10 Unforgettable Apple TV Shows Everyone Needs to Watch at Least Once

In a crowded group of streamers,Apple TVhas emerged as a home for talented creative voices and a destination for discerning viewers. Regardless of the genre,Apple TV has a little something for every type of taste in its library. Production values for their programming were high from the start, but solid scripts and critically praised performances are drawing audiences across all demographics with strong word of mouth.

In less than 10 years of making original content, the streamer has amassed a big enough library that it may be difficult for a new subscriber to figure out where to start. Have no fear — we’ve compiled a list of some of the shows that exemplify its quality. In no particular order, here are 10 unforgettable Apple TV shows everyone needs to watch at least once.

10 ‘Murderbot’ (2025–Current)

One of the newest Apple shows that any subscriber should check out is Murderbot. The sci-fi comedy series tells the story of a security robot (Alexander Skarsgård) who manages to deactivate the internal component that requires him to follow orders. Giving himself the name Murderbot, he hides his newfound freedom and plans his next steps while escorting a group of researchers through a terrain they wouldn’t otherwise survive.

It is not a prerequisite to be a sci-fi fan to enjoy Murderbot. It is an intelligent, darkly funny series that grants Skarsgård the opportunity to show off his sharp comedic timing. There’s enough action to keep the energy high throughout the 30-minute episodes, and there’s also the ongoing challenge for Murderbot to avoid detection from the people he reluctantly helps. Be warned, watching the first episode will likely lead to a binge of the season, so clear schedules as needed.

9 ‘Silo’ (2023–Current)

In Silo, a future civilization is forced to live underground in massive silos that sprawl deep into the earth. When suspicions of a conspiracy begin to unravel, an intelligent and resourceful engineer named Juliette (Rebecca Ferguson) begins a journey to learn the truth behind her home. Although the environment above ground could lead to instant death, a complicated web of deceit and murder doesn’t make the silo much more hospitable.

Fans of mysteries like Lost should find Silo to be an engrossing sci-fi drama worth tuning into. Featuring a slow-burn story with characters that defy easy categorization, Silo hooks viewers by exploring the impact of manipulating information and government control using an interesting dystopic approach. Two more seasons are currently in the works to complete the story, so no potential new fan should be worried they won’t learn all the secrets to Silo’s world.

8 ‘Shrinking’ (2023–Current)

Finding a healthy support system through loss and grief is the unlikely but rewarding foundation for Apple TV’s Shrinking. Jason Segel stars as Jimmy Laird, a therapist who is coming to terms with the unexpected death of his wife. Inspired to have a more personal and ethically dubious relationship with his clients, he begins to try unorthodox methods that his colleague and mentor, Dr. Paul Rhoades (Harrison Ford), warns him against.

Although it took Shrinking a few episodes to find its footing, once it did, there was no turning back for the dramedy. Like any successful show, everything relies on the cast’s chemistry, and Shrinking has developed a strong core group of characters to make up Jimmy’s found family. With each season, the characters continue to grow as they push themselves out of their comfort zones, giving fans of the show vicarious therapy without the copay.

7 ‘The Morning Show’ (2019–Current)

The Morning Show takes viewers into the tumultuous behind-the-scenes drama of producing a fictional news program. The stress reaches new heights when beloved lead co-anchor Mitch Kessler (Steve Carell) is fired after a long history of sexual impropriety is discovered. As the show verges on a disastrous tailspin, remaining anchor Alex Levy (Jennifer Aniston) ties the future of the show to Bradley Jackson (Reese Witherspoon), an outspoken journalist caught in the middle of network politics.

The Morning Show has been a marquee series in Apple’s library before it aired its first episode, and with good reason. The Morning Show is an incredibly addictive drama that moves at a fast pace while still allowing the stories to build organically without ever feeling rushed. Each episode is a high-stakes struggle for power that rarely stays in one person's hands for too long, and thankfully for the viewers, shifting alliances and complicated motives guarantee nothing ever quite goes as planned.

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6 ‘Pluribus’ (2025–Current)

Vince Gilligan and Rhea Seehorn reunite to make an argument against harmonious cooperation in Pluribus. The series explores what happens after an alien virus turns the majority of the world’s populace into a peaceful collective hive mind. Only a few humans are immune to the effects, including Carol (Seehorn), a writer who is determined to reclaim free will from the polite and accommodating hive mind that only wants to keep her content.

