MY FAVORITE APPLE TV+ SHOWS, INCLUDING ONE THAT'S SO GOOD I'VE WATCHED IT 3 TIMES

Here's the interesting thing, for me, about Apple TV+. I can sit here - mind you, as someone who's been a subscriber since the iPhone maker launched the service back in late 2019 - and instantly rattle off more than half a dozen series that I think are just the best of the best, and so good that it keeps me happily subscribing to the service. Ask me to do the same thing for Netflix, Prime Video, Disney+, and maybe Max, though, and … well, let's just say we'd definitely be here for a while.

My favorite thing about Apple's streamer has been the same now since it started (and likewise, for that matter, when it comes to my chief complaint). When an Apple TV+ show is good, it is sublimely good. And, correspondingly, when it misses the mark, it misses it in embarrassingly dramatic fashion.

Needless to say, these seven Apple TV+ shows below are very, very good. And for different reasons - this list of my all-time favorites (so far) includes everything from feel-good comedy to prestige drama to sci-fi, and more.

Tehran

I was going to go in alphabetical order, but I'll start with this Israeli spy drama that's so good I've watched it three times now. Two seasons are currently available to stream, with a third already finished but reportedly delayed because of the ongoing turmoil in Israel. I watch a ton of spy series, and Niv Sultan is so fantastic here as a Mossad hacker/agent (as is Shaun Toub, who plays her Iranian nemesis).

Acapulco

This next Apple TV+ gem has filled the Ted Lasso-sized hole in my heart, and then some.

Three seasons in, Acapulco hasn't lost any one of its shine for me whatsoever. It's a vibrant, colorful, and supremely feel-good series about a young man in 1984, Maximo Gallardo, who lands his dream job at the hottest resort in Acapulco: Las Colinas. Narrated by an older Maximo, the show blends heart and humor, depicting his rise among a lovable gang of eccentric co-workers.

Notwithstanding the nostalgic 80s vibe throughout, the abundant culture and delightful setting will have you wanting to dust off your passport and head to Mexico as soon as you're done bingeing this incredibly wholesome series.

Drops of God

We move next to Drops of God, which is basically like Succession meets the rarefied world of fine wines.

The plot centers around the death of a celebrated wine expert, a man who leaves behind a vast fortune - as well as a series of tests to determine who will inherit it. His estranged daughter and his protégé are pitted against each other in a high-stakes competition, and following their respective emotional journeys involving everything from wine to memory and familial relationships makes this series a compelling watch for both wine lovers and fans of great drama alike.

Pachinko

Based on Min Jin Lee's acclaimed novel of the same name, Pachinko tells a sweeping, multigenerational story about a Korean family across four generations. It's a richly layered narrative, highlighting themes of identity, resilience, and the importance of understanding one's cultural heritage and place in the world.

Pachinko is very much a story about fate, chance, how one goes about playing the game of life - and how the rules are seemingly stacked against some people from the outset. The title is a metaphor, referring to both the game of Pachinko and to how much of an uncertain gamble life is. As an aside, the "In Between Days" scene during Episode 4, in which the character Solomon dances in the rain, is one of the best sequences I've ever seen in a TV show.

The Reluctant Traveler

Travel shows have been done to death, with intrepid, adventurous personalities traveling all over the world to record amazing and wonderful sights. This hilarious Apple travel series playfully skewers that idea by tapping a funny curmudgeon who doesn't really like to travel - well, outside of luxurious hotels - as its host.

Even better, while host Eugene Levy may appreciate the creature comforts of home, he's genuinely curious and nice, and his big-hearted personality shines through, making The Reluctant Traveler another feel-good Apple standout.

Silo

I got obsessed pretty quickly with this next Apple TV+ drama, starring Rebecca Ferguson and based on Hugh Howey's Silo book series, in a way that reminded me of my reaction to Lost.

In short, Silo is a highly addictive sci-fi series set in a dystopian future, one where the last 10,000 humans have taken refuge in a vast underground silo to avoid a toxic environment aboveground. The plot centers around a community ruled by stringent laws and shrouded in secrets, with residents increasingly questioning their reality and the true origins of their world. 

Tensions escalate, various mysteries come to light, and the gripping storyline - with its themes of control, freedom, and survival - offers a tense viewing experience that will keep you hooked from start to finish.

Slow Horses

As if one critically acclaimed, near-perfect espionage drama wasn't enough, Apple TV+ also has one more to offer fans of the genre. Slow Horses is adapted from Mick Herron's series of spy novels that have made him the de facto successor to John le Carre.

Gary Oldman stars here as irascible spymaster Jackson Lamb, who leads a disgraced unit of MI5 agents who've been put out to pasture for one nearly career-ending mistake or another, and all of them relegated to "Slough House" (the spooks who work there are derisively known as Slow Horses, a slight twist on the name of that office). Long story short, the attraction here is in seeing the spy genre turned inside out. The inhabitants of Slough House look pretty ordinary, are out of shape, make dumb mistakes, and are never less than utterly compelling.

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2024-06-26T01:37:12Z dg43tfdfdgfd