Apple TV: 30 of the best shows you’re probably not watching

Cape Fear

Cape Fear, from series creator Nick Antosca and executive producers Martin Scorsese and Steven Spielberg, differs a bit from the 1991 and 1962 classics, but honors them both, as well as the original novel, The Executioners. It’s a modern-day film noir that ratchets up the tension and violence and keeps the stakes high throughout each episode. Javier Bardem’s Emmy-worthy turn as Max Cady, which somehow outshines Robert De Niro’s, overshadows everything else and is the only reason to watch it.

Criminal record

Criminal Record is a British crime series that follows two rival detectives – the older, jaded DCI Daniel Hegarty (Peter Capaldi) and the younger, driven DS June Lenker (Cush Jumbo) – as they are forced to enter into an alliance to uphold justice against the polarizing backdrop of modern-day London.

Maximum pleasure guaranteed

Maximum Fun Guaranteed on Apple TV is a comedic thriller about a woman who hooks up with an online camboy, only to become the victim of a tortuous blackmail scheme. The series also stars Jake Johnson and Murray Bartlett, so it features some solid talent throughout this bingeable show.

Margo has money problems

Based on the book of the same name by Rufi Thorpe, Margo’s Got Money Troubles follows the struggles of a young woman with a new baby who turns to working as an Internet cam girl to help pay her bills. Elle Fanning stars alongside Nick Offerman and Michelle Pfeiffer, who are truly a match made in comedy heaven.

Pluribus

What happens when a pandemic takes over the planet and makes everyone extremely happy? That’s the question at the center of Pluribus, Vince Gilligan’s latest TV project. The series, now the most-watched Apple TV show of all time, follows a relatively unhappy woman named Carol (Rhea Seehorn) as she navigates this troubling new reality. Can she find a way to save the world? Or will she end up becoming part of this strange hive mind?

Airbenders

Apple’s military drama is based on true events and is inspired by the book of the same name by Donald L. Miller. The series follows the members of the 100th Bomb Group (aka the Bloody Hundredth) as they fight the Nazis during World War II. It has a rich cast, including Austin Butler, Callum Turner, Anthony Boyle and Barry Keoghan. Masters of the Air was produced by Steven Spielberg and Tom Hanks.

Down the cemetery road

This conspiracy thriller, inspired by Mick Herron’s first novel in his Zoë Boehm series, begins when a child disappears after a house fire. A concerned neighbor (played by Ruth Wilson) forms an unlikely partnership with Zoë (the book’s titular private investigator, played by Emma Thompson) to search for the child. In doing so, a conspiracy is uncovered, leading the duo down a surprisingly dark path.

Royal Palm

Kristen Wiig leads a phenomenal cast in Palm Royale, a campy satire that follows Maxine (Wiig), a woman who will do whatever it takes to get into the Palm Royale beach club. The series, which addresses classism, ambition, privilege and greed, also stars Ricky Martin, Josh Lucas, Leslie Bibb, Laura Dern, Allison Janney, Carol Burnett and John Stamos.

Divert

Hijack, like 24 before it, is a terrorist thriller that takes place in real time. The series follows trade negotiator Sam Nelson (played by Idris Elba) as he exploits his training to foil the hijackers who have taken over his flight. Thanks to Elba’s performance and the twisty narrative, this series proves to be a fun and breathtaking binge.

Mr. Scorsese

This five-episode documentary series highlights the personal and professional life of filmmaker Martin Scorsese. I was surprised at how heartfelt and engaging this series turned out to be. If you’ve ever wondered how Scorsese became the legendary director he is today, this show is for you. In addition to hearing the stories straight from the man’s mouth, the show features never-before-seen footage and interviews with Robert De Niro, Daniel Day-Lewis, Leonardo DiCaprio, Mick Jagger, Steven Spielberg, Jodie Foster and Sharon Stone.

