Keep this page handy as we celebrate and list what is deemed to be the Best and Highest Rated TV shows on Apple TV+ in 2023.
Apple TV+ has quickly established itself as the home of prestigious original TV and award-winning films. In a short time, the streaming platform has built an impressive library of content featuring Hollywood talent in front of and behind the cameras. As we journey into 2023, Apple TV+ looks set to continue this speedy expansion, building upon its solid foundations with more exceptional series and movies to enjoy in the coming months.
Here at Ready Steady Cut, we want to make it easier for you to decide what Apple TV+ shows to watch next in 2023, so we are providing you with a list of the top-rated shows as they debut on the streaming site. This list will be updated continuously throughout the year to give you an overview of the best from Apple TV+. The shows are rated by their IMDB score, and the list includes the Rotten Tomatoes rating for comparisons. If you want a broader list check out our Best Apple TV+ Shows of All Time.
Best TV Shows on Apple TV+ in 2023
20. Hello Tomorrow! Season 1
Apple TV+ moves into the sci-fi comedy genre with this entirely original production. Hello Tomorrow! boasts a great ensemble cast of movie stars and TV’s finest, pushing a visually unique aesthetic that blends fifties nostalgia with a futuristic setting. The critics have been relatively lukewarm about this original series that looks at traveling salesmen selling timeshares on the moon.
Official Premise: In a retro-futuristic world, charismatic salesman Jack Billings (Billy Crudup) leads a team of fellow sales associates determined to revitalize their customers’ lives by hawking timeshares on the moon.
Cast: Billy Crudup, Hank Azaria, Haneefah Wood, Alison Pill, Jacki Weaver, W. Earl Brown
IMDB score: 6.3/10
Rotten Tomatoes: 54%
19. The Big Door Prize Season 1
The new comedy series from David West Read (Schitt’s Creek), The Big Door Prize, centers on the town of Deerfield, who are handed a mysterious machine that can predict your life’s potential. These predictions lead the townsfolk on a chaotic journey of self-discovery as they try to selfishly improve their own lives.
It’s a comforting and comedic sci-fi comedy series that introduces a lovable cast and some intriguing notions on life. This successful show has already been renewed for a second season, which is already in production.
Official premise: Based on M.O. Walsh’s novel of the same name, The Big Door Prize tells the story of a small town that is forever changed when a mysterious machine appears in the general store, promising to reveal each resident’s true life potential.
Cast: Chris O’Dowd, Gabrielle Dennis, Patrick Kerr, Damon Gupton, Josh Segarra
IMDB Score: 6.3/10
Rotten Tomatoes: 92%
18. City on Fire Season 1
Gossip Girl producers Josh Schwartz and Stephanie Savage adapt Garth Risk Hallberg’s debut novel for Apple TV+. This crime drama series centers on an attempted murder in New York City in the early 2000s. The series interconnects this investigation with stories of arson, the art world, and the elite business world.
The critics were a little icy towards this one, highlighting poorly construed characters and unrealistic scenarios as the main issues, but overall, it just lacks any depth or integrity.
Official premise: A college student is shot in Central Park on July 4, 2003. The investigation connects a series of mysterious citywide fires, the downtown music scene, and a wealthy uptown real estate family fraying under the strain of the many secrets they keep.
Cast: Jemima Kirke, Wyatt Oleff, Chase Sui Wonders, Nico Tortorella, Ashley Zukerman
IMDB Score: 6.4/10
Rotten Tomatoes: 39%
17. Liaison Season 1
The first British-French co-production for Apple TV+ stars the multilingual Hollywood heartthrobs Vincent Cassel and Eva Green. This globe-trotting espionage thriller focuses on Syrian hackers who hold key information on upcoming cyber-attacks in London.
The Brits and the French are after these hackers and the all-important details of the next terrorist attack. Early reviews of Liaison have been less than promising, though.
