Apple TV+ has curated its library of shows by focusing more on original and quality content.
Launched in 2019, Apple TV+ carved an unlikely path for itself by releasing minimal licensed third-party content and focusing more on its originals. Since then, the platform has changed a lot, but its drive to produce more quality-driven content hasn’t.
The shows Apple TV+ produces have been subject to critical acclaim and multiple award nominations, making the relatively short library worth taking a look at.
After examining all the shows the platform has produced so far, we have ranked the 50 best Apple TV+ Originals based on the ratings and reviews each of them has received, as well as the opinions of our editors.
Here’s our list of the 50 best Apple TV+ shows:
(Co-authors: Rahul Shinde, Muskan Chhatwani, Nadeem Abdul, Rishabh Chauhan, Prabal Sharma, and Anweshak Tejendra)
Editor’s note: This article was last updated in March 2024
50. Circuit Breakers (2022)
Cast: Arielle Halili, Veda Cienfuegos, Tre Carty, Sheriauna Haase, Gavin MacIver-Wright, Quincy Kirkwood, Callan Farris, Nathaniel Buescher, Kate Moyer
Seasons: 1
A children’s sci-fi anthology series, Circuit Breakers is set in a fictional near future where technology has made life drastically easy. The show uses this premise to tackle kids’ issues through a sci-fi lens as their curiosity leads to chaotic outcomes.
Throughout its seven episodes, Circuit Breakers tells unique tales weaved around different pieces of futuristic tech, which have deep-rooted messages in them.
The show intends to put kids and their families in a situation that leaves them asking themselves how they would react in each scenario. It has been created by Melody Fox.
49. Ghostwriter (2019 – Present)
Cast: Isaac Arellanes, Amadi Chapata, Justin Sanchez, Hannah Levinson, Nour Assaf, Princess Mapp, Daire McLeod, Josette Halpert, Romel De Silva, Tony Ofori, Neil Patrick Harris, Randall Park, Iain Armitage
Seasons: 3
A revival of the ’90s series of the same name, Ghostwriter is a children’s show blended with the supernatural.
When a ghost starts haunting a local bookstore, four children are dragged into this mystery as it starts releasing fictional characters from written texts into the real world.
They call this entity Ghostwriter and team up to solve the mystery behind its unfinished business in the living world.
The show’s first season premiered with the launch of Apple TV+ and holds a perfect 100% rating on Rotten Tomatoes. Furthermore, it won the Outstanding Children’s or Family Viewing Program Daytime Emmy Award in 2020.
48. Lisey’s Story (2021)
Cast: Julianne Moore, Clive Owen, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Dane DeHaan, Joan Allen
Seasons: 1
This psychological thriller is an adaptation of the eponymous 2006 novel by Stephen King and follows Lisa “Lisey” Landon. She is the widow of famous fiction author Scott Landon, who passes away two years before the plot begins.
Lisey spends her time still grieving her husband’s passing and ignoring people interested in acquiring his unpublished manuscripts.
Incidentally, she discovers that Scott has left her a treasure hunt while going through his belongings. This forced Lisey to relive some strange memories of her life with Scott.
Furthermore, things get more bizarre when a stalker threatens her for Scott’s work.
The series has been written by King himself and is produced by J. J. Abrams.
47. Suspicion (2022)
Cast: Kunal Nayyar, Georgina Campbell, Elyes Gabel, Elizabeth Henstridge, Angel Coulby, Tom Rhys Harries, Uma Thurman, Gerran Howell
Seasons: 1
Five ordinary and unrelated British individuals face a life-altering situation when they are apprehended by the authorities for a kidnapping in New York.
The London Police identify these three men and two women as primary suspects in the abduction of American media mogul Katherine Newman’s son Leonardo.
Now, they must race against time and find proof of their innocence lest their lives are destroyed. However, the question still remains if they are actually innocent.
Suspicion is based on the Israeli series False Flag and is directed by Chris Long.
46. Surface (2022 – Present)
Cast: Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Oliver Jackson-Cohen, Ari Graynor, Ari Graynor, François Arnaud, Millie Brady, Marianne Jean-Baptiste, Stephan James, Markian Tarasiuk
Seasons: 1
Set in posh locales of San Francisco, Surface is the story of Sophie, a woman who suffers a traumatic head injury after an alleged suicide attempt, leaving her with acute amnesia.
Realizing that all is not how it seems, she desperately tries to piece her life back together with help from her husband and close friends. Gradually, through a very twisty narrative, we discover that Sophie’s past may hold darker secrets than she anticipated.
After a July 2022 premiere, the series was ordered for a second season in December 2022.
45. Invasion (2021 – Present)
Cast: Golshifteh Farahani, Shamier Anderson, Shioli Kutsuna, Firas Nassar, Aziz Capkurt, Billy Barratt, Azhy Robertson, Tara Moayedi, Daisuke Tsuji, Sam Neill
Seasons: 1
This sci-fi thriller series focuses on an alien invasion that threatens humanity. The narrative focuses on five ordinary people on different continents as they view the events unfolding in real-time.
We get to see chaos erupt across the world through the eyes of these people as the aliens infest the planet. This multi-lingual show features the English, Arabic, and Japanese languages.
The series, created by Simon Kinberg and David Weil, was released in October 2021 and was renewed for a second season in December 2021
44. Amazing Stories (2020)
Cast: Dylan O’Brien, Victoria Pedretti, Micah Stock, Sasha Alexander, Hailey Kilgore, E’myri Crutchfield, Shane Paul McGhie, Ezana Alem, Robert Forster, Tyler Crumley, Kyle Bornheimer, Michelle Wilson, Sasha Lane, Josh Holloway, Kerry Bishé, Austin Stowell, Edward Burns, Juliana Canfield
Seasons: 1
An American anthology series, Amazing Stories is a modern-day adaptation of the 1985 TV series of the same name by Stephen Spielberg. The concept of this 5-episode series focuses on transporting its regular characters into fantastical worlds of adventure and imagination.
