Apple TV has become known for releasing a smaller number of quality, high-budget series, reminiscent of the early days of HBO. With this year’s breakout hit, The Studio, sweeping the Emmys, the strategy seems to be working for them — especially considering that, beyond the Seth Rogen Hollywood comedy, Apple TV has earned a reputation for its excellent sci-fi shows.
While they’re a stickler for high-caliber programming, 2025 saw the release of noteworthy Apple TV shows in every genre from off-beat comedy to action, historical drama to sci-fi. And this list doesn’t even include the streamer’s smash hits like Shrinking and Ted Lasso that didn’t release this year. Here are Apple TV’s best shows of 2025.
10
Mythic Quest Season 4
Poppy and Ian looking concerned in Mythic Quest season 4
The zany gaming world comedy started to lose some of its sparkle with season 3, but it did something of note with its season 4 finale — which became its series finale. Shortly after the release of Mythic Quest’s “Heaven and Hell,” Apple announced that the show would not be returning for a fifth season. “Heaven and Hell,” as it was originally released, didn’t offer the most satisfying conclusion for the series.
So the Mythic Quest team filmed a new version of “Heaven and Hell” that then replaced the original. The updated episode is the only one now available on Apple TV. It’s debatable if the new episode, re-written for the express purpose of functioning as a series finale, is “better” — in many ways, it’s simply safer, particularly in its status quo treatment of Ian and Poppy.
However, it does give closure that the show would have otherwise forever lacked. This effort to retroactively give the show a proper sendoff feels commendable, and reflects an opportunity within the streaming format that hadn’t been utilized until now. A chance to “redo” an ending to do justice to a series would be a dream for many shows, and kudos to Mythic Quest for taking the initiative to do it.
9
Chief Of War Season 1
Jason Momoa & Luciane Buchanan in Chief of War
The Jason Mamoa-helmed historical fiction series takes a couple of episodes to get into a groove, but ultimately manages to find heart and relatability within its dense plot. The biggest strengths are its stunning visuals and Chief of War’s authentic depiction of Hawaiian history and language.
The dialogue fell flat at times, but once the character identities and struggles were clear, their emotional core drove the series in a heartfelt way. Chief of War was at its best when the grand historical figures faced personal emotional struggles, like the complicated relationship that bloomed between Kupuohi and Namake when they believed Ka’iana had died.
The show is also impressive for its commitment to historical accuracy, with Chief of War’s characters primarily speaking ‘ōlelo Hawai’i until colonial figures bring more English onto the scene. This, paired with its historical plot and originally unfamiliar characters, makes Chief of War a dense start, but a rewarding finish.
8
Foundation Season 3
Lee Pace and Laura Birn standing in a bright hallway in Foundation
Foundation season 3 had big shoes to fill; season 2 demonstrated huge growth for the series as Foundation embraced branching away from Isaac Asimov’s book series. Season 2 still holds a score of 100% on Rotten Tomatoes, while season 3 could’ve leaned even more into the show’s particular strengths over the books, but it’s still a strong installment with many highlights.
Despite being the titular focus of both the books and the series, Foundation’s Empire plot lines are much more engaging than its Foundation ones, which can feel slow in comparison. Nonetheless, the performances are outstanding across the board. Lee Pace delivers a career performance this year as Brother Day, particularly in the eventful and emotional season finale.
Foundation excels at identifying and leaning into characters and actors that resonate. The show often finds ways to expand their roles beyond their limited scope in the books and is better for it, evidenced especially by Laura Birn’s Demerzel and the emotional gut punch of her fate in the season 3 finale.
7
Dope Thief Season 1
Henry and Moura are dressed in faux DEA agent uniforms with bullet proof vests in the winter
If you can suspend your disbelief and have some fun with it, Dope Thief is a great ride. The premise of robbers posing as DEA agents is unique, and exceptional TV actors Brian Tyree Henry (Atlanta) and Kate Mulgrew (Orange is the New Black) give as incredible performances as you could want.
The show sadly moves beyond its compelling premise a bit too quickly, and the final episodes devolve from unlikely to implausible, but when viewed as a dark adventure rather than an attempt at gritty realism, Dope Thief is an engaging watch all the way through, carried by its strong performers.
6
Your Friends & Neighbors Season 1
Andrew Cooper (Jon Hamm) playing golf in Your Friends and Neighbors Season 1 Ep 9
Image via Apple TV+
At first glance, the premise sounds lackluster (rich guy starts robbing other rich people in order to stay rich… Robin Hood with no one to root for?), but this was actually one of the buzzier shows of the year, thanks in large part to star Jon Hamm. He’s well-supported by Amanda Peet and Olivia Munn, but Hamm excels at bringing villain traits into a gray area through pure charisma.
The show will be frustrating for those hoping for wholehearted awareness or attitude shifts from its flawed characters, but those flaws, and the cultures they represent, are meant to be talking points. It’s a display; instead of fixing them, the show leaves the door open for reflection on these less-than-admirable qualities. And for those who want growth, there is some to be seen in Hamm’s Coop.
