Apple TV+ doesn’t need dozens of weekly premieres to dominate the conversation. Instead, it delivers carefully crafted series that linger — the kind audiences debate, dissect, and eagerly await between seasons.
In 2025, that approach has produced one of the streamer’s strongest lineups yet. From genre-bending science fiction to biting industry satire and espionage thrillers, these are the six Apple TV+ shows that define the year.
1. Pluribus (2025 – )
Pluribus is a new sci-fi series that follows Carol Sturka (Rhea Seehorn), a cynical novelist immune to a virus that turns everyone else into hive-minded, peaceful people who prefer their mindless bliss to free will. She's forced to fight to keep her individuality, while the rest of humanity becomes a collective consciousness trying to assimilate her and a few other "survivors."
Apple TV+'s new hit series has an impressive 98% score on Rotten Tomatoes. The great news for fans of the show and those invested in sci-fi with a dark sense of humor is that Pluribus was renewed for season 2 almost immediately after its premiere in early November. The bad news is that viewers seem to have a long wait ahead of them. Season 2 isn't expected before late 2027, or even early 2028.
2. Severance (2022 – )
This show blends sci-fi with psychological thrillers and tells the story of employees at Lumon Industries. They undergo a procedure to separate their work memories from their personal lives, creating two separate personalities. The work self is called an “innie,” while the home self is an “outie.” Mark Scout (Adam Scott) and his team begin to question their existence and plan to communicate with their outies.
Season 2 follows Mark's dramatic attempt to save his supposedly dead wife, Gemma, uncovering more of Lumon's secrets and culminating in a confrontation between Mark's innie and outie. Season 3 is already in production, with filming expected to end this month. The new installment won't let fans wait for another three years — it's expected to air in mid-2027, most likely in June.
3. The Studio (2025 – )
The Studio is a satirical cringe comedy series co-created by Seth Rogen, starring him as Matt Remick, the newly-appointed head of the Continental movie studio, struggling to please corporate demands while producing the quality films he wants. It's a satire directed at the current state of the film industry, with its egos and greed, and how increasingly hard it is for art and business to coexist.
Rogen made sure the comedic premise is made relatable to the broader audience, though — it comes down to a bunch of people trying to work with a ridiculous boss. The series earned critical acclaim, with a strong 92% rating on Rotten Tomatoes. The show is officially renewed for season 2.
4. Platonic (2023 – )
You haven't seen the last of Rogen yet. This comedy follows two childhood best friends, Will (Seth Rogen) and Sylvia (Rose Byrne), as they reconnect as adults and help one another deal with the messiness of life at 40. Season 2 puts their friendship to the test, but it ends with Will and Sylvia becoming business partners.
After the cliffhanger, fans expected there would be a season 3. And Apple TV+ officially renewed the series in early December for more funny banter and incredible chemistry between the leads.
5. Slow Horses (2022 – )
This British spy thriller is based on Mick Herron's Slough House book series, and tells the story of a disgraced team of MI5 agents. They're "exiled" to Slough House, a neglected London outpost run by cynical Jackson Lamb (Gary Oldman). While the team is sent there to do menial work, they keep being thrown into dangerous missions, testing their skills and giving them a chance to redeem their careers.
Season 5 was released this year and is focused on a series of terrorist attacks in London, leading Lamb and his team of misfits to uncover a conspiracy and confront internal threats. Apple TV+ has ordered two more seasons of the beloved series, with season 6 expected to drop in fall 2026.
6. Down Cemetery Road (2025 – )
Coming down from the comedic high, Down Cemetery Road is a fresh psychological thriller based on Mick Herron's book of the same name. It follows art conservator Sarah Trafford (Ruth Wilson), who gets involved in a dark government cover-up after a house explosion near her house and her desperate attempts to find a missing girl.
She's soon prompted to team up with Private Investigator Zoe Boehm (Emma Thompson) and former soldier Michel Downey (Nathan Stewart-Jarrett) to uncover the truth, save Dinah, and make sure the story gets out. It's a perfect show for fans of Herron and the other acclaimed series based on his books, Slow Horses. And the best news is, it's been officially renewed for season 2.
Apple TV+ may not dominate headlines with volume, but its 2025 lineup reinforces why it remains a critical favorite. These six shows demonstrate the platform’s commitment to carefully developed ideas, strong creative voices, and storytelling that values patience.