The stories encapsulate situations like a time traveler romancing a woman in the past, a ghost of an athlete investigating her death while helping her friend, and a grandpa receiving a superhero ring in the mail, among others.
The Executive Producers of this series include Spielberg, Edward Kitsis, Adam Horowitz, Darryl Frank, and Justin Falvey.
The title of the original show was inspired by the sci-fi magazine that launched in 1926 and is still prevalent.
43. The Mosquito Coast (2021 – 2023)
Cast: Justin Theroux, Melissa George, Gabriel Bateman, Ian Hart, Ariyon Bakare, Natalia Cordova-Buckley, Daniel Raymont
Seasons: 2
Based on the 1981 novel of the same name by Paul Theroux, The Mosquito Coast follows a devoted family man and inventor Allie Fox.
Getting more and more disenchanted with commercialization and corruption in the United States, he takes a drastic step and decides to move his wife and two children to Latin America.
It turns out, he is being hunted by the US government, and as they come looking for him, the Fox family faces a dangerous game of cat & mouse through Mexico.
This quest for safety also gradually reveals the reason behind Allie’s wanted status. The second season sees them make their way through the Mexican rainforest and settle in a small community called Casa Rojas.
As the characters deal with living off the grid, dark secrets about their new home come to light. The show has been developed by Neil Cross and Tom Bissell.
It is also a vague adaptation of the eponymous 1986 film starring Harrison Ford which is also based on the book. The show was canceled in January 2023 after two seasons.
42. Dear Edward (2023- Present)
Cast: Taylor Schilling, Colin O’Brien, Robin Tunney, Anna Uzele, Connie Britton
Seasons: 1
Dear Edward focuses on the story of Edward Adler, the lone survivor of a plane crash that takes the lives of several people.
He and everyone else who has suffered losses in the crash come together to help with their grief and navigate life after such a traumatic event.
The series is based on a novel of the same name written by Ann Napolitano and the first season is currently streaming with 7 episodes released so far.
41. Shantaram (2022)
Cast: Charlie Hunnam, Fayssal Bazzi, Sujaya Dasgupta, Antonia Desplat, Elham Ehsas
Seasons: 1
Shantaram is based on a novel of the same name that is inspired by the life of Gregory David Roberts. It tells the story of a bank robber from Australia who flees the country in search of a new start in Bombay.
Dale Conti is a former paramedic-in-training with substance abuse issues who was sent to prison for a series of armed robberies. He manages to escape prison and moves to Bombay, India after changing his identity.
While in Bombay, he comes in contact with several other foreign individuals who have ties to the local underworld. He gets caught up in it himself as he does his best to keep a low profile so that his past does not catch up to him.
Filming of the series was heavily interrupted by the Indian monsoon season and the COVID-19 pandemic, forcing initial showrunner Eric Warren Singer to drop out of the project and be replaced by Steve Lightfoot.
The series was canceled after one season.
40. See (2019 – 2022)
Cast: Jason Momoa, Sylvia Hoeks, Hera Hilmar, Christian Camargo, Archie Madekwe, Nesta Cooper
Seasons: 3
In a post-apocalyptic future, humans live without the sense of sight after a virus wiped out most of humanity in the 21st century.
Humanity has regressed into tribal hunter-gather societies and adapted to survive without the ability to see. Baba Voss is the Chief of the Alkenny tribe, who takes in a pregnant woman named Maghra.
When Maghra gives birth to twins with the gift of sight, word spreads across the lands and makes them a target as anything connected to the power of vision is considered heresy in these times.
Voss must protect Maghra and his adopted children along with the rest of the tribe from the kingdoms that wish to put an end to them.
This was Jason Momoa’s second time leading a television series following his role in the Canadian series Frontier
39. Roar (2022)
Cast: Issa Rae, Betty Gilpin, Alison Brie, Nicole Kidman, Meera Syal, Merritt Wever
Seasons: 1
Roar is an anthology series based on a short story collection of the same name written by Cecelia Ahern. It explores the experiences of a woman and how they deal with outside perceptions as well as their own.
The series consists of dark comedic concepts as the female perspective is provided in multiple quirky stories with unexpected twists and turns.
The all-star cast is a highlight of the series as their talent shines through quite predictably. The title is a reference to the feminist anthem by Hellen Reddy, “I Am Woman, Hear Me Roar”.
38. Mr. Corman (2021)
Cast: Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Arturo Castro, Debra Winger, Shannon Woodward, Logic
Seasons: 1
Josh Corman is a public school teacher who is going through a crisis of confidence all of a sudden as he feels his life could have gone very differently.
The series follows Corman as he navigates the pitfalls of the human mind while getting advice from his friends and family around him.
Mr. Corman contains some wacky visuals and foot-tapping musical numbers in a series that explores the human psyche and the difficulties that people face in life.
The series was canceled after one season.
37. The Shrink Next Door (2021)
Cast: Will Ferrell, Paul Rudd, Kathryn Hahn, Casey Wilson, Cornell Womack
Seasons: 1
Martin “Marty” Markowitz suffers from anxiety attacks and a ton of grief following the death of his parents, so his sister Phyllis pushes him to visit a psychiatrist.
Marty goes to the office of Dr. Isaac “Ike” Herschkopf, an unorthodox professional who manages to help Marty overcome many of his issues.