5
The Morning Show Season 4
Image via Apple TV+
The Morning Show was a part of the streamer’s very first slate of programming, and is still going strong. It’s not Apple’s most talked-about series, especially next to the likes of Shrinking, Ted Lasso, and Severance, but The Morning Show has been consistently solid, and its most recent installment is no exception.
TMS has managed to pull off some surprises while also continuing to capture the general state of America to an almost prophetic degree — this season’s grappling with the fallout of a merger between entertainment companies is an even more timely Morning Show story now than it seemed when the idea was introduced in the season 3 finale.
Jennifer Aniston’s performance as Alex Levy was her best yet, particularly as Levy aired out the drama with her father. Happily, she finally seemed invested in doing the right thing without any ulterior motive. Though, of course, she still had to play the corporate game to do it, mainly at the cost of poor Mia Jordan, who at long last realized her worth when no one else would.
4
Slow Horses Season 5
Gary Oldman’s Lamb looking upset while sitting in a booth in Slow Horses season 5
Slow Horses is such a page-turner. Most of the conflict of the series can be chalked up to a surprising amount of unrest within the Service itself. Season 5 has a more malevolent, apocalyptic feel as Coe realizes the events befalling London are part of a destabilization strategy meant to topple the UK leadership structure.
This new angle helps keep things fresh and suspenseful as the Slow Horses have evolved from underdogs to heroes. Season 5 also offers, at long last, an ego check for Ho. We also continued to inch closer to the overarching mystery of exactly what happened to Lamb for him to prefer the boring safety of Slough House.
The only disappointing thing about this season was the departure of Louisa Guy, a great influence on River and a general vibe of normalcy for the Slow Horses. Her mental health break made perfect sense, but here’s hoping she’ll be back for season 6.
3
Pluribus Season 1
A crowd of the hive mind gathered around a Carol Sturka (Rhea Seehorn) in PluribusLewis Jacobs/©Apple TV/Courtesy Everett Collection
Before the first season even finished its release, Pluribus became the most-watched show in Apple TV history. And it doesn’t let down all the eyeballs. Like Severance (who previously wore the crown), the premise of Pluribus seems simple on the surface, but each episode reveals a new thought-provoking layer to Carol’s situation.
Vince Gilligan expertly depicts an apocalypse with no danger, and how such an event stops survivors in their tracks. Carol is presented with a puzzle when she was ready for a battle. Through Carol, Manousos, Diabaté, the other immune survivors, and the hive itself, Pluribus presents an array of perspectives for the audience to consider, all of which have both holes and merit.
Rhea Seehorn has continued to deliver a career performance in what is, the majority of the time, a one-woman show. The series is equal parts humor, grief, and thought exercise, though Pluribus has also swiftly disproven any initial critiques of being “slow.”
2
The Studio Season 1
Matt (Seth Rogen) and Patty Leigh (Catherine O’Hara) on a private jet in The Studio Season 1 Episode 9
Image via Apple TV+
The star-studded comedy came onto the scene with authority, earning 13 Emmys in The Studio’s first season and breaking the record for most wins by a comedy in a single year. The Studio allured industry and non-industry viewers alike, making executives the butt of the joke and allowing the audience to feel like the ones in the know.
Seth Rogen’s Matt Remick is anxiety-inducing, but manages to be both true to life and the stuff of fantasy. Attempting to meet a mandate to work with Kool-Aid by greenlighting a Scorsese flick about the Jonestown massacre is what we can only dream a studio executive would actually do in today’s product-driven entertainment landscape.
Of course, it’s also a terrible plan that involves misleading a lot of people — and this is just the beginning of a series of blunders from Remick. For fans of cringe comedy, there’s no better show out there than The Studio.
1
Severance Season 2
Mark (Adam Scott) manages to reach the testing floor in Severance Season 2 Ep 10
Image via Apple TV+
Would it have been ideal not to have had to wait 3 years between seasons 1 and 2? Totally. But was it worth the wait? Absolutely. The season 1 finale felt like a perfect payoff to everything the show had been building, but Severance season 2 accomplished this tenfold with a finale that was nothing short of cinematic.
It would have sounded implausible in the beginning, but Adam Scott has become a well-deserved action star. Yet his best acting in “Cold Harbor” comes from the camcorder conversation between innie and outie Mark. Throughout the season, both Marks felt two sides of the same coin, especially as reintegration seemed likely to unite them back into one person.
Seeing them engage in a direct dialogue solidified the fact that the innies and outies are two different individuals whose needs are at odds with each other. Severance drove this theme home visually, trusting similarly stunning innie/outie performances from Britt Lower and Dichen Lachman.
Severance has established its place in history, Apple TV, and beyond. All we can hope for now is that Severance season 3 doesn’t take another 3 years.