The best shows on Apple TV+ right now (July 2024)

Eva Longoria returns to the small screen in Land of Women, a comedy drama thriller inspired by the best-selling novel of the same name by Sandra Barneda. Gala (Longoria) has a pretty well-off life in New York City, but when her husband’s nefarious financial dealings are revealed and he flees, she has no choice but to leave as well. She takes her aging mother Julia (Carmen Maura) and teenage daughter Kate (Victoria Bazua) with her to Spain to evade dangerous people who are looking for a debt to be repaid.

Arriving in Spain, the very place Julia fled from a half-century ago, the trio try to start over under new assumed identities. But gossip that reveals family secrets and looming fear threaten her potential quiet new life. Receiving decent reviews for its first few episodes, Land of Women is nothing more than entertaining comfort TV. The picturesque scenery of Barcelona and the comedic moments amidst the drama, however, will easily suck you in.

Looking for something sweet, uplifting, and educational to watch with young kids? Frog and Toad, based on the Arnold Lobel series of children’s books of the same name from the 1970s, brings young ones into the world of two anthropomorphic amphibians who are the best of friends, despite their differences. Central to the show is the fact that the pair have very different interests and personalities. But they embrace their unique qualities and the elements of their personalities and appearance that make them different.

It’s easy to see why parents might love Frog and Toad and all the important messages it delivers to young minds ripe for soaking them up. The books may have been written decades ago, but the core messaging is still as relevant today. Nat Faxon (Our Flag Means Death) voices Frog and Kevin Michael Richardson (Invincible) is Toad. Ron Funches (Loot) and comedian Margaret Cho voice their friends Racoon and Turtle, respectively.

Michael Douglas portrays Benjamin Franklin in this biographical drama miniseries, which runs eight episodes long. Beginning in 1776, Franklin follows the Founding Father as he ventures out on a secret mission in France along with his grandson Temple (Noah Jupe), determined in the fight for independence. Despite already being 70 years old and not having any diplomatic training, Franklin manages to convince a monarchy that democracy is the way to go in America.

His work is a testament to Franklin’s charm and charisma, and Douglas fully captures the essence of the U.S. Founding Father and his importance to the country’s history and win during the Revolution. Franklin is based on the novel A Great Improvisation: Franklin, France, and the Birth of America by Stacy Schiff and contains one of Douglas’ best performances in years.

Colin Farrell stars in this drama described as a “contemporary, unique take on one of the most popular and significant genres in literary, motion picture, and television history: the private detective story.” He plays John Sugar, a private investigator with a sweet name tasked with looking into the disappearance of the granddaughter of legendary Hollywood producer Jonathan Siegel (James Cromwell). But through his investigation, Sugar discovers that the Siegel family has plenty of secrets, both new and old.

Along with starring in Sugar, Farrell also serves as executive producer, with Academy Award-nominated director Fernando Meirelles (City of God, The Two Popes) behind the camera. There are eight episodes in all, and Anna Gunn (Breaking Bad), Nate Corddry (For All Mankind), and Kirby Howell-Baptiste (Barry) round out the remaining cast. You’ll be hooked right from the first black-and-white sequence, which introduces its complicated and fascinating lead character. Sugar is a deeply kind but also troubled soul with personal demons. He “doesn’t like hurting people,” as he says through his inner monologue that narrates the series. But sometimes, he has to do what’s necessary, even if it hurts him, too.

Even though it’s yet another postapocalyptic, dystopian series, Silo draws you in with its unique and compelling story and A-list cast. Earth has supposedly become nothing more than a vast wasteland, and the only survivors reside in a massive silo built more than 100 floors high. No one knows why the silo was built or even by whom. But they are told it’s dangerous and deadly to step outside. The protective community abides by strict rules and the same kind of corrupted politics and socioeconomic classes that existed in the outside world. Any signs of the world before, called relics, are strictly prohibited.

The story, based on the sci-fi books by Hugh Howey, centers around Juliette (Rebecca Ferguson, Dune), a young engineer who decides to investigate the truth when her boyfriend, who was looking into various theories, mysteriously falls to his death. Silo touches on themes of power, control, perception, and manipulation. Is the silo really protecting people from dangerous conditions outside its doors, or is this all just an elaborate demonstration of smoke and mirrors?

With three seasons under its belt, Stillwater remains one of the most thoughtful and heartwarming animated series within Apple TV+’s slate of originals. Based on the Zen Shorts by Jon J. Muth, the title character is a panda named Stillwater who teaches important life lessons to the kids who live next door, Karl, Addy, and Michael. From educating the kids on how to live a more Earth-friendly lifestyle to dealing with typical kid challenges like broken toys and fights with friends, Stillwater always knows just the right things to say.

It’s a cute animated series for kids that has smarts behind it, along with wonderful voice actors who make you feel like you’re part of the story, too.