Official Premise: Two agents and former lovers must work together to combat international cyberattacks threatening the UK while confronting the buried secrets of their destructive relationship.
Cast: Vincent Cassel, Eva Green, Peter Mullan, Gerard Lanvin, Daniel Francis, Thierry Fremont, Bukky Bakray
IMDB score: 6.5/10
Rotten Tomatoes: 44%
16. The Last Thing He Told Me Season 1
This miniseries is based on the best-selling novel of the same name, a thriller about the disappearance of a well-respected man and his wife’s attempts to track him down. Wife Hannah embarks on this deadly investigation with step-daughter Bailey, unearthing a history of deception and crime along the way.
The Apple Original has done good numbers for the streaming site, with viewers desperate to find out the truth of this unraveling mystery. At seven episodes in length, this show also makes for a quick binge.
Official premise: This gripping limited series follows Hannah, a woman who must forge a relationship with her 16-year-old stepdaughter Bailey in order to find the truth about why her husband has mysteriously disappeared.
Cast: Jennifer Garner, Nikolaj Coster-Waldau, Angourie Rice, David Morse, Victor Garber
IMDB Score: 6.5/10
Rotten Tomatoes: 45%
15. Truth Be Told Season 3
The podcast detective Poppy Scoville (Octavia Spencer) returns for a third and final outing in this popular crime drama series, one of the first shows to be released by Apple TV+ back in 2019.
The series concentrates on Poppy’s involvement in a new case each season. In season three, Poppy investigates missing teens in the local area and soon uncovers a dark criminal underworld.
Official Premise: In season three, true crime podcaster Poppy Scoville (Spencer), frustrated by the lack of media attention for young missing Black girls, teams up with an unorthodox Principal (Union) to keep the victims’ names in the public eye, while chasing down leads to a suspected sex trafficking ring that may have ensnared them.
Cast: Octavia Spencer, Gabrielle Union, Mekhi Phifer, Tracie Thoms, Haneefah Wood, Ron Cephas Jones
IMDB score: 7.1/10
Rotten Tomatoes: not enough ratings to calculate a score yet
14. Dear Edward Season 1
Based on the hugely successful novel by Ann Napolitano, this heart-wrenching drama series tells the story of those affected by a horrific plane crash that devastates the nation. Edward Adler is the only survivor of this crash, hailed as a miracle boy; he must learn to live without his immediate family while being perceived as a celebrity.
The show is a real tear-jerker, with many emotional plot points and character arcs throughout its ten-episode run.
Official Premise: A 12-year-old boy becomes the lone survivor of a plane crash. As he and the others affected by the tragedy try to make sense of what happened, unexpected friendships, romances, and communities are formed.
Cast: Taylor Schilling, Colin O’Brien, Connie Britton, Maxwell Jenkins, Amy Forsyth, Anna Uzele
IMDB score: 7.1/10
Rotten Tomatoes: 55%
13. Platonic Season 1
Reuniting Seth Rogen and Rose Byrne, who were just the perfect on-screen duo in the Neighbors movies, this comedy series explores the highs and lows of a platonic friendship in modern-day settings.
The show has been praised for its refreshing take on adult friendships and relationships. While Rogen and Byrne have never been better as this lead comedic duo.
Official premise: Platonic follows a platonic pair of former best friends approaching midlife (Seth Rogen and Rose Byrne) who reconnect after a long rift. The duo’s friendship becomes all-consuming—and destabilizes their lives in a hilarious way. The ensemble cast also stars Luke Macfarlane, Tre Hale, Carla Gallo, and Andrew Lopez.
Cast: Seth Rogen, Rose Byrne, Luke Macfarlane, Carla Gallo, Alisha Wainwright
IMDB Score: 7.2/10
Rotten Tomatoes: 93%
12. Physical Season 3
1980s set comedy-drama series Physical is back, exploring the complex life of fitness guru Sheila Rubin as she attempts to build herself an aerobics empire. In the third season, Sheila is confronted by a rival in the business, TV star Kelly Kilmartin, played by Zooey Deschanel herself.
