canceled The Big Door Prize after two seasons, but don't let that stop you from enjoying its magic.
The Studio
Seasons: 1
Main cast: Seth Rogen, Evan Goldberg, James Weaver, Frida Perez, Peter Huyck, Alex Gregory
Age rating: TV-MA (US); 15 (UK); M (Aus)
RT score: 95% (critics)
Forget HBO's superhero satire series The Franchise, this Apple TV+ Original is absolutely the better watch if you're looking for a fun critique of the movie-making business and its current obsession with IP. Written and directed by Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg, the series follows a newly appointed studio head as they try to navigate between choosing to make a bright, poppy animation about Kool-Aid or a far more gritty thriller from Martin Scorsese about the cult massacre associated with it. The Studio had a perfect 100% Rotten Tomatoes score from the critics when it debuted in March 2025 and has been a hit with audiences alike for its celebrity cameos – keep an eye out for Ben Stiller!
Best drama shows on Apple TV+
Black Bird
Seasons: 1
Main cast: Taron Egerton, Paul Walter Hauser, Greg Kinnear, and Ray Liotta
Age rating: TV-MA (US); 18 (UK); MA15+ (Aus)
RT score: 98% (critics)
Taron Egerton (who also headlined Tetris, one of the best Apple TV+ movies) and the late Ray Liotta star in this gripping drama from the pen of crime maestro Dennis Lehane (writer of the book that inspired Shutter Island, one of the best Martin Scorsese movies). Egerton plays James Keene, a drug dealer who is given the chance to win his freedom if he enters a maximum-security prison for the criminally insane to solicit a confession from a suspected serial killer. The alleged killer, Paul Walter Hauser's Larry Hall, is regarded by local police as a fantasist, and there's every chance his conviction will be thrown out on appeal, meaning Keane has to work fast. Dark as the blackest cup of coffee and featuring a score from Scottish doom rockers Mogwai, Black Bird is a tough watch at times, but also very compelling.
Criminal Record
Seasons: 1
Main cast: Peter Capaldi, Cush Jumbo, Aysha Kala, and Dionne Brown
Age rating: TV-MA (US); 15 (UK); MA15+ (Aus)
RT score: 90% (critics)
There’s no shortage of police procedurals available on streaming services, but the two lead performances in Criminal Record lift it to the next level. Peter Capaldi adds another memorable role to a resumé that already boasts Doctor Who and The Thick of It’s sweary Malcolm Tucker, as cynical and abrasive veteran cop Daniel Hegarty. The ever-brilliant Cush Jumbo (star of The Good Fight, one of the best Paramount Plus shows), meanwhile, proves to be the perfect adversary as younger, more idealistic detective June Lenker. So even though the investigation that brings these two very different detectives together isn’t up there with the crime genre's best, watching them spar with one another is well worth your time. It's been renewed for season 2 too.
Dope Thief
Seasons: 1
Main cast: Brian Tyree, Wagner Moura, Marin Ireland, Kate Mulgrew, Nesta Cooper
Age rating: TV-MA (US); 15 (UK); PG (Aus)
RT score: 86% (critics)
When Dope Thief was first released, many couldn’t help but compare it to the gritty crime drama series The Wire, and you can definitely see why with its sharp script and layered characters, but it takes a more dark comedic, plot-driven route. Centered around two buddies (Brian Tyree Henry and Wagner Moura) that pose as DEA agents for a heist, the crime caper series unravels in a way that keeps you guessing where the line is between dirty cops and honorable thieves. Its success is likely largely down to the incredible talent of the showrunner that made it: Peter Craig, who has worked on the scripts for killer crime flicks like The Town and The Batman. It's a wild ride that you'll want to get strapped in for.
Drops of God
Seasons: 1
Main cast: Fleur Geffrier, Tomohisa Yamashita, Tom Wozniczka, and Stanley Weber
Age rating: TV-MA (US); 15 (UK); M (Aus)
RT score: 100% (critics)
Who knew wine tasting could be so intense? I definitely didn't think so until I watched Drops of God, a hidden Apple TV+ gem that everyone deserves a taste of. This stylish French-Japanese drama is based on the hit manga series of the same name by Tadashi Agi and follows Camille Léger (Fleur Geffrier), the estranged daughter of famous wine legend Alexandre Léger (Stanley Weber). After his passing, Camille learns that his exclusive wine collection is now hers, but in order to claim her inheritance, she must compete against her father's talented protégé Issei (Tomohisa Yamashita) in a series of wine tasting tests. You don't need to be a wine aficionado (I'm certainly not) to enjoy Drops of God – trust me, the addictive drama and stunning cinematography is enough to get you drunk with admiration. So you can understand my excitement when it was revealed that season 2 was in the works.
