Best Shows On Apple TV That Deserve More Attention
- 01. Best Shows on Apple TV: The Definitive Ranked List
- 02. Top 10 Apple TV+ Shows Ranked by Critical Score
- 03. The One Most People Overlook: Pachinko
- 04. Essential Shows by Genre
- 05. Best Drama Series
- 06. Best Comedy Series
- 07. Best Sci-Fi & Thriller
- 08. Why Apple TV+ Shows Deserve Your Attention
- 09. Hidden Gems Beyond the Top 10
Best Shows on Apple TV: The Definitive Ranked List
The best shows on Apple TV are Slow Horses (97% Tomatometer), Black Bird (98%), Pachinko (97%), Severance (95%), and Ted Lasso (90%), with Pachinko being the one most people overlook despite its 92% audience score and multi-generational Korean immigrant story.
Top 10 Apple TV+ Shows Ranked by Critical Score
Apple TV+ has built a reputation for premium original content that rivals HBO and Netflix, with 86 original series ranked by Rotten Tomatoes as of July 2025. The platform's strategy focuses on quality over quantity, resulting in an average Tomatometer score of 78% across all originals.
| Rank | Show | Tomatometer | Audience Score | Key Cast |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Slow Horses | 97% | 87% | Gary Oldman, Jack Lowden |
| 2 | Black Bird | 98% | 95% | Taron Egerton, Ray Liotta |
| 3 | Pachinko | 97% | 92% | Youn Yuh-jung, Lee Min-Ho |
| 4 | Little America | 97% | 86% | Anthology cast |
| 5 | Central Park | 97% | 73% | Josh Gad, Kathryn Hahn |
| 6 | Murderbot | 95% | 82% | Alexander Skarsgård |
| 7 | Mythic Quest | 96% | 81% | Rob McElhenney, Danny Pudi |
| 8 | Severance | 95% | 80% | Adam Scott, Patricia Arquette |
| 9 | Trying | 96% | 91% | Rafe Spall, Esther Smith |
| 10 | Shrinking | 93% | 87% | Harrison Ford, Jason Segel |
The One Most People Overlook: Pachinko
Pachinko stands as Apple TV+'s most criminally overlooked masterpiece. This sweeping multi-generational drama follows a Korean immigrant family across four generations as they leave their homeland in an indomitable quest to survive. Despite maintaining a 97% Tomatometer and 92% audience score, pachinko remains underwatched because Apple TV+ rarely markets its content effectively.
The show's cultural authenticity resonates deeply with Latin American audiences familiar with immigrant narratives. Starring Youn Yuh-jung (Academy Award winner for Minari) and Lee Min-Ho, Pachinko premiered March 25, 2022, and concluded with Season 2 on August 23, 2024.
- 97% Tomatometer score from 157 critic reviews
- 92% audience score with 10,000+ ratings
- Won 3 Emmy Awards including Outstanding Lead Actress (Youn Yuh-jung)
- Shot in Korean, Japanese, and English with authentic subtitles
- Based on the Pulitzer Prize-finalist novel by Min Jin Lee
Essential Shows by Genre
Best Drama Series
For character-driven storytelling, these shows represent Apple TV+'s dramatic excellence:
- Black Bird (98%) - Limited series inspired by actual events, featuring Taron Egerton and the late Ray Liotta
- Pachinko (97%) - Multi-generational immigrant epic spanning 1910s Korea to 1980s Japan
- Severance (95%) - Psychological thriller about workers whose memories are surgically divided
- The Last Days of Ptolemy Grey (92%) - Samuel L. Jackson stars in this dementia drama with 94% audience score
- Swagger (93%) - Basketball drama with 96% audience score, created by Kevin Durant
Best Comedy Series
Apple TV+'s comedy lineup combines A-list talent with fresh perspectives:
| Show | Tomatometer | Star | Premiere Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ted Lasso | 90% | Jason Sudeikis | August 14, 2020 |
| Shrinking | 93% | Harrison Ford | January 27, 2023 |
| Mythic Quest | 96% | Rob McElhenney | February 7, 2020 |
| Platonic | 96% | Rose Byrne, Seth Rogen | May 26, 2023 |
| Trying | 96% | Rafe Spall | May 1, 2020 |
Best Sci-Fi & Thriller
Apple TV+ excels at speculative fiction with high production values:
- Silo (90%) - Post-apocalyptic thriller starring Rebecca Ferguson, Season 2 premiered November 15, 2024
- Foundation (87%) - Isaac Asimov adaptation spanning centuries of galactic civilization
- Dark Matter (81%) - Joel Edgerton in a multiverse thriller based on Blake Crouch's novel
- Constellation (72%) - Noomi Rapace astronaut psychological thriller with Jonathan Banks
- Masters of the Air (85%) - WWII bomber drama from Spielberg and Tom Hanks producing team
Why Apple TV+ Shows Deserve Your Attention
Unlike saturated streaming platforms, Apple TV+ resembles an exclusive society that seldom markets content, leaving shows to be discovered through recommendations. This approach has created a library where every selection features exceptional talent and exceptional writing quality.
Research shows Apple TV+ has the highest critical approval rate among major streaming services, with 82% of its originals scoring above 70% on Rotten Tomatoes compared to 64% for Netflix and 71% for HBO Max. The platform invested $6 billion in original content during 2024-2025, resulting in 27 Emmy wins across all categories.
Hidden Gems Beyond the Top 10
Seven Apple TV+ shows deserve attention despite minimal marketing, featuring smart writing and top-notch performances that haven't received recognition they deserve:
- Lessons in Chemistry (83%) - Brie Larson as 1950s scientist turned cooking show host
- Drops of God - International wine competition drama with 84% audience score
- Home Before Dark (81%) - Young investigative journalist starring Brooklynn Prince
- Presumed Innocent (79%) - Jake Gyllenhaal legal thriller with 78% audience score
- Disclaimer (76%) - Cate Blanchett journalist thriller with Kevin Kline
- The Big Door Prize (84%) - Chris O'Dowd small-town mystery with 73% audience score
- Loot (82%) - Maya Rudolph comedy with $87 billion divorce settlement premise
These shows demonstrate Apple TV+'s commitment to diverse storytelling across international perspectives, genres, and voice while maintaining exceptional production quality throughout the library.
Everything you need to know about Best Shows On Apple Tv That Deserve More Attention
What makes Apple TV+ unique?
Apple TV+ distinguishes itself through all-original content with no licensed programming, ensuring every show represents Apple's creative vision. The service maintains an average episode budget of $15-25 million, comparable to HBO's premium productions.
Which show has the highest Tomatometer?
Black Bird holds the highest Tomatometer at 98% with 95% audience score, featuring Taron Egerton's Emmy-nominated performance as Jimmy Keene in this 2022 limited series.
Is Pachinko worth watching?
Pachinko is absolutely worth watching with 97% Tomatometer and 92% audience score, offering cultural depth rarely seen in mainstream streaming that resonates with immigrant communities across Latin America.
What's the best Apple TV+ comedy?
Ted Lasso remains the standout comedy with 90% Tomatometer, winning 13 Emmy Awards including Outstanding Comedy Series twice, though Shrinking (93%) offers fresh Harrison Ford comedy.
How many Apple TV+ shows should I watch?
Start with the top 5 ranked shows (Slow Horses, Black Bird, Pachinko, Little America, Severance) which collectively average 96% Tomatometer and represent the platform's highest achievement.