The series is fast-paced, delivering short and sweet installments that cover multiple storylines. Sheila is the main focus, but there is room to delve into the private lives of Sheila’s ex-husband Danny and John Breem, the man she had an affair with. It’s a deliciously intriguing setup that concludes in fine form.
Official premise: Set in the idyllic but fragile beach paradise of sunny 1980s San Diego, Physical is a half-hour dark comedy following Sheila Rubin (Byrne), a quietly tortured, seemingly dutiful housewife supporting her smart but controversial husband’s bid for state assembly. But behind closed doors, Sheila has her own darkly funny take on life she rarely lets the world see.
Cast: Rose Byrne, Zooey Deschanel, Paul Sparks, Rory Scovel, Dierdre Friel
IMDB Score: 7.3/10
Rotten Tomatoes: 93%
11. The Afterparty Season 2
Christopher Miller’s comedy, murder mystery, anthology series takes a unique format and just runs with it. In season two, guests at a wedding are interrogated after the groom is found dead. Each character recounts the events from their perspective, utilizing a different genre and style of cinema with each retelling.
The second season seems to be pitched at a similar quality to the first season, making the most of a game cast and that gimmicky formula. Fans of the first season will be eager to return to this quirky series, which boasts one hell of a comedic cast once again.
Official premise: From Academy Award winners Christopher Miller and Phil Lord, each episode of The Afterparty explores a different character’s account of one fateful evening, all told through the lens of popular film genres and unique visuals to match the storyteller’s perspective. In season two, a wedding is ruined when the groom is murdered and every guest is a suspect.
Cast: Tiffany Haddish, John Cho, Paul Walter Hauser, Ken Jeong, Jack Whitehall
IMDB Score: 7.3/10
Rotten Tomatoes: 94%
10. Schmigadoon! Season 2
The musical comedy series returns for a second season. In this new offering, Josh and Melissa seek out Schmigadoon again after a lackluster return to normality. Instead, they find Schmicago, a much darker and more violent musical world than before.
This delightful series has been praised for a second time around now, with critics stating that the new season even improves on the first. Season two has been called fun, witty and thoroughly entertaining.
Official premise: Josh (Keegan-Michael Key) and Melissa (Cecily Strong) miss the magic they felt in Schmigadoon and in an attempt to return, find themselves in Schmicago—the reimagined world of ’60s and ’70s musicals.
Cast: Keegan-Michael Key, Cecily Strong, Alan Cumming, Jane Krakowski, Martin Short
IMDB Score: 7.4/10
Rotten Tomatoes: 97%
9. Swagger Season 2
The sports drama series Swagger returns for an eagerly anticipated second season this year. The new season continues the story of basketball prodigy Jace Carson as he traverses the tricky world of competitive sports.
In the new season, Jace faces many ongoing problems in his fight to reach the NBA. Jace is challenged by media scrutiny, the pressures of the game, his love life and career prospects. As always, Jace is joined by his supportive network of friends and family in this wholesome and topical series.
Official premise: From NBA star Kevin Durant, filmmaker Reggie Rock Bythewood, and the team behind Friday Night Lights. A basketball prodigy must navigate a maze of pressure if he’s going to overcome the odds against him and learn what it truly means to have swagger.
Cast: O’Shea Jackson Jr., Isaiah Hill, Shinelle Azoroh, Quvenzhané Wallis, Orlando Jones
IMDB Score: 7.4/10
Rotten Tomatoes: 100%
8. Servant Season 4
Season 4 marks the concluding chapter of Apple’s deceptive psychological horror series Servant. The show has confused and entertained viewers in equal amounts since its release in November 2019.
As always, season 4 focuses on the Turner family, who are experiencing strange events in their home after hiring an unusual nanny. Executive-produced by M. Night Shyamalan, this twisted cult series continues to shock and surprise in its final outing.