Lessons in Chemistry
Seasons: 1
Main cast: Brie Larson, Lewis Pullman, Aja Naomi King
Age rating: TV-MA (US); 15 (UK); PG (Aus)
RT score: 86% (critics)
What do you do when you're a brilliant and bright-minded chemist, but you get fired from your lab because you're a woman stuck in the early 1950s? Accept a job offer to be a cooking TV show host, of course. Elizabeth Zott (Brie Larson) is captivating in this critically-acclaimed Apple TV+ mini-series from 2023. She plays a character putting her own spin on a role she was at first hesitant to take, but turns it into her own by using the show as a platform for teaching her viewers (mostly housewives at first) the science beyond just baking. Cooking is alchemy after all, right?
Masters of the Air
Seasons: 1
Main cast: Callum Turner, Austin Butler, Anthony Boyle, and Matt Gavan
Age rating: TV-MA (US); N/A (UK); MA15+ (Aus)
RT score: 85% (critics)
Having gone back to World War II in Saving Private Ryan, Band of Brothers and The Pacific, executive producers Steven Spielberg and Tom Hanks report for another tour of duty in their latest military drama, Masters of the Air. This time out they take to the skies to tell the story of the 100th Bomb Group, flying missions over Nazi Germany. As with Band of Brothers – which featured future A-listers Damian Lewis, Michael Fassbender and Tom Hardy – the cast is loaded with up-and-coming screen talent, including Elvis’s Austin Butler, The Banshees of Inisherin’s Barry Keoghan and new Doctor Who star Ncuti Gatwa. With all nine episodes of season one receiving primarily positive reviews from critics, it’s earned a place among the best Apple TV+ shows.
Pachinko
Seasons: 2
Main cast: Lee Min-ho, Choi Joon-Young, Soji Arai, Jin Ha, and Minha Kim
Age rating: TV-MA (US); 15 (UK); M (Aus)
RT score: 97% (critics)
Min Jin's bestselling novel is adapted in this sweeping eight-part series, which has won rave reviews before Apple confirmed a second season of Pachinko was on the way. The series is a sweeping saga following four generations of a Korean immigrant family, and the decisions they make as they seek a better life for themselves and the generations to come. Tearjerking, poignant and skilfully plotted, Pachinko may be a slow burn, but it's one of the best Apple TV+ shows and well worth sticking with, especially as it goes into season 2.
Sugar
Seasons: 1
Main cast: Colin Farrell, Kirby Howell-Baptiste, Amy Ryan, Dennis Boutsikaris, and Nate Corddry
Age rating: TV-MA (US); N/A (UK); M (Aus)
RT score: 82% (critics)
Colin Farrell is private detective John Sugar in this mystery thriller investigating the disappearance of Olivia Siegel, a Hollywood producer’s beloved granddaughter. While John Sugar appears pretty well put together for tackling the case of a missing person in LA’s dark underbelly, it’s his personal demons that chase him throughout. Throw in some murky waters surrounding the Siegel family’s history and you’ve got a show full of suspicion and suspense. Farrell’s performance catches the eye, even though there’s a lot of talk around the eight-episode run taking a while to reveal its true self. But, with the mystery genre behind it, there's always a lot to unravel, and you're sure to find yourself with jaw agape as its most shocking moments are unveiled. In October 2024, it got a season two renewal.
Where's Wanda?
Seasons: 1
Main cast: Lea Drinda, Heike Makatsch, Axel Stein, Leo Simon, and Nikeata Thompson
Age rating: TV-14 (US); 15 (UK); M (Aus)
RT score: 100% (critics)
In Where's Wanda?, Carlotta and Dedo's daughter Wanda vanishes without a trace. Months after the police fail to find her, the parents take matters into their own hands and spy on the neighborhood while exposing dark secrets along the way. The German-language series combines drama and dark comedy, which turns their nightmare into a farcical crime caper.
