Streaming services have grown rapidly in recent years, with platforms like Netflix, HBO Max, Hulu, Disney+, and Amazon Prime Video becoming household names. In 2019, tech giant Apple entered the streaming wars with Apple TV+, focused on producing high-quality original content.
In just over 3 years, Apple TV+ has racked up over 275 awards wins and 1150 nominations, establishing itself as a major player. With a library spanning comedies, dramas, documentaries and more, Apple TV+ has something for everyone.
But which shows rise above the rest as the streamer‘s very best? Here are my picks for the 10 best Apple TV+ shows available right now.
10. Central Park
| Released | May 29th, 2020 – Present |
| Created By | Josh Gad, Loren Bouchard, and Nora Smith |
| Starring | Kristen Bell, Tituss Burgess, Daveed Diggs, Josh Gad, Kathryn Hahn, Leslie Odom Jr., Stanley Tucci, and Emmy Raver-Lampman |
| Genre | Adult comedy |
| Number of Seasons | 3 (ongoing) |
| Episode Count | 39 (ongoing) |
From Bob‘s Burgers creator Loren Bouchard, Central Park follows a family living in the famous park who must protect it from a devious hotel mogul. With gorgeous animation and an all-star vocal cast, it‘s a worthy addition to Apple TV+‘s growing animation slate.
9. Mythic Quest
| Released | February 7th, 2020 – Present |
| Created By | Charlie Day, Megan Ganz, and Rob McElhenney |
| Starring | Rob McElhenney, Ashly Burch, Imani Hakim, David Hornsby, Jessie Ennis, Charlotte Nicdao, Danny Pudi, and F. Murray Abraham |
| Genre | Comedy |
| Number of Seasons | 3 (ongoing) |
| Episode Count | 30, including 2 specials (ongoing) |
From Rob McElhenney and Charlie Day of It‘s Always Sunny in Philadelphia, Mythic Quest pulls back the curtain on video game development. Following the dysfunctional employees of a fictional MMORPG studio, it balances cutting satire with surprising warmth.
8. Ted Lasso
| Released | August 14th, 2020 – Present |
| Created By | Jason Sudeikis, Bill Lawrence, Brendan Hunt, and Joe Kelly |
| Starring | Jason Sudeikis, Hannah Waddingham, Jeremy Swift, Phil Dunster, Brett Goldstein, Brendan Hunt, Nick Mohammed, and Juno Temple |
| Genre | Sports comedy-drama |
| Number of Seasons | 2 (ongoing) |
| Episode Count | 22 (ongoing) |
Jason Sudeikis brings his viral NBC Sports character Ted Lasso to life as a college football coach hired to lead an English Premier League team. Quickly beloved for its heart and humor, Ted Lasso became a sleeper hit and awards season darling.
7. Dickinson
| Released | November 1st, 2019 – December 24th, 2021 |
| Created By | Alena Smith |
| Starring | Hailee Steinfeld, Toby Huss, Adrian Blake Enscoe, Anna Baryshnikov, Ella Hunt, and Jane Krakowski |
| Genre | Comedy-drama |
| Number of Seasons | 3 |
| Episode Count | 30 |
Centered on the youth of legendary American poet Emily Dickinson, Dickinson delivered a witty, anachronistic take on her coming-of-age. Carried by Hailee Steinfeld‘s winning performance, the show brought 19th century Amherst to vibrant life.
6. Fraggle Rock: Back to the Rock
| Released | January 21st, 2022 – Present |
| Created By | Matt Fusfeld and Alex Cuthbertson |
| Based On | Fraggle Rock (1983 – 1987) by Jim Henson |
| Genre | Children’s comedy |
| Number of Seasons | 1 (ongoing) |
| Episode Count | 14, including 1 special (ongoing) |
A continuation of Jim Henson‘s beloved 1980s series Fraggle Rock, Back to the Rock introduces the colorful world of Fraggles, Doozers and Gorgs to a new generation. Sweet, silly and bursting with infectious songs, it‘s a nostalgic joy.
5. Pachinko
| Released | March 25th, 2022 – Present |
| Created By | Soo Hugh |
| Starring | Youn Yuh-jung, Kim Min-ha, Soji Arai, Lee Min-ho, Jin Ha, Jun-woo Han, and Eun-chae Jung |
| Genre | Drama |
| Number of Seasons | 1 (ongoing) |
| Episode Count | 8 (ongoing) |
Spanning decades and generations, Pachinko chronicles the hopes and hardships of a Korean immigrant family trying to survive in Japan. The series balances sweeping family saga with intimate character drama, elevated by phenomenal multilingual performances.
4. Prehistoric Planet
| Released | May 23rd, 2022 – May 27th, 2022 |
| Executive Producers | Jon Favreau and Mike Gunton |
| Narrated By | David Attenborough |
| Genre | Nature documentary |
| Number of Seasons | 1 |
| Episode Count | 5 |
Blending state-of-the-art visual effects with leading scientific insights, Prehistoric Planet immerses viewers in the Age of Dinosaurs like never before. Journey back 66 million years with Sir David Attenborough as your guide in this stunning natural history event.
3. Slow Horses
| Released | April 1st, 2022 – Present |
| Written By | Morwenna Banks, Will Smith, Jonny Stockwood, and Mark Denton |
| Starring | Gary Oldman, Jack Lowden, and Kristin Scott Thomas |
| Genre | Spy thriller |
| Number of Seasons | 2 (ongoing) |
| Episode Count | 12 (ongoing) |
Led by a sublime Gary Oldman, Slow Horses follows a team of disgraced MI5 agents relegated to administrative purgatory yet still hungry for action. Sharp, witty and filled with espionage twists, Mick Herron‘s Slough House novels translate brilliantly to screen.
2. Servant
| Released | November 28th, 2019 – March 17th, 2023 |
| Created By | Tony Basgallop |
| Starring | Lauren Ambrose, Toby Kebbell, Nell Tiger Free, and Rupert Grint |
| Genre | Psychological horror-thriller |
| Number of Seasons | 4 |
| Episode Count | 40 |
With creepy twists courtesy of M. Night Shyamalan, Servant follows a grieving couple raising an eerily lifelike baby doll…until a mysterious nanny upends their lives. Unsettling yet addictive, the show leaves viewers clinging to answers in its final season.
1. Severance
| Released | February 18th, 2022 – Present |
| Created By | Dan Erickson |
| Starring | Adam Scott, Zach Cherry, John Turturro, Christopher Walken, Britt Lower, Jen Tullock, Dichen Lachman, Michael Chernus, Tramell Tillman, and Patricia Arquette |
| Genre | Psychological drama |
| Number of Seasons | 1 (ongoing) |
| Episode Count | 9 (ongoing) |
Severance envisions a chilling corporate dystopia, following office workers whose memories have been surgically divided between work and personal lives. Directed with flourish by Ben Stiller, the show combines taut suspense and absurdist humor to hugely addictive effect as its puzzles unravel. Dark, thrilling and wholly original, Severance is simply peerless.
So there you have it – the 10 most outstanding shows presently available on Apple TV+ in this streaming fan‘s opinion. From hilarious comedies like Ted Lasso to mind-bending thrillers like Severance, the streamer has genuine gems well worth your attention. What show will you stream next?
