This weekend, AppleTV+ (Apple TV Plus) is giving everyone access to their streaming library from January 3 through January 5. The free Apple TV+ weekend will be free on any device where Apple TV+ is available, and all you need is an Apple ID to see what all the buzz is about.
Home to some of the best drama and genre programming, the streamer has been able to cultivate a unique voice…even if you don’t know it’s there. Some of the series our critics have voted as the best series of the past few years are available to watch during the free Apple TV Plus weekend. From science fiction series about alien invasions to thrilling mysteries, workplace comedies, science fiction stories about grief and humanity, and dramas that craft tapestries of generational history, there is just so much to watch.
With free Apple TV Plus, you’ll have access to everything that the streamer has to offer. While you can’t use two days to cram everything in, here are some of the free Apple TV Plus offerings that we think need to make your shortlist. So get ready to embark on some of the best television of recent years with a free Apple TV Plus weekend.
Pachinko (2 Seasons)
Showrunner: Soo Hugh
Cast: Soji Arai. Jin Ha, Han Jun-woo, Jeong In-ji, Jung Eun-chae, Kim Min-ha, Lee Min-ho, Kaho Minami, Steve Sang-Hyun Noh, Anna Sawai, Jimmi Simpson
Genre: Period Drama
Synopsis: Based on the New York Times bestselling novel of the same name, Pachinko season two is a sweeping and deeply moving story of love and survival across four generations. Epic in scope and intimate in tone, the story begins with a forbidden love and crescendos into a sweeping saga that journeys between Korea, Japan, and America to tell an unforgettable story of war and peace, love and loss, triumph and reckoning.
From our Season 2 Review:
“Pachinko Season 2 is encapsulated in its last moments. Sunja asks herself, “Why do some people survive when others do not?” That is the crux of the series. It’s about what we carry, what we break under, and those who have been lost. By tracing the ripples of trauma through one family, Pachinko offers a salient and intimate understanding of resiliency without disregarding your sorrow or grief. Pachinko Season 2 is a masterpiece that showcases the importance of television as a medium to tell stories. Each episode progresses and builds into a somber crescendo that reflects on the journey.” —Kate Sánchez
Mythic Quest (3 Seasons)
Showrunner: Charlie Day, Megan Ganz, Rob McElhenney
Cast: Rob McElhenney, Ashly Burch, Jessie Ennis, Imani Hakim, David Hornsby, Charlotte Nicdao, Danny Pudi, F. Murray Abraham, Naomi Ekperigin
Genre: Comedy
Synopsis: Meet the team behind the biggest multiplayer video game of all time. But in a workplace focused on building worlds, molding heroes, and creating legends, the most hard-fought battles don’t occur in the game—they happen in the office.
From our Season 3 Review:
“The most compelling part of Mythic Quest Season 3, once again, comes down to Poppy. Maybe it’s because I identify with her work ethic or her stubborn nature, but Poppy’s intelligence and engineering talent, being both her strength and her weakness, is one of the best takes on a character in the series and more broadly. Throughout the first half of the 10-episode season, we see Poppy struggle to get creative. It’s not that she isn’t creative. She just sees the world through coding.
Mythic Quest Season 3 is yet another amazing season for a strong, hilarious, and authentic series that continually manages to create hyperbolic characters that also have a grounded core.” —Kate Sánchez
Season 4 premieres January 29, 2025
Drops of God (Limited Series)
Showrunner: Quoc Dang Tran, based on the work of mangaka Tadashi Agi & Shu Okimoto
Cast: Tomohisa Yamashita, Fleur Geffrier
Genre: Mystery/Thriller
Synopsis: The series is set in the world of gastronomy and fine wines. Frenchman Alexandre Léger, creator of the famous Léger Wine Guide and emblematic figure in Oenology, has just passed away at his home in Tokyo at the age of 60. He leaves behind a daughter, Camille (Geffrier), who lives in Paris and 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 – the greatest collection in the world, according to the experts. But, to claim the inheritance, Camille must compete with a brilliant young oenologist, Issei Tomine (Yamashita), who her father took under his wing and is referred to in Léger’s will as his “spiritual son.” But is his connection to Issei only spiritual?
From our review:
“Drops of God (2023) is very different from its source material, but that’s not all bad. Creating a Eurocentric story notwithstanding, Drops of God is a thrilling series that manages to keep viewers on the edge of their seats, and all we’re watching are wine tastings.
