15 Most Underrated Shows Streaming on Apple TV

Apple TV has consistently established itself as one of the best streaming platforms for television, producing endlessly watchable, sometimes mind-blowing, shows for everyone to enjoy. From feel-good series like “Ted Lasso” to thrilling puzzlers like “Severance” and “Silo,” the platform has become a go-to destination for prestige television.

If you follow TV news, you’ve probably heard of Apple TV’s hottest shows, like “Pluribus” and “Widow’s Bay.” But the streamer is home to many other great series that have gone unnoticed. Although Apple TV is increasingly known for its sci-fi shows, you can also find great comedies and even musical TV shows on the platform. The media giant has also ventured into K-dramas and other international productions in recent years.

If you’re looking for your next watch and have seen all the biggest shows, you’ve come to the right place. These are the 15 most underrated shows on Apple TV.

Who doesn’t love a good crime drama? Apple TV tried its hand at this classic genre with “Criminal Record,” and the result was one of the best British crime series of all time. Cush Jumbo plays June Lenker, a detective who investigates a murder that occurred 12 years ago. Her concerns lead her to veteran detective Daniel Hegarty (Peter Capaldi), who isn’t too keen on an ambitious young woman questioning his conclusions. This tense thriller pits the two detectives against each other, showing us two sides of the story and letting us choose who we believe.

“Criminal Record” features no-nonsense, well-structured storytelling brought to life by two excellent actors. Despite the frequent microaggressions she experiences at work, Jumbo’s Lenker stands her ground and possesses a fierce tenacity. Meanwhile, Capaldi plays Hegarty not exactly as a villain, but as a member of the old guard who can stand in the way of progress. The second season follows a terrorist threat and sees the dynamic between Lenker and Hegarty change in fascinating ways. The characters are complete and the morality of the series is grayer than black and white.

Despite its five seasons and a very promising spin-off, “For All Mankind” never achieved the popularity of its contemporaries on Apple TV, such as “Ted Lasso” and “Severance.” It’s a shame, because it’s one of the best shows the streaming service has to offer. This ambitious series is set in a world where the Soviets beat the United States to the Moon, an event that will impact the course of history for decades to come. The show follows a group of astronauts, scientists, and others involved in the space race as they struggle with the evolution of space travel.

The performances in “For All Mankind” are phenomenal, and we have the pleasure of seeing certain actors (Joel Kinnaman, for example) age over several decades. Despite the series’ interest in large-scale political change, it remains a character-driven drama, and we follow world events through their eyes. All of the space sequences are absolutely fascinating, but it’s these intrepid space travelers that keep us coming back for more. The spinoff series “Star City,” set in the Soviet Union, is just as exciting, and we can’t wait to see what else the series has to offer.

If you know her acting as well as we do, you know that Tatiana Maslany is one of the greatest television actresses we have today, so imagine our delight when we saw her deliver another fantastic performance in the underrated series “Maximum Fun Guaranteed.” Maslany plays Paula, a beleaguered soccer mom suffering a bitter divorce from her ex (Jake Johnson). Paula has become dependent on a cam boy, Trevor (Brandon Flynn), for comfort, and when he is kidnapped during one of their online sessions, she sets out to solve the mystery.

Despite Paula’s often misguided behavior, it’s hard not to root for her thanks to Maslany’s committed performance. Her co-stars, who include Dolly de Leon as a stone-faced cop and Charlie Hall as her fact-checking colleague, provide great comic relief, and Murray Bartlett has a juicy turn as the villain. As funny as it is thrilling, “Maximum Fun Guaranteed” is a biting black comedy filled with shocking twists and turns and an utterly charming performance from Maslany.

From Phil Lord and Christopher Miller, makers of films like “The Lego Movie” and “Project Hail Mary,” comes “The Afterparty,” a crazy and fun murder mystery on Apple TV. The anthology series, which ran for two seasons before being canceled, stars Tiffany Haddish as Detective Danner. The first season centers on the murder of underappreciated pop star Xavier (Dave Franco), while the second follows the death of billionaire Edgar Minnows (Zach Woods).

The series makes great use of non-linear storytelling, with each episode showing us the different perspectives of the suspects during the night of the murders. The series also uses frequent flashbacks to illustrate some of the characters’ motives for murder. Haddish, who is relatively understated in the role, does an impressive job here, even though “The Afterparty” is ultimately an ensemble show. Her co-stars include major comedic talents like Sam Richardson, Ike Barinholtz, Ilana Glazer, Poppy Liu and John Cho. The mystery narrative is genuinely clever and compelling, while the comedy is top-notch.

The Apple TV series “Swagger” is a dramatization of the origin story of NBA player Kevin Durant. Isaiah Hill plays Jace Carlson, a talented high school basketball player. O’Shea Jackson Jr. plays Ike Edwards, a coach who mentors Jace and helps him achieve greatness. Although it was canceled after two seasons, it’s still worth watching as both a nuanced high school drama and an exciting sports story.

Jackson delivers a powerful performance in the series, reminding us of Edwards’ once-promising talent and the cost of his shattered dreams, while proving what it takes to be a good mentor. The series features classic coming-of-age tropes, but it has a necessary air of authenticity that keeps the characters from falling flat. All the basketball sequences are exciting to watch and film with dynamic cinematography that gives them a vivid feel. Even though you know where Durant’s real-life story ended, the stakes for these characters feel real and you get the sense that success is far from a guarantee. It’s one of the best shows to stream on Apple TV, even though not many people have seen it.

Both Rose Byrne and Seth Rogen have done excellent work on Apple TV, with Byrne donning a leotard for “Physical” and Rogen penning a brilliant takedown of Hollywood in “The Studio.” The two talented actors teamed up for “Platonic,” a charming comedy that deserves more love. When we first meet Rogen’s character Will, he is going through a divorce. This prompts Byrne’s Sylvia to reconnect with her former friend after years of estrangement. Their renewed friendship makes Sylvia’s husband, Charlie (Luke Macfarlane), jealous, and the series takes a light-hearted approach to the essential…