While shows like Ted Lasso and Severance get most of the buzz, that’s just scratching the surface. Don’t get me wrong, they’re amazing shows, but Apple TV+ has a catalog full of hidden gems waiting to be discovered.
6
The Afterparty (2022-23)
Watch The Afterparty on Apple TV+
Solving a murder is the central theme of each of the two seasons of the comedy, The Afterparty. In the first, a pop star is murdered after his high school reunion. In the second, it’s a groom who faces an untimely demise immediately following his wedding. Both seasons star Tiffany Haddish as a crime-solving detective who interviews a new suspect each week.
The Afterparty is filled with unexpected twists and turns, making the revelation of the murderer in each season quite surprising. However, what truly sets this series apart is not just the mystery of “who killed whom,” but rather the journey to uncover the truth and the diverse cast of characters you encounter along the way. Besides Haddish, each season was led by Sam Richardson and Zoë Chao. The first season also includes actors like Ike Barinholtz, Ben Schwartz, and Dave Franco, while the second season features John Cho, Paul Walter Hauser, Elizabeth Perkins, and Zach Woods, among others.
In total, there are 18 episodes of The Afterparty, eight in the first season and 10 in the second.
5
Acapulco (2021-25)
Watch Acapulco on Apple TV+
For anyone obsessed with TV series that include more than one timeline, there’s Acapulco. The bilingual comedy-drama tells the “rags-to-riches” story of Máximo Gallardo, who learned many of life’s lessons in 1984 as a cabana boy at an Acapulco resort. The story alternates between scenes set in the past at the resort and the present day.
Feel-good and heartwarming, Acapulco is a fun watch that isn’t too serious about itself. And you can’t help but love the cast, headed by Enrique Arrizon as the younger Máximo and Eugenio Derbez as the modern-day older version and narrator of the story.
Unlike The Afterparty, Acapulco is still airing new episodes, at least for a little longer. The final season is currently airing. When finished, Acapulco will consist of four 10-episode seasons. This is another one of those great comfort shows that are perfect to binge.
4
Platonic (2023-present)
Watch Platonic on Apple TV+
Seth Rogen is currently starring in one of the most popular series ever to air on Apple TV+, The Studio. And yet, that’s not the show we’re highlighting here. Rogen’s other show on the streaming service, Platonic, is also looking to make you laugh, and it will do just that every single episode.
Platonic stars Rogen and Rose Byrne as Will and Silvia, two best friends from college who have reconnected following a five-year friendship breakup. Back together again after Will suffered a divorce, the twosome pick up right where they left off, having a close relationship many of their friends and family members don’t quite understand. As they navigate their way into humorous situations in Los Angeles, the besties question relationships, marriage, and dating, all while each of them experiences a midlife crisis.
This is a hilarious comedy that currently consists of 20 episodes over two seasons. Hopefully, it will be back for a third episode, because it deserves it.
3
Disclaimer (2024)
Watch Disclaimer on Apple TV+
In this psychological thriller, based on the novel of the same name by Renée Knight, an intense story unfolds, exploring themes such as revenge, grief, and the multifaceted nature of truth. It stars Academy Award-winning actress Cate Blanchett, who plays Catherine Ravenscroft, a woman whose life, as she knows it, has been shattered by events that occurred decades ago.
However, all is not necessarily as it seems. What some people thought they knew about Ravenscroft’s vacation 20 years ago in Italy turns out to be incorrect, or at least appears very different from what they thought, depending on the perspective. By the time the series ends, what you think about many of the show’s characters will completely change, and not for the better.
Disclaimer also stars Kevin Kline, Sacha Baron Cohen, Kodi Smit-McPhee, Leila George, and Louis Partridge. The one-season miniseries includes seven episodes.
2
Loot (2002-present)
Watch Loot on Apple TV+
In the quirky workplace comedy Loot, Molly Wells, portrayed by Maya Rudolph, experiences a whirlwind transformation after her unexpected divorce leaves her a staggering $87 billion richer. This sudden windfall has her shifting between excess and altruism as she’s trying to come to terms with her new life. Along the way, there are lots of laughs.
The ensemble cast shines brightly with Michaela Jaé Rodriguez, Joel Kim Booster, Nat Faxon, and Ron Funches joining Rudolph. Collectively, Loot presents a story that strikes a careful balance between the hilarity of the absurd and the touching moments of human connection. The result is a fun comedy that’s worth your time.
Loot’s third season is set to launch later this year. The first two seasons totaled 20 episodes.
1
Lessons in Chemistry (2023)
Watch Lessons in Chemistry on Apple TV+
It’s the 1950s, and Elizabeth Zott (Academy Award winner Brie Larson) is trying to make her way through life as a single mother following a tragedy. However, instead of giving way to the patriarchal society of the time, she becomes a trailblazer for homemakers everywhere.
Based on the bestselling book of the same name by Bonnie Garmus, Lessons in Chemistry sees Zott, a brilliant chemist, forced out of her job. Her only recourse is to become the host of a television cooking show called “Supper at Six.” However, she doesn’t just make meatloaf, Chicken à la King, and other sometimes drab family meals of the time. She also teaches homemakers on the principles of chemistry, challenging the societal norms that confine women to the domestic sphere.
Lessons in Chemistry explores a range of themes across its eight episodes, including heartbreak, perseverance, romance, and feminism. In the end, however, it’s just a story of someone trying to make their way through an uncertain world one day at a time.
When you’re in need of a new series to start, you can’t go wrong with any of the dramas and comedies mentioned above; you might even find that these are the best shows to watch this summer.