Sure, some elements make the series more than just a simple tasting — it’s about how those tastes and smells impact who you are, building up over time to create an experience and a person. Still, in all of that, we move from one competitive tasting and see each layer of the story develop with the next. While the series feels as if it’s rushing to a conclusion in the last two episodes, on the whole, it’s a divine series.” —Kate Sánchez
Hijack (Limited Series)
Showrunner: George Kay, Jim Field Smith
Cast: Idris Elba, Neil Maskell, Eve Myles, Christine Adams, Max Beesley, Archie Panjabi
Genre: Drama/Thriller
Synopsis: Told in real time, “Hijack” is a tense thriller that follows the journey of a hijacked plane as it makes its way to London over a seven-hour flight, and authorities on the ground scramble for answers.
From our review:
“By constraining the narrative to this one incident and the events that can happen within it, showrunners George Kay and Jim Field Smith understand how to craft mystery and action while zooming in on individual passengers and the high stakes on the ground without losing the focus, which is flight KA29.
When it comes to limited series, Hijack is able to thrive. A set endpoint grounds the suspense as the audience is hurled toward the end of the flight and, with that, the end of the story. This is a fast-paced thriller that will keep you on the edge of your seat from the first couple of episodes to the last.” —Kate Sánchez
Silo (2 Seasons)
Showrunner: Graham Yost
Cast: Rebecca Ferguson, Rashida Jones, David Oyelowo, Common, Tim Robbins, Harriet Walter, Steve Zahn
Genre: Sci-fi
Synopsis: Silo is the story of the last ten thousand people on earth, their mile-deep home protecting them from the toxic and deadly world outside. However, no one knows when or why the silo was built, and any who try to find out face fatal consequences. Ferguson stars as Juliette, an engineer, who seeks answers about a loved one’s murder and tumbles onto a mystery that goes far deeper than she could have ever imagined, leading her to discover that if the lies don’t kill you, the truth will.
From our Review:
“A little bit of Bioshock, a whole lot of Fallout, and fueled by tension and mystery, Silo is a series that shouldn’t be ignored. Like much of AppleTV+’s programming, the series is pushing the boundaries on production value, effects work, and storytelling. That said, like other Apple Original gems, it stands the risk of being lost in the shuffle if only for how little reach the streaming platform has. And for that, it would be a shame.
Silo is the best sci-fi on TV right now. With its intricate sets, sprawling lore that doesn’t leave holes in in-world reasoning, and a cast of characters that are infinitely interesting in their roles; Silo is as great as they come. A deep mystery box, Silo is a winding story with a reward for those who trust its tension-building story.” —Kate Sánchez
Silo has already been renewed for Season 3 & 4
Invasion (2 Seasons)
Showrunner: Simon Kinberg, David Weil
Cast: Golshifteh Farahani, Shamier Anderson, Shioli Kutsuna, Firas Nassar, Billy Barratt, Azhy Robertson, Tara Moayedi, Daisuke Tsuji, Sam Neill
Genre: Sci-fi
Synopsis: From Academy Award-nominated and two-time Emmy Award-nominated producers Simon Kinberg and David Weil, Invasion is a sweeping, character-driven science fiction drama series that follows an alien invasion through different perspectives around the world.
From our Season 2 review:
“Invasion Season 2 is objectively good, and that’s thanks in large part to heavy lifting by Shioli Kutsuna as Mitsuki Yamato. With stumbles that cut its narrative in half, clearly, for more seasons that haven’t been greenlit yet, the series deserves more episodes. It deserves more time to develop its story and the dynamic ways that each character intersects with the other. If that happens, this season may be improved, but for now, it stands half-finished but worth the watch for Mitsuki and her incredible character journey.” —Kate Sánchez
Invasion has been renewed for Season 3.
Lessons In Chemistry (Limited Series)
Showrunner: Lee Eisenberg
Cast: Brie Larson, Lewis Pullman, Aja Naomi King, Stephanie Koenig, Patrick Walker
Genre: Period Drama
Synopsis: Set in the early 1950s, Lessons in Chemistry follows Elizabeth Zott (played by Brie Larson), whose dream of being a scientist is put on hold in a patriarchal society. When Elizabeth finds herself fired from her lab, she accepts a job as a host on a TV cooking show and sets out to teach a nation of overlooked housewives — and the men who are suddenly listening — a lot more than recipes.
