The 15 Best TV Shows On Apple TV+ Ranked

Apple TV+ may be losing money hand over fist, but something tells us Apple isn't hurting too badly. Putting out films and TV shows is a small part of the company's business, and spending large swaths of money on cool shows is a very worth endeavor. Of course, not every show is a hit, but Apple has helped put out some of the best TV shows in the streaming era out to the masses.

And when you log onto your Apple TV+ account, whether you pay for it or got a free three months after buying a new iPhone, you'll see everything the platform offers right there on the homepage. Unlike other streamers, Apple doesn't outsource its programming. You can naturally buy movies and shows from other studios separately, but a paid subscription gets you exclusive Apple TV+ programming. And if you're wondering what your next binge-watch should be to get the most out of that three-month trial, here are the best series on Apple TV+ you need in your life. 

On November 1, 2019, Apple TV+ introduced itself to the world. It may not have had the kind of flashy back catalog that other streaming services like Disney+ would boast, so it needed to come out of the gate strong. One of its first shows remains one of its best — "The Morning Show" starring Jennifer Aniston and Reese Witherspoon. The buzzy drama was largely influenced by the #MeToo movement, as the first season involves news anchor, Mitch Kessler (Steve Carell), losing his job due to sexual misconduct allegations, causing Alex Levy (Jennifer Aniston) and Bradley Jackson (Reese Witherspoon) to get paired up as the new main anchors.

Subsequent seasons would incorporate real-world events, too, such as the COVID-19 pandemic and the Russian invasion of Ukraine. "The Morning Show," with its quick, snappy dialogue and focus on the news, would become the one true successor to Aaron Sorkin's "The Newsroom," even if the later seasons got a bit more soapy. The series ultimately helped put Apple TV+ on the map, proving it was going to be a force to be reckoned with in the years to come. 

A series based on the life of Emily Dickinson sounds like it'd be a pretty stuffy affair, but Apple TV+'s "Dickinson" is anything but. The show may be set during the 19th century, but it incorporates modern slang and needle drops to give it some added flair. Purists may hold their noses at the numerous anachronisms, but when trying to tell a story about a writer as singular as Dickinson, it makes sense to drive off the beaten path a bit. 

The show's home to some outstanding guest stars, like John Mulaney as Henry David Thoreau and Zosia Mamet as "Little Women" writer Louisa May Alcott. But it's Hailee Steinfeld's portrayal as Dickinson, navigating gender dynamics during a period that was actively hostile toward women expressing themselves, that ties everything together. Steinfeld has even claimed that "Dickinson" helped her prepare to play Kate Bishop in "Hawkeye." "Dickinson" ended after three seasons, which feels oddly appropriate given how so many literary giants have their greatness snuffed out far too soon. 

"Silo" comes with the official Stephen King stamp of approval. It's the perfect show for folks looking for the next "Lost" where a group of people have built a society in a silo underground after the surface world has become uninhabitable. And above all else, the residents of the silo must obey all of the rules or face severe punishment. 

"Silo" is a classic tale of power struggles and the elite keeping the masses placated so that they don't dare ask questions about how things should actually be run. The world-building is top-notch and unlike other mystery box shows that string you along without any payoffs for a long time (looking at you, "Lost"), "Silo" provides enough forward momentum to keep audiences invested. By the time you reach the "Silo" season 1 finale, you'll want this show to go on as long as possible to see what else there is to this world.

"Schmigadoon!" is a theater kid's dream come true. Two doctors — Josh Skinner (Keegan Michael-Key) and Melissa Gimble (Cecily Strong) — enter a wondrous, musical world called Schmigadoon where everyone acts as though they're in a 1940s-era musical. The show certainly doesn't hold any ill will toward Golden Age musicals, but it has a ton of fun deconstructing them, like having a great joke in the first season where everyone bemoans a "dream ballet" starting (a common feature of classic musicals where no one sings and people just dance around for a while). 

The comedy series upped the ante in season 2, which /Film praised in its review as a "delightful return to form." That time around, the series honed in on tropes present in darker 1960s and '70s musicals. It would've been great to see "Schmigadoon!" go even further, taking aim at even later musicals like "Wicked" and "Hamilton." But alas, it wasn't meant to be as Apple cancelled the show after two seasons, closing the curtain prematurely on a series that had so much potential. 

"For All Mankind" is one of the many underrated gems that Apple TV+ has as part of its catalog. It defies traditional genre categories, as one could technically call it science fiction even though it's more of an alternate science-based story. It takes place in a world where the Soviet Union landed on the moon first, humiliating the United States and prolonging the Cold War, forcing the U.S. to push itself to go even further within the realm of science. 

