%20(15)%20(1).png)
So Yeah... Apple TV+ Is Crushing Everyone Right Now
Let’s talk facts. Apple TV+ went from being the underdog streaming service people ignored to the one everyone is now obsessed with. No shade to Netflix or HBO, but their algorithm can’t keep up with the vibes, depth, and vision Apple’s bringing in 2025.
And no, we're not rehashing Severance, Ted Lasso, or Silo. You’ve already seen those. This list is for the next wave of icons, the shows that are pushing the culture, breaking your brain, or making you cry at 2 a.m. on a Wednesday.
Here are the 10 shows that prove Apple TV+ is the real MVP of 2025.
10. Smoke
Genre: Crime Thriller
This slow-burn psychological drama is already building a cult fanbase. Smoke follows a fire investigator (Taron Egerton) teaming up with a gritty detective (Jurnee Smollett) to catch a pair of serial arsonists. Set in the haunting beauty of the Pacific Northwest, it's creepy, stylish, and deeply layered.
- Based on the Firebug podcast
- Dripping with secrets, tension, and unspoken attraction
- Currently airing weekly with 9 episodes total
Mood: If True Detective and Mindhunter had a fire baby.
9. The Buccaneers
Genre: Historical Drama with a Modern Attitude
Think Bridgerton but messier, sharper, and way more Gen Z-coded. This period drama throws five rich American girls into 1870s London, where corsets meet chaos and scandal slaps like a gossip blog.
- Based on Edith Wharton’s unfinished novel
- Season 2 is even juicier than Season 1
- Christina Hendricks and Leighton Meester kill it
Mood: Drama, lace, rebellion, and bad decisions in ballrooms.
8. The Last Thing He Told Me
Genre: Mystery Thriller
Jennifer Garner. A missing husband. A cryptic note. What more do you need? This one’s a slow-burner with heart, as a woman and her stepdaughter go full detective to uncover dark truths and dodge mob drama.
- Based on the best-selling novel
- Got renewed for Season 2 after record views
- Strong stepmom-stepdaughter dynamic
Mood: Plot twists and crying on a road trip.
7. Stick
Genre: Sports Comedy-Drama
Imagine if Ted Lasso took a golf club to your feelings. Owen Wilson plays a washed-up golf pro mentoring a teen prodigy on a redemption road trip filled with awkward vibes and dad jokes.
- Debuted June 2025, already a fan-fave
- It’s goofy but surprisingly emotional
- Mark Duplass and Mariana Treviño shine
Mood: Comedy, heart, and a soft golf swing into your soul.
6. Presumed Innocent
Genre: Legal Thriller
Jake Gyllenhaal plays a prosecutor accused of murder. Created by David E. Kelley (aka the king of courtroom chaos), this one's prestige drama with intense vibes and juicy secrets.
- Based on a classic legal novel
- Season 2 switches to a new case
- Packed with powerhouse performances
Mood: The Night Of meets The Undoing, but with more paranoia.
5. Murderbot
Genre: Sci-Fi Dark Comedy
This show is unhinged in the best way. A rogue security robot hacks its own programming and pretends to still follow orders while secretly bingeing soap operas and spiraling into existential dread.
- Based on Martha Wells’ hit book series
- Alexander Skarsgård is weirdly perfect as Murderbot
- Rotten Tomatoes: 97% critics score
Mood: Emo robot doesn't want to feel, ends up catching feelings.
4. Hijack
Genre: Real-Time Thriller
Idris Elba is stuck on a hijacked plane. He’s not an action hero — he’s a negotiator. And yet, somehow, it works. Every episode = one hour on the flight, and the tension is real.
- Seven episodes of full panic
- Renewed for Season 2
- It’s like 24 on a plane, but smarter
Mood: White-knuckling your seat for 45 minutes straight.
3. The Studio
Genre: Hollywood Satire
Seth Rogen plays a stressed-out studio exec in this chaotic look at what really goes down behind the scenes in Hollywood. It’s savage, fast-paced, and hilarious.
- Created by Rogen and Evan Goldberg
- Cameos on cameos
- Katherine O’Hara steals every scene
Mood: Entourage if it had anxiety and brain cells.
2. Shrinking
Genre: Comedy-Drama
From the minds behind Ted Lasso, this show hits hard. Jason Segel plays a grieving therapist who starts telling his patients exactly what he thinks. Chaos and healing follow.
- Harrison Ford is unexpectedly amazing
- The emotional rollercoaster is real
- Comfort show that also guts you
Mood: Therapy, found family, and emotionally reckless behavior.
1. Slow Horses
Genre: British Espionage
This one doesn’t shout, it smirks. Gary Oldman is disgustingly good as a burnt-out spy boss leading MI5 rejects through real missions. Think The Office meets Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy.
- Based on the Mick Herron novels
- Four seasons in, still sharp
- Gritty, darkly funny, and genuinely smart
Mood: Spies who are tired, messy, and smarter than they look.
Apple TV+ in 2025: It's Not Quantity, It's Quality
While Netflix is busy pushing out reality dating shows and HBO keeps delaying your faves, Apple TV+ is just over here crafting tight, addictive, character-driven bangers. These 10 shows aren’t just good for Apple — they’re some of the best anywhere, period.
And the fact that Apple drops less but hits harder? Total Gen Z energy. Curated. Intentional. No fluff.
Stay connected with more streaming obsessions and Gen Z culture takes at Woke Waves Magazine.
#AppleTVPlus #StreamingWars #GenZBingeList #BestShows2025 #WokeWaves