From our review:
“It’s clear why the novel was one of the year’s top books when it was released. Lessons in Chemistry is a series that resonates not only in its subject matter but also in its emotional depth. With stellar costuming and set designs and an even more impressive and dazzling cast, the series is a complex look at life in a way that goes well beyond what’s on the tin.” —Kate Sánchez
Masters of the Air (Limited Series)
Showrunner: John Shiban, John Orloff
Cast: Austin Butler, Callum Turner, Anthony Boyle, Barry Keoghan, Nikolai Kinski, Stephen Campbell Moore, Sawyer Spielberg, Isabel May, Ncuti Gatwa, Jerry MacKinnon, Josh Dylan
Genre: Period Drama/Action
Synopsis: Based on Donald L. Miller’s book of the same name and scripted by John Orloff, Masters of the Air follows the men of the 100th Bomb Group (the “Bloody Hundredth”) as they conduct perilous bombing raids over Nazi Germany and grapple with the frigid conditions, lack of oxygen, and sheer terror of combat conducted at 25,000 feet in the air.
Portraying the psychological and emotional price paid by these young men as they helped destroy the horror of Hitler’s Third Reich is at the heart of Masters of the Air. Some were shot down and captured; some were wounded or killed. And some were lucky enough to make it home. Regardless of individual fate, a toll was exacted on them all.
From our review:
“Though Masters of the Air can be a tad too sentimental in its brotherhood, it survives as an honest, heartfelt document of war—its gravity, brutality, and ultimate humanity on full display. It’s a wonderous successor to HBO’s canonical miniseries, glorifying the sacrifice of the 100th Bomb Group but never the war they found themselves in.” —Prabjhot Bains
Monarch: Legacy of Monsters
Showrunner: Chris Black, Matt Fraction
Cast: Anna Sawai, Kiersey Clemons, Ren Watabe, Mari Yamamoto, Anders Holm, Joe Tippett, Wyatt Russell, Kurt Russell, Elisa Lasowski
Genre: Action/Sci-fi/Kaiju
Synopsis: Following the thunderous battle between Godzilla and the Titans that leveled San Francisco and the shocking revelation that monsters are real, Monarch: Legacy of Monsters follows two siblings who follow in their father’s footsteps to uncover their family’s connection to the secretive organization known as Monarch.
Clues lead them into the world of monsters and ultimately down the rabbit hole to Army officer Lee Shaw (played by Kurt Russell and Wyatt Russell). The story takes place in the 1950s and half a century later, when Monarch is threatened by what Shaw knows. The dramatic saga—spanning three generations—reveals buried secrets and the ways that epic, earth-shattering events can reverberate through our lives.
From our review:
“The Titans, though? They are magnificent. Godzilla’s design is imposing, closer to what we saw before his Kong team-up, and the series is better for it. Even outside Godzilla, however, Monarch: Legacy of Monsters handles each and every monster and shows the crowd a sort of majestic beauty that you can capture if you love creature special effects work. Scales, talons, and every single piece of them are detailed fantastically, so much so that you understand why Keiko looks at them with admiration.
On the whole, Monarch: Legacy of Monsters makes the majority of the shots that it takes. Even though the 2015 storyline isn’t as strong as that in the 1950s, it is still engaging enough to hold on, especially when Cate is laying her trauma bare. Sometimes, the series buckles under the weight of its massive ensemble, but it ultimately succeeds in expanding the Monsterverse’s lore, Titans, and future.” —Kate Sánchez
Monarch: Legacy of Monsters has been renewed for Season 2.
Physical (3 Seasons)
Showrunner: Annie Weisman
Cast: Rose Byrne, Rory Scovel, Paul Sparks, Geoffrey Arend, Della Saba, Lou Taylor Pucci, Dierdre Friel, Ashley Liao, José Zúñiga, Zooey Deschanel
Genre: Dark Comedy/Drama
Synopsis: Sheila Rubin is a quietly tormented housewife in ’80s San Diego. Behind closed doors, she battles extreme personal demons and a vicious inner voice. But things change when she discovers aerobics, sparking a journey toward empowerment and success.