However, as the sessions go on, Ike gradually inserts himself into Marty’s life and essentially makes his decisions for him, much to Phyllis’s worry.
The series is based on the real-life story of psychiatrist Isaac Herschkopf, who was deemed to have violated “minimal acceptable standards of care in the psychotherapeutic relationship” by the New York Health Department in 2021.
36. Little Voice (2020)
Cast: Brittany O’Grady, Sean Teale, Colton Ryan, Shalini Bathina, Kevin Valdez
Seasons: 1
Bess Alice King is a talented musician who is too scared to share her music with the world. She continues to write songs but doesn’t let anyone else see or hear them.
The story follows Bess as she grows in confidence to follow her dreams with the help of the people around her who encourage her to be unafraid.
From the mind of musician Sara Bareilles alongside Jesse Nelson, Little Voice is a heartwarming series about finding your true voice in your 20s and overcoming your fears.
Bareilles also released an album called More Love: Songs from Little Voice Season One on Epic Records. It is the soundtrack of the first season.
On August 4, 2021, the series was canceled after one season.
35. WeCrashed (2022)
Cast: Jared Leto, Anne Hathaway, Kyle Marvin, Kelly AuCoin, Steven Boyer
Seasons: 1
WeCrashed is a drama mini-series that revolves around the mercurial Adam Neumann and his wife, Rebekah, the couple at the center of the coworking space company, WeWork.
The story follows the rise of Adam and Rebekah alongside fellow co-founder Miguel McKelvey as they create a revolutionary company before it all comes crashing down due to some stunning revelations.
The series is based on the podcast WeCrashed: The Rise and Fall of WeWork by Wondery. It is a mixture of real and fictional events and characters, although the fictional elements have some basis in reality.
WeCrashed was praised for the performances of the cast, especially its lead pair Jared Leto and Ann Hathaway.
34. Echo 3 (2022 – Present)
Cast: Michiel Huisman, Luke Evans, Jessica Ann Collins, Elizabeth Anweis, Fahim Fazli, James Udom, Maria Del Rosario, Alejandro Furth, Juan Pablo Raba, Sofia Buenaventura, Javier Rosado, Bradley Whitford, Martina Gusmán, Franka Potente, Temuera Morrison
Seasons: 1
Amber Chesborough, a brilliant American scientist researching psychedelics’ use to treat addiction in Colombia, is one day kidnapped by militants. When her loved ones get the news, it falls upon them to find her.
It’s her brother, Bambi, and her husband, Prince, both of whom are US Army Delta Force operators. They set out to find her after not hearing from her for days.
Though elite soldiers they might be, Bambi and Prince’s relationship isn’t quite. In their past, a mission gone awry had resulted in their friendship being strained and it has been a shaky dynamic ever since.
A tense and expertly crafted thriller, Echo 3 is based on the Israeli award-winning series When Heroes Fly, which was inspired by the eponymously titled novel by Amir Gutfreund.
33. The Essex Serpent (2022)
Cast: Claire Danes, Tom Hiddleston, Frank Dillane, Clémence Poésy, Hayley Squires, Jamael Westman, Lily-Rose Aslandogdu, Gerard Kearns, Michael Jibson, Caspar Griffiths, Dixie Egerickx, Ryan Reffell, Nitin Ganatra, Christopher Fairbank, Deepica Stephen, Greta Bellamacina, Yaamin Chowdhury
Seasons: 1
This period romance drama follows a widow named Cora Seaborne, who has just gotten out of an abusive relationship, and moves from Victorian London to the village of Aldwinter, Essex after hearing of a myth that intrigues her.
This rumor entails locals spotting a mythical serpent, who they claim has returned. To investigate said creature, Cora sets off to the region. There, she comes to befriend the local pastor, and there’s a
However, when a tragedy befalls Aldwinter, the locals turn against her, blaming her for attracting the serpent to the area.
32. Truth Be Told (2019 – Present)
Cast: Octavia Spencer, Aaron Paul, Hunter Doohan, Lizzy Caplan, Elizabeth Perkins, Michael Beach, Mekhi Phifer, Merle Dandridge, Tracie Thomas, Haneefah Wood, Ron Cephas Jones, Kate Hudson, David Lyons, Katherine LaNasa, Tami Roman, Rico E. Anderson
Seasons: 3
Based on Kathleen Barber’s 2017 novel titled Are You Sleeping, this drama series follows Poppy Parnell, a journalist and a true-crime podcaster. When she finds evidence suggesting Warren Cave, a man she helped put behind bars in a 1999 case, Poppy restarts her hit podcast, wishing to reopen the case.
In the sophomore season, Poppy is handed the murder case of a photographer/filmmaker by his wife, Micah, who is a famous writer and also happens to be Poppy’s childhood friend.
The third season of Truth Be Told sees Poppy investigating the disappearance of young black girls in a case that severely lacks mainstream media attention.
31. Losing Alice (2020)
Cast: Ayelet Zurer, Lihi Kornowski, Gal Toren, Shai Avivi, Chelli Goldenberg, Nova Doval, Yossi Marshek
Seasons: 1
This Israeli psychological thriller series follows the titular woman, who’s a filmmaker going through a serious creative slump while managing the overtly explosive three daughters she raises with the help of her husband, David, a famous actor.
Alice’s profession has had a deficit of movement for quite some time now, as she also feels burnout in her personal life as well. However, this all changes when one day, by chance, she meets Sophie.
A free-spirited, wild-at-heart screenwriter in her 20s, Sophie instantly attracts Alice, who gradually becomes obsessed with her. It’s not just the exuberance but also the sexual energy that lures Alice in, while Sophie hopes that the filmmaker will one day make a film on her script.
