What to watch on Apple TV Plus: The 10 best shows to stream on the platform right now

There's more to the streamer than Ted Lasso, including Emmy nominee Severance, space race gem For All Mankind, and several under-the-radar comedies

Danny Pudi in Mythic Quest, Jason Sudeikis in Ted Lasso, Youn Yuh-jung in Pachinko, Adam Scott in Severance, and Hailee Steinfeld and Ella Hunt in Dickinson (Photos: Apple TV+) — Danny Pudi in *Mythic Quest*, Jason Sudeikis in *Ted Lasso*, Youn Yuh-jung in *Pachinko*, Adam Scott in Severance, and Hailee Steinfeld and Ella Hunt in *Dickinson* (Photos: Apple TV+)

Apple TV+ has quickly emerged as one of the most popular and reliable streaming platforms. It garnered a whopping 52 Emmy nominations last week, and we recently dug into how Apple TV+ has become a bonafide powerhouse for TV dramas. To help figure out what to watch on the platform, The A.V. Club has assembled our guide of the best shows the service has to offer, including awards magnet Ted Lasso, cult fave For All Mankind (a show we’re recapping weekly), and a healthy serving of underrated gems.

This list is in alphabetical order. It was last updated on July 20, 2022. It will update monthly.

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2 / 12

Dickinson (2019-2021)

Dickinson — Official “Afterlife” Trailer | Apple TV+

Stars: Hailee Steinfeld, Ella Hunt, Anya Baryshnikov, Jane Krakowski, Toby Huss, Adrian Blake Enscoe, Amanda Warren

Number of seasons on Apple TV+: 3

Alena Smith’s Dickinson is the bold, surreal coming-of-age story of famed poet Emily Dickinson (Steinfeld). An audacious aspiring writer who simply doesn’t fit into the era she was born in, Steinfeld’s Dickinson conspicuously fights to break barriers to be a published author, even if means rebelling against her strict parents or frequently talking to an imaginary figure known as Death. Dickinson also blooms as a love story for the ages between Emily and her best friend, Sue (Hunt), one that apparently inspired Taylor Swift’s “ivy” from 2020's evermore. Now that’s how you do romance.

3 / 12

For All Mankind (2021-)

For All Mankind — Official First Look Trailer | Apple TV+

Stars: Joel Kinnaman, Krys Marshall, Shantel VanSanten, Jodi Balfour, Wrenn Schmidt, Sonya Walger, Michael Dorman, Sarah Jones, Cynthy Wu, Coral Peña, Casey W. Johnson, Nate Corddry

Number of seasons on Apple TV+: 3

For All Mankind is not just one of the best dramas on Apple TV+. It’s the streaming platform’s crowning achievement, period. The alt-history sci-fi series follows NASA astronauts on a mission to reach the moon in the ’70s after Russia won the initial the Space Race. It’s a gripping, emotional workforce tale of the American dream that’s perfectly tied to the characters’ complex personal relationships. FAM also boasts some of the most appealing visual effects out there, whether it’s showing us a stunning lunar base, space flights, or (yes!) even the surface of Mars.

4 / 12

Little America (2020-)

Little America — Official Trailer | Apple TV+

Stars: Suraj Sharma, Sherilynn Fenn, John Ortiz, Zachary Quinto, Mélanie Laurent, Kemiyondo Coutinho, Shaun Toub, Haaz Sleiman, Angela Lin, Conphidance, Jearnest Corchado

Number of seasons on Apple TV+: 1

Little America flew under the radar when it premiered in early 2020, barely a couple of months after Apple TV+ launched. But don’t sleep on this beautiful hidden gem of a show. Written by Kumail Nanjiani, Emily V. Gordon, and Lee Eisenberg, this anthology is based on true stories published in Epic Magazine’s “Little America” feature. Each episode follows the challenges and wins of different immigrants who’ve made this country their home. As The A.V. Club’s review of season one puts it: “It’s a joy to watch a television show with actors, writers, and directors who are mostly minorities, who get to tell their stories unabashedly. Little America is eye-opening and worthy of a four-hour binge.”

5 / 12

Mythic Quest (2020-)

Mythic Quest: Raven’s Banquet — First Look | Apple TV+

Stars: Rob McEllhenny, Charlotte Nicdao, Danny Pudi, Ashly Burch, David Hornsby, Imani Hakim, F. Murray Abraham, Jessie Ennis, Caitlin McGee, Naomi Ekperigin

Number of seasons on Apple TV+: 2

Mythic Quest hails from the team behind It’s Always Sunny In Philadelphia, so you already know this workplace comedy is full of hijinks, wacky comedy, and an even wackier set of characters. The show chronicles a video-game company run by the egotistical Ian Grimm (McElhenney), who often clashes with fellow lead engineer and egoist Poppy Li (Nicdao) and the rest of his team. But even with all the wackiness, Mythic Quest somehow finds inventive ways to be relevant, sharp, and surprisingly emotional.

