Who would have thought the company that made its fortune selling computers and phones would one day branch out into making TV shows — and do a brilliant job of it, at that? Innovation has never been in short supply at Apple, and it turns out that truism applies when it comes to them making entertainment, and not just providing us with devices on which to consume film and television. With that said, it was always clear that the tech mammoth was treating this seriously, with a focus on what seems to be highly produced, well-casted creative content that is a little reminiscent of HBO series’. As a result, Apple TV is home to a ton of brilliant TV shows with big names, and here’s our list of the very best of them.
10. Roar
It’s the nature of anthology shows that they can be hit and miss. Even The Twilight Zone had some stinkers, after all. However, this collection of episodes that delve into the notion of womanhood is pretty consistent across the board, helped out by its band of fantastic female leads. Roar is based on a short story collection by the Irish writer Cecelia Ahern, and while each episode contains a dose of dark humor about the role of women in the world, they are pretty different plot-wise. Leading ladies across the one season of content we have so far include Nicole Kidman, Issa Rae, Alison Brie, and Betty Gilpin. The male supporting cast has some really big names too, including Nick Kroll and Hugh Dancy.
9. Central Park
This hilarious animated series chronicles the lives of a family who live in a castle in Central Park, and their attempts to save their home from being destroyed by greedy developers. Central Park is made by Loren Bouchard (of Bob’s Burgers fame), and the shows have plenty of similarities, from their focus on family dynamics to their zany characters and feel-good nature against the backdrop of more sinister forces. Kristen Bell, Stanley Tucci, and Daveed Diggs are just some of the big names in the main cast, but throughout the series, viewers have also heard from Patti LuPone, Catherine O’Hara, Stephanie Beatriz, and a whole host of other big names.
8. Mythic Quest
There are few more well-known shows in the world than It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia, and three of its most important people are behind this hilarious show about a fictional video game studio that makes a game called Mythic Quest, hence the title of the series. Charlie Day, Megan Ganz, and Rob McElhenney created the series, with the latter also starring as the overbearing head of the studio. He’s supported by a cast that includes Danny Pudi (Community) and David Hornsby, and the show has had some excellent guest appearances too, such as Anthony Hopkins, Jake Johnson, and Snoop Dogg. The on-screen shenanigans will keep any viewer hooked, but you’ll especially love Mythic Quest if you’re into gaming and the culture around it.
7. Silo
Rashida Jones and Rebecca Ferguson are two of the massive names that lead this dystopian sci-fi series, based on the Wool novels and stories by Hugh Howey. The show is set in an underground silo comprised of 144 levels. The society has incredibly strict rules and is fraught with danger, although as we learn throughout the show, there may be more to be afraid of inside the underground world than out of it. Ferguson plays an engineer who is slowly becoming disillusioned with the society around her as she learns more about its secrets, and Jones is an I.T. professional having similar doubts. Other big names include Tim Robbins and the rapper Common.
6. The Morning Show
Though Apple TV had been making shows for a few years by the time The Morning Show was released in 2019, this series quickly became the burgeoning studio’s marquee attraction. Starring Jennifer Aniston, Reese Witherspoon, and Steve Carrell, the show follows the aftermath of sexual misconduct allegations being made against a popular morning television show host, and how the consequences ripple through the network involved. Plenty of other big hitters have screen time throughout the series, including Jon Hamm, Mindy Kaling, and Martin Short, but no matter who’s on-screen the drama remains consistent. An interesting watch that touches on some intriguing topics while airing the dirty laundry of showbiz types — the writers probably didn’t have to go far to find inspiration for their plots.
5. Shrinking
Scrubs and Ted Lasso creator Bill Lawrence has another hit on his hands with Shrinking, the brilliantly funny series about a recently widowed therapist who channels his grief into getting a little too involved in his patients’ lives. Jason Segel headlines as Jimmy, the shrink at the center of the show, and the series is bolstered by the presence of several other big names, including Harrison Ford and Ted McGinley. While Jimmy’s behavior verges (and often crosses over into) unprofessional, the show has real charm and heart, managing to portray the rawness of a man in grief while also giving viewers plenty of laugh-out-loud moments to balance out the darkness. Honest, moving, and hilarious.
4. Ted Lasso
Jason Sudeikis stars as the titular character in this fish-out-of-water comedy turned surprisingly deep and heartwrenching dramedy. Lasso is an American Football coach who is hired by a middling soccer team in London, despite having a complete lack of knowledge about the beautiful game. Helped by his friend and confidant Coach Beard, we see Ted and his new team (the fictional AFC Richmond) go through ups, downs, and everything in between, all while getting some truly heart-melting moments and a surprisingly good portrayal of U.K. football culture. Sudeikis was the biggest name on the cast list before the show dropped from a global perspective, but because of its huge success many of the others are now household names. A brilliant, uplifting watch, with plenty of homages thrown in for good measure, too.
3. Platonic
Rose Byrne and Seth Rogen are two of the biggest names in Hollywood, and they lead this sweet comedy about two former friends who reconnect and begin to exert a (mostly) positive influence in each other’s lives as they deal with issues like divorce and lacking partners. Charming and insightful, Platonic has smart writing and believable characters, but its two A-list leads and their brilliant chemistry is what turns it from a decent watch into one of the best things Apple TV has done so far. You’ll definitely end most episodes with a smile on your face.
2. Slow Horses
When you have massive stars like Gary Oldman and Kristin Scott Thomas in your cast, it’s hard to make something bad. Add in an excellent bit of source material and a unique take on an old genre, and you have something truly special, like Old Horses. The series follows hapless MI5 rejects who have messed up previous missions but haven’t been fired, so get stuck in a spot called Slough House where they’re forced to drudge through paperwork in an attempt to wear them down into resigning. Despite this, they end up investigating some of the most intriguing crimes that might just have massive ramifications for Great Britain. Oldman is the sadistic boss trying to drive everyone out, and Thomas is the devious deputy director-general of the spy organization.
1. Severance
Parks and Recreation star Adam Scott stars in this sci-fi thriller that’s quickly become a critical darling thanks to its unique, fresh premise, brilliant plotting, and even better acting. The show follows the employees of Lumon Industries, a biotech company that uses a new technology to “separate” the consciousness of its employees between at-work and at home, which leads to some pretty strange outcomes. John Turturro, Christopher Walken, and Patricia Arquette are just three of the legendary names that help Scott to turn Severance into such a phenomenal watch.