Soon, Alice invites and incorporates Sophie into just about every facet of her life, but as the story moves forward, more and more twists present themselves, and the ambiguity of who is perilous to whom holds the viewer in for a suspenseful ride.
30. Physical (2021 – Present)
Cast: Rose Byrne, Rory Scovel, Paul Sparks, Della Saba, Lou Taylor Pucci, Dierdre Friel, Geoffrey Arend, Ashley Liao
Seasons: 2
This dark comedy follows Sheila Rubin, a housewife leading a tortured life in the 80s who sets off on a journey of self-discovery through aerobics.
It all takes place in San Diego in the 1980s, where lives Sheila Rubin, a dutiful housewife leading an idyllic life supporting her controversial husband in his campaign for state assembly. However, that’s just what she projects to the outside world.
Inside, Sheila is burning and withering away, existing as a quietly tortured woman suffering from Bulimia and many other personal demons. However, when she discovers the world of aerobics, her life takes a drastic turn.
Sheila finds the perfect release in the world of aerobics, and when she learns of the videotape technology and its popularity in the concurrent era, she sets off to not just change herself, but also make waves in the world of self-image and female lifestyle.
29. Defending Jacob (2020)
Cast: Chris Evans, Michelle Dockery, Jaeden Martell, Cherry Jones, Pablo Schreiber, Betty Gabriel, Sakina Jaffrey, J. K. Simmons, Daniel Henshall
Seasons: 1
Based on the 2012 NYT bestselling novel of the same name, Defending Jacob follows an assistant District Attorney contending with his torn conscience when he has to choose between loyalty and justice.
The reason for his battle with himself is none other than his own kid, Jacob, who shocks the entirety of New England town when he gets charged with the murder of a fellow student.
Andy Barber has been working to uphold justice for two decades and yet his first instincts after the grim revelations are to trust and defend his son. However, as the case progresses and new details emerge, it becomes harder and harder for him to do just that.
Between a rock and a hard place, Andy’s life is inflicted with the many conflicts that the tug-of-war inside of him. Meanwhile, his marriage starts to fall apart as a result of the developing case, as he’s put through the wringer and forced to determine where in the past it could’ve gotten wrong and what brought him and his family to this point.
28. The Morning Show (2019 – Present)
Cast: Jennifer Aniston, Reese Witherspoon, Billy Crudup, Mark Duplass, Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Néstor Carbonell, Karen Pittman, Bel Powley, Desean Terry, Jack Davenport, Steve Carell, Greta Lee, Ruairi O’Connor, Julianna Margulies, Jon Hamm, Nicole Beharie
Seasons: 2
A drama taking the viewer behind the curtains and cameras of the morning news world, The Morning Show follows Alex Levy, the anchor of the titular breakfast news program of the UBA network.
Anchoring such a popular show with such a staggering reputation as well as viewership brings about great stakes and stress upon the protagonists and the people that surround them. Alex takes the many conflicts and challenges head-on, failing and succeeding in the day-to-day cut-throat world of television.
While the first season sees Alex contending with the danger her spot at the show faces after her co-host of 15 years, Mitch Kessler is fired amidst sexual misconduct scandal. Meanwhile, the new co-host, Bradley Jackson, becomes a rival to Levy, and the two spend the majority of the season butting heads with each other.
The sophomore installment of the show sees Alex being convinced by the network to return as the Covid-19 pandemic starts to spread throughout the nation. Meanwhile, Jackson contends with an identity crisis of her own.
27. Foundation (2021 – Present)
Cast: Jared Harris, Lee Pace, Lou Llobell, Leah Harvey, Laura Birn, Terrence Mann, Chipo Chung, Cassian Bilton
Seasons: 1
When famed mathematical genius, Hari Seldon predicts the imminent collapse of the Galactic Empire, he and his protégée Gaal Dornick are exiled to the periphery planet of Terminus.
There, they are to work on the repository of human knowledge called “Foundation”, a source that Hari believes will shorten the dark ages from thirty-thousand years to just a millennium.
Throughout their struggles to save the galactic empire from the utter collapse that threatens it, the exiled have to contend with secrets and conspiracies, along with revelations that stand to pose ideas of saving that are antithetical to the very empire.
The series is based on Isaac Asimov’s Hugo Award-winning sci-fi epic series of the same name.
26. Dr. Brain (2021 – Present)
Cast: Lee Sun-Kyun, Lee Yoo-young, Park Hee-soon, Seo Ji-Hye, Lee Jae-won, Uhm Tae-goo, Joo Min-Kyung
Seasons: 1
Lee Se-Won is a brilliant brain scientist who suffers a tragedy that breaks his entire world apart when his family falls victim to a mysterious accident. Now he must form what he calls “brain syncs” with the deceased to take a peak into their memories and learn what happened.
However, these syncs offer him a series of challenges wherein he finds himself struggling to separate other memories from those of his own.
The first-ever Korean language Apple TV+ series, Dr. Brain deals with the themes of loss and grief, while also weaving in sci-fi elements into a thrilling narrative.
25. Tehran (2020 – Present)
Cast: Niv Sultan, Shaun Toub, Shervin Alenabi, Menashe Noy, Liraz Charhi, Shila Ommi, Darius Homayoun, Glenn Close
Seasons: 2
Tehran revolves around Tamar Rabinyan, a Jewish woman, who was born in Tehran, Iran, but she moved to Israel at the age of six. Tamar, now a Mossad agent, is sent to Tehran on her first mission.
