When Apple TV+ was first announced in 2017, many looked at it as yet another cash grab by a big tech company among the wave of similar services by Facebook and Amazon. However, a few years later, the streaming landscape is very different. Disney+ is dealing with MCU and Star Wars fatigue, with both properties doing poorly on streaming and at the box office. HBO Max — with its vast Turner Classic library and a slew of beloved Warner Bros. franchises like Harry Potter, Sherlock Holmes, The Matrix, Lord of the Rings, and DC movies — was poised to be a frontrunner in the streaming wars. Of course, we all know that didn’t happen, as the Warner Bros. acquisition by AT&T,followed by the Discovery merger, led to a bloodbath. This saw already-made films likeBatgirlandScoob 2get pulled,despite being completed, for tax write-offs, and their DC empire simultaneously imploded with many behind-the-scenes changes. Suffice it to say, no one has faith that the new Max is set to replace Netflix or Disney+ on the streaming thrones.
Enter Apple TV+. While Peacock and Paramount+ try to make waves with their respective Universal and Paramount Studios libraries, Apple TV+ built itself from scratch. It started off in 2019 with a number of underwhelming series:Dickinson,The Morning Show, See, Servant, Truth Be Told, andFor All Mankind.Despite the star wattage attached to the project, the shows failed to break out with general audiences. SureThe Morning Show —which marked the series return ofJennifer AnistonandSteve Carrelland becameReese Witherspoon’s first TV show— still drew some eyeballs. But all in all, the series failed to be the slam dunk Apple TV+ wanted them to be. So how did this streamer go from being a relative unknown to a service worth subscribing to?
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The New Dawn of Apple TV+ Began With ‘Ted Lasso’
Apple TV+’s prospects changed onceTed Lassopremiered on the servicein 2020. TheJason Sudeikis-led comedy came at a time when sitcoms were in a lull. While streaming has always embraced comedy, with Amazon Prime winning accolades forFleabagand Netflix forThe Kominsky Method,Ted Lassofelt refreshing. The feel-good cheery tone of the show was a far cry from the cynical dry comedies percolating our small screens and the winning cast was too good for audiences around the world not to be won over by.
Since then, Apple TV+ has delivered one good series after another. While the shows and films on its service haven’t always significantly broken through to pop culture likeStranger ThingsorBird Box, the service has attained a reputation for high-quality content. Even Apple TV+’s misses are polished and pristine. TakeFoundation,the sci-fi series based on the books byIsaac Asimov. The show is already in the works on its third season despite the second season having not premiered yet and the first barely having made a dent. It also has the kind of production caliber that would make evenThe Mandalorianenvious with a prestige cast to match, given the likes ofLee PaceandJared Harrison board.
Apple TV+ Is Also Home to Rich Documentaries and Award-Winning Movies
Documentaries byBillie EilishandMichael J. Foxare also high caliber content on Apple TV+, with pop starSelena Gomez’sMy Mind and Mein particular easily one of the most stunning pop star documentaries to come out in recent years. International content like the Irish additionBad SistersorKorean dramaPachinkohas also done well, respectively.RomaactressYalitza Apariciois also set to star in an upcoming series for the service, which will only add to its library of prestigious international content.
Other treasures on the service include the musical comedySchmigadoon!,spy seriesSlow Horses, and the miniseriesWeCrasheddepending on what flavor of Peak TV you’re interested in. Meanwhile, despite Netflix’s best attempts, it was Apple TV+that became the first streaming service to win the Best Picture Oscar with 2021’sCODA. The coming-of-age dramedy was able to best the likes ofWest Side StoryandDuneto nab the top prize at the Academy Awards, in part due to Apple TV+’s stellar campaigning.
Apple TV+’s Crown Jewel Is a Sci-Fi Series You Should Be Watching
The service has also found a home for strong female voices. From the oddball feminist anthologyRoar(featuringNicole Kidman, Issa Rae,andAlison Brieamong others)to female-fronted series likeThe Last Thing He Told MeandShining Girls, there’s plenty to attract a variety of audience demographics. It could partly be why Apple has proved to be a strong partner for the likes ofRose Byrne,who has done two comedy series for the service,PhysicalandPlatonic, as well asPatricia Arquettestarring in the comedyHigh Desertandthe service’s crown jewel,Severance.
The Kubrickian sci-fi horror has drawn comparisons to everything fromBlack MirrortoWestworldand cemented Apple TV+’s place as a service that needs to be looked at. The scripted series, which comes fromDan Ericksonand is helmed byBen StillerandAoife McArdle, follows employees at a mysterious company that requires their employees to undergo a medical procedure separating their work and personal life. It is already slated for a second season and has been named one of the best television series by the American Film Institute.Severance, more than any other Apple TV+ series,exemplifies the kind of great content the streamer is capable of.
The Future of Apple TV+ Looks Bright
It is no wonder that more and more heavyweights are lining up to work with Apple TV+.Harrison Ford’s presence inShrinkingas well asAmanda SeyfriedandTom Holland’sThe Crowded Room,Brie Larson’s upcoming adaptation ofLessons In Chemistry, andIdris Elba’sHijackall go on to show how the service is one for the stars. It’s no wonder that the likes ofMartin ScorseseandRidley Scotthave first-look deals with Apple TV+, with the directors set to put their hotly anticipated filmsKillers of theFlowers MoonandNapoleonon the service.Apple TV+’s future looks bright, bringing in new fare liketheMatthew Vaughn-directed spy filmArgyllestarringHenry CavillandDua Lipa. Blake Crouch’s Dark Matter will also find a home on the service soon starringJoel Edgerton.
It is clear from Apple TV+’s upcoming programming and their approach so far that the streamer’s strong emphasis on creator-driven storytelling is allowing it to excel in all different genres and setting the service apart from others. Netflix has greenlit everything and vastly reduced consumer trust with swift cancellations, whereas Disney+ has become too reliant on making more MCU and Star Wars shows which have been looked down on by fans lately, and HBO is tainted by Max and how much content has been removed from the service. Apple TV+ may have less content overall, but it’s been taking more risks and choosing to forego quantity over quality, making it the new place for prestige.
