At the moment, Apple TV might be a tough proposition. While it has more content than ever, a subscription now costs $15 per month — three times what it did when the service launched in 2019. That’s actually more than the base tiers of Netflix and Disney+, although Apple is at least reasonable about not paywalling 4K HDR or Dolby Atmos.
The company does have a few aces up its sleeve. On top of bundling the service with Apple One, you get three months free when you buy a new device — and with new iPhones rolling out, there’s a reasonable chance you’ll be testing Apple TV’s waters. Here are the shows I’d recommend to start with, whether or not you have to spring for a month or two out of your own pocket.
- Price
-
$13 per month
- Free trial
-
7 day free trial and 3 months free if you buy an Apple device
Masters of the Air
Bringing the war home
I keep singing the praises of this WWII mini-series to anyone who’ll listen. From some of the creators of Band of Brothers and The Pacific, Masters of the Air turns its attention to the USAAF’s 100th Bomb Group, and to a lesser extent, the Tuskegee Airmen. To some of you, that might sound less interesting than the infantry war — but what makes the show excellent is that it captures just how terrifying the real bombing runs were. When flak wasn’t pounding, German fighters were sweeping in for lethal strafing runs. The 100th Bomb Group ultimately lost 177 planes. The show is bent on transforming that figure from an abstract concept into a tangible experience, viewed through the lens of a few well-written characters.
The show does have a few issues, like playing loose with a few facts, and arguably, not dwelling long enough on the thousands of civilians killed by strategic bombing. But if you’re willing to accept the show’s focus and tradeoffs, it does an admirable job of recreating an experience that’s rapidly disappearing from living memory — if it hasn’t already vanished.
Silo
Dystopian sci-fi with a twist
Dystopias are all the rage at the moment. I’m sure that’s influenced by real-world events, like authoritarian regimes gaining control, but there’s probably corporate imitation at work too. With titles like Fallout, The Last of Us, and 28 Years Later proving successful, more of the same was inevitable. And really, dystopias have been popular to varying degrees since Brave New World and 1984 were published in the early 20th century.
Silo’s twist is that it’s set in a massive structure of the same name, where thousands of people labor under strict rules, believing that the above-ground world is too dangerous to explore. Not too surprisingly, there’s an underlying conspiracy that characters like Rebecca Ferguson’s Juliette are prepared to risk everything to uncover.
The third season just finished, and has proven very popular with both critics and audiences. Season 4 is coming in summer 2027 — so if you’re bent on catching up, you might want to start now, although there’s no shame in watching a video synopsis if you want to leap in cold.
Dark Matter
Under the radar
Apple seems to have found a niche for itself in sci-fi, and here’s another example. The basic premise of this show revolves around Joel Edgerton’s Jason Dessen, a quantum physicist who suddenly finds himself stolen into an alternate reality. He wants to return to his family, but faces a dire threat in an unusual form: himself.
The second season — still underway, as of this writing — seems to be well-liked, if not as universally as the latest season of Silo. It’s probably worth watching for the increased stakes at play, some wild visuals, and solid performances by Edgerton and Jennifer Connelly.
Foundation
A story with enormous scope
I swear I didn’t mean to fill this list with sci-fi, but like I said, Apple’s found a niche. This series is based on the Isaac Asimov novels of the same name, and wins points on that ambition alone. While the show does end up revolving around a few core characters, the plot sometimes makes massive leaps in time, and tackles some equally big themes — like the predictability of the future, the value of science and logic, and what really causes the downfall of empires.
In fact, where the show sometimes loses me is when it tries to flesh out personal relationships. There’s nothing too terrible in that regard — but some of the writing could be better, and when it doesn’t serve the main plot, it feels like missing the forest for the trees. It’s not the main attraction, just as no one comes to 2001: A Space Odyssey for that idle chatter scene in the hotel lobby.
