Did you recently watch Wolfs and need more recommendations for Apple TV+? Or are you just always on the hunt for good TV, whichever service might have it? Let me recommend three excellent shows currently airing on Apple TV+.
It’s a good time for TV+ shows
Apple TV+ has long sought to distinguish itself with a ‘quality over quantity’ approach. And for the most part, it’s succeeded. There are a lot of fantastic shows and award-worthy movies offered by Apple.
In most cases, though, Apple’s limited roster of offerings means there will only ever be 1, maybe 2 great shows airing at a time.
Personally, if there’s one top-tier show airing on a streamer, I’m likely to keep my subscription. I’ve done this plenty of times with HBO. All that’s needed is one great show to win me over—like The Last of Us or House of the Dragon.
Currently, Apple TV+ has not one but three fantastic shows all airing at once.
And importantly, they each offer an entirely different flavor of TV pleasure.
#1: Bad Monkey
This might be my favorite original series of the year. It’s from Ted Lasso creator Bill Lawrence, but mostly has very little in common with Lasso.
Here’s Apple’s summary:
Bad Monkey tells the story of Andrew Yancy (Vince Vaughn), who has been bounced from the Miami Police Department and is now a health inspector in the Keys. But after stumbling upon a case that begins with a human arm fished up by tourists, he realizes that if he can prove murder, he’ll be back in. He just needs to get past a trove of Floridian oddballs and one bad monkey.
Bad Monkey is filled with funny moments, thrills, cliffhangers, and touching drama. It gives you a bit of everything. The only bad thing I can say is that the story drags just a tiny bit too much. But I love the characters so much that I don’t mind.
Bad Monkey is currently airing its first season on Apple TV+.
#2: Slow Horses
I’ll admit that I was slow to join the Slow Horses bandwagon. The first couple episodes of season 1 didn’t hook me like they did many others. But upon giving it a second go, and especially with the last few episodes of season 1, I got pulled in. My wife and I then quickly breezed through the 6-episode season 2 and 3 runs of the spy thriller.
Here’s Apple’s summary:
Slow Horses, a darkly funny espionage drama, follows a team of British intelligence agents who serve in a dumping ground department of MI5 due to their career-ending mistakes. Led by their brilliant but irascible leader, the notorious Jackson Lamb (Academy Award winner Gary Oldman), they navigate the espionage world’s smoke and mirrors to defend England from sinister forces.
So far, season 4 has not disappointed, and I’m thrilled to know there’s a season 5 already coming. Slow Horses masterfully blends dark humor, action, and intrigue with compelling narrative. It’s also just a very smart show, not disrespecting its viewers’ intelligence in any way.
Slow Horses is currently airing its fourth season on Apple TV+. But they’re short, so you can catch up fast.
#3: Pachinko
Pachinko’s first season was, for a while, the single best-reviewed series on Apple TV+. And deservedly so. This epic tale weaves together stories from multiple generations of a family so powerfully. It’s full of heart, soul, and such real and multilayered characters that you easily get pulled into their world.
Apple’s description reads:
Epic in scope and intimate in tone, the story of Pachinko begins with a forbidden love and crescendos into a sweeping saga that journeys between Korea, Japan and America to tell an unforgettable story of war and peace, love and loss, triumph and reckoning.
For some, Pachinko’s multilingual dialogue will pose a challenge. Characters speak a mix of Korean, Japanese, and English, so you’ll need subtitles turned on. If you can get past that, there’s so much richness to enjoy.
Pachinko is currently airing its second season on Apple TV+.
Many more TV+ offerings on the way
If three great shows all at once isn’t enough for you, I’ve also heard great things about La Maison but have yet to check it out. The French language, fashion-focused series has drawn a lot of comparisons to HBO’s Succession.
And around the corner, there’s so much more coming. I’m especially hyped for Disclaimer and a new season of Shrinking in the next couple weeks.
What have your favorite TV+ shows been lately? What do you think of these three series? Let us know in the comments.
For more recommendations:
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