Apple TV Has Now Produced 160 Original Shows: The 5 to Watch

By Phillip Swann
The TV Answer Man – Buy Me a Coffee!

Apple TV launched in November 2019 and has now produced more than 160 original movies, TV series and documentaries. Here are the five to watch, in my humble opinion:

Pluribus – (Season One)
What Kind of Show: Comedy/Drama
Who’s In It: Rhea Seehorn, Karolina Wydra
Pluribus stars Rhea Seehorn (Better Call Saul) as the unhappiest person in the world in this much-anticipated sci-fi series from Breaking Bad creator Vince Gilligan. Set in Albuquerque, New Mexico (the location for Breaking Bad and Gilligan’s Better Call Saul), Seehorn (pictured above) plays a writer named Carol who somehow manages to avoid a global virus that transforms everyone into a happy and contented individual. Her non-conformity provokes concern among the populace who cater to her every need and promise a swift solution for her ‘condition.’ Carol, however, aims to persuade the world that being ‘virus happy’ is not what it’s cracked up to be. Seehorn is funny and sympathetic in the main role and Gilligan, who so flawlessly depicted the criminal subculture in Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul, has now put the entire crazy world in the spotlight. (There will be more seasons, but Gilligan says he doesn’t know when they will air.)

 

Hijack (Season One)
What Kind of Show: Drama/Thriller
Who’s In It: Idris Elba
Idris Elba (The Wire, Luther) plays a master negotiator who must use his special skills to stay alive when the plane he’s on is hijacked by a somewhat dysfunctional team of terrorists. Hijack doesn’t rely on conventional storylines. Just when you think you understand why the plane has been hijacked, the show peels back another layer of the onion, revealing more details about the whys and whos. Elba, who exploded onto the scene with his portrayal of the drug dealer, Stringer Bell, in HBO’s The Wire, is the best he’s ever been since that show. Like the terrorists, Elba’s character has conflicting motivations which are slowly revealed throughout the seven-episode series and the actor does a splendid job of keeping his cards close to the vest until each revelation is served. Great show, great performance. Seasons one and two of Hijack are now available on Apple TV. Season two is good, but one is better.

Your Friends & Neighbors (Season One)
What Kind of Show: Black Comedy
Who’s In It: Jon Hamm, Amanda Peet, Olivia Munn
Jon Hamm stars as a recently divorced and unemployed New York hedge fund manager who decides to rob his neighbors’ homes to maintain his lavish lifestyle. The black comedy also stars Amanda Peet as his ex-wife and Olivia Munn as his booty call pal but Hamm is the reason to stream in. The Mad Man star has managed to eclipse his fame in the AMC series with terrific performances in such shows as Landman, Fargo and The Morning Show. And Hamm is perfect here as a world-weary executive elite who will stoop to almost anything to preserve his comfortable existence. He’s sort of Don Draper without the pitch meeting speeches. Season two debuts next month.

Severance (Two seasons)
What Kind of Show: Black Comedy
Who’s In It: Adam Scott, John Turturro, Brit Lower, Patricia Arquette
Adam Scott plays Mark S., an emotionally damaged man who agrees to work at a mysterious company called Lumon which promises to block his depression during his work hours. While there, however, Mark and his co-workers discover that Lumon may be keeping secrets that threaten their very existence inside and outside the office. The sci-fi black comedy – and how’s that for a unique genre – is a fascinating portrait of human frailties and the human survival instinct. The superb supporting cast includes John Turturro, Britt Lower, Christopher Walken, Zach Cherry, Patricia Arquette and Tramell Tillman. Both season one and two are now available on Apple TV and worth watching.

Silo (Seasons one and two)
What Kind of Show: Sci-Fi
Who’s In It: Rebecca Ferguson, Tim Robbins, Common, Rashida Jones
This might be the most out there of all the Apple TV shows, which says a lot when the list includes Pluribus and Severance. Rebecca Ferguson stars as Juliet, a mechanic in an enclosed community of 10,000 living in a man-made silo. The inhabitants are afraid to leave the silo because it’s believed the air outside is toxic and can cause instant death. However, Juliet and other rebellious citizens have come to believe it’s all a lie and are willing to risk death to prove it. Tim Robbins plays a cold-blooded administrator who’s committed to keeping the larger community safe, even if it requires harming some of them. Silo will keep you guessing from episode to episode and if you love sci-fi, you will love this show. (Season three is on the way, show producers say.)

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