The Workshop

Seth Rogen co-created and stars in this dysfunctional comedy series about a movie studio’s attempt to stay relevant in Hollywood. Ike Barinholtz, Kathryn Hahn, Catherine O’Hara, Chase Sui Wonders and Bryan Cranston complete the cast. However, it’s the huge list of celebrity cameos that really sets this series apart from other comedies. Martin Scorsese, Ron Howard, Anthony Mackie and more appear in the most unexpected and hilarious ways. There’s nothing else like The Studio on television.

Booty

Loot follows Molly Wells (played by Maya Rudolph), who, after divorcing her tech billionaire husband (played by Adam Scott), discovers she is $87 billion richer. Instead of living a lavish life and relishing her new status, she decides to run a philanthropic organization with the goal of giving everything away. Also starring are Michaela Jaé Rodriguez, Nat Faxon, Ron Funches and Joel Kim Booster.

The Reluctant Traveler with Eugene Levy

Anthony Bourdain’s lack of presence on television led me to search for a worthy host to fill the void. I didn’t expect Eugene Levy to be this guy. It’s all in the title of the show. He’s not a fan of traveling, but he steps out of his comfort zone and the result is an informative, heartwarming and entertaining series.

Manhunt

We all know about the assassination of Abraham Lincoln. Apple has turned this historic event into a conspiracy thriller that’s well worth your time. Manhunt, based on the book Manhunt: The 12-Day Chase for Lincoln’s Killer, sets us on a chase to find John Wilkes Booth. Anthony Boyle, Tobias Menzies, Hamish Linklater, Betty Gabriel, Matt Walsh and Patton Oswalt star.

By trying

Trying follows Nikki (Esther Smith) and Jason (Rafe Spall), a couple who can’t have a baby. So, they decide to adopt. But the process isn’t that simple, especially when you add in their quirky families and daily chaos. Trying is many things: a romance, a comedy, a drama. Whatever you call it, the Apple TV series is a very enjoyable watch.

Warlord

Starring Jason Momoa served as writer and executive producer on the period drama Chief of War. The series chronicles the unification of the Hawaiian Islands against the threat of colonization at the turn of the 18th century. The show features a predominantly Polynesian cast and explores this period of history from the perspective of indigenous people.

Acapulco

Acapulco stars Eugenio Derbez as Maximo, a man who remembers his younger days working at a hotel in Acapulco in the 1980s. It’s a series that’s light, nostalgic, and full of heart, which seems like an anomaly in our current television era. Do you want a bright and fun show, with little emotional stakes? This series is made for you.

Slow horses

Slow Horses is the first television series to star Gary Oldman, and that detail, alone, should be enough to entice you to tune in. The program is inspired by the Slough House book series by Mick Herron and follows Jackson Lamb (Oldman) and his team of low-level spies as they face espionage challenges and criminal plots each season. Three of the show’s five seasons have a perfect 100% score on Rotten Tomatoes, which they absolutely deserve.

Smoke

Taron Egerton is Dave, an arson investigator, and Jurnee Smollett is Michelle, a police detective, who team up to track down a duo of arsonists who are wreaking havoc in their community. Smoke is a brooding drama series inspired by true events. There’s a twisty mystery driving this show, and it benefits from a strong cast, which also includes Greg Kinnear, Anna Chlumsky, John Leguizamo, Rafe Spall and Ntare Guma Mbaho Mwine.

Stick

If you thought Happy Gilmore Returns was the only golf comedy worth watching, think again. Stick stars Owen Wilson as Pryce Cahill, a jaded former golfer who gets a second chance at the sport in the form of a 17-year-old golf prodigy named Santi (Peter Dager). If you’re looking for another feel-good sports series like Ted Lasso, you should definitely give this show a try.

drug thief

Dope Thief is based on Dennis Tafoya’s 2009 novel and follows friends Ray and Manny, who decide to pose as DEA agents so they can rob drug dealers. Things go wrong when their little crime reveals a massive drug operation. Brian Tyree Henry and Wagner Moura lead the series, ensuring this exciting drama is led by A-list talent.