From our review:
“What I appreciate about Physical Season 3 is that it shows Sheila’s growth as a character without throwing out the stumbles she’s had along the way and, more importantly, not curing her eating disorder or anxiety. Instead, Sheila is managing it. She’s created a better space for group therapy; she’s actually forming and respecting relationships in the group, and instead of her vicious inner voice ripping her apart, it’s pushing her to accept and celebrate her success. Sheila is a complex character, and as such, so is her ending.” —Kate Sánchez
Shrinking (2 Seasons)
Showrunner: Bill Lawrence, Jason Segel, Brett Goldstein
Cast: Jason Segel, Jessica Williams, Luke Tennie, Michael Urie, Lukita Maxwell, Christa Miller, Harrison Ford
Genre: Drama/Comedy
Synopsis: Shrinking follows a grieving therapist who starts to break the rules and tell his clients exactly what he thinks. Ignoring his training and ethics, he finds himself making huge, tumultuous changes to people’s lives… including his own.
From our review:
“It’s a testament to the skill of creators Lawrence and Brett Goldstein that the series continues to push and challenge viewers on our limitations of compassion. This is introduced through Goldstein’s character in Season 2 as the driver who drove drunk, resulting in the death of Jimmy’s wife, Tia (Lilan Bowden.) How they handle the story — indicated in the first two episodes — beautifully sidesteps our expectations. Instead of trying to get the audience to like the character, they try to make us think about the repercussions on all sides. And they do so without ever preaching to us.
Shrinking Season 2 clears the bar it set for itself. Emboldened by a strong ensemble cast with palpable chemistry, the hilarious and heartfelt series remains a bright spot as it continues to challenge its characters and us.”—Allyson Johnson
Shrinking has been renewed for Season 3.
Severance
Showrunner: Dan Erickson
Cast: Adam Scott, Zach Cherry, Britt Lower, Tramell Tillman, Jen Tullock, Dichen Lachman, Michael Chernus, John Turturro, Christopher Walken, Patricia Arquette
Genre: Sci-fi/Thriller/Drama
Synopsis: In Severance, Mark Scout (Adam Scott) leads a team at Lumon Industries, whose employees have undergone a severance procedure that surgically divides their memories between their work and personal lives. This daring experiment in “work-life balance” is called into question as Mark finds himself at the center of an unraveling mystery that will force him to confront the true nature of his work… and of himself. In season two, Mark and his friends learn the dire consequences of trifling with the severance barrier, leading them further down a path of woe.
From Our Critic:
“The Wickedly Stressful Severance is one of the best television series Apple TV has produced thus far. Adam Scott and Britt Lower star in this ever-twisting drama that showcases the mental turmoil that befalls these characters in a program in which their non-work memories are separated from work memories.
With delicious, off-kilter tones that purposefully clash against one another, the series, created by Dan Erickson and directed by Ben Stiller and Aoife McArdle, genuinely builds dread as kernels of the truth unveil themselves. The cast is uniformly terrific, with a well-balanced chemistry that makes us believe their forced camaraderie. We care desperately about these characters and their hopes for happiness, making their tumultuous journeys all the more dread-inducing to watch. “—Allyson Johnson
Season 2 premieres January 17, 2025
Sunny (Limited Series)
Showrunner: Katie Robbins
Cast: Rashida Jones, Hidetoshi Nishijima, Joanna Sotomura, Judy Ongg, annie the clumsy, Jun Kunimura, You
Genre: Dark Comedy/Sci-fi/Thriller
Synopsis: Sunny is a darkly comedic drama starring Rashida Jones as Suzie, an American woman living in Kyoto, Japan, whose life is upended when her husband and son disappear in a mysterious plane crash. As “consolation,” she’s given Sunny, which is one of a new class of domestic robots made by her husband’s electronics company.
Though at first, Suzie resents Sunny’s attempts to fill the void in her life, gradually they develop an unexpected friendship, as together they uncover the dark truth of what really happened to Suzie’s family, becoming dangerously enmeshed in a world Suzie never knew existed.
From our critic:
“Grief is fruitful for storytelling. Add in science fiction, and it will take a new form. In Sunny, people are able to hear the voices of their deceased loved ones. Used as a way to connect to them and as therapy, it’s also what causes Suzie to confront the chance that her son and husband may be dead.
When she receives a robot named Sunny, she finally starts to allow herself to process her grief. But this isn’t just one long drama, as the mysterious circumstances around her husband’s death, Sunny’s development, and corporate malpractice begin to come into play, it all begins to cascade in a story that embraces absurdity as much as vulnerability.” —Kate Sánchez
Enjoy Apple TV+ for free on the first weekend of 2025 (January 3 through January 5). The free Apple TV+ weekend will be free on any device where Apple TV+ is available, and all you need is an Apple ID to see what all the buzz is about.