The mission does not go as planned, and Tamar gets trapped in the city she was born in with no way out. As the head of investigations of the Revolutionary Guards of Iran is looking for her, Tamar goes into hiding.
The spy thriller involves players from two different countries engaged in a cat-and-mouse game. While hiding and running, Tamar’s mission becomes personal as she gets acquainted with her roots.
Tehran offers a glimpse of what it means to be an undercover agent for a woman. It also depicts the bonds Tamar forms in her hometown and the losses that she faces.
By the end of the second season, Tamar is still trapped in Iran and has no one she can trust. The series has been renewed for a third season.
Co-created by the head writer of Fauda, Tehran is the first-ever Israeli show to win the International Emmy Award for best drama series in 2021.
24. The Last Days of Ptolemy Grey (2022)
Cast: Samuel L. Jackson, Dominique Fishback, Cynthia McWilliams, Damon Gupton, Marsha Stephanie Blake
Season: 1
Based on Walter Mosley’s novel of the same name, The Last Days of Ptolemy Grey follows an old man named Ptolemy Grey who loses his trusted caregiver. An orphaned teenager, Robyn, is then assigned to take care of him.
Ptolemy suffers from dementia, but he soon finds out that there is a treatment that can restore his memories, but it will work only once. Ptolemy decides to take the treatment.
When his memories are restored, he embarks on a journey that leads him to shocking revelations. He needs to investigate and find out the truth about his past before time runs out and he loses his memories once again.
Ptolemy Grey’s determination to uncover the truth makes him grasp this last chance and do everything in his power to reach his goal. It is the story of a mind being set free after long-term confinement.
The six-episode limited series was praised for Samuel L. Jackson and Dominique Fishback’s brilliant performances as well as the show’s portrayal of the marginalized sections of society.
23. Central Park (2020 – Present)
Cast: Josh Gad, Kristen Bell, Emmy Raver-Lampman, Tituss Burgess, Daveed Diggs, Kathryn Hahn, Leslie Odom Jr., Stanley Tucci
Seasons: 3
Central Park is a musical animated sitcom that follows the Tillerman–Hunter family, living in Edendale Castle in New York’s Central Park.
The family comprises Owen and Paige as well as their two children, Molly and Cole. Owen is the manager of Central Park, and Paige is a journalist who wishes to write a good story one day.
The arrival of a wealthy heiress, Bitsy Brandenham, affects their lives, as Bitsy plans to buy the land in Central Park and build other buildings on it for personal reasons. The Tillerman–Hunter family must do everything they can to save the park.
The story’s narrator is a busker at the park, Birdie, who is aware of the fourth wall and has his own notions of the role of the narrator.
The musical is a witty as well as a wholesome family drama. Apart from that, the series has numerous original songs sung by the cast, with each episode having about four original songs.
22. Home Before Dark (2020 – Present)
Cast: Brooklynn Prince, Jim Sturgess, Kylie Rogers, Abby Miller, Louis Herthum, Michael Weston
Seasons: 2
Inspired by the life of a young girl, Hilde Lysiak, who started working as a journalist at a young age, Home Before Dark follows the story of a fourth-grader, Hilde Lisko, who is an investigative journalist.
Hilde’s family moves to a small coastal town from Brooklyn. Everyone there knows her father, who left the town behind years ago. As Hilde starts her investigation, she comes across a cold case.
There are secrets that the town holds, secrets that even her father tried to hide. Hilde wishes to discover the truth, but it is hard when people around her do not take her seriously due to her age and gender.
The idea that young girls can change the world is highlighted in the show. The protagonist at times seems wiser than the adults around her; her wisdom helps her gain the perspective that they lack.
The plot of the show is not without its flaws, but the mysteries depicted in the show and Brooklyn Prince’s convincing performance keep the audience hooked.
21. Loot (2022 – Present)
Cast: Maya Rudolph, Michaela Jaé Rodriguez, Joel Kim Booster, Ron Funches, Nat Faxon
Season: 1
Molly Novak is living her best life; she leads a happy life with her billionaire husband and has everything she could possibly want until she doesn’t. On her birthday, she discovers that her husband is having an affair with a much younger woman.
She divorces her husband of 20 years and gets $87 billion in the settlement. She also faces public humiliation as her divorce becomes a public spectacle. It is then that she finds out that she owns a charitable foundation and decides to get involved.
With the people who work for the foundation, Molly starts over. Molly’s journey of self-discovery begins when she determines to prove to the world that she is a capable woman, more than the shallow people believe her to be.
Loot is a feel-good comedy series. It is the story of a woman who loses the life she had always known, but due to that, she finds herself. The show was renewed for a second season in 2022.
20. Shining Girls (2022 – Present)
Cast: Elisabeth Moss, Wagner Moura, Jamie Bell
Season: 1
Based on the novel The Shining Girls by Lauren Beukes, the thriller series follows an archivist, Kirby Mazrachi, at the Chicago Sun-Times.
Kirby was attacked by someone years ago and left to die. She survived the attack, but it changed Kirby’s life forever. The trauma resulting from the attack affects her to this day.
Kirby cannot comprehend her ever-changing reality, so she teams up with a reporter, Dan Velazquez, when she comes across a murder that resembles the attack on her.
As they delve deep into the case to find Kirby’s attacker, they discover several old cold cases of similar murders. There is a serial killer out there, and Kirby needs to find him to come to terms with her own past.
The chilling series deals with not just the investigation to find the serial killer but also the shifting realities of the protagonist, themes like trauma and grief, and the impact of such an attack on a survivor.
