Since its launch in 2019, Apple TV Plus has won awards and generated hits, but it still finds itself in an odd place in the streaming landscape. It is not as big as competitors like Netflix or Disney Plus, nor as prolific. Instead, the service seems determined to focus on quality over quantity, which has led some to compare it to the HBO of yesteryear (you know, when it was still called HBO). Apple TV Plus has a somewhat scattered library that includes everything from Charlie Brown to Martin Scorsese. Some things are great; part of it is Argyle.
But there’s one place where the service is hitting the mark: science fiction.
For some reason, the lineup of sci-fi shows on Apple TV Plus has grown steadily over the years, not only in terms of size and quality but also in tone and scope. The genre has become one of the service’s strongest selling points. Here’s a quick rundown of some of what’s currently available:
Many of these shows have multiple seasons or at least been renewed and are split fairly evenly between original series and adaptations. Some are large-scale (Foundation), some are spooky (Severance), and some are fun and playful (Hello Tomorrow). Not all of them are great, but put them together and you’ll have a strong and diverse lineup.
More recently, the service has evolved towards a darker tone. First was the debut of Constellation earlier this year, starring Noomi Rapace as an astronaut who returned to an Earth that is very different from the one she left. And now we have Dark Matter based on the novel by Blake Crouch, out May 8.
It’s a multiversal story about a physicist played by Joel Edgerton who is kidnapped by a parallel version of himself. So far, I’ve seen the first two episodes and they manage to merge the tone of a tense thriller with the mind-bending nature of time travel, creating the kind of story that intentionally makes you feel unmoored. In addition, there are some very large and impressive cubes.
It’s also the type of program needed to distinguish Apple’s product line. This is not a place to find the biggest franchises, which is where the competition excels with heavy hitters like Star Wars, Star Trek, and Doctor Who.
Instead, the service’s sci-fi bona fides come from largely unexpected and original shows, like a workplace thriller about scary numbers and goats or an alien invasion story that’s not afraid to take its time.
That focus on singular stories may change in the future. Apple TV Plus already appears to be entering its spinoff era: Monarch and For All Mankind are getting more seasons and new shows to expand into larger franchises. (Monarch, of course, already exists within a primarily theatrical franchise called the “monsterverse.”)
But hopefully, the service won’t delve too far into the franchise model, which can stifle even the largest properties. It also goes against what has made Apple’s sci-fi offerings so exciting: in a genre full of the familiar, these shows offer a welcome surprise. And they could finally help give Apple TV Plus the identity it’s missing.
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