Best horror shows on Apple TV+
Servant
Seasons: 4
Main cast: Lauren Ambrose, Toby Kebbell, Rupert Grint, and Nell Tiger Free
Age rating: TV-14 (US); 18 (UK); M (Aus)
RT score: 90% (critics)
It's our only horror pick so far, but it's a good one! M. Night Shyamalan has delivered plenty of hits (The Sixth Sense) and misses (Old) during his career, but you'll be pleased to know that his Apple TV show is very good indeed. And a welcome return to form for Rupert Grint, who has moved far beyond his Harry Potter days. This deliciously creepy horror sees a wealthy couple attempt to overcome the loss of their child via a reborn doll, which is creepy enough if you ask me, but things get worse when a mysterious nanny rocks up and the doll takes on a life of its own. Lauren Ambrose shines as a reporter mother suffering a psychological breakdown. And if that's not good enough, the food shots (Toby Kebbell plays a stay-at-home chef) will ensure you’ll be just as famished as you are frightened. And hey, it might lessen the blow a little!
Best thriller shows on Apple TV+
Disclaimer
Seasons: 1
Main cast: Cate Blanchett, Kevin Kline, Sacha Baron Cohen, Lesley Manville, Louis Partridge
Age rating: TV-14 (US); 15 (UK); M (Aus)
RT score: 77% (critics)
I'd been excited about Disclaimer for ages, you might've seen how I reacted to the first trailer comparing Cate Blanchett's new character to her iconic Lydia Tár. Well, the series really was that good and now you can stream it in full on Apple TV+. If you're not familiar with the concept, it follows a documentarian (Blanchett) who is forced to confront her past after a novel emerges detailing her darkest secret. Soon, the past begins to catch up with her and it descends into a tense thriller. Blanchett is always brilliant and I have to admit Catherine Ravenscroft is one of my favorite characters of hers. You'll see why when you dive in, because you'll soon find it's impossible to stop watching. It's a good job you can now binge watch it, then!
Slow Horses
Seasons: 3 (seasons 5 and 6 on the way)
Main cast: Gary Oldman, Jack Lowden, Kristin Scott Thomas, and Rosalind Eleazar
Age rating: TV-MA (US); 15 (UK); MA15+ (Aus)
RT score: 97% (critics)
Although set in the world of espionage, Slow Horses has as much in common with the workplace drudgery of The Office as the glitz and glamour of James Bond. Its admin department setting is even called Slough House. Adapted from Mick Herron’s 2010 novel, this darkly comic espionage tale stars Gary Oldman as a misanthropic boss forced to take Jack Lowden’s disgraced agent under his grimy, pencil-pushing wing. But his team of misfits – aka the slow horses of the title – do eventually find themselves in more high-octane situations when the new recruit uncovers a right-wing nationalist conspiracy that may well incriminate his former colleagues. The show's proved so popular that a sixth season has been confirmed before the fifth has even aired!
Shining Girls
In this eight-parter adapted from Lauren Beukes’ novel, the ever-watchable Elisabeth Moss (The Handmaid's Tale) tops the bill as Kirby Mazrachi, a Chicago newspaper archivist. She wanted to be a journalist, but that had to be shelved after surviving a brutal attack that has left her in a constantly shifting reality. Then, one day, she learns that a recent murder is linked to her assault. On the hunt for answers, she teams up with veteran reporter Dan Velazquez (played by Narcos’ main man Wagner Moura) to understand her ever-changing present and confront her past. Trippy and gripping with a great supporting cast (including Jamie Bell and Amy Brenneman) this is another top-notch entry in our list of the best Apple TV+ shows.
Presumed Innocent
Seasons: 1
Main cast: Jake Gyllenhaal, Ruth Negga, Peter Sarsgaard, Bill Camp, and O-T Fagbenle
Age rating: TV-MA (US); 18 (UK); MA15+ (Aus)
RT score: 78% (critics)
Presumed Innocent adopts a TV format for the first time with Jake Gyllenhaal taking on the role of prosecutor, Rusty Sabich, the prime suspect in the murder of his colleague/mistress. Originally a 1987 novel of the same name, then a 1990 film adaptation with Harrison Ford as Rusty, it’s been transformed once again as an Apple Original series. While Gyllenhaal is no stranger to the big screen, this limited series marks his first TV role. And viewers can watch the tale unfold over eight intense episodes. There are impressive performances to enjoy from a big-name cast, too, including Ruth Negga as Rusty's wife, Barbara, and Gyllenhaal’s real-life brother-in-law, Peter Sarsgaard, as the head of homicide. Fans of the show will be pleased to hear Presumed Innocent has been renewed for season 2.
