When Apple first entered the TV streaming market, it came with a unique approach. It wasn’t focused on creating the most content, famously launching Apple TV+ with only a handful of shows. Similarly, its aspirations never seemed to be growing into the largest streamer. Despite mainstream hits like Ted Lasso, the service is still relatively niche.
All of that was okay, because Apple’s focus was on one thing: quality. Making the best of the best.
Some have called TV+ the new HBO. At one point, I would have agreed. Apple remarkably won a Best Picture Oscar for CODA, a prize Netflix has still never won. Ted Lasso scored back-to-back Emmys for Outstanding Comedy Series. Sure, there were stumbles too (Amazing Stories, anyone?), but overall the service’s first few years brought critical acclaim and built a strong reputation,
More recently, however, the service’s focus on quality seems to have lost ground.
Better days at Apple TV+
There once was a time when every new Apple TV+ show seemed worthy of consideration. For me, the peak season for quality content was early 2022. Check out the following lineup of back-to-back releases from that time of year, each with their accompanying Metacritic score:
- Severance: 83
- The Last Days of Ptolemy Grey: 75
- WeCrashed: 65
- Pachinko: 87
- Slow Horses: 82
Severance, Pachinko, and Slow Horses are among the best shows TV+ has ever produced. The “weakest” show in the bunch, WeCrashed, was still a ton of fun and one of the highlights of the year for me.
It’s these gleaming stretches of success that made me inclined to check out every new show Apple released. While I don’t think there’s been as strong a consecutive slate since that time, there have been enough hits to counteract the occasional misses. Usually, you can also tell which shows might be the “below average” offerings by the reduced marketing efforts Apple makes.
Lately though, the misses have popped up more regularly than the hits, and often with significant Apple-backed fanfare.
The current state of TV+ offerings
So far in early 2024, here are the new series that TV+ has given us, complete with Metacritic scores:
- Criminal Record: 73
- Masters of the Air: 72
- The New Look: 62
- Constellation: 63
- The Completely Made-up Adventures of Dick Turpin: 70
- Manhunt: 65
- Palm Royale: 57
- Sugar: 67
- Franklin: 57
It’s a stark contrast to the early 2022 days.
To be clear, I’m not saying these shows are “bad.” However, with a couple exceptions, they also generally haven’t been that good.
Palm Royale and Franklin are two that especially stand out as disappointments. Not just because they have the lowest critic scores. They also both have big budgets, big stars, and have received big marketing pushes. They’re currently the face of TV+. And they’re both mediocre.
I want Apple TV+ to live up to its reputation and provide reliable, quality content. But right now it’s just not doing that.
What’s the problem?
One major reason why could be Hollywood’s 2023 strikes. The writers and actors strikes stretched on for a huge chunk of 2023, severely limiting the pipeline of new content Apple could fund. It’s hard to know exactly how much of an impact the strikes have had on the quality of TV+ content, but it wouldn’t surprise me if they have.
It’s also possible that the creep of higher quantity has made quality harder to preserve. These days, not only is Apple debuting new series regularly, but they’re also constantly releasing new seasons of existing shows. Whatever creative forces at Apple are tasked with being the gate-keepers of quality, their hands may be more full than ever before.
In any case, if Apple wants to grow TV+ and bolster its reputation as a source of prestige content, it has some real work to do.
The further we get from the successes of Ted Lasso, CODA, Severance, and Silo, the more Apple TV+ will, if changes aren’t made, become just another player in a crowded streaming pack, with little to distinguish itself.
What do you think? Are you watching less TV+ content than before? Let us know in the comments
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