Official Premise: From M. Night Shyamalan, Servant follows a Philadelphia couple in mourning after an unspeakable tragedy creates a rift in their marriage and opens the door for a mysterious force to enter their home.
Cast: Lauren Ambrose, Toby Kebbell, Nell Tiger Free, Rupert Grint, Tony Revolori
IMDB score: 7.4/10
Rotten Tomatoes: 100%
7. Hijack Season 1
Idris Elba leads this tense seven-part thriller, which is told in real time. The show focuses on a hijacked plane heading from Dubai to Heathrow. Elba, of course, is the show’s leading man and unsuspecting hero, who must use his unique set of skills to negotiate the passengers’ safe release.
The series is an action-packed triumph, delivering numerous twists and turns throughout each entertaining installment. This all builds towards an emotional finale. This little gem will make for a great binge-watch, but maybe don’t watch it when you are on a flight of your own.
Official premise: When Flight KA29 is hijacked during its seven-hour journey from Dubai to London, Sam Nelson – an accomplished corporate negotiator – tries using his professional skills to save everyone onboard. Will this high-risk strategy be his undoing?
Cast: Idris Elba, Neil Maskell, Eve Myles, Archie Panjabi, Ben Miles
IMDB Score: 7.5/10
Rotten Tomatoes: 88%
6. Foundation Season 2
The visually stunning sci-fi epic Foundation is back for a second season. This time, the action takes place over a century after the season one finale, but the majority of the cast still return. There is unrest in the galaxy as a dangerous colony grows in power while the Cleons fall apart in their very own palace.
The series continues to feature complex and intricate narratives, just like the first season did, with dense mythology for audiences to decode. But there are many exciting set pieces and subplots within all this heavy lifting. When the show breaks away from these flaws, there is plenty to enjoy. And the special effects work is unparalleled in modern TV.
Official premise: More than a century after the Season 1 finale, tension mounts throughout the galaxy. As the Cleons unravel, a vengeful queen plots to destroy Empire from within. Hari, Gaal, and Salvor discover a colony of Mentalics with special abilities that threaten to alter psychohistory itself. Meanwhile, the Foundation and Empire are on a collision course for war with the fate of humanity in the balance.
Cast: Lee Pace, Jared Harris, Lou Llobell, Leah Harvey, Laura Birn
IMDB Score: 7.5/10
Rotten Tomatoes: 100%
5. The Crowded Room Season 1
Akiva Goldsman’s seventies-set psychological thriller was poorly received by critics on its initial release, yet over time, it has gone on to win over a strong fan base. The series is unusual in that it takes over half of its run time to eventually kick into gear. But when it finally reveals many of its darkest secrets, viewers are in for an absolute treat.
Starring Tom Holland as Danny Sullivan and Amanda Seyfried as Rya Goodwin, the series focuses on Rya’s attempts to get Danny out of jail. The young man is accused of shooting multiple strangers in Rockefeller Center, but there is much more bubbling below the surface in this complex and rewarding story.
Official premise: A psychological thriller set in Manhattan in the summer of 1979, when a young man is arrested for a shocking crime – and an unlikely investigator must solve the mystery behind it.
Cast: Tom Holland, Amanda Seyfried, Emmy Rossum, Christopher Abbott, Jason Isaacs
IMDB Score: 7.6/10
Rotten Tomatoes: 33%
4. Shrinking Season 1
The gang behind Ted Lasso (Bill Lawrence and Brett Goldstein) and Hollywood rom-com star Jason Segel have struck gold once again with this delightful comedy-drama series. Shrinking focuses on Segel’s Jimmy, a therapist who is dealing with severe grief of his own. He decides to try a new tactic at work, with wildly varying results.
The series is hilarious and adorable, with one of the best ensemble casts I’ve seen in a long time—a special mention for Harrison Ford as a disgruntled and fragile therapist.
