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Of the more than 100 Apple TV+ shows and movies available on the service, which shows are the absolute best? Many buzzworthy options are available, each with at least something to admire. And yet, when looking at the full library, it’s easy to identify the 10 best Apple TV+ shows thus far. Each of the following 10 TV shows represents the best that Apple TV+ shows offer. From animation to puppetry, from documentary to sitcom, these are the 10 best Apple TV+ shows today.
The History of Apple TV+ Shows
Original Apple TV+ shows, and movies quickly grabbed the attention of critics and fans alike. The streaming service has rounded up more than 275 wins and 1,150 award nominations in the three years since its launch. (That includes 2021’s Coda — the first Best Picture win at the Oscars for a movie released by a streamer.) Today, Apple TV+ shows and movies are enjoyed by more than 25 million paid subscribers and 50 million promotional subscribers enjoying the service via free trials from purchasing an eligible Apple product.
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The Top 10 Apple TV+ Shows
Let’s run through these top 10 Apple TV+ shows today, ranking them from good to the best. Some have already ended, and others will be on the air for years to come… No matter what, though, all are well worth your time. Did your favorite make the list?
10. Central Park
Apple TV+ show Central Park hails from Bob’s Burgers (2011- ) creator Loren Bouchard alongside Josh Gad and Nora Smith. The animated adult comedy, done in the same animation style as Bouchard’s hit Fox sitcom, follows a family that lives in New York City’s Central Park. Following the lead of family patriarch Owen Tillerman (Leslie Odom Jr.), the Tillermans and friends must fend off redevelopment efforts from entrepreneur and hotel magnate Bitsy Brandenham (Stanley Tucci). Fans of Bob’s Burgers and newcomers alike will find lots to love about this one.
9. Mythic Quest
Currently wrapping up its third season with more on the way, Mythic Quest comes from the same genius comedic minds behind FXX cult comedy It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia (2005- ). However, instead of following the dysfunctional lives of a group of narcissistic, sociopathic bar owners, Mythic Quest is an entirely different creation. It tracks the lives and times of the employees of a fictional video game studio as they work to maintain a popular MMORPG: the titular Mythic Quest. It’s hilarious and surprisingly touching, appealing to both Always Sunny viewers and beyond.
8. Ted Lasso
Popular TV and movie characters always show up in commercials, but it’s not often you see the reverse: a character from a commercial getting his own TV show. That’s the case with one of the most cherished Apple TV+ shows: Ted Lasso, based on a series of NBC Sports promos for the Premier League. Series co-creator Jason Sudeikis stars as the titular American football coach hired to head a fictional English soccer team. Initially hired out of spite, the team and its higher-ups eventually grow to love Lasso. (The same can be said for audiences, who by and large cherish the show.)
7. Dickinson
Based on the life and poetry of American poet Emily Dickinson, Dickinson imaginatively tackles the many relevant themes that defined the poet’s 19th century existence. From societal expectations to gender norms to the definition of family, Emily Dickinson (Hailee Steinfeld) — and, by extent, Dickinson itself — masterfully explores all the ways the poet and her voice were far ahead of their oppressive time. It’s not so serious all the time, however. The show has a real sense of humor and true heart, making it an easy, engrossing watch.
6. Fraggle Rock: Back to the Rock
While Jim Henson’s Muppets are far more recognizable and iconic than his cult classic series Fraggle Rock, the latter has nevertheless remained a fondly remembered part of many childhoods. Now, Fraggle Rock: Back to the Rock — a continuation of Henson’s ’80s series — joins the ranks of Apple TV+ shows that are fun for the whole family. Ready to cement itself in the minds of a new generation of fans (alongside their parents who grew up watching the original), Back to the Rock is so well-made and creatively inspired that it easily ranks among the best Apple TV+ shows.
5. Pachinko
Helmed in equal parts by prominent, buzzworthy indie directors Kogonada and Justin Chon, Pachinko follows four generations of Korean immigrants as they struggle to thrive and survive in Japan. Immediately praised as one of the best Apple TV+ shows in the streamer’s short history, the show features some incredible performances that span decades upon decades of family history. Creator Soo Hugh perfectly adapts the source material, Min Jin Lee’s 2017 novel of the same name. It’s a historical epic on a scale previously unseen in other Apple TV+ shows that came before.
4. Prehistoric Planet
The BBC Studios Natural History Unit and filmmaker Jon Favreau had one goal in mind for their documentary series Prehistoric Planet: show prehistoric life as paleontologists currently understand it, even if it goes against commonly held misconceptions about dinosaurs. From feathered dinosaurs to far more speculative hypotheses surrounding life 66 million years ago, Prehistoric Planet is a limited series for the ages. Done in a similar animation style to Favreau’s The Jungle Book (2016) and The Lion King (2019), it’s sure to be one of those Apple TV+ shows appreciated for years to come.
3. Slow Horses
Based upon Mick Herron’s Slough House novels (and reliant upon a career-highlight performance from Gary Oldman at its center), Apple TV+’s Slow Horses is a criminally underseen spy thriller series. Currently in its second season, the show follows a group of rejected MI5 agents banished to administrative purgatory. They haven’t been fired, but they’re definitely on probation for one reason or another. Still, they always end up getting roped into a new mystery regardless. Oldman stars as the department head (a big part of what makes this one of the best Apple TV+ shows).
2. Servant
From executive producer and showrunner M. Night Shyamalan comes Servant: the kind of horror-thriller-drama-mystery hybrid that only he could come up with. Following a couple that hires a nanny to watch over their infant “son” Jericho — a lifelike doll — viewers quickly learn that something strange and surprising is happening here. While you might not hear about it as often as Ted Lasso, Servant is nevertheless a smash hit. Set to come to a shocking conclusion in March of 2023, now’s your chance to catch up on one of the greatest Apple TV+ shows before its imminent finale.
1. Severance
How can you explain Severance in simple terms? Truthfully, it might be best to say that you must see it to believe it. Starring a cast of notable actors led by Adam Scott of Parks and Recreation (2009 – 2015) fame, Severance is also directed by Ben Stiller and Aoife McArdle. There’s nothing like it among other Apple TV+ shows (or any other television show, for that matter — streaming or otherwise). Currently shooting its second season, Severance is destined to remain atop this list for seasons to come. It’s mysterious, it’s weird, it’s funny, it’s brain-tickling… it’s simply the best.