Hijack
Seasons: 1 (renewed for season 2)
Main cast: Idris Elba, Neil Maskell, Max Beesley, Ben Miles, and Kaisa Hammarlund
Age rating: TV-MA (US); 15 (UK); M (Aus)
RT score: 88% (critics)
Idris Elba gets to live his best 24 life in this mostly real-time high-altitude drama. While Jack Bauer was a highly trained counter-terrorism operative, however, Elba's Sam Nelson is a business negotiator, more likely to be found in corporate boardrooms than dealing with hijacked aircraft. This Die Hard/Passenger 57-like scenario has become something of a Hollywood cliché but, despite the almost obligatory implausible moments, Hijack functions as a gripping seven-episode thriller. Elba is as watchable as ever as the reluctant hero, and he gets quality support from Peaky Blinders' Neil Maskell, Torchwood's Eve Myles and The Good Wife's Archie Panjabi. A second season of Hijack was announced in January 2024.
Best sci-fi shows on Apple TV+
Dark Matter
Seasons: 1
Main cast: Joel Edgerton, Jennifer Connelly, Alice Braga, and Jimmi Simpson
Age rating: TV-MA (US); 15 (UK); M (Aus)
RT score: 82% (critics)
Based on the New York Times’ bestseller, sci-fi thriller Dark Matter follows Jason Dessen (Joel Edgerton) as he finds himself abducted into an alternate reality of his own life, by himself. Stripped away from his idyllic family life, he must fight to return to what he knows while navigating a vast array of other realities. It’s another entry for Apple TV Plus’ commitment to providing adult sci-fi originals, joining the ranks alongside For All Mankind, Silo, and Foundation also on our list.
For All Mankind
Seasons: 4 (renewed for season 5)
Main cast: Joel Kinnaman, Michael Dorman, Sarah Jones, Wrenn Schmidt, and Krys Marshall
Age rating: TV-MA (US); 15 (UK); M (Aus)
RT score: 92% (critics)
Much as Prime Video's The Man in the High Castle asks, ‘What if the Germans won the war?,’ For All Mankind imagines an alternate timeline where the Soviet Union made it to the moon before America. Co-created by Ronald D. Moore (Battlestar Galactica), the Saturn Award-winning series mixes real-life figures such as Neil Armstrong and Ronald Reagan with fictional astronauts to build a handsomely-recreated vision of the 1960s and early ’70s – and in subsequent seasons, the ’80s and ’90s. But the personal drama, particularly the stories which put the women front and centre, are often just as gripping as its exploration of the global space race. In fact, we believe For All Mankind has the right stuff to be your next TV binge. For All Mankind has officially been renewed for season 5, as well as new spin-off series, Star City, announced for Apple TV+.
Foundation
Seasons: 2 (3 is confirmed)
Main cast: Jared Harris, Lou Llobell, Leah Harvey, and Terrence Mann
Age rating: TV-14 (US); 12 (UK); M (Aus)
RT score: 86% (critics)
Loosely based on sci-fi legend Isaac Asimov’s book series of the same name, this ambitious drama centers on a group of exiles who set out to establish a new society to overthrow the ruling Galactic Empire and ensure the survival of humanity. Foundation may well be Apple TV+’s most visually spectacular original, and its cinematic scope is matched by magnetic performances from Jared Harris as a mathematician turned Nostradamus-like rebel leader, and Lee Pace as a succession of ruthless cloned Emperors. With a storyline that stretches out over centuries, it can be a challenging watch, but Foundation's immersive, intelligent script (featuring moral dilemmas and even the occasional mathematics montage) ensures it's worth sticking with the drama. Our season 2 premiere review explains why – and be sure to read our Foundation season 3 hub for the lowdown on what's coming in its next chapter.