It's fun to see all of the little changes the creators make in this world, such as making it so that "Star Trek" only has three series by 2003 instead of five. But the thing that really makes "For All Mankind" a great watch throughout all four seasons is that it's ultimately a hopeful show. Other alt-history shows, like "The Man in the High Castle" about the Axis Powers winning World War II, can naturally be too pessimistic for their own good. "For All Mankind" shows an America that's been knocked down a few pegs, but it makes everyone involved in space exploration just want to try even harder to push the boundaries of what's possible. 

Created by "It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia" veterans Rob McElhenney, Charlie Day, and writer Megan Ganz, it was always a safe bet that "Mythic Quest" was going to be hilarious. And the show does, indeed, mine a ton of comedy out of the world of video game development, with all of the neurotic personalities, from the creative to the business-driven, intersecting in wild ways. 

Whereas "Always Sunny" is largely a show about nothing, "Mythic Quest" is fundamentally a creative love story. The central pairing of Ian Grimm (McElhenney) and Poppy Li (Charlotte Nicdao) is all about seeing whether they can work together since they can create such amazing things, but their personalities and work ethics constantly clash. Even for people who aren't necessarily in creative fields, there's always something to relate to when dealing with occasionally annoying co-workers who don't give you what you need to do your job. "Mythic Quest" could be silly and off-the-wall, but it was nicely balanced with a gentle touch of pathos to make you really root for these characters to get along. 

Anthology shows, especially ones where every episode is a different story with different characters, tend to lean more into genre. "Black Mirror" and "Love Death + Robots" can hold an audience's interest across so many unique storylines because there's some kind of horror or science-fiction hook. "Little America" is one of the more unique anthology offerings, as it's mostly a comedy series with the occasional dramatic moment sprinkled in.

Each episode of "Little America" follows a different immigrant's experience in the United States. These are moderately inspired from real-world accounts of immigrant experiences first told in "Epic" magazine. It's a slice-of-life TV series that shows how no two immigrants' experiences are the same, and while many of these episodes are funny, such as Nigerian student Iwegbuna (Conphidance) adopting a cowboy aesthetic to fit in, they can really destroy you, like in the episode "The Manager," which sees a young boy say goodbye to his parents getting deported. "Little America" is one of the more unique offerings to make it to Apple TV+, and it's the kind of show the streamer should invest more in. 

When most people think of the best series on Apple TV+, their first thought probably turns toward "Ted Lasso." And that's for good reason, as the show really helped put the streaming service on the map because, if nothing else, people would subscribe just to watch this heartwarming series. The titular Ted Lasso (Jason Sudeikis) is hired to coach an English soccer team that isn't doing too well, but Lasso's infectiously optimistic attitude allows the players to reach glorious new heights. 

The show could hit you right in the feels while delivering on the laughs ... at least for the first two seasons. This show would've absolutely ranked higher on this list if season 3 didn't squander all of the goodwill the show had built up on rushed storylines and a lack of emotional resonance that the previous two seasons had. Fortunately, "Ted Lasso" season 4 has been confirmed by Sudeikis, so perhaps it'll redeem the show in the eyes of its now-jaded fans.

Murder mysteries are well-trodden territory. It takes a lot for one of them to really make an impact these days, and for our money, "The Afterparty" was a phenomenally fun addition to the genre. The first season opens with a high school reunion afterparty where one of the guests winds up dead. Detective Danner (Tiffany Haddish) arrives on the scene to interview all of the suspects, getting a different perspective from each one. But the thing setting "The Afterparty" apart is that everyone's story is told and filmed using a different movie genre, so one person has a romantic comedy while another has an action movie. 

It's a brilliant way to make every episode stand apart and feel like its own thing. It's also a genius way of hiding some of the clues in plain sight as to who's responsible for the murder. Season 2 followed a similar format and set up what would've been a star-studded season 3. As is far too common with Apple TV+ original shows, it was cancelled far too soon. But "The Afterparty" still works incredibly well as a hilarious comedy and a genuinely puzzling mystery. 

2023 saw "Ted Lasso" (seemingly) end with season 3, but anyone looking for a new heartwarming comedy didn't need to look far. It was also the year "Shrinking" debuted and took up the mantle of hilarious comedy that'll make you more introspective than you were anticipating. "Shrinking" follows therapist Jimmy Laird (Jason Segel), who stops caring about the advice he gives his patients after his wife's death. But when he starts speaking his mind, he realizes that he's actually making more tangible differences in people's lives compared to giving them banal platitudes. 

If "Ted Lasso" taught viewers that it's okay for men to be kind to one another, "Shrinking" shows what happens when positivity enters toxic territory. After all, it's okay to cry and freak out once in a while, and in some cases, it's necessary for the grieving process. Segel does a fantastic job holding everything together, but Harrison Ford playing the ever-grumpy Dr. Paul Rhoades is the thing that pushes "Shrinking" over the edge to become one of the best series on Apple TV+. 

"Black Bird" is hands-down the best miniseries to grace Apple TV+. It's based on the true story of James "Jimmy" Keene (Taron Egerton), who gets sent to prison for drug and arms dealing, but his charismatic personality earns him attention from FBI agent Lauren McCauley (Sepideh Moafi). She wants to use him to get Larry Hall (Paul Walter Hauser) to confess to murdering 14 women, making for a thrilling game of cat-and-mouse, as everyone's true intentions are kept close to their chests.

It's a must-watch for anyone who thought Netflix cancelled "Mindhunter" too soon, as it also deals with the complex psychology of criminals. With only six episodes, the miniseries knows how to pace itself, parsing out essential information slowly but surely. The fact that it's based on a true story only makes it all the more engrossing; it treats these characters as the nuanced individuals they are. It's a series that wisely understands that characters need to come first, and it offers some outstanding performances from Egerton and Hauser to really drive home that central pseudo-friendship. 

Is it too early in its run to declare "The Studio" as one of the best series on Apple TV+? Honestly, we don't think so, and with the few episodes we have so far, the show proves it has longevity. The show does a better job of eviscerating the entertainment industry than shows like "Entourage," following newbie studio head Matt Remick (Seth Rogen), who wants to make artistically-relevant movies while juggling his responsibilities as a bean counter to make the company money, which usually entails making schlock like a Kool-Aid movie. 

How does someone who wants to be a creative so badly thread the needle of expressing true art and making money? "The Studio" as a whole is a great representation of this, as you can tell that a lot of care and craft went into making it. Each episode is largely comprised of oners, including the second episode,e which is nothing but one giant long take. "The Studio" makes fun of Hollywood at every turn, even getting celebrities to play and make fun of themselves. But you can also tell that the people making this show have a lot of respect for what everyone does in this business. Yes, even the studio heads.

There's really nothing else on streaming like "Slow Horses." It's an espionage thriller about a group of MI5 agents who have all made some baffling mistakes in their past and are generally considered to be the worst of the bunch. Despite this, they still pursue important cases and navigate an increasingly intricate world to ensure the general public remains safe. 

When it comes to spy thrillers, most people might be used to seeing incredibly competent or action-oriented spies, like James Bond, who are the best at what they do. What makes "Slow Horses" a blast is that the agents do kind of suck at their jobs. They have their strengths, but this is a show where they need to prove themselves that they deserve to be defined by more than just their past blunders. Plus, while there's some action sprinkled throughout the show, it's more concerned about getting into the psychology of these fascinating characters. 

"Pachinko" is already a critically beloved show, boasting a 97% rating on Rotten Tomatoes. And yet, it still feels like the show doesn't get enough attention and respect it deserves. It's one of the most ambitious television projects in recent memory, as it follows Kim Sunja (Kim Min-ha), who leaves Korea to make a new life for herself in Japan but faces discrimination due to her race. The series is told across different time periods so that viewers can witness how Sunja's actions (as well as those of the people in her life) impact her in the future.

It's the kind of show that's impossible to watch without tearing up at certain points, as this is a show that's all about how love can get one through the most difficult of circumstances. As cheesy as that may sound out of context, it works brilliantly here. And it doesn't hurt that "Pachinko" has some of the best cinematography you'll see on any show on Apple TV+ or elsewhere. 

Calling "Severance" the best series on Apple TV+ may be the obvious choice. There's no Lumon-esque misdirect to find here, but that's only because "Severance" is genuinely the best thing the streamer has put out. It is prestige television at its finest that expertly moves its way through dramatic pathos and genuinely funny moments. 

"Severance" involves a group of workers at Lumon Industries who have undergone the severance procedure, which separates their work selves from their outside selves, resulting in two unique individuals with no memories of what the other's doing. This creates its own inner-personal conflict, but there's still the matter of what Lumon's really up to, with season 2 providing plenty of answers while raising even more questions. 

Simply put, "Severance" is a show firing on all cylinders. The characters are fun to watch, and you care about both versions of Mark (Adam Scott) winding up with the respective women in their lives, in this case Gemma (Dichen Lachman) and Helly (Britt Lower). But the show also raises many philosophical questions, such as what makes a person a person? "Severance" is the reason why we watch TV; you're constantly on the edge of your seat while getting just enough new information to keep you invested without spoiling everything too soon.