19. Calls (2021)
Cast: Nick Jonas, Lily Collins, Pedro Pascal, Rosario Dawson, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Aubrey Plaza
Seasons: 1
Based on a French television series of the same name by Timothée Hochet, Calls is a unique American thriller miniseries consisting of short episodes.
There are nine phone calls, and they are all somehow connected to each other. The phone conversations in the show follow the stories of a group of strangers. As danger approaches, their lives turn upside down.
There are minimal abstract visuals in the show, as the stories are told through various phone conversations, allowing the audience to imagine the stories as they wish.
The writing of the show locates the horror of our reality in the minds of the listeners. The phone calls bring a sense of familiarity, which soon abandon the audience in a terrifying scenario, not depicted on-screen but painted in their own minds.
A show that is completely dependent on the audio to introduce the mystery to the audience and get them invested needs powerful voice performances to be able to successfully execute the plot, and this show does not disappoint in that aspect.
18. Shrinking (2023 – Present)
Cast: Jason Segel, Jessica Williams, Harrison Ford, Michael Urie, Christa Miller, Lukita Maxwell
Season: 1
Shrinking is a comedy-drama that follows Jimmy Laird, a therapist who is mourning the death of his wife. He has to go on with his life as a father, as a therapist, and as a friend, even with his ever-present grief.
Jimmy now decides to change his ways. He starts being brutally honest with people around him, including his patient, breaching ethical barriers in the process.
However, when he tells his patients what he really thinks, he brings about a change in their lives and, through it, in his own life. Jimmy eventually learns to help himself by helping others.
The series focuses on dark themes like grief, recovery, the negative impact of helping others on one’s mental health, along with the idea of one’s professional life not being unaffected by one’s personal life.
However, there is also the message of being compassionate towards yourself that is delivered in a humorous manner through the show’s very relatable and human characters.
17. Schmigadoon! (2021 – Present)
Cast: Keegan-Michael Key, Cecily Strong, Fred Armisen
Seasons: 1
This musical comedy follows Josh Skinner and Melissa Gamble, a couple who embark on a backpacking trip in an attempt to mend their relationship.
What the two don’t realise is their lives are about to change in a bizarre way. After losing their way, they end up getting stuck in a town called ‘Schmigadoon’.
They soon come to terms with the fact that they are literally stuck inside a musical. The only way to escape? Find true love.
The series is a clever homage to musicals of the 1900s that manages to capture the best elements of the genre. The songs are catchy and well-written and it’s a genuinely enjoyable ride.
Cinco Paul, one of the creators of Schmigadoon, actually came up with the premise over 20 years ago. However, he only considered creating it when the concept of allowing escape after finding true love came to him.
16. The Afterparty (2022 – Present)
Cast: Tiffany Haddish, Sam Richardson, Zoë Chao, Ike Barinholtz, Ben Schwartz, Ilana Glazer, Jamie Demetriou, Dave Franco
Seasons: 1
During a high school reunion party, one of the attendees, who was a celebrity, is murdered. All those present immediately become suspects.
As two fumbling detectives attempt to piece the puzzle, each of the suspects has their own version of the events that precede the killing. Each episode is also divided into a different ‘genre’; ranging from action to even animation.
The Afterparty subverts the murder mystery genre, fusing elements of comedy and highlighting the millennial mindset. The constantly shifting genres also make it a compelling watch.
The actors all give praiseworthy performances as unusual characters whose quirks have been amplified for humour.
15. Snoopy in Space (2019 – 2021)
Cast: Terry McGurrin, Robert Tinkler, Hattie Kragten, Ethan Pugiotto, Tyler Nathan
Seasons: 2
Snoopy in Space is an animated series that takes inspiration from the comic strip Peanuts that circulated from 1950 – 2000 in America.
This iteration is based on the titular Snoopy, who undertakes interstellar explorations alongside his “Peanuts” group: Charlie Brown, Woodstock and the rest.
The show has received praise for incorporating educational aspects, similar to the original comic, although it does avoid the darker parts.
It received a nomination for Outstanding Short Format Children’s Program at the Daytime Emmys.
In 2021, NASA paid homage to the character by announcing that a Snoopy figurine would be used as a zero-gravity indicator on the Artemis I test flight.
14. Five Days at Memorial (2022)
Cast: Vera Farmiga, Cherry Jones, Cornelius Smith Jr., Robert Pine, Adepero Oduye, Julie Ann Emery
Seasons: 1
Based on true events, this show depicts the plight of survivors at the New Orleans hospital after the destruction caused by Hurricane Katrina in 2022.
It explores the incident and the aftermath of catastrophe as well as the emotional and ethical aspects of providing care after tragedy.
Five Days at Memorial is a poignant take that holds nothing back in its portrayal. It won Outstanding Supporting Visual Effects in a Photoreal Episode at the 21st Visual Effects Society Awards.
13. Dickinson (2019 – 2021)
Cast: Hailee Steinfeld, Adrian Blake Enscoe, Anna Baryshnikov, Ella Hunt, Jane Krakowski, Toby Huss
Seasons: 3
This series reimagines the story of Emily Dickinson, a famed author whose works were only recognised after her death.
Dickinson narrates her life, but with a modern sensibility and tone. She is shown as a rebellious girl who constantly questions societal boundaries.
The show is an excellent adaptation that does far beyond just basic storytelling. It also incorporates Emily Dickinson’s works and gives a vivid representation of her thoughts.
It received the Peabody Award for Entertainment, becoming the first Apple TV+ title to win this accolade.
12. Trying (2020 – Present)
Cast: Esther Smith, Rafe Spall, Imelda Staunton, Ophelia Lovibound, Oliver Chris, Sian Brooke, Darren Boyd
Seasons: 3
When Nikki and Jason realise that they won’t be able to become parents through conventional ways, they ponder whether to give up on their dream.
