Why Apple TV+ Is Becoming the Best Place for Underrated Shows

What Shows Does Apple TV+ House?

It seems like most of the streamers have at least one show that put them on the map as outlets to take seriously. Stranger Things fulfilled that function for Netflix, while The Boys established Amazon’s ability to deliver popular genre television. For Apple TV+, Ted Lasso has become its golden goose. The feel-good nature of Lasso ensured that this program secured a wide and passionate fan base. It’s just the kind of digestible TV series that can separate the Netflixes from the Quibis. However, most of Apple TV+‘s material hasn’t been quite as successful as Ted Lasso in terms of sheer pop culture ubiquity.

Again, Apple TV+, like all streamers, doesn’t officially divulge viewership numbers, so it’s impossible to tell what’s a “flop” or “hit” for the streamer. But other Apple TV+ shows like Pachinko or Schmigadoon! haven’t inspired the waves of merchandise and loyalty that Ted Lasso received. While that may be frustrating in some respects, it does benefit the majority of Apple TV+‘s other programs in that they can function as hidden gems rather than potentially oversaturated media entities. It feels exciting to reach out and uncover their under-discussed joys rather than something you feel obligated to do lest you miss out on what’s hot in pop culture.

Arguably the best example of Apple TV+’s underrated shows with a cult following is Severance. This high-concept drama was always going to be a bit too weird and labyrinthine to catch on with the general public like, say, Yellowstone or NCIS. But its precise visuals, insightful social commentary, and deeply detailed performances made it a new favorite for those who got on its wavelength. Apple TV+ took a chance on something original and bold with Severance. In return, it got a show that didn’t garner tens of millions of viewers, but the people who love Severance will follow it to the ends of the Earth.

Severance is the best example of Apple TV+ being jam-packed with underrated cult favorites, but it’s certainly not the only example. Pachinko lent an expansive canvas to intimate emotional experiences that enraptured viewers. Slow Horses has become small-screen catnip for espionage fiends. Nobody knew what Bad Sisters was before it started airing, but it quickly attracted a very passionate fan base. For All Mankind’s depiction of an alternate version of the Space Race has cultivated a solid fan base thanks to Apple TV+ being willing to let Mankind stretch on for years and years. As shows like Schitt’s Creek and Breaking Bad can attest, great things happen when you let shows breathe and keep going, and the steadily increasing popularity of For All Mankind nicely reflects that.

The list goes on and on regarding underrated Apple TV+ shows spanning many genres. Ironically, Apple TV+’s first foray into big-budget genre entertainment (Foundation) has proven far less popular online compared to much cheaper yet more innovative cult favorites on the platform.

Why Is Apple TV+ Home to so Many Underrated Shows?

Unlike many streamers connected to big legacy studios (like Disney+ leaning on Walt Disney Pictures franchises or Peacock exploiting Universal Pictures properties), Apple TV+ doesn’t have a deep library of classic titles that it can turn to for inspiring modern TV programs. While the streamer has made deals with the Peanuts and Fraggle Rock franchises to make new kids programming, mostly, Apple TV+ has had to lean on new original concepts for small-screen entertainment. This outlet can’t count on a steady stream of Marvel TV shows to boost its subscriber base, but it can deliver original productions that cultivate smaller but ardent fan bases.

Being so reliant on fresh concepts hasn’t ensured that Apple TV+ has been devoid of programming duds, but it has ensured there’s enough of a willingness to take risks that some daring shows can sneak onto its slate. Something like Severance might’ve been deemed too risky at Hulu or Amazon, but it was seen as just right for Apple TV+, which just needs to house programs at any cost. That factor helps explain the steady rate of surprise sleeper hits on the platform while its lack of big franchise-connected fare also explains why Apple TV+ shows don’t draw as many eyeballs as other streaming programs. Without a Stranger Things or The Mandalorian-sized phenomenon on its slate, Apple TV+ is inevitably going to draw fewer people. However, that means the connection between viewers and specific shows like Pachinko will feel more special and idiosyncratic.

The lack of rampant merchandising for the various Apple TV+ shows that aren’t Ted Lasso also helps make these programs feel like underrated gems that only you know about. Even Apple TV+ productions that get cult followings like Severance haven’t inspired swarms of T-shirts while star-studded productions like The Morning Show also have failed to spawn shelves of gear or coffee cups. Even shows geared towards children, a subgenre of small-screen programming infamous for being connected to waves of merchandise, haven’t been at the center of expansive toy deals. When was the last time you saw Helpsters toys when you were out shopping?

While this means people haven’t been able to get Funko Pop! figures based on Physical characters, it does mean there’s an extra sense of specialness to the Apple TV+ programs you get wrapped up in. The most famous characters or lines in these shows haven’t been stamped all over pop culture, they can still work just as well whether you’re watching episodes the day they premiere or months down the line. Disney+ or Netflix shows can now seem like they’re trying too hard to fulfill merchandise contracts or other external factors. Playing things more muted in terms of merchandising has helped the Apple TV+ shows to feel more artistically pure and exciting for whatever viewers are tuning into the platform.

Can Apple TV+ Stay a Haven for Underrated Challenging Programming?

Given that Apple won’t release subscription figures for Apple TV+, it’s impossible to tell if the recent explosion in programming for this streamer has helped it attract more eyeballs. However, Apple TV+ will doubtlessly gain more attention in the near future with some of its programs on the horizon. A TV show focusing on the MonsterVerse version of Godzilla is on the way, while TV shows based on Time Bandits and Speed Racer are in various stages of development. Apple TV+’s shows have largely eschewed pre-existing brands up to this point, but that’s about to change drastically.

With these projects relying on highly famous and heavily-merchandisable brand names inbound, Apple TV+ could, eventually, lose its distinction of being a destination for original and challenging fare that inspires passionate cult followings. For now, though, this streamer has managed to steadily deliver a string of shows like Severance and Bad Sisters that have proven to be some of the acclaimed programs in the modern TV landscape that too few people have seen. That kind of feat may not make Apple TV+ the new Netflix in terms of its subscriber numbers, but it does make Apple TV+ a welcome destination for quality entertainment in a very crowded marketplace for small-screen storytelling.