Apple TV+ had some huge highs in 2025, but there were also some notable letdowns from the streamer this year. Apple TV+ has continued to prove itself one of the giants of modern television, and 2025 helped cement that. Along with the acclaim over returning shows, like Severance, they also had great success with new shows, like The Studio.
However, not everything can work out perfectly, and Apple TV+ did have its share of missteps this year as well. While none of these shows are outright terrible, the Apple TV+ brand, along with some real talent involved, set expectations high only for the shows to fall far short. While there are plenty of other Apple TV+ shows to enjoy, these have been disappointing.
1. Government Cheese
Apple TV+ has shown a willingness to take chances on shows that are not easily defined. Sometimes the results can be brilliant, but with a show like Government Cheese, it can also be alienating if the audience doesn't know what to make of it. David Oyelowo stars in the period drama as a former burglar who returns from prison with ambitions to become an inventor.
The balance between comedy and drama is handled awkwardly and further complicated by the absurdist tone that feels out of place. It hints at a quirky and fun period story hidden within the messy series. However, the moments of inspiration are too few and far between.
2. Stick
Following the success of Ted Lasso on Apple TV+, Stick seemed like the perfect replacement. The sports dramedy starred Owen Wilson as a washed-up golfer dealing with a personal tragedy who finds a shot at redemption by mentoring a talented yet inexperienced young golfer.
The show was set up to be a heartwarming story set in the sports world, but Stick never seemed to understand its tone. Wilson's typical laid-back charm is one of the highlights of the show, but the more serious elements distract from his performance. It never found anything inventive to say and seemed content being just pleasant enough without standing out.
3. Chief of War
Having Jason Momoa as the lead of an epic action series is enough to make it an anticipated new show. Chief of War had the added benefit of tackling some thrilling real-life history in this story of the kingdoms of the Hawaiian islands at war with each other and the outsiders in the 18th century. Momoa was perfectly cast to lead the series as the legendary warrior Kaʻiana.
The scale of Chief of War is impressive, and the show certainly delivers on the brutal battle sequences. It is the story, characters, and quieter moments where Chief of War appears lost. What feels like it could be the next Shogun is hampered by a sense of aimless storytelling that details the history without much passion.
4. Smoke
Taron Egerton established a solid relationship with Apple TV+ after starring in the excellent limited series Black Bird. However, this next project with the streamer failed to live up to that hype. Smoke is a thriller that stars Egerton as an arson investigator at the center of a case of a devastated arsonist.
While it is a solid setup for a thriller, Smoke was ironically too slow a burn to really be exciting. The beginning of the series felt too generic and slow to make us care about what was to come. There were some more promising episodes later on, but it was too little too late for what could have been a terrific crime series.
5. Down Cemetery Road
In 2025, Slow Horses season 5 continued to prove itself one of Apple TV+'s best shows, so a new series also based on the novels of Mick Herron was immediately exciting. Indeed, Down Cemetery Road goes for a similar vibe, swapping the spy genre for a private investigator mystery and infusing it with a similar acerbic sense of humor.
However, Down Cemetery Road only succeeds in proving how special Slow Horses actually is. Despite a game performance from Emma Thompson, the series fails both at being really funny and at subverting the genre expectations. As a result, it just manages to be a rather dull thriller with bad jokes.