Monarch: Legacy of Monsters
Seasons: 1
Main cast: Anna Sawai, Wyatt Russell, Kurt Russell, Mari Yamamoto, and Kiersey Clemons
Age rating: TV-14 (US); 12 (UK); M (Aus)
RT score: 88% (critics)
Having made a sizeable footprint on the big screen with Kong: Skull Island and the Godzilla movies, the self-styled MonsterVerse stomps onto Apple TV Plus. Unfolding across two distinct timelines, Monarch: Legacy of Monsters is part origin story for the eponymous beast-hunting organisation, part angst-ridden drama about a bunch of 20-somethings caught in Godzilla and co’s blast radius. It’s all tied together by father-and-son stars Kurt and Wyatt Russell (The Falcon and the Winter Soldier), both brilliant as the old and young versions of cynical military man Lee Shaw. But your enjoyment of the series will depend on how much you want to see giant creatures beating the hell out of each other – when the Titans clash, the visuals are worthy of the big screen, but the monster sightings don’t happen nearly often enough.
Severance
Seasons: 1
Main cast: Adam Scott, Britt Lower, Patricia Arquette, Dichen Lachman, and Zach Cherry
Age rating: TV-MA (US); 12 (UK); M (Aus)
RT score: 97% (critics)
Severance is one of those shows I talk about so much that everyone around me is probably sick of hearing about it. But it's worth the near-perfect Rotten Tomatoes critic score because this is arguably Apple TV Plus' most unique offering yet. Starring Parks and Recreation legend Adam Scott in the leading role of Mark, we follow a group of employees who have willingly undertaken the severance procedure. No, it's not a payoff, it's something more sinister. Here, people's brains are severed between work and life, meaning when they're at work they don't know anything about their home lives, and vice versa. But why would someone take on a procedure like that? And what is actually going on with this suspicious Lumon Industries? Well, with more episodes on the way, you can read up on everything we know about Severance season 2 before it arrives, as well as the confirmed Severance release date where hopefully those questions will be answered...
Silo
Seasons: 2
Main cast: Rebecca Ferguson, Common, Tim Robbins, and Harriet Walker
Age rating: TV-MA (US); Caution (UK); M (Aus)
RT score: 88% (critics)
Silo is dystopian sci-fi delivered with all the style and storytelling prowess we've come to expect from the streamer. Speed writer Graham Yost gets more mileage out of trapping people in an enclosed space in this adaptation of Hugh Howey's book series, about a community living in a vast underground bunker. Mission: Impossible's Rebecca Ferguson plays an engineer who starts to ask questions about the silo's origins and what happened up above, while powerful forces try to keep its history under wraps. What follows is 10 episodes of smart, tense storytelling enclosed in spectacular brutalist sets. Season 2 airs throughout the month, with the first episode dropping on November 15.
Sunny
Seasons: 1
Main cast: Rashida Jones, Hidetoshi Nishijima, Joanna Sotomura, Judy Ongg
Age rating: M
RT score: 90% (critics)
Apple TV Plus is a sci-fi show utopia and continues to add new additions to the genre with its latest entry being Sunny, a series about an American expat (Rashida Jones) dealing with the disappearance of her husband (Hidetoshi Nishijima) and son (Fares Belkheir). The trailer makes it look like a buddy comedy (Jones' character is often seen with a homebot that her missing husband designed for her) but it's more of a mystery thriller with quirky humor sprinkled throughout to give some respite from the more emotional themes that it tackles such as grief and loneliness. Indeed, after speaking to the show's creator, Katie Robbins, I found the show to have a sad yet uplifting tech story behind it that raises questions about our relationship with AI. It's very stylish (I love the Japanese setting) and easy to watch, with 10 episodes to keep you hooked.
How we choose the best Apple TV Plus shows
Wondering how we pick the best Apple TV+ shows in this list? Across all our streaming guides for the biggest streaming services on TechRadar, we only include shows with a Rotten Tomatoes (RT) score higher than 80% from the critics. Although, a series doesn't just have to be rated highly to earn a place on this list.
In addition to having an RT critics rating of 80% or above, the series has to be recommended by one of the members of the streaming team, which includes Matthew Bolton, Amelia Schwanke, Tom Power, Lucy Buglass and Grace Morris. This guide has also been broken up into sections relating to which genre a show most fits into to help you find something new to watch.
For more Apple TV+ coverage, read our guide on the best Apple TV+ movies. Alternatively, read our articles on whether there's a free Apple TV+ trial (there is) and how much Apple TV+ costs.