If you’re an Apple subscriber, there’s a high chance you’ve already watched Pluribus, because it ended the year as the number one show on the streamer. Pluribus is a refreshingly unique premise that injects black humor into a high-concept sci-fi story through unsettling visuals and unparalleled character work. Seehorn carries the weight of the show on her capable shoulders just as Carol does with the future of humanity, and it should be an interesting journey to see what she does next.

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5 ‘Black Bird’ (2022)

Fans of tense thrillers have a wide variety of options available on Apple TV, but the top priority to watch should be Black Bird. The miniseries follows Jimmy Keene (Taron Egerton), a charismatic conman with a long prison stretch who agrees to work with the FBI for a clean record. Jimmy is tasked with befriending suspected serial killer Larry Hall (Paul Walter Hauser) and acquiring a detailed confession of his murders, but what starts as an act of self-preservation slowly becomes a quest for justice.

Black Bird is immediately gripping, masterfully raising the stakes again and again to give reasons for Jimmy to risk his safety to secure Larry’s confession. Egerton and Hauser do some of the best work in their already impressive careers, and their scenes together are a highlight of the series. Hauser took home a Golden Globe and an Emmy for his performance, and anyone who breezes through the six episodes will clearly see why.

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4 ‘Slow Horses’ (2022–Current)

There are numerous shows about elite spies in the field, but Slow Horses takes the opposite approach. When an MI5 operative makes a confidence-shattering mistake, they’re sent to spend the rest of their career at Slough House. In between bouts of verbal abuse by their boss, Jackson Lamb (Gary Oldman), the agents of Slough House, nicknamed Slow Horses, manage to insert themselves into matters of national security.

Slow Horses has all the hallmarks of a spy series — paranoia that seems over-indulgent until it saves lives, double crosses, and so on — but it also feels like an anti-spy series. Any sense of romanticism of spy work is stripped to reveal long hours requiring tedious attention to detail, and Oldman turning farts into a catchphrase. However, for all the humor Slow Horses effortlessly delivers, each season crafts a compelling espionage story that makes the arrival of the curmudgeonly Lamb a pleasant one for the audience.

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3 ‘The Studio’ (2025–Current)

Humiliation and self-doubt are the secret ingredients to making a movie in The Studio. Seth Rogen stars as Matt Remick, a longtime producer who is crowned the new head of the fictional film company Continental Studios. Matt has aspirations to make movies with artistic integrity, but he soon learns that even as the boss, unpleasant compromises are required to keep the lights on.

Even someone who is bored with the idea of a Hollywood satire will still find The Studio extremely entertaining. Each episode plays with a new idea or swaps out a narrative structure, so each story is always fresh and a little frantic, while a line of guest stars play themselves to complete the illusion of a functioning film studio. The Studio dominated during awards season to the point they almost started winning trophies for categories it wasn’t nominated in, so expect Apple to push the comedy hard in the upcoming years.

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2 ‘Severance’ (2022–Current)

There’s no show on television right now quite like Severance, set in a world where corporate employees can voluntarily “sever” their brains, a process where the person’s consciousness is split between their work and personal lives. For Mark Scout (Adam Scott), allowing his brain to be severed gave him a reprieve from a personal tragedy, but he will soon find that not all is what it seems at his mysterious job.

Equal parts peculiar and comical, Severance made everyone else’s workplace seem more hospitable by comparison. Each episode continues to be a visual marvel that is cold, eccentric, and oddly beautiful, with an ever-present sense of menace, creating an environment where the viewer never feels fully at ease. For two seasons, viewers have slowly received clues to the truth behind Mark’s relationship to his employer and their bizarre rituals, and the stage is set for some major revelations when the third season eventually drops.

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1 ‘Ted Lasso’ (2020–Current)

Of all the shows on Apple, Ted Lasso is the most recognizable breakout hit in their library. Jason Sudeikis stars as the ever-optimistic fish out of water Ted Lasso, a college football coach who is inexplicably hired by a UK soccer team as their new head coach. What Ted lacks in even the most rudimentary soccer knowledge is a can-do spirit that inspired his players and anyone who gets within hugging distance.

There is feel-good television, and then five levels above it is Ted Lasso. The comedy series was a magnet for viewers and shiny gold awards during its initial three-season run, standing out as one of the funniest shows of the last 10 years. Fans are hoping to see more of him, Brett Goldstein as Roy Kent, and Hannah Waddingham as Rebecca Welton when the planned fourth season premieres.