They finally decide on adopting children. But the process of adoption is far tougher than they initially thought. Nonetheless, nothing can stop these would-be parents in ‘trying’.
The British series relatable and humorous. The lead pair are as likeable as they get and you find yourself genuinely rooting for them from the moment they are introduced on screen.
Trying is the epitome of a feel-good show, even though it explores a delicate issue that many couples across the world face.
11. Servant (2019 – Present)
Cast: Lauren Ambrose, Toby Kebbell, Nell Tiger Free, Rupert Grint
Seasons: 4
After losing their thirteen-week-old son Jericho, a couple from Philadelphia, Sean and Dorothy Turner, experience turbulence in their relationship.
The undergo transitory object therapy after Dorothy experiences a psychotic breakdown. To achieve this, they use a reborn doll, which is the only reason Dorothy was able to get out of a catatonic state.
Since she believes the doll is real, a babysitter named Leanne Grayson is hired as its nanny, but this makes their home vulnerable to a ‘mysterious force’, and Sean starts to become suspicious of the new nanny.
Servant has been created by M. Night Shyamalan, who is known for making films with supernatural elements.
10. Mythic Quest (2020 – Present)
Cast: Rob McElhenney, Charlotte Nicdao, Ashly Burch, Jessie Ennis, Imani Hakim, David Hornsby, Danny Pudi
Seasons: 3
Ever wondered how the workspace of a video game company looks? Mythic Quest attempts to portray this with a pinch of humour.
The series follows Ian and Poppy, the two heads of a massively popular online multiplayer game. While the former handles the designs and comes up with ideas, the latter is responsible for the technical side.
With their clashing ideals and constantly fluctuating relationship, the two must keep on going despite the hurdles they face.
One of the most underrated shows on the streamer, Mythic Quest is hilarious and all the characters are well fleshed out.
It is also known for ‘departure’ episodes in every season that focus on a story that is separate from the main narrative.
The departure episode in season two titled ‘Backstory’ was given ‘Outstanding Achievement in Cinematography in an Episode of a Half-Hour Television Series’ by the American Society of Cinematographers.
A spin-off called Mere Mortals is also in the work, which will be inspired by the departure episodes.
9. For All Mankind (2019 – Present)
Cast: Joel Kinnaman, Michael Dorman, Sarah Jones, Shantel VanSanten, Jodi Balfour, Wrenn Schmidt
Seasons: 3
For All Mankind takes place in an alternate timeline where the Soviet Union becomes the first country to send a man to the moon.
The news rocks Americans across the nation and especially affects the morale at NASA. They are put under immense pressure to send one of their own to the moon.
Though NASA manages to do so, the Soviet Union continues to best the Americans by sending the first woman into space.
As the cold war gets hotter, NASA is tasked with not only sending a woman to space but also building a space station on the moon in an attempt to bring humanity one step closer to living out in space.
For All Mankind presents an intriguing ‘what if’ question in front of the viewers and offers a story aided by brilliant writing and exploration of history.
The show also captures the struggles of women and minorities who had to keep their sexual identity a secret in order to keep their job.
Starting off in the 1970s, every season of For All Mankind takes place ten years after the events of the previous season.
8. Acapulco (2021 – Present)
Cast: Eugenio Derbez, Enrique Arrizon, Damián Alcázar, Camila Perez, Raphael Alejandro
Seasons: 2
Inspired by the 2017 film How to Be a Latin Lover, Acapulco follows the story of Máximo Gallardo in his 20s, who gets his dream job at the hottest resort in Acapulco, Las Colinas, in the 1980s.
For a poor kid, working at Las Colinas is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. As a result, everything at the resort feels colorful and new to Gallardo, only for him to later realize that the place is not as comfortable as he had imagined.
Gallardo navigates his life by providing for demanding customers, avoiding hitting on his boss’ girlfriend, and managing complications at home.
Gallardo’s mother worries that the lavish hotel may change him forever, but he believes that he will be the one to change the place.
Acapulco is a nostalgic trip to the 1980s, accompanied by smart humor and a sense of comfort. It is one of the hidden gems on Apple TV+ that often doesn’t get noticed amidst the platform’s biggest shows.
7. Slow Horses (2022 – Present)
Cast: Gary Oldman, Jack Lowden, Kristin Scott Thomas
Seasons: 2
Based on the Slough House series of novels by Mick Herron, Slow Horses tells the story of failed MI5 agents of Slough House, which is an administrative purgatory run by Jackson Lamb.
The MI5 officers at Slough House have managed to professionally mess up their careers by bungling up a job or two. These officers, as a part of Slough House, are now known as ‘Slow Horses’.
They are pushed into doing dull paper-pushing work and are often bullied by Lamb, who hopes that they will quit out of frustration.
Despite being considered incompetent and nobodies, the frustrated officers at Slough House often get involved in high-profile cases as they attempt to save the day, though no one expects them to do so.
Unlike many spy thrillers, Slow Horses doesn’t try to make its underdog characters heroes. The officers at Slough House continue to be losers in the eyes of MI5.
The gripping narrative, convincing schemes against the country, polished writing, on-the-spot British humor, and Gary Oldman’s impressive portrayal of Jackson Lamb make the show worth watching.
The first season sees the Slow Horses go up against an extremist group called the Sons of Albion, while the second season, which gets better than the first, sees them investigating the possible existence of mythical sleeper agents embedded in British society.