Your friends and neighbors

In this dark comedy, Jon Hamm plays vilified hedge fund manager Andrew “Coop” Cooper, who decides to attempt home invasions to generate income. The twist of this twist? He steals from his rich neighbors. What he doesn’t expect through all this theft are the dark secrets he discovers about the members of this wealthy community.

Black bird

Black Bird is based on the true story of Jimmy Keene (Taron Egerton), a man who made a deal with the FBI to infiltrate a maximum security prison to reduce his sentence. I forgot to mention that it’s a place that houses criminally insane people and its mission is to befriend Larry Hall, a suspected serial killer, so he can uncover information about where the bodies are buried. res. That is, if he can get a confession in the first place. Paul Walter Hauser delivers a career-best performance as Hall.

Pachinko

Based on the novel by Min Jin Lee, Pachinko is a sweeping drama that follows several generations of a Korean family from the early 1900s to the 1980s. Seriously, it’s hard to summarize in a few sentences how beautiful and complex the storytelling is in this series. I will just say that the performances (from Lee Min-ho, Jin Ha, Minha Kim and the rest of the cast), the cinematography and the conflicts presented here are absolutely fabulous. This is probably the best show on this entire list, if I’m honest.

Contraction

Jason Segel, Harrison Ford and Jessica Williams star in this drama series about a broken therapist who struggles to put his life and family back together after a heartbreaking loss. An intriguing balance is struck when Jimmy (Segel) deviates from professional norms to help his clients heal while seeking to do the same for himself. It’s sad, hilarious, poignant and profound. To me, this is what reporting on mental health on television should look like.

Bad monkey

When you center a murder mystery in Florida, you have to expect things to get weird. And that’s exactly what they do in Bad Monkey. It’s an offbeat drama starring Vince Vaughn as Andrew Yancy, a detective-turned-restaurant inspector who becomes embroiled in a murder case after recovering a severed arm from the ocean. Bill Lawrence (of Ted Lasso, Scrubs and Shrinking fame) created the dark comedy, inspired by Carl Hiaasen’s book.

Presumed innocent

Presumed Innocent, based on the novel by Scott Turow, hails from executive producer David E. Kelley and stars Jake Gyllenhaal as mischievous lawyer Rusty Sabich. Unlike the 1987 film starring Harrison Ford, this series delves much deeper into the multi-layered scandal that handcuffed Sabich. The exploration of each character, all of whom seem horrible in one way or another, adds up to a morally corrupt narrative that makes for a fascinating, if sometimes frustrating, watch.

Chemistry lessons

Here we have yet another book adaptation to add to this list, and thankfully, Chemistry Lessons is a feel-good delight. Inspired by the book of the same name by Bonnie Garmus, the series follows a chemist named Elizabeth Zott (Brie Larson) who finds herself taking a job as the host of a cooking show. Given that the story takes place in the 1950s, it’s no surprise that Zott faces a lot of sexism in his workplace. She perseveres, however, and brings a quirky scientific element to her Julia Childs-like role, making this period piece a fun spectacle to delve into.

Platonic

I didn’t know what to expect when I clicked play on Platonic. Seth Rogen and Rose Byrne have starred together in other projects, but their deliciously weird dynamic in this one stands out. The story follows two longtime friends who meet in their 40s and discover that although they live very different lives, they share common mid-life struggles trying to find their place in this rapidly changing world. It’s also nice to see a non-romantic exploration of a friendship between a man and a woman. Contrary to what When Harry Met Sally said, it’s possible.

Bad sisters

Sharon Horgan created this dark comedy series – which is inspired by the Belgian series Clan – about a group of sisters who deal with the consequences of the murder of JP, one of the women’s husbands, who, due to his unpleasant behavior, is nicknamed throughout the series “The Prick”. The series regularly changes its narrative to reveal pieces behind who killed the man, while showcasing the dysfunctional dynamic between these evil sisters. Horgan stars alongside Anne-Marie Duff, Eva Birthistle, Sarah Greene and Eve Hewson.