Apple TV remains one of the best streaming services in 2026 because of its ad-free programming and high-quality shows and movies. The service is available on Apple devices, but you can also watch Apple TV shows on Roku, Google TV, Amazon Prime Video, and select programming is available inside Peacock, among other places.
While there are a few breakthrough shows that have reached a mainstream audience, like Severance and Pluribus, there are hundreds of titles now in the catalog. You might be surprised by how many top-tier actors appear across all the different series.
Since it can be expensive to subscribe to every streaming video service, it’s tempting to cancel. Unfortunately, Apple is doing a solid job of spacing out its shows. It’s hard to find a good time to take a break. I love shows like The Reluctant Traveler with Eugene Levy and Down Cemetery Road, but these six below are the shows that have kept me subscribed to the service and will through the rest of this year.
Best of all, I can almost guarantee there will still be other, unexpected hits that get released later this year, too.
Shrinking
Shrinking is equal parts emotional heart and genuine laughs. The show keeps getting stronger after three full seasons. It seems like, despite originally only planning for three seasons, there will be at least one more. However the series moves the plot forward and deals with everyone’s interconnected lives; it will continue to be a must-watch series.
Widow’s Bay
Widow’s Bay is pure suspense. The horror comedy show mixes legitimate jump scares and spine-tingling events with comedic breaks and mystery drama. I’m not one for horror movies or shows, but this one hooked me and never scared me away. It has the right amount of genre-blending chaos. I’m already looking forward to a second season.
Star City
Star City is the alternate side of Apple TV’s other great show, For All Mankind. This time, however, the historical fiction tells the story of the Soviet Union beating other countries to the moon from their perspective. The teaser sets the show up to be tense and full of espionage. If you like For All Mankind, this should keep you hooked, too.
Sugar
Sugar is an understated noir detective show. The show’s title character, Sugar, played by Colin Farrell, is obsessed with movies, so there are lots of references throughout to old Hollywood. But more than solving the case, Farrell does a great job of adding depth to the show that may not be what it seems. Anyone who watched season one knows how addictive it gets, and season two will be a must-see.
Silo
Silo is the sci-fi mystery show about a group of people living underground because something unknown happened to the world above them. As good as the mystery of discovering what happened is, it’s the human connection and class system dynamics that really drive the show forward.
The series will run for four seasons, so it has a finite arc it’s building towards. But we’re only halfway through so far, with season three airing in the summer of 2026.
Slow Horses
With only six episodes in each season, it would be easy to have an off year with just a couple of missteps. So far, that hasn’t happened with Slow Horses. In fact, the characters and plots have gotten sharper as the show has progressed. It’s now a very well-oiled machine that has yet to become too formulaic.
Thankfully, you never have to wait for too long for this gem of a show. I look forward to it every year. The secret to the show airing like clockwork is that it shoots two seasons at a time, so there’s always one in the hopper ready to go.
Bad Monkey
Bad Monkey started filming season two in 2025, so fingers crossed that it will be released in 2026. The series is based on Carl Hiaasen’s book by the same name. But instead of following the books and turning the sequel into the second season, Bill Lawrence is working to adapt different material to act as the first season’s follow-up.
Even if you’re not the biggest Vince Vaughn fan, he nails his character so well that it’s easy to see past the actor and appreciate the chemistry, humor, and trouble that all these characters get themselves into.