6. Black Bird (2022)
Cast: Taron Egerton, Paul Walter Hauser, Sepideh Moafi, Greg Kinnear, Ray Liotta
Seasons: 1
James ‘Jimmy’ Keene, a promising young football star, turns to a life of crime, which soon leads to his arrest.
He accepts a plea deal of five years in prison, but due to the charge of possession of illegal firearms, he receives a sentence of 10 years without parole.
Jimmy continues to thrive in prison, and after observing his charisma and ability to get along with everyone, Special Agent Lauren McCauley offers him an opportunity to reduce his criminal sentence.
Jimmy’s job will be to befriend a fellow prisoner, Larry Hall, who is inside the prison for the abduction and murder of a young girl.
It is suspected that Hall is responsible for the deaths of many more. Jimmy’s job is to not only befriend Larry but also to get him to confess to the crimes he has committed.
Black Bird comes packed with strong performances from an ensemble cast. It’s gritty and builds just the right amount of tension this prison drama requires for the story it is telling.
5. Little America (2020 – Present)
Cast: Suraj Sharma, Jearnest Corchado, Rishi Danda, Conphidance, Mélanie, Laurent, Kemiyondo Coutinho, Shaun Toub, Angela Lin
Seasons: 2
Little America is an American anthology series that tells the stories of immigrants in America. These stories come in various forms; they are heartfelt, funny, romantic, and inspiring.
For example, the very first episode of the first season chronicles the journey of Suraj Sharma, who spends his life putting his skills to the test so that he can reunite with his deported parents someday.
Little America over here delivers what it promises. All the emotions the show claims to have can be found in the unique stories presented in the first two seasons.
4. Bad Sisters (2022 – Present)
Cast: Sharon Horgan, Anne-Marie Duff, Eva Birthistle, Sarah Greene, Eve Hewson
Seasons: 1
Bad Sisters is an Irish black comedy based on the Flemish series Clan. Set in Dublin, Ireland, it follows the lives of the Garvey sisters: Eva, Grace, Ursula, Bibi, and Becka.
The show jumps back and forth between two timelines, one before and one after the death of Grace’s abusive husband, John Paul.
The past looks at the abuse John Paul put Grace through and how much he despises her sisters, which leads the Garvey sisters to plot a plan to kill John Paul and make it look like it was a natural death.
In the present, when Grace’s husband, John Paul, dies under suspicious circumstances, an insurance agent, Tom, attempts to prove that it was murder to avoid paying insurance money to Grace so that he can save his company from going bankrupt.
The Garvey sisters orchestrate various plans and stunts to kill their brother-in-law. All these attempts are entertaining and force viewers to theorize how John Paul really died.
Though it becomes obvious from the start that the show won’t reveal the circumstances surrounding his death until the finale, the engaging narrative, the twists, and the hateful performance by Claes Bang as John Paul make the viewers want to wait and see how it all turns out.
3. Ted Lasso (2020 – Present)
Cast: Jason Sudeikis, Hannah Waddingham, Jeremy Swift, Phil Dunster, Brett Goldstein
Seasons: 3
Ted Lasso, an American college football coach, accepts a position as a coach for an English Premier League soccer team, AFC Richmond.
Team owner Rebecca hired Lasso after watching him lead an underdog team to victory, but here in England, the sport works differently.
Apparently, Rebecca hired Ted so that he can fail at his job and ruin the team’s game, as it was previously owned by her unfaithful ex-husband.
Lasso is not welcomed by the team or anyone, owing to his lack of experience in this sport that is very different from the one played in his country, but with his charm, wits, and personality, he wins the trust of his team.
Ted Lasso is a critically acclaimed and beloved show. It brings a brilliant mix of soap operas, inspirational sequences, and workplace adventures.
The first season of Ted Lasso was nominated for 20 Primetime Emmy Awards, making it the most nominated first-season comedy.
2. Pachinko (2022 – Present)
Cast: Youn Yuh-jung, Lee Min-ho, Kim Min-ha, Jin Ha
Seasons: 1
Pachinko is a multi-generational story based on the 2017 novel of the same name by Min Jin Lee.
The show spans four generations, from the early 1900s to the late 1980s, and captures the tale of a Korean immigrant family that leaves their homeland in order to thrive and survive.
Starting off in the early 1900s, it follows the story of a bright, cheerful young girl, Sunja, who witnesses the Japanese occupation of Korea. This story connects with a narrative set in the 1980s, where a Korean-American businessman is attempting to prove his worth.
The show manages to connect these two different narratives to tell an emotional tale of a family’s bond. The narrative might feel complex at times, but it’s effective.
Pachinko has received universal acclaim and is easily considered to be one of the best television dramas of 2022.
1. Severance (2022 – Present)
Cast: Adam Scott, Zach Cherry, Britt Lower, Tramell Tillman, Jen Tullock
Seasons: 1
Severance is a science fiction psychological thriller that follows Mark, an employee of Lumon Industries.
He goes through a procedure called ‘severance’ that divides the memories of the employees between their work and personal lives. Basically, once they leave the workplace, they leave those memories of work behind at their office.
The procedure ends up forming two different personalities out of a single person, considering that the employees go through different experiences at work and on the weekend.
Though from the outside, the procedure looks intriguing, it’s very controversial, as in a way, the work personalities referred to as “innies” never leave the workplace; more or less, they are trapped in hell.
When Mark’s best friend, Petey, quits and Mark becomes the new head, he slowly and gradually starts discovering the mysterious project that Lumon Industries is making them work on.
Severance is a slow, absorbing, and thought-provoking psychological thriller. Aided by stunning visuals, the show questions how much one should be dedicated to their work.
Also Read: 50 best Netflix thriller movies of all time – Ranked (Updated March 2023)