The Best Apple TV+ Shows (That Aren’t Ted Lasso)

From the co-creators of Ted Lasso, plus Jason Segel, Shrinking is about Jimmy (Segel), a single father who’s failing his teenage daughter, and whose grief inspires a radical do-or-die approach to his work as a therapist. Jimmy’s boss is Paul, played by Harrison Ford, who is clearly having a ball and in his comedic element. Love Life’s Jessica Williams and Scrubs’ Christa Miller are great as colleague Gaby and neighbour Liz, and the whole thing is colourful, sweet and an all-round good time. Next to the masterpiece that is Aftersun, Shrinking also features the second best final-scene-set-to-a-David-Bowie-song of recent years. – LM

Physical

Physical is a bit of a hard sell but hear me out – it’s set in 1980s San Diego and focuses on Sheila (Rose Byrne), a housewife who pretty much hates her life and herself. Sheila lives with her egomaniac professor husband (played to perfection by Rory Scovel), and struggles with an overwhelming eating disorder until she is saved(ish) by aerobics. It may sound slightly ridiculous but is so weird, so funny and so dark; it’s well worth a watch. And it’s short! Ten half hour episodes each season (there are two so far with a third on the way).

Byrne is reliably excellent and the fantastic supporting cast includes Murray Bartlett (The White Lotus and The Last of Us), Paul Sparks (House of Cards) and (my personal favourite) Lou Taylor Pucci as surfer dude Tyler, who brings a lot of levity to the show. The soundtrack is brilliant, the aerobic outfits are wonderful and there is a lot to relate to in Sheila’s world. – Elizabeth Donoghue

Dickinson 

Set in the 19th century, Dickinson follows a young Emily Dickinson (Hailee Steinfeld) as she struggles with what society expects of her as a woman. Her family wants her to marry a man, have kids, and be a good housewife, but what Emily really wants is to live out her days with the love of her life Sue Gilbert (Ella Hunt) and become a famous writer. Each episode of the series is named after the title of a piece of Dickinson’s work, and matches the themes and topics found within the corresponding piece. If you’re looking for a historically accurate depiction of Emily Dickinson’s life, this may not be the show for you, but if you’re looking for a fun, queer, feminist show that feels modern despite its pre-Civil War setting and maintains the soul of the beloved writer’s work, then I highly recommend adding Dickinson to your watchlist. – Brynna Arens

Little America 

The United States of America is a nation of immigrants. That’s what makes us so rad…in addition to free refills and college football, of course. That’s also what makes Apple TV+’s anthology series Little America so rad. This two-season show tells the dramatized stories of 16 real life individuals pursuing the American Dream. 

Season 1’s first episode ‘The Manager’ follows the story of Kabir, who is forced to run his family’s motel in Utah after his parents are deported to India. ‘The Cowboy’  follows Iwegbuna, a Nigerian-born man who discovers his Oklahoma cowboy bona fides thanks to a pristine pair of boots. And most notably, ‘The Son’ details the story of Rafiq, a gay Syrian refugee who is finally able to embrace himself in the American midwest. Developed by Lee Eisenberg, Emily V. Gordon, and Kumail Nanjiani, Little America does a superb job of finding the funny, affecting, and inspiring stories of immigrants across this big melting pot. – AB