6 / 12

Pachinko (2022-)

Pachinko — Official Trailer | Apple TV+

Stars: Minha Kim, Youn Yuh-jung, Lee Min-ho, Jin Ha, Soji Arai, Jeong In-ji, Han Jun-woo, Kaho Minami, Anna Sawai, Jimmi Simpson, Jung Eun-chae

Number of seasons on Apple TV+: 1

Based on Min Jin Lee’s sprawling novel of the same name, Pachinko is an endearing, intricately woven tale of generations of a single Korean immigrant family. The focal point is Sunja, whose journey is covered from her simple, traumatic childhood to her twilight years in Japan. Despite tackling some heavy topics, Pachinko consistently remains heartwarming and visually stunning (hat-tip to Justin Chon and Kogonada’s alluring direction).

7 / 12

Physical (2021-)

Physical — Official Trailer | Apple TV+

Stars: Rose Byrne, Rory Scovel, Dierdre Friel, Geoffrey Arend, Paul Sparks, Ashley Liao, Della Saba, Murray Bartlett

Number of seasons on Apple TV+: 2

Get ready to marvel at one of Byrne’s best, most immersive performances in Physical, a dark comedy set in 1980s San Diego. Byrne plays Sheila Rubin, a quietly tormented wife who embarks on a mission of self-discovery with the help of aerobics. (Jane Fonda really is inspirational, huh?) While her husband runs for office in the State Assembly, Sheila makes it her mission to turn her newfound passion into a successful business and transform into a radical female lifestyle guru.

8 / 12

Severance (2022-)

Severance — Official Trailer | Apple TV+

Stars: Adam Scott, Patricia Arquette, Britt Lower, John Turturro, Zach Cherry, Christopher Walken, Tramell Tillman, Dichen Lachman

Number of seasons on Apple TV+: 1

Severance is easily one of the best shows of 2022, as evidenced by its 14 Emmy nominations. Created by Dan Erickson, the thriller builds the tension and anxiety with each passing episode, leading up to an edge-of-your-seat season-one finale. The show centers on the employees of a conglomerate named Lumon, most of whom have severed memories (that is, they forget their private lives once they reach work). Severance boasts career-best turns by Scott and Cherry, plus commendable breakout performances by Lower and Tillman.

9 / 12

Ted Lasso (2020-)

Ted Lasso — Official Trailer | Apple TV+

Stars: Jason Sudeikis, Hannah Waddingham, Brett Goldstein, Juno Temple, Nick Mohammed, Brendan Hunt, Toheeb Jimoh, Sarah Niles, Phil Dunster

Number of seasons on Apple TV+: 2

There’s a reason everyone adores Ted Lasso. Not only did this award-winning comedy’s debut blow up Apple TV+ subscriptions, but the second season became a surprisingly hot topic for Twitter discourse. Sudeikis plays Ted Lasso, who moves from Kansas to the U.K. to coach a struggling English football team. His optimism takes everyone by surprise—and it turns out that a positive and cheery comedy is exactly what we all need right now.

10 / 12

The Shrink Next Door (2021)

The Shrink Next Door — Official Trailer | Apple TV+

Stars: Paul Rudd, Will Ferrell, Kathryn Hahn, Casey Wilson, Cornell Womack, Sarayu Blue

Number of seasons on Apple TV+: 1

The cast alone is a reason to watch The Shrink Next Door, but this limited series flips the script on leading duo Rudd and Ferrell. For a change, Ferrell plays the subdued and shy Martin “Marty” Markowitz, while Rudd is the loud and effervescent Dr. Isaac “Ike” Herschkopf. Based on a heartbreaking real story, the show unpacks how Ike, a therapist, took advantage of Marty’s vulnerabilities for financial gain. As The A.V. Club’s review notes: “The series immerses audiences in the lives of its lead characters in order to elicit two distinct reactions: sympathy for one, indignation for the other. The tension that grows over eight hour-long episodes can feel redundant and aggravating at times, but the payoff is well worth it.”

11 / 12

Trying (2020-)

Trying — Official Trailer | Apple TV+

Stars: Esther Smith, Rafe Spall, Imelda Staunton, Ophelia Lovibond, Oliver Chris, Sian Brooke, Daryn Boyd, Phil Davis, Cush Jumbo, Navin Chowdry

Number of seasons on Apple TV+: 2

In this co-production from Apple TV+ and the BBC, Nikki (Smith) and Jason (Spall) are a married couple who desperately want to be parents but struggle with conceiving a child. So they decide to adopt, only to discover a whole new set of challenges that come with the process. The British comedy is equal parts acerbic and sweet. This charming, underrated series, returns for its third season on July 22.

12 / 12