Official Premise: Jimmy is struggling to grieve the loss of his wife while being a dad, friend, and therapist. He decides to try a new approach with everyone in his path: unfiltered, brutal honesty. Can he help himself by helping others? Will it bring him back into the light?
Cast: Jason Segel, Jessica Williams, Harrison Ford, Luke Tennie, Michael Urie, Lukita Maxwell, Christa Miller
IMDB Score: 8.0/10
Rotten Tomatoes: 91%
3. Silo Season 1
Another sci-fi epic from Apple, this time set underground in the mysterious world of the Silo in a dystopian future. This puzzle box of a series follows a civilization reduced to living underground after an unknown apocalyptic event. The inhabitants conduct strange rituals and follow detailed laws, but there is plenty of crime and mysteries still to be explored.
The show features a few Hollywood names and some stunning world-building as audiences are teased with clues about this ever-expanding society with each new installment. Sci-fi fans will love this highly-inventive odyssey, which has heaps of potential moving forwards.
Official premise: In a ruined and toxic future, thousands live in a giant silo deep underground. After its sheriff breaks a cardinal rule and residents die mysteriously, engineer Juliette (Rebecca Ferguson) starts to uncover shocking secrets and the truth about the silo.
Cast: Rebecca Ferguson, Rashida Jones, David Oyelowo, Common, Tim Robbins, Harriet Walter
IMDB Score: 8.1/10
Rotten Tomatoes: 88%
2. Drops of God Season 1
One of the biggest surprises of the year is this Japanese, French co-production, Drops of God. Based on a successful manga series of the same name, this drama focuses on a heated inheritance battle and the world of fine wine.
Critics were bowled over by this cinematic treat, which currently holds a 100% rating on Rotten Tomatoes. Wine novices and wine experts alike will adore this strange concoction, that spans multiple continents and decades in its exploration of legacy and life.
Official premise: Alexandre Léger, creator of the famous Léger Wine Guide and emblematic figure in oenology, has just passed away, leaving behind a daughter, Camille, who hasn’t seen her father since her parents separated when she was nine years old. When Camille flies to Tokyo and Léger’s will is read, she discovers that her father has left her an extraordinary wine collection. But, to claim the inheritance, Camille must compete with a brilliant oenologist, Issei Tomine, who her father took under his wing and is referred to in Léger’s will as his “spiritual son.”
Cast: Fleur Geffrier, Tomohisa Yamashita, Stanley Weber, Tom Wozniczka, Gustave Kervern
IMDB Score: 8.1/10
Rotten Tomatoes: 100%
1. Ted Lasso Season 3
In the third and possibly final season of Apple’s number one original hit series, Ted Lasso and his AFC Richmond gang return to the top flight of football, the prestigious Premier League. This allows for new villains and new characters to enter the fray as the show’s scope expands.
This latest season hasn’t been as well received as the previous two, but it is still seen as a worthwhile endeavor, with the same addictive humor and adorable cast of characters. This may be the fitting finale that fans were hoping for, although the end hasn’t been officially confirmed just yet.
Official premise: In the third season of Ted Lasso, the newly-promoted AFC Richmond faces ridicule as media predictions widely peg them to finish last in the Premier League and Nate (Nick Mohammed), now hailed as the “wonder kid,” has gone to work for Rupert (Anthony Head) at West Ham United. In the wake of Nate’s contentious departure from Richmond, Roy Kent (Brett Goldstein) steps up as assistant coach alongside Beard (Brendan Hunt).
Cast: Jason Sudeikis, Hannah Waddingham, Jeremy Swift, Phil Dunster, Brett Goldstein, Nick Mohammed, Juno Temple
IMDB Score: 8.8/10
Rotten Tomatoes: 81%
And that completes our Best and Highest Rated TV shows on Apple TV+ in 2023. What’s your favorite show on Apple TV+? Comment below.
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