Apple TV Streams The Best Movies And TV Shows - And They're Fixing Their Biggest Problem

On Tuesday, February 3rd, a gaggle of journalists, influencers, various press/media representatives, and I were invited to a hangar at the Santa Monica Airport to witness Apple TV's press day, in which a chunk of the streaming service's slate of new television series and original films for 2026 were announced and previewed. Part of the presentation included the new season of "The Last Thing He Told Me," a mystery-thriller series. It stars Jennifer Garner, Angourie Rice, Nikolaj Coster-Waldau, and new additions Judy Greer and Rita Wilson. It's based on the best-selling 2021 novel by Laura Dave. Reese Witherspoon is an executive producer. And the first season aired back in 2023. Neither I nor those sitting near me in the venue had ever heard of it before.

That last point is perfectly illustrative of the issue that Apple TV has had with the majority of its offerings since the service began in November of 2019. While Apple TV has had the occasional breakout hit (like "Shrinking" and "Pluribus," both of which were duly represented at the event), most of its shows seem to fall by the wayside. Meanwhile, their original films are feast or famine when it comes to visibility; last year's excellent "The Lost Bus" was widely overlooked, while their big, splashy theatrical release of "F1" has been nominated for Best Picture at the Academy Awards. While other streamers are hit and miss when it comes to their fare, Apple TV has generally enjoyed critical acclaim for the majority of its productions. Their biggest problem is that they haven't yet been able to get the word out about them effectively. Fortunately, this press day was a great indication that this is being fixed, and the change couldn't come at a better time.

One thing that the Apple TV press day proved in abundance is that their productions are stuffed with stars. Their service isn't one filled with shows and films that mostly feature unknowns or up-and-comers. Instead, they already have the likes of father-son duo Kurt and Wyatt Russell (on the upcoming season 2 of "Monarch: Legacy of Monsters"), Jon Hamm and James Marsden (on "Your Friends & Neighbors"), Colin Farrell (on "Sugar"), and Harrison Ford and Jason Segel (on "Shrinking") as part of their roster. Added to that for 2026 are folks such as Keanu Reeves and Cameron Diaz (for "Outcome," a new film from Jonah Hill), Anya Taylor-Joy and Timothy Olyphant (for "Lucky"), Elisabeth Moss, Kerry Washington, and Kate Mara (for "Imperfect Women"), Elle Fanning and Michelle Pfeiffer (for "Margo's Got Money Troubles"), as well as John Cena and Jessica Biel (for "Matchbox: The Movie").

Of course, all the movie and TV stars in the world don't mean much if the work is subpar. Fortunately, Apple TV has a really excellent track record. They don't just court talent like Martin Scorsese and Seth Rogen; they end up with movies and shows as stellar as "Killers of the Flower Moon" and "The Studio."

2026 seems like another great year for the service, as new shows like the gritty con-artist drama "Lucky" and the quirky David E. Kelley production of "Margo's Got Money Troubles" seem especially inspired. The event couldn't reveal too much about these new series and films, of course, but the previews and panels drummed up a lot of excitement for the service's slate in the same manner as something like CinemaCon or, perhaps not coincidentally, an Apple keynote event.

Overall, the selection of films and shows previewed at the press day event was an excellent indication of the smart choices Apple TV is making, especially when it comes to building a diverse, exciting slate. For instance, nothing about the new series and films seemed to be aggressively following any algorithms or trends. That's true even when it comes to the most IP-focused project, "Matchbox: The Movie." A film made in conjunction with the toy company Mattel could've looked groan-inducing, but the involvement of director Sam Hargrave (famous for the "Extraction" films) and his signature brand of insane stunts and action makes it seem like a must-see.

I was more than ready to be cynical about "Cape Fear" being remade for a second time as a series, especially given how I'm a huge fan of the 1962 J. Lee Thompson original and the 1991 Martin Scorsese banger. Yet the involvement of Patrick Wilson, Amy Adams, and Javier Bardem is nothing to scoff at, and showrunner Nick Antosca has proven himself adept at bringing big-screen horror to the small screen twice over, having worked on both "Hannibal" and "Chucky." Katie Dippold's "Widow's Bay" also pleasantly intrigued me with its apparent commitment to nailing a balance between comedy and horror, as did David Rosen's "Maximum Pleasure Guaranteed," which seems like it might follow in Vince Gilligan's footsteps of quirky, gritty drama.

Hopefully, this press day is just the beginning of Apple TV getting the word out about its work. Sure, it's a rule of thumb with streamers to mostly promote the service and not individual projects, but sticking with that strategy would be foolish of them when the projects are this good. Here's hoping more attention